This is an account of a Solo trip to Cambodia. This trip was taken from India and was 10 days long. It was moderately economical and is suitable for groups as well as solo travelers.

IN BRIEF

Tonle Sap Lake Tour

Take the Angkor Tour

Chilling at the Pub Street

Visiting Killing Caves and Bat Cave

Xperiencing Phare Ponleau Selpak

City tour of Battambang, covering Wat Ek Phnom, Well of Shadows, etc.

Riding the Bamboo Train and visiting Wat Banan Temple

Xperience the Mondulkiri Project

Trek across the island and reach Sunset Beach to witness a gorgeous Sunset

Chilling, Swimming and Kayaking at Sunset Beach and Lazy Beach

Souvenir shopping at Night Market, Phnom Penh

Leave Cambodia with a heavy heart and memories for lifetime

INDICATIVE BUDGET

INR 65000-75000 for 10 days.

HOW TO REACH

Flights are the best way to reach Cambodia if you are travelling from India. However, there are various options for road, rail and water transport from Thailand and Vietnam.

WHAT AND WHEN TO DO

DAY 1

• Arrive at Siem Reap
• Check in at Onederz Hostel and freshen up
• Take a tour of Lake/ Floating Village/ Sunset lake tour of the Tonle Sap ($18)
• Have dinner and roam in the city for a while or go rest directly (recommended for an early stat next day)

DAY 2

• Wake up at 4 AM and freshen up
• Leave for the Angkor Tour at 4:30 AM
• Watch Sunrise at Angkor Wat
• Xplore Angkor Wat (till 7:30-8:00 AM preferably)
• Visit the Bayon Temple (the Face Temple) and explore the place for 2-2.5 Hours
• Check out some small temples on the way to the Ta Keo Temple
• Xplore the Ta Keo Temple and enjoy the view from top (40-60 minutes)
• Check out the Ta Prohm Temple (for as long as you can)
• Visit Bantaey Kdei and take a break
• Relax by the lake opposite to the temple
• Return to the city by 3-3:30 PM and explore the city
• Visit the Pub Street – it is a happening place in the evening (Walking distance from the Hostel)

DAY 3 & 4

• Take an early bus to Battambang ($10-15)
• Reach Battambang and check into Pomme Hostel, Bar and Restaurant
• Visit the Killing Caves and the Bat Cave (a couple million bats flying out at dusk)
• Visit Phare Ponleau Selpak Circus
• Get back to hostel and go explore the city/ rest
• Next day, take a tour through the city and witness the real lifestyle of people in Cambodia
• Visit the Wat Ek Phnom, a Pre-Angkorian temple representing the Hindu roots of the country
• Visit the Well of Shadows and the Buddhist Monastery attached to it to witness the horrors of the Khmer Rouge
• Take the Bamboo Train and have local Khmer Lunch to experience the Cambodia of the olden days (Included in Tour, $18 – if time permits)
• Visit Wat Banan Temple (far from city)
• Take a bus to Phnom Pehn ($8-10)
• Check in at Onederz Hostel, Phnom Penh
• Have Pizza at Happy Herb Pizza
• Roam around the place and call it a day

DAY 5

• Start the day early at 7-8:00 AM
• Visit Wat Phnom or the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda
• Take a bus to Mondulkiri in the afternoon ($10-15)
• Reach in the evening and stay at the Greenhouse Retreat

DAY 6

• Go for the Mondulkiri Project ($50)
• Trek with elephants walking by your side and feed them bananas
• Wash and Bathe the elephants at the waterfall on trek
• Have the delicious Khmer Lunch
• Return and catch a bus back to Phnom Penh

DAY 7

• Reach Phnom Penh at 4-5:00 AM
• Board a bus for Sihanoukville ($23)
• Reach Sihanoukville and board a ferry to Koh Rong Samloem (Open round ticket for any day return – $22)
• Reach the Saracen Bay, Koh Rong Samloem
• Trek towards the Sunset Beach through the jungle (45 minutes)
• Reach there and Check in at SunBoo Beach Bungalows
• Enjoy the Sunset

DAY 8

• Wake up early for a walk across the beach and a swim in warm waters
• Start the trek to Lazy Beach (20 minutes)
• Swim and chill at the Lazy Beach
• Take a Kayak and Xplore the Sea ($9/ hour – snorkeling gear included)
• Trek back to the Sunset beach to witness another Sunset (No 2 sunsets are identical!)

