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🇰🇭 Itinerary · Cambodia · 7 days

1-week Cambodia itinerary 2026: Angkor and Phnom Penh

7 well-paced days: the temples of Angkor at Siem Reap, the floating lake, then Phnom Penh and its history. The essential formula, with detailed budget and transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

7 days

Stops

2 places

Average budget

€900-1,500

Total distance

~650 km

Profile

First time

Season

Nov-Feb

Siem Reap 4d · Phnom Penh 3d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Cambodia 1-week itinerary map: Siem Reap, Angkor, Phnom Penh

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

7 days, day by day

1

~€70/pers

Siem Reap · Arrival and sunset

  • Morning Arrival at Siem Reap-Angkor airport. Tuk-tuk into town (10 min).
  • Afternoon Rest, then buy the Angkor pass (1 day $37, 3 days $62) at the official counter.
  • Evening First dinner on Pub Street, night market and fish amok, the national Khmer dish.
🛌 🛌 Siem Reap, centre · e.g. Viroth's Hotel (4 nights)·🛺 Tuk-tuk by the day ($15-20)·Cambodia guide →
2

~€55

Angkor · Small Circuit and sunrise

  • 5am Sunrise at Angkor Wat, the largest religious temple in the world.
  • 9am Angkor Thom and the Bayon with its 216 stone faces, then the Baphuon.
  • 2pm Ta Prohm, the temple swallowed by silk-cotton tree roots (the Tomb Raider set).
3

~€60

Angkor · Grand Circuit and distant temples

  • Morning Preah Khan, Neak Pean and Ta Som, quieter than the Small Circuit.
  • Afternoon Banteay Srei, the finely carved pink-sandstone citadel of women (37 km out).
  • Sunset Pre Rup at sunset, with a view over the canopy.
4

~€50

Siem Reap · Floating lake and countryside

  • Morning Floating village of Kampong Phluk on Tonlé Sap lake, stilt houses and flooded forest.
  • Afternoon Khmer cooking class or rest before the road.
  • Evening Phare circus show, a performing-arts school ($18).
5

~€60

Siem Reap → Phnom Penh · Heading south

  • 8am Bus or minivan to Phnom Penh (320 km, 5.5 h, $12-15) or domestic flight (45 min, $60).
  • 3pm Check in and the Art Deco Central Market (Phsar Thmei).
  • 6pm Sunset on the Mekong riverside (Sisowath Quay), dinner by the water.
🛌 🛌 Phnom Penh, riverside · e.g. Plantation Hotel (3 nights)·🚌 Siem Reap-Phnom Penh bus, 5.5 h
6

~€45

Phnom Penh · History and palace

  • 9am Tuol Sleng genocide museum (S21) and the Choeung Ek killing fields, to understand the Khmer Rouge. Deeply moving, not to be skipped.
  • 2pm Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, then the National Museum and its Khmer statues.
  • Evening Dinner at a social-enterprise restaurant that trains young people in need.
7

Flight

Phnom Penh → Return

  • Morning Last market (Russian Market) for crafts and spices (Kampot pepper).
  • 1pm Phnom Penh airport. Flight home, often via Bangkok, Singapore or a Gulf hub.

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€900

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €650
  • 🏨 Guesthouse: €12/night
  • 🍜 Khmer canteens: €8/day
  • 🛺 Tuk-tuk + bus: €60
  • 🎫 Angkor 3-day pass: €55
Recommended

Comfort

€1,200

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €750
  • 🏨 Boutique hotel: €45/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €18/day
  • ✈️ Domestic flight: €60
  • 🎫 Pass + guide + circus: €130

Premium

€2,400

per person

  • ✈️ Premium flight: €1,400
  • 🏨 5★ resort: €160/night
  • 🍽️ Fine dining: €45/day
  • 🚖 Private driver + guide
  • 🎫 Private Angkor tours: €250

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

You're here

1 week

1 week

Angkor and Phnom Penh. The essential formula.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Temples, Battambang, the South and the Koh Rong islands.

1 month

1 month

The whole country, from the Mekong dolphins to the wild Northeast.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

A short week: Siem Reap is explored by tuk-tuk by the day ($15-20), Angkor included. The only long leg is Siem Reap-Phnom Penh, 5.5 h by comfortable bus or 45 min by domestic flight. In the city, Grab (the local Uber) works well in Phnom Penh.

🛺

Tuk-tuk in Siem Reap

$15-20/day · Angkor circuits included · agree the day before

🚌

Bus Siem Reap → Phnom Penh

$12-15 · 5.5 h · Giant Ibis or Mekong Express

✈️

Domestic flight Siem Reap → Phnom Penh

$60 · 45 min · saves half a day

🚗

Grab in Phnom Penh

$2-4 a ride · mobile app · handy in the city

Adapt by season

Dry season or temples under the monsoon

This itinerary is at its best from November to February: clear skies over Angkor, 28 to 32 °C, low humidity. From March to May the heat climbs to 38 °C, so rise early for the temples. From June to October the monsoon makes Angkor's jungle lush and the moats full, with short late-day showers and far fewer people on the sites.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In December 2024 I bought the 3-day Angkor pass rather than a single day: with one day you rush from temple to temple and burn out. Over three days you breathe and dodge crowds by varying your timing.
  • • Sunrise at Angkor Wat from the left-hand pond (fewer people than the right one).
  • • The Kampong Phluk floating village rather than Chong Kneas, which is more touristy and staged for groups.
  • • Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek the same morning: emotionally hard, but essential to understand the country.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Take the domestic flight rather than the bus if time is tight: 45 min versus 5.5 h.
  • • Over 7 days, don't attempt the South (Kampot, islands): the Angkor-Phnom Penh triangle is already full.
  • • Book a guide for Angkor on the first day: the temples take on another meaning with the stories.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is one week enough in Cambodia? +
Yes for the essentials: Angkor and Phnom Penh. Four days at Siem Reap cover the temples and the lake, three days in Phnom Penh are enough for the history and the palace. Adding the South over 7 days means rushing.
How many days do I need for the temples of Angkor? +
Three days is ideal with the $62 pass. One day ($37) is enough if you only see the major temples (Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm), but it's dense and tiring in the heat.
Do I need a visa for Cambodia? +
Yes, an e-visa online (about $30, 3-day lead time) or a visa on arrival. Passport valid 6 months. Check the current conditions on the official site before you leave.
Is this itinerary family-friendly? +
Yes, Cambodia is welcoming with children. The tuk-tuk delights them and Ta Prohm feels like a playground. Skip Tuol Sleng with young kids. Bring a hat, water and insect repellent.
When is the best time to go? +
November to February: clear skies, bearable heat. March-May is very hot (38 °C). June-October the monsoon makes Angkor green with short showers and far fewer people.
How much does a week in Cambodia cost all-in? +
Budget about €900 backpacking, €1,200 in comfort and €2,400 premium, flight from Paris included, per person.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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