CAMBODIA
I went to Cambodia a few years ago and knew I’d come back to explore more. The Angkor temples are unlike anything else: the scale, the history, the jungle growing back through the stones. The food is good, the people are incredibly welcoming, and the country has this controlled chaos to it that somehow makes it more charming, not less. It’s also cheap, which helps. I am sure it is one of those destinations that will surprise you!
👉Check my post for tips and a combined Cambodia–South Vietnam trip.
Siem Reap → 3 Days
Siem Reap is where you will stay to do the Angkor temples. Plan two full days to cover the petit circuit and grand circuit without rushing.
Buy your Angkor pass the evening before the ticket office is not at the temple gate. Note that passes come in 1-day or 3-day options only, no 2-day pass exists.
For transport, find a tuk-tuk driver in the street or ask your hotel. Keep the same driver for both days, they know the route, wait for you between temples, and honestly, in that heat, it’s better than your own scooter.
The city itself is great to explore : souvenir markets, massage spots, bars and restaurants, a night market, pancake stands, pub street at night …
Day by day
📅 Day 1 → Arrival. Rest at the hotel, recover from jet lag, get a massage, and head to the ticket office in the evening to buy your Angkor pass.
📅 Day 2 → Grand circuit with your tuk-tuk driver. In the evening, your driver can take you back for sunset at Phnom Bakheng — a hilltop temple with a distant view over Angkor Wat. It gets very crowded, so go with realistic expectations, but the view is worth it.
📅 Day 3 → Petit circuit, starting with the sunrise. Skip the 5am rush — arriving at 6:30am means better light and far fewer crowds. Then continue the temple tour before catching the night bus to Sihanoukville.
Where to eat
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Koh Rong → 2 Days
Night bus from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville, then the ferry to Koh Rong. Book on or Easybook, easy and cheap.
The island is beautiful but some beaches are very dirty, very dommage car c’est sublime.
🏖️ Long Set Beach → social, bars and restaurants on the shore. Good for meeting people and night out.
🏖️ Pagoda Beach → the most beautiful on the island. Private, so order a drink or stay at a resort.
🏖️ Long Beach → quieter, great for sunset.
Day by Day
Day 4 → Beach day. Pick your spot and unwind.
Day 5 → Island tour. Hire a scooter → cheaper and easier than a tuk-tuk.
Stop at different beaches along the way and have lunch at Natural Kitchen, a French-Cambodian restaurant hidden between the trees. Watch for the signs or you’ll miss it. Excellent food, unique setting.
Phnom Penh→2 Days
I didn’t have a good memory of Phnom Penh, but this time I really enjoyed it. Noticeably better than five years ago, even if it’s still very chaotic → a city full of energy.
Day by Day
📅 Day 6→Arrive by ferry and bus from Koh Rong. Afternoon walk: National Museum, Royal Palace, Independence Monument, riverside promenade. Dinner at the night market.
📅 Day 7→Start with Tuol Sleng S-21, the former detention centre turned genocide museum. A difficult but essential visit→allow at least two hours and take the audio guide. You can’t understand Cambodia without it. Then Wat Phnom for a quieter moment, and Central Market for souvenirs.
Where to Eat
🍜 David Noodle→local and excellent. fresh noodles made in front of you.
🥐 Éric Kayser→French bakery if you are abroad since a long time.
🍽️ Night Market→ You eat on the floor on carpet with locals, take a Lok Lak.
From Phnom Penh, we crossed into Vietnam by bus.
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