What Makes it Special?
- Tuck into home-cooked lunch with a local family in their stilted lake house.
- Visit the ancient temples of Angkor, including Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm.
- Learn about Cambodia’s history with a visit to the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Prison.
- Stroll Kampot’s riverside promenade at sunset, watching locals fish and families unwind.
- Experience a more traditional way of life in the laid-back fishing village of Kep.
- Pause at a rural market for sticky rice, tropical fruit and street-side stories.
Your tailor-made holiday will be as unique as you are. These itineraries are just a starting point – a bit of inspiration to show what’s possible. Your own trip all starts with a conversation with one of our Cambodia experts, who’ll take the time to understand what matters most to you and design the perfect Cambodia holiday to match.
If you're looking to explore the highlights of Cambodia without too much travelling around, this 11-day itinerary is a brilliant way to do just that. Simply Cambodia is all about taking in the culture and adventure at a relaxed pace. So, you’ll still tick off the big hitters, but with time to breathe, take it all in, and enjoy the journey along the way.
Start with a few days in Siem Reap, where you’ll explore the incredible temples of Angkor, from the iconic spires of Angkor Wat to the tree-wrapped ruins of Ta Prohm. There’s also a full day out on Tonle Sap Lake, cruising past stilted villages and stopping for a home-cooked lunch with a local family. It's a lovely way to experience rural life beyond the temples. From there, head south to Phnom Penh for a glimpse into Cambodia’s more recent history. Visits to Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields are sombre but eye-opening, giving you real insight into the country’s past and the resilience of its wonderful people. Finally, wind down by the coast with a few nights in Kep, a sleepy seaside town known for its crab markets, colonial charm, and slow pace. It’s the perfect spot to relax after the culture and sightseeing, with time to sit back and soak up the sunshine.
This is a great option if you’re after a well-balanced, good-value Cambodia trip. It’s simple, insightful, and full of moments you’ll remember – without feeling too rushed.
14 hours from London
When to go
- Dry season: November to March
- Green season: April to October
Average temperature
- 27°C
Average rainfall
- 19mm/month (dry season)
Itinerary at a Glance
Day by Day
Here's a summary of what you might get up to day-to-day on this Cambodia holiday. As always, this is just an idea. Every single day of your holiday will be tailored to suit you.
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You'll leave the UK today on your overnight flight to Siem Reap. If you're flying from elsewhere or arranging your own flights, that's no problem, every single moment of your Cambodia holiday will be tailored to suit you.
Welcome to Cambodia! Once you've safely landed, your private guide will meet you at the airport for the short transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax and unwind – either enjoy the pool and gardens at your hotel or head out for a wander through town to get your bearings.
This morning, you'll head out of the city to explore the peaceful countryside surrounding Siem Reap. You'll visit a local market and drive past rice fields and villages, before hopping aboard a traditional wooden boat for a scenic cruise through the waterways that lead to Tonle Sap Lake. Along the way, you'll pass stilted houses, floating villages, and fishing boats. Lunch will be served in a local family home – a unique chance to experience authentic Cambodian hospitality.
Today is all about the temples. Start early with a visit to Ta Prohm – the ‘Tomb Raider’ temple – where the jungle has entwined itself around the ancient stone ruins. Then, continue to Angkor Thom to see the serene faces of the Bayon temple and the grand Terrace of Elephants. This afternoon, you’ll explore the most iconic temple of all, Angkor Wat. Marvel at the sheer scale, intricate carvings, and spiritual significance of this incredible 12th-century masterpiece. It's a must-visit on any Cambodia holiday, especially if it's your first time visiting.
Enjoy a day at your own pace today. Whether you’d like to head back to the temples for more exploring, visit some of Siem Reap’s colourful markets, or simply lounge by the pool, the choice is yours. Let us know if you’d like to arrange any extra excursions or experiences. As always, we’re here to make sure this holiday is perfect for you.
You'll leave Siem Reap this morning for your journey to Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. Along the way, you’ll stop to see the ancient Naga Bridge at Kampong Kdei and make a short visit to Skoun, a local market town famously known for its unusual snacks (think tarantulas, scorpions and more – although there’s also excellent fruit if that’s more your style!). You’ll arrive in Phnom Penh by afternoon and check into your hotel.
