2 Weeks In Cambodia: 5 Exciting Itineraries For Different Kinds Of Travelers

Cambodia… Where to start? It’s one of my favorite travel destinations.  Cambodia might be a corrupted and poor country, but it’s home to some of the friendliest people on our planet. More than 1.3 million people come to Cambodia to visit the incredible Angkor Wat but many of them aren’t aware of the hidden beauty that lies in this country. Cambodia has so much more to offer than just Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh. I managed to cover most of these places and decided to write this article to show you the best way to spend 2 weeks in Cambodia.

Helpful Tips For Spending 2 Weeks In Cambodia

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If you’ still don’t have travel insurance, use this SafetyWing discount code to get a great deal.

And last but not least, don’t forget to get a Cambodian visa. If you want to get this done without bothering to go to an embassy, apply on IVisa and get your Cambodian Visa in less than a week. This is always my go-to choice when I need to get a visa for x country.

Day 1: Arriving In Phnom Penh

Whether you’re planning to spend 2 weeks in Cambodia, months or days, this is probably your starting point. The best option is to fly to Phnom Penh instead of Siem Reap, as the airport in Phnom Penh has more traffic and, therefore, cheaper flight tickets. Once you get to Cambodia, getting around by bus and ferry is the cheapeast way to explore this beautiful country and if you’re looking for some more info on this topic, you can see here how to book your bus and ferry tickets online in Cambodia.

The capital of Cambodia is one of the most unique capitals in Southeast Asia. Or as I like to call it: ‘The city of million mopeds and $3 hostels’. Phnom Penh today is a charming city filled with authentic streets, intriguing markets, exotic street food, and a charming riverfront. But that’s not all it is; far from it. Phnom Penh was once known as the ‘Pearl of Asia’ but the city went through a lot, including a civil war. Today, the capital is slowly reviving and moving on from the horrors of the 20^th century.

If you’re looking for a great place to stay in Phnom Penh, consider Sisowath Quay, more commonly known as Riverside. Most of the tourist attractions here are within walking distance, with a lot of hostels and hotels from which you can choose. There are also a lot of bars and nightclubs, as well as cheap restaurants.

Day 2: Explore The Surroundings And The Killing Fields

You can use this day to take a trip to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, which is an hour away from the city. Between 1975 and 1978 around 20,000 people, including women and children, were detained and tortured here by the Khmer Rouge. Today, this is a peaceful place, where you can take a glimpse at the horrors that unfolded here in the last century.

After coming back to the city, you can cover the sights you missed during the first day. A few must-see places are the Royal Palace, the Central Market, the Independence Monument, and an array of fascinating Buddhist temples. I’m not a big fan of museums but the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is a must. However, don’t go there if you have a weak stomach. As I mentioned, some really awful things happened to Cambodia and its people during the course of the 20th century. To round up the day, don’t miss the chance to have dinner at one of the restaurants next to the river. The sunset view along the Mekong is breathtaking.

Day 3: Head To Banlung

I suggest you leave Phnom Penh around noon.  The journey to Banlung lasts between 8 and 10 hours, depending on your driver and road conditions. You can spend the night here and get some rest before the next exhausting day.

Now you might wonder why this God-forsaken place is on my list. There really isn’t anything to see here, that’s true. But this is the only place where you can buy tickets for the Virachey National Park and the opportunity to have the ultimate jungle adventure.

Day 4: Exploring Virachey National Park

This park has never been fully explored and it has some unique species, like the clouded leopard and the sun bear. There are also a lot of elephants, hornbills, the giant ibis and a lot of other species. The park has been designated as an ASEAN Heritage Park. Needless to say, a mosquito repellent is a must here and you should be careful about poisonous snakes, even though the probability of encountering one isn’t very likely.

The park is located on the border with Vietnam in Eastern Cambodia, a part which isn’t very popular among tourists. This makes this area vastly unexplored and you will be able to see a lot of the ‘authentic Cambodia’ on the road, which is quite different than the ‘touristy Cambodia’.

However, the only way to enter the park is via organized group tours. The price is about $50 per person per day. That includes food, hammock rental and homestay at the end of the trek. You can spend the night there and go back to Banlung in the morning. From here you can catch a bus to Siem Reap (around 7-8 hours).

Related: most dangerous places in Southeast Asia

Day 5: Heading To Siem Reap

Whether you’re spending 2 weeks in Cambodia or just a few days, Siem Reap is probably on the top of your bucket list. The city is home to Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world and Cambodia’s most famous tourist attraction. If you ask me, it’s good to reach Siem Reap in the late afternoon and buy your Angkor Wat ticket after 5 PM. Why? Because it will remain valid for the next day and you can still catch the sunset over Angkor Wat, one of the most amazing sights in the world. This way, you can only buy a one day ($37) pass, instead of a three-day pass ($62), or a weekly pass ($72).

Day 6: Exploring Angkor

Other than the Angkor temples, there aren’t many other things to see around Siem Reap, except Tonle Sap, the biggest freshwater lake in Asia. Angkor used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia between the 9^th and the 15^th century. And believe it or not, there’s much more to see around here than Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. That’s why it can be a bit tricky covering the whole place in a day. Tricky, but not impossible.

