Cambodia

🇰🇭 CAPITAL | PHNOM PENH

💷 CURRENCY | RIEL – 4,000 = 1 USD

🙊 LANGUAGE | KHMER

Cambodia is in Southeast Asia and shares a border with Thailand in the West, Laos in the North and Vietnam in the East.   Cambodia is most known for the ruins of Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world and one of the seven wonders of the world.

After you’ve fulfilled your Lara Croft fantasies head South to Koh Rong and spend an entire day in a hammock or eat as much crab as you can in Kep.  There are plenty of incredible places to visit in Cambodia.  

If you have time to pull back Cambodia’s layers you’ll discover the beauty beyond the famous Khmer Ruins.  A simple way of life, happy people and a positive outlook to the future.

The people, culture and ruins will keep me returning time after time.  There is always an adventure to be had while traveling Cambodia.

Top 5 things to do in Cambodia ↓

More Things to do in Cambodia

• Angkor Wat is the main reason that people flock here and its the best thing to do in Cambodia.  Once the heart of the Khmer civilization, the entire complex spans over 400 sq km.
• Ruins of Ta Prohm – Commonly known as the ‘Tomb Raider Temple’, Mother Nature has begun to take back her land as you see vast root systems growing over top and through the ancient temples.  Due to the proximity to Angkor, this makes Ta Prohm popular and usually crowded.
• Laze in a hammock on  Koh Rong. If you’re looking for white sandy beaches and bright blue waters head south.  The islands can be reached by ferry from Sihanoukville.
• Kampot is a sleepy town located in Southern Cambodia.  French influenced architecture can be spotted all around town as you pop in and out of cute shops, cafes, and restaurants.  A must stop on any Cambodia travel guide itinerary.
• Ride the bamboo railway in Battambang powered by motorbike.  A ride costs about $5 per person and takes a half hour.
• Get to know Cambodia’s past in Phnom Penh.
• Visit Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.  This is a great day trip from Siem Reap where you can learn about the unique ecosystem and the simple farming and fishing lifestyles of the locals.
• Eat crab in Kep.  A small seaside fishing village and the main attraction of Kep is the fresh crab market. 

📍 Cambodia Travel Tips

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💲 Cambodia Travel Costs

The Cambodian Riel is the official currency of Cambodia but US dollar will be your main source of money.  4,000 Riel = roughly 1 USD.

Most things will be priced in USD and the Riel’s are used as change.  Bringing small bills will be beneficial but make sure they are 2006 or newer and have no tears.

Average daily budget for Cambodia is $60-70 for a couple.  This is mid range hotels with A/C and a pool.  Enterance into the temples.  The occasional happy hour.  

It is possible to travel on $15 a day but Cambodia in my opinion is BUDGET LUXURY, its worth the splurge!

🛖 Where to Stay in Cambodia

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✈️ Getting to Cambodia

International flights fly into the capitol city Phnom Penh and Siem Reap home to Angkor Wat.  

There are no international flights that fly direct from the United States to Cambodia.  You will more than likely connect through Seoul or Tokyo before arriving at the final destination in Cambodia.  

If you live in Hawaii like me AirAsia has frequent deals to Southeast Asia.  Finding a $500-$600 round trip airfare to Cambodia wouldn’t be a stretch from HNL.

Main airport codes for Cambodia 

Flights to Cambodia

If you’re flying from a neighboring country such as Thailand tickets are usually pretty cheap and the time saved is sometimes worth spending an extra $30.  Here’s how flying would compare to taking the bus.

Fly BKK – PNH | 1.15 hours | 60 USD |

Bus BKK – PNH | 13 hours | 31 USD |

Flights from Bangkok to Phnom Penh – $60 (without checked bag fees) and takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to get there.  Of course in order to get the $60 dollar or cheaper flights you have to be flexible with your travel plans.  This is easy to do when you travel slow, plus there are frequent flights daily. 

Bus from Bangkok to Phnom Penh – $31 and takes 13 hours to get there  and that’s if the bus doesn’t break down because we all know how dodgy buses can be.  And thats not even an overnight sleeper bus.

If you’re traveling light the extra thirty dollars is definitely worth it, you’re saving yourself 13 rough hours on a bus!

Jetradar, Skyscanner and Kayak are sites that are flexible and give you the cheapest rates.  AirAsia, JetStar, Tiger amongst other budget airlines are all listed through these search engines.  This always ensures getting shown the latest and cheapest prices.  Just don’t expect much frills on these budget airlines.

Overland by bus

If you’re traveling slow and/or throughout Southeast Asia, it’s likely that you’ll be taking a long bus journey at some point or another.  International buses are frequent and comes from all the neighboring countries including Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.  

Read Next: Border Crossing Laos to Cambodia with AVT

Traveling to Cambodia via overnight bus is a great option for budget travelers.  The overnight buses are better in Cambodia than most countries in Southeast Asia.  Here’s an idea of how much bus prices are and how long buses take. 

Bangkok – Siem Reap | 10 hours | 22 USD |

Ho Chi Minh – Phnom Penh | 12 hours | 12 USD |

Don Det, Laos – Siem Reap | 6 hours | 20 USD |   

Transportation around cambodia

Transferring between towns is straight forward and easy to navigate.  Download the apps Bookaway and 12Go Website.  They are very helpful to check bus, boat, and train schedules ahead of time.

Getting around in Cambodia is an adventure in itself.  You’ll find that most of the stories you tell your friends will involve transportation.

By Bus:  Buses are frequent within the country.  Here’s what you can expect with bus travel within Cambodia.

Siem Reap – Phnom Penh  | 5 hours | 14 USD |.

Siem Reap – Sihanoukville | 10 hours | 20 USD |

Kampot – Phnom Penh | 3 hours | 10 USD |

Battambang – Phnom Penh | 6 hours | 15 USD |

By Boat:  There is a regular ferry service that runs between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and Battambang.  Don’t expect many comforts.

By Tuk Tuk:  A tuk tuk will be your common form of transportation when you’re exploring the cities of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. These are the 3 wheeled rickshaws being pulled by a motorbike.  Hiring a tuk tuk driver for the day to explore Siem Reap will cost around $20.

This is where crisp, fresh $1 dollar bills come in handy.  A ride into town will only cost 3-5 USD’s.  It’s a very affordable form of transportation.

🎒 What to pack for Cambodia

Packing is always the hardest part.  You don’t want to overpack but you also don’t want to be left wanting.  Don’t leave home without theses Cambodia travel guide essentials.

For more packing inspiration, check out these posts.

• Nifty Travel Gadgets for Backpackers
• 20 Travel Accessories Every Traveler Needs
• Travel Essentials for Long Haul Flights  

🧷 Safety in Cambodia

Cambodia Travel Guides