Today, you'll dive into Cambodia's more recent history. Visit Tuol Sleng (S-21), the former high school turned prison, and the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek – sombre but important sites that help shed light on the Khmer Rouge era. It's a moving but powerful experience that will deepen your understanding of Cambodia’s history and how incredibly resilient the people are.
Today is yours to enjoy as you wish. You might want to take a stroll along the riverside, visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, or explore the local markets and cafés. This evening, we suggest a traditional dance performance by Cambodia Living Arts – it’s a beautiful way to experience Khmer culture.
Today, you’ll swap city life for the coast. Your driver will take you down to the peaceful fishing town of Kep, known for its relaxed atmosphere and French colonial charm. Check in to your beachside hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
You have two full days to enjoy Kep and nearby Kampot at your own pace. Visit the morning crab market, explore the countryside and salt fields, take a tuk-tuk up to Bokor National Park, or simply put your feet up and enjoy the sea views. It’s a great place to round off your Cambodian adventure.
This morning is yours to enjoy a final breakfast or seaside stroll before your driver picks you up for the transfer back to Phnom Penh Airport. Time to head home, full of memories, stories, and perhaps a few grains of Kep’s famous sea salt in your suitcase.
Places you'll visit
We have hundreds of partner hotels across the world, with our tailor made trips you can pick from our range of beautiful hotels
What You're Saying
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We have just returned from a wonderful trip to Cambodia and Vietnam. Our destination Manager was Lisa Jankus-Scott who patiently organised and re-organised our itinerary whilst we changed our minds and plans - more than once! She gave us some really helpful advice too, supported by further valuable information from HA. We had been recommended to HA by a friend and very glad that we were.
Alan Brompton
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We had THE BEST holiday we could have wished for! Literally everything was sooo interesting and fun and we were so well looked after both in Cambodia and Vietnam. Both our local guides were absolutely brilliant! They were always on time, so friendly and super enthusiastic about their respective countries. They were very happy to share fascinating facts about their culture, their families, their day to day lives and we learnt so much more than we could ever have found out had we travelled alone. Thank you Fenton for all your hard work and support. We shall be saving up and hopefully using Holiday Architects again!
David Barber
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Not long back from a wonderful trip to Cambodia. Lisa from HA was a great help in tailoring the holiday to our requirements and everything went very smoothly with the local guides and drivers through Exo travel. We stayed in some lovely boutique hotels particularly memorable in Siem Reap, Battambang and the Cardamom mountains where the service and friendliness of the staff was excellent without being obsequious. Thoroughly recommend HA.
Tim Piper
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“
Thank you Lisa for organising what I can only say was an amazing holiday. From the moment we were greeted at Siem Reap airport to leaving 18 days later it was faultless. The guides were great -informative, helpful and clearly passionate about their beautiful country . The itinerary was perfect -history , culture, food tasting , jungle, glamping on floating tents , beach . There was not one part we would have changed but highlights were the early morning cycling through the temples at Angkor, Vespa street food tour, elephant sanctuary, Cardamom mountain tented camp ( night trek) and finally arriving at Pagoda beach to relax. This holiday was to celebrate my 60th birthday and thanks to you for making it so special and memorable.
Alison
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The whole booking process was really good with Lisa very quickly understanding our aims for the holiday. We wanted to see "real life" and the various trips including the Vespa street food experience in Siem Reap and the local bike tour in Battambang, amongst others hit the mark. The guides we had were excellent with good English and local knowledge. The guides too were great with stopping at local markets etc. All the arrangements, flights, transfers , hotels etc went without a glitch the whole trip. Highly recommended.
Andrew Waring
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Holiday Gallery
Meet our Cambodia experts
We offer tailor-made holidays to suit a wide range of tastes. Our experts Fenton and Lisa are dedicated to all things Cambodia and are here to help you plan your perfect trip.
Fenton
Destination Manager
Our Fenton’s explored Cambodia countless times, both solo and with his young family in tow, and it’s a firm favourite. He knows where to find culture, adventure and downtime, and how to bundle it together in one unforgettable trip.
Lisa Jankus-Scott
Destination Manager
From her first visit, Lisa was captivated by Angkor Wat, the Cambodian smile and everything else about Cambodia. With a love of culture, food and real local experiences, she knows just how to bring it to life for you.
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