Many people just visit a few of the most famous temples, but there are some amazing hidden places in the most amazing ancient city in Asia. The most practical way to get around is to get a tuk-tuk as there’s a lot of ground to cover. The price for a tuk-tuk is $20-25 USD for the whole day. If you can find someone to share the tuk-tuk with, that’s even better. You can use the evening for relaxing or going out partying (there are a lot of bars around), just go easy on the alcohol. The exploring of Angkor can be quite exhausting, especially in the summer, when the humidity is ridiculously high.

Day 7: Phnom Kulen National Park

Don’t check out from your hotel in Siem Reap yet. There are a lot of one day tours going to Phnom Kulen National park, which is around 50 km away from Siem Reap. Phnom Kulen is just amazing. In my opinion, it is one of the most underrated places in Cambodia. Phnom Kulen is a mountainous plateau that hides more than 375 square kilometers of lush jungle and wildlife. The entrance tickets cost $20.

Phnom Kulen is mostly known for its breathtaking natural beauty. However, many people don’t know that this place has a huge historic significance. It was here that the Cambodian king Jayavarman II proclaimed independence from Java. The place was also a stronghold of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s when they used to hide in the jungle. This mountain is a sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists. Hence, you can find a lot of temples thrown around the jungle that can even give Angkor Wat a run for its money.

Related: Things I wish I knew before visiting Laos

Day 8: Battambang

Battambang is only 3 hours away from Siem Reap. You can leave from Siem Reap with a bus at 5 AM and reach Battambang around 8. If you have your luggage, you can drop it at Mad Monkey hostel, located in the central area and close to all of the main sights. Battambang is the second most populated city in Cambodia and it’s a must-visit place for history lovers. One day is completely enough to cover the city and in the evening, you can catch a bus to Sihanoukville. It’s an 8-10 hour journey and you should reach Sihanoukville the next morning.

Day 9-10: Sihanoukville

I know that 2 weeks in Cambodia isn’t a lot but you just have to make room for Sihanoukville in your schedule. The city might not win the first prize in a pretty-town competition, and is filled with casinos and commercial centers but despite the rapid and poorly planned development, Sihanoukville still is the main jumping-off point for the best islands in Cambodia.

Sihanoukville is a small town where you’ll find several beautiful beaches. The most beautiful ones are Serendipity Beach and Otres beach. You can spend these couple of days relaxing at the beach and partying at the nights as Sihanoukville has some of the best nightclubs in Cambodia. Additionally, you can also go island hopping, but I suggest you spend a couple of days at the beach relaxing after spending a few long days on the road.

Day 11: Enjoy The Best Cambodian Island

Cambodia has a few really nice islands on the coastline but my absolute favorite is Koh Rong. Koh Rong is filled with untouched, natural beauty, despite the increased number of tourists in the past few years. Koh Rong has the reputation of a party island and your first impression might not be so positive because the area around the ferry stop is the tourist area and it’s always crowded and dirty. But if you go along the coastline to the village where the locals live, you will be enchanted by this tropical paradise.

Ferries come and go all the time and you should easily be able to purchase your tickets at Sihanoukville or on 12GoAsia. Even though my absolute favorite is Koh Rong, there are a couple of other islands you might consider, like Koh Rong Samloem or Koh Tang. Sihanoukville is the starting point for visiting any of these islands. Most travel agencies charge $20 for a return ticket for any of the islands.

Day 12-13: Go Back To Sihanoukville And Head For Kampot

After spending the last evening on the beach you can head to Campot, a town located a few hours away from Sihanoukville. Campot is a sleepy town comfortably lying next to Preaek Teuk Chhu River. The city is filled with yellow colonial buildings and dusty roads. It’s not a place to go sightseeing but rather just relax, enjoy the atmosphere and meet some friendly locals while tasting some amazing Cambodian food. Surprisingly, this small, forgotten place is becoming a home to more expats in recent years.

Kampot is an example of the Cambodia’s dazzling countryside. After seeing the hustle and bustle of Phnom Penh, the busy touristy streets of Siem Reap, and the crazy nightlife of Sihanoukville, visiting Kampot will feel quite refreshing. After spending a day relaxing at this beautiful small town, you can head to Bokor, one of Cambodia’s most beautiful hill stations. The view from the top of the hill is simply amazing and this town happens to be one of the best paragliding spots in Southeast Asia. It’s pretty cheap too; you can do it for only $35-$40 per hour.

Day 14: Relax At The Beach One Last Time

To round up your 2 weeks in Cambodia, head back to Kampot and take a bus towards the last destination. Kep is a small seaside resort town located only a few dusty roads and several rice fields away from Campot. The history of this town is really interesting; it used to be the top vacation spot in Cambodia for the elites until the emergence of the Khmer Rouge. After that, all the fancy villas, and the whole town, as a matter of fact, were completely destroyed.