DAY 9

• Trek back to the Saracen Bay
• Reach by 11:00 AM and board the ferry back to Sihanoukville (at 11:40 AM)
• Arrive at Sihanoukville by 12:15-12:30 PM and take a bus to Phnom Penh at 1 PM
• Reach by 6 PM and have dinner and go to the night market to shop for souvenirs

DAY 10

Visit Killing Fields if time permits or leave for airport.

WHERE TO STAY

• Onederz Hostel, Siem Reap – Pub Street is walking distance
• Pomme Hostel, Bar and Restaurant, Battambang – Really nice staff, really interesting accommodation (No AC)
• Greenhouse Retreat, Mondulkiri – As the name suggests, it’s a retreat. It’s located about 1-2 km away from the city center but the place looks and feels amazing. (Might encounter a problem with the Geyser)
• SunBoo Beach Bungalows, Koh Rong – Cannot recommend this place enough. Great food, great hosts, amazing view and really nice living arrangements (Dorm or Bungalows)
• Onederz Hostel, Phnom Penh

WHERE TO EAT

• Happy Herb Pizza, Phnom Penh
• New Delhi Indian Restaurant, Phnom Penh
• Taste of India, Battambang
• Local restaurants (couldn’t try many but they are all good)

HOW TO TRAVEL AROUND

• Rental Vehicles – easy to get bikes on rent, doesn’t require an international license, good option if you want to Xplore everything on your own
• Bus Transport System – I used this the most for longer journeys, it is convenient.
• Tuk-Tuk (Auto-rickshaws) – Rent a Tuk-Tuk from your hostel. They provide the best rates. If you aren’t sure you can haggle with a Tuk-Tuk driver on your own, ask the hostel for the rates beforehand so you know what you are getting into.
• Boats and Ferries
• Walking and Hiking

HELPFUL TIPS

• There are two options for Angkor Tour – $37 for 1 day pass and $62 for 3 days pass. Avoid a guide here and visit the Angkor National Museum beforehand.
• Don’t miss the small temples on the way to Ta Keo Temple – there is practically no on there and you may have these temples all by yourself
• Be sure to book the early bus to Battambang (well in advance- it’s almost always full; or take the 6 hours ferry ride along the river). Plan your trip here so that it has a Thursday or a Saturday for these are the days when you can Visit the Circus. Ask your hostel if they have Battambang city tours. If you don’t want to do the planning yourself, you could take their tour as they take you through the highlights of the city. I was short on time so I did this.
• I took the bus back to Phnom Penh at the night but you could stay a day and explore the beautiful Bou Sra Waterfalls.
• When you leave from Mondulkiri for Phnom Penh, take the night bus only and book in advance.
• You can book your buses at Hostels. Avoid online bus ticket booking at all costs, the platform is not well established and you might face a problem of deduction of amount WITHOUT ticket confirmation.
• Keep empty bottles handy Refill at hostels is at incredibly cheap prices.
• Have a good breakfast, but do not skip any meal as long as you have to.
• For distances up-to 2 km or more, take a walk. It’ll save you money and you’d witness the cities more closely.
• Travel light.
• Try their local delicacies like Amok and Lok Lak. If you are a vegetarian like me, you can get these with Tofu. Won’t taste the best with Tofu but I heard from my fellow travelers that they taste best with Fish.

MY STORY

Cambodia is an amazing country with a gruesome past. But it’s heartwarming to see that even after going through so much just 40 years ago, their people are resilient and ever so smiling. They are some of the nicest people. They are always smiling, always laughing, and always willing to make friends.
Make friends with travelers and tuk tuk drivers. The tuk tuk drivers are some of the happiest people in the world. Talk to them, listen to them. They’ll tell you their stories.
Visit Cambodia for its untouched beauty, not for marvels which will dazzle you (apart from the temples), for its sunsets and for its people!

SOME PICTURES FROM THE TRIP

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This Itinerary was contributed by a Community Member!

You can reach Aditya for any queries about this trip on his Facebook or Instagram! You can also WhatsApp him on +918128749696 for the same!

Does this make you feel like wanting know more about India’s history too? Give our complete guide to visit Neemrana a read and head there for your next trip!

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