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Voykit pocket guide · Cambodia
Kampong Thom
Spend a night or a day‑trip in Kampong Thom to see Sambor Prei Kuk and the bat roost; otherwise skip it.
Kampong Thom sits midway between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, offering a quiet base for the UNESCO‑listed Sambor Prei Kuk temple complex, a fruit‑bat roost, and easy access to nearby grasslands. One night covers the main sights; a full day works if you’re only passing through.
- Country
- Cambodia
- Best months
- Nov–Feb (dry, cooler)
- Avoid
- May–Oct (rainy, flooding)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- US dollars for hotels, tours and restaurants; riel (KHR, about 4,000 to the dollar) for change and small street purchases.
- Daily spend
- Budget $10–15 excl. bed · Mid $15–25 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Smart, Cellcard and Metfone sell tourist SIMs at the airports with passport registration; a week of data costs a few dollars.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Fire 118 · Ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Most sockets take flat US and round European pins; newer hotels have UK-style type G.
- Tipping
- Street food: Nothing.; Sit-down restaurant: Round up or leave US$1–2 where no service charge is added.; Tuk-tuk: Round up; US$2–5 extra for a full Angkor day.; Guide day: US$5–10 per person.; Massage: US$1–2 per hour.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Bottled water everywhere; many hotels have refill stations.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, restaurants and at the Angkor ticket office and main temples; squat toilets with a hose or scoop on the road. Paper goes in the bin in older places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus ticket Phnom Penh → Kampong Thom | $4 (≈25,000 riel) |
| Shared taxi seat Phnom Penh → Kampong Thom | $5 per seat |
| Meal at Bayon restaurant | $2–2.5 (8,000–10,000 riel) |
| Sambor Prei Kuk entry | $10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PNH · Phnom Penh International Airport
- Main gateway; about 2 h bus to Kampong Thom
Typical fares
- Bus Phnom Penh → Kampong Thom
- about $4, 8,000 riel (check)
- Tuk‑tuk to Sambor Prei Kuk
- about $12 round‑trip (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Town is walkable; motorbike‑taxis for distant sights; tuk‑tuk for Sambor Prei Kuk (≈1 h).
See and do
Known for
- Sambor Prei Kuk temples
- Old Governor's Residence bat roost
- Bengal Florican grasslands
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sambor Prei Kuk | Tuk‑tuk from town, about 1 h via road | ≈2 h round‑trip |
| Old Governor's Residence bat roost | Walk 600 m west from main bridge | ≈30 min total |
| Phat Sanday floating village | Boat from Kampong Thom dock, departs ~10:00Boat from Kampong Thom dock, departs ~10:00 AM | ≈2 h each way |
Sleep
- Arunras Guesthouse
- US$6 single/double room, fan, cable TV; popular with officials.
- Arunras Hotel
- Next door, slightly higher price, more amenities.
- Stung Sen Garden Hotel
- Favoured by tour groups; basic comfort.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much? | ប៉ុន្មាន?bon man? |
| Thank you | អរគុណaw kohn |
| Where is the bus stop? | ឈប់ក្រុងនៅឯណា?chup krong nov aena? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Sampeah (palms together, slight bow); higher hands for elders and monks; avoid: Firm handshakes with older women
- Head and feet: Keep feet down and pointed away from people and Buddha images; avoid: Touching heads, even children's
- Temples: Shoes and hat off inside, shoulders and knees covered; avoid: Sitting with feet toward the Buddha; women touching monks
- Keeping face: Stay calm and smile when things go wrong; avoid: Shouting or public anger
- Giving and receiving: Use the right hand or both hands; avoid: Tossing money or objects
- Photos: Ask first, especially of monks and at memorials; avoid: Selfies at Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek
Scams and watch-outs
- Tuk‑tuk drivers can be persistent; confirm price before boarding.
- Bat roost gate may be locked; check access before arriving.
Generally safe; petty scams by tuk‑tuk drivers are common—agree on fare first.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kampong Thom yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sambor Prei Kuk temples
- Old Governor's Residence bat roost
- Bengal Florican grasslands
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Kampong Thom, revision 5329670 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5329670
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/kampong-thom). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.