Cambodia
Cambodia itineraries: 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks
For 7 days, do Siem Reap 4 nights for Angkor, then Phnom Penh 3 nights — one flight or a 5–6 h day bus between them. Add Battambang and Kampot at 10–14 days, and Koh Rong in the dry season at 14+. Skip the beach in the wet months.
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GuideCambodia
Key facts
- 7 days
- Siem Reap 4 nights + Phnom Penh 3 nights; one flight or a 5–6 h bus
- 10 days
- Add Battambang (2) and Kampot (2) between the temples and the capital
- 14 days
- Full loop: Siem Reap, Battambang, Phnom Penh, Kampot/Kep, Koh Rong Sanloem
- Siem Reap – Battambang
- About 3 h by road; boat only in high water (check)
- Siem Reap – Phnom Penh
- Flight about 1 h, or a 5–6 h day bus
- Islands
- Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem are dry-season only, roughly Dec–Apr
- Thai land border
- Closed — check before planning an overland leg
- Buffercheck
- Add one spare day per week for road and river delays
At a glance: which length fits you
Cambodia rewards a short trip because the two anchors — Angkor and Phnom Penh — sit at opposite ends of one easy transport line. Pick your length by how much road time you are willing to trade for a beach or a river town.
The table below is the skeleton. Every version keeps Siem Reap first, because jet-lagged temple mornings are easier before you have crossed the country, and finishes in Phnom Penh, which has the best onward flights.
| Length | Route | Nights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Siem Reap → Angkor → Phnom Penh | 4 + 3 | First trip, temple-focused |
| 10 days | Siem Reap → Battambang → Phnom Penh → Kampot | 4 + 2 + 2 + 2 | Temples plus countryside and coast |
| 14 days | Siem Reap → Battambang → Phnom Penh → Kampot/Kep → Koh Rong | 4 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 | Full loop with beach time |
| 21 days | Add Kratie and Mondulkiri to the 14-day loop | as above + 4–5 | Slow travel, Mekong and hills |
Nights are a starting point, not a rule. Add one spare day per week for delays.
7 days: Angkor and the capital
Four nights in Siem Reap gives you three full temple days: one for the small circuit (Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm), one for a further-out site such as Banteay Srei or the Landmine Museum, and one for Tonle Sap villages or a rest day by the pool. Buy the Angkor pass at the official office and start before sunrise on at least one morning.
Then move to Phnom Penh for three nights. Do the Royal Palace and National Museum in one half-day and Tuol Sleng with Choeung Ek in one morning, leaving an afternoon free. The riverside is the natural base for food and evening walks.
Between the two cities, a flight takes about an hour; a day bus takes 5–6 h. The bus is cheap and runs on a sealed road, but it eats a full day, so take the flight if your week is tight.
- Day 1: arrive Siem Reap, buy pass, sunset viewpoint
- Days 2–4: Angkor circuits, one outlying temple, one lake or rest day
- Day 5: transfer to Phnom Penh
- Days 6–7: palace, museums, memorials, riverside
10 to 14 days: add the countryside and a coast
At 10 days, slot Battambang between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh: two nights covers the bamboo train, the circus and a rice-country temple or two. The road from Siem Reap takes about 3 h; the boat link only runs when the water is high, so treat it as a bonus rather than a plan.
At 14 days, continue south from Phnom Penh to Kampot and Kep for two nights — pepper farms, Bokor mountain and the crab market — then cross to Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem for three nights. Ferries leave from Sihanoukville, which is a port and construction town rather than a resort; pass through it rather than staying.
Island time only works in the dry season, roughly December to April. In the wet months, swap the islands for extra days in Kampot or a Mekong stop at Kratie.
| Leg | Typical time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Siem Reap – Battambang | 3 h by road | Boat in high water only (check) |
| Battambang – Phnom Penh | 5–6 h by road | Day bus or shared taxi |
| Phnom Penh – Kampot | 3–4 h by road | Frequent buses |
| Kampot – Kep | 30 min | Easy day trip either way |
| Sihanoukville – Koh Rong | About 45 min by ferry | Weather-dependent (check) |
3 weeks: the slow version
Three weeks lets you keep the 14-day loop and add the east. From Phnom Penh, go north-east to Kratie for Irrawaddy dolphins and cycling on the Mekong islands, then on to Mondulkiri for hills, waterfalls and ethical elephant projects. Both are cooler and quieter than the temple circuit.
The trade-off is road time: the eastern legs are long and slower than the main highways, so build in a spare day. Finish back in Phnom Penh for onward flights, or cross to Vietnam at Prek Chak if you are heading for Phu Quoc.
If you would rather not move every few days, cut the east and spend the extra week splitting time between Kampot and one island.
- Phnom Penh → Kratie: long day by road
- Kratie → Senmonorom (Mondulkiri): half-day by road
- Return to Phnom Penh for flights or the Vietnam crossing
Practical notes for any length
Book Angkor passes at the official office, not through a hotel markup, and check current prices and validity windows on arrival. Temples open early; the popular sunrise spots fill up, so arrive before first light if that is your plan.
Money is cash-first outside hotels: riel and US dollars both circulate, and small notes matter. Carry enough for a few days, and read up on tipping and ATM fees before you go.
The Thai land border has been closed; check its status and your own government's travel advice before you build an overland leg into the plan. Domestic flights and buses are the reliable spine of every route here.
Pack for heat and dust, and keep one flexible day per week. Roads, boats and ferries all slip, and a spare day turns a missed connection into an inconvenience rather than a crisis.
- Buy the Angkor pass at the official office
- Carry riel and small US dollar notes
- Check the Thai border status before overland plans
- Keep one spare day per week
Questions people ask
What is a good 7-day itinerary for Cambodia?
Siem Reap for 4 nights — three temple days at Angkor plus one for Tonle Sap or rest — then Phnom Penh for 3 nights for the palace, museums and memorials. Connect the two by a 1 h flight or a 5–6 h day bus.
How many weeks should I spend in Cambodia?
One week covers Angkor and Phnom Penh. Ten days to two weeks adds Battambang, Kampot and Kep, and the islands in the dry season. Three weeks adds Kratie and Mondulkiri in the east at a slower pace.
What is the best route through Cambodia?
Start in Siem Reap for Angkor, move south through Battambang to Phnom Penh, then continue to Kampot and Kep and out to Koh Rong. Finish in Phnom Penh, which has the best onward flights.
Should I visit the islands or the east?
Islands (Koh Rong, Koh Rong Sanloem) suit December to April, when seas are calm. In the wet months, or if you prefer hills and river towns, choose Kratie and Mondulkiri instead.
Do I need to book transport in advance?
Buses and domestic flights between Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and the coast are frequent, so a day or two ahead is usually enough. Ferries to the islands and high-water boat links are the ones worth checking early.
How much buffer time should I add?
Plan one spare day per week. Road, river and ferry timings move with weather and traffic, and the buffer is what keeps a delayed leg from costing you a booked flight.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialMinistry of Tourism, Cambodia
- officialAngkor Enterprise (official Angkor ticket office)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Cambodia