For several decades, the beautiful beaches hosted nothing but ruins. In the past few years, foreign investment started flowing into Kep, and the city is slowly returning to what it once was. And now, unlike the rest of Cambodia, the development here seems slow, careful, and planned. Finally, after spending a day exploring this small lovely town, it would be time to go back to Phnom Penh. It’s a 3-hour journey and I suggest you take a van instead of a bus because it can drop you directly at the Phnom Penh airport.

We firmly believe that the above-mentioned itinerary will help you experience most of Cambodia’s highlights in a short timeframe. However, if you’re looking to visit specific places or you have a preference when it comes to exploring places, we have a few more suggestions for spending 2 weeks in Cambodia and in addition to this article, we’ll briefly describe them.

2 Weeks In Cambodia For History Lovers

If you have already visited Cambodia and want to focus only on historic sites or you’re just a history buff, this itinerary is perfect for you. Just like our ultimate 2 weeks in Cambodia itinerary, this one includes an exploration of Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Battambang but it also gives you more time to discover attractions like the 10th century temple of Banteay Srei and the Landline Museum which are located near Siem Reap but the previous itinerary doesn’t have enough time to allow you a visit.

It also includes a trip to the ancient temples of Preah Vihear and Koh Ker, a former capital of the Khmer Empire and the ancient temples of the archaeological site of Prasat Sambor Prei Kuk.

1. Day 1-3: Siem Reap, explore Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm
2. Day 4: Visit Banteay Srei and the Landmine Museum
3. Day 5-6: Phnom Penh, tour the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
4. Day 7-8: Travel to Battambang, visit historical sites and colonial buildings
5. Day 9-10: Explore the ancient temples of Preah Vihear and Koh Ker
6. Day 11-12: Visit Sambor Prei Kuk and explore more historical temples
7. Day 13: Return to Siem Reap, visit local museums or lesser-known temples
8. Day 14: Departure from Siem Reap

2 Weeks In Cambodia For Beach Lovers

If you don’t care about any of those historical sites, palaces, and museums and just want to unwind at the beach and soak the sun, this itinerary will be perfect for you. You’ll be heading to the beach as soon as you reach Phnom Penh without losing any time. On this itinerary, you’ll have time to visit Otres Beach just outside of Sihanoukville, and more time to do island hopping which should be the highlight of this itinerary. You’ll also have more time to spend in Key, Kampot, and Sihanoukville.

1. Day 1-2: Arrival in Phnom Penh, transfer to Sihanoukville
2. Day 3-4: Explore Otres Beach and nearby coastal areas
3. Day 5-7: Island hopping – Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem for pristine beaches
4. Day 8-9: Travel to Kep, relax on the quiet beaches and visit Rabbit Island
5. Day 10-11: Head to Kampot, enjoy the coastal scenery and visit nearby beaches
6. Day 12-13: Return to Sihanoukville, explore more beaches or revisit favorites
7. Day 14: Departure from Phnom Penh

2 Weeks In Cambodia For Nature Lovers

On the other hand, if you’re nature enthusiast who likes trekking, exploring the forest, and climbing mountains you’ll love our 2 weeks in Cambodia for nature lovers. Unlike our main itinerary, this one leaves enough time to explore Kirirom National Park, one of Cambodia’s largest but also one that lies off the typical tourist trail. You can also take a couple of days to explore the Cardamom Mountains, unwind at the Mondulkiri elephant sanctuary, go for a swim in the jungle (at Peak Loom Lake), and pay a visit to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center.

1. Day 1-2: Arrival in Phnom Penh, travel to Kirirom National Park
2. Day 3-4: Explore Kirirom, hiking and bird watching
3. Day 5-6: Travel to the Cardamom Mountains, engage in jungle treks and wildlife spotting
4. Day 7-8: Visit Ream National Park for coastal ecosystems and mangroves
5. Day 9-10: Head to Mondulkiri, visit elephant sanctuaries and nature reserves
6. Day 11-12: Ratanakiri for jungle expeditions, visit Yeak Laom Lake
7. Day 13: Travel to Phnom Penh, short visit to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center
8. Day 14: Departure from Phnom Penh

2 Weeks In Cambodia For City Explorers

Lastly, we have this itinerary for city explorers; people who like staying close to big cities, indulging in everyday life, visiting museums, and admiring local architecture. In addition to the typical Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, this itinerary also allows you to spend more time in Kampong Cham, Kampot, Kep, Sihanoukville, and Battambang.

1. Day 1-3: Phnom Penh, explore the city, markets, and nightlife
2. Day 4-5: Siem Reap, visit Angkor Night Market and Pub Street
3. Day 6-7: Battambang, explore the city’s art scene and cafes
4. Day 8: Travel to Kampong Cham, visit colonial buildings and the Mekong Riverfront
5. Day 9-10: Kampot, enjoy the colonial architecture and riverside dining
6. Day 11-12: Sihanoukville, explore the city and enjoy the local cuisine
7. Day 13: Visit Kep, known for its seafood and colonial history
8. Day 14: Return to Phnom Penh for departure

Did you like this 2 weeks in Cambodia itinerary? What would you do if you had two weeks to visit this beautiful country? Let us know in the comments!

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