Cambodia 9 Days 8 Nights – Off the Beaten Tracks

Arrive Siem Reap, meet by the local guide and transfer to hotel for check in. Rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Today we will visit the world’s number one tourist attraction.

Get up early and get to the Angkor UNESCO Park for sunrise! Seeing the sunrise against the silhouette of Angkor Wat is magical. Take the chance to look around in the morning before it gets too hot.  The whole complex is massive and you can’t see it all in a day, but make sure you don’t miss Ta Phrom temple, made famous in the movie Tomb Raider, and The Bayon with the giant stone faces.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

There’s no better way to get to know the local people than by staying in a family home, learning about their way of life and customs, and playing games with the local kids – you just can’t beat it! We exclusively visit to a remote village near Battambang. You’ll be able to immerse yourself in this rural community by sitting in on a lesson at the local school and helping the kids with their English lessons. You’ll also enjoy a delicious traditional meal and be offered the local evening drink, home brew whiskey with snake blood! Eek! Try everything once they say…who knows, you may like it! It’s truly a unique and special experience staying overnight with your host family in their home.

 It takes almost a full day to travel from the Battambang countryside to the popular seaside town of Sihanoukville on the Cambodian coast. Stop en-route to visit the floating markets in the bustling riverside town of Kompong Chhnang. When you arrive in Sihanoukville, after a long day on the road, you’ll want to run straight into the water for refreshing swim, then find the best seafood restaurant for a delicious seafood barbeque dinner on the beach! 

Overnight on Koh Rong Island

After breakfast at one of the beachfront restaurants, head over to the harbour to get a ticket to the beautiful, chilled out island of Koh Rong Samloem. The water is a dazzling blue against the white sand. Enjoy the peace and tranquillity – this is what a holiday is all about!  As the sun lowers onto the horizon, find a little bar on the beach for a sun downer and dinner (dinner on own account).  Around midnight, head down to the beach in the pitch black and paddle in the water, if you’re lucky, thousands of teeny, tiny bioluminescent plankton will light up around your feet! If you’re feeling cheeky, go skinny dipping! You’ll feel like Tinkerbell emitting fairy dust!

Overnight on Koh Rong Island.

Head out on a snorkelling trip to see how many types of tropical fish you can spot, or go for a morning hike to Clear Water Bay (about 2 hours return). Enjoy the day at the beach on Koh Rong Samloem before heading back in Sihanoukville early in the evening.  You could get a massage or a mani/pedi at one of the reasonably priced spas, enjoy a few beers on the beach or head to Ochheuteal Beach to party with the rest of the backpacker crowd.

Overnight in Sihanoukville

Kampot is a quaint little riverside town in Cambodia, just three hours from Sihanoukville. It’s famous for its salt and pepper production and hiking in Bokor National Park.  Head up Bokor Hill for amazing views of the city and ocean below; you can also hike to a beautiful waterfall and see the abandoned relics of an old church and casino that were once occupied by the Khmer Rouge. Tonight, make sure you sample some of Kampot’s famous pepper sauce on your dinner then board a river boat to top off your day with a sunset cruise and watch the sky go technicolour over the Preaek Tuek Chhu River. As it gets dark, see if you can spot some fireflies dancing over the water!

Overnight in Kampot

Cambodia’s capital city is an important place to visit to learn more about Cambodia and its recent harrowing history. The terrible story of the Khmer Rouge is bought to life at the Killing Fields and the S-21 Prison.  It’s hard to even imagine the kind of atrocities that went on so recently when you can see how determined the Cambodian people are to progress and develop their country. They seem to be endlessly smiling – a real inspiration to anyone who visits!  After visiting these important sites you might feel a bit subdued, so it’s a good time to wander along the riverside, mingle with the locals and watch the sunset on the Mekong River.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Transfer to airport for departure flight.