Hello fellow travelers,
I spent 3 weeks in Cambodia this January, and I completely fell in love with this country—especially the Cambodian people. I took my time because it was possible, and it turned out to be a total success. Originally, this trip was planned for 2021 and 2022 with my husband, but COVID and an illness threw everything off. Now traveling solo, I went with Siem Reap à la Carte, a local agency. I can’t recommend Mélanie and Nathalie enough—they helped design the itinerary together with me, and the guides and drivers were top-notch. Since I was alone with them, the connection was incredible.
My itinerary:
Phnom Penh (2 nights). I arrived at the airport at 1 PM, and everything went super smoothly—I had my E-visa and E-arrival.
I had the afternoon free on arrival, a guide the next morning, and the afternoon free again.
Battambang (2 nights) with a local guide for all the visits (temples, the bat flight, bamboo train, the surrounding countryside, markets, etc.).
Siem Reap (6 nights). I chose to take the public boat across the Tonlé Sap—8 hours on the water, but it goes by quickly, and the scenery is stunning.
Of course, in Siem Reap, it’s all about the Angkor temples—most people come for that—but Nathalie and Mélanie also arranged some unique experiences, like visiting a lacquer workshop (even though this wasn’t my first trip to Asia and I’d seen them before, this one was different). I even tried making incense sticks (I’m not very good at it), and we had lunch at a local’s home.
There are, of course, the markets, and I also took a cooking class with a chef at his home, where we ate what we prepared. I also spent another day on a boat visiting a village on the Tonlé Sap.
I used my free time for a massage, a stroll around town, and in the evenings, I’d head to Pub Street—guaranteed fun.
I also visited the Thousand Lingas River.
I won’t list all the temples I saw—you can make your own choices or follow recommendations. Either way, everything is breathtaking.
Banlung and Ratanakiri, where I spent 4 nights. Because of that, I didn’t go to Mondulkiri.
I loved it—jungle walks, visits to ethnic villages and cemeteries, and for those who want, there are plenty of waterfalls where you can swim. The most tourists I saw at once was 5 (a group of 4 and me a little farther away, so you can have peace and quiet).
I also spent time at an elephant sanctuary. I was hesitant at first, but everything had been so perfect up to that point that I went, and I have no regrets. It was just me, the guide, and the rangers—lovely people—and the elephants were living their best lives.
Next, I headed to Kratié for 2 nights: temples, the Irrawaddy dolphins, and a half-day on Koh Trong Island by bike, tasting their famous pomelos—a pure delight. No cars on the island, just calm and serenity.
On my way to Kep, where I spent 4 nights, I stopped for a night in Kampong Cham, visiting temples, villages, and the bamboo bridge.
With this kind of travel style, it’s easy to stop wherever you feel like it.
So, I arrived in KEP to taste the famous Kep crabs—don’t miss them!
The agency arranged a full-day motorbike tour (I wasn’t the one driving!), exploring the countryside and salt marshes. Of course, you should also visit Kampot, and if you love pepper, make sure to leave room in your luggage to bring some back.
A full day of fishing by boat, with lunch on board (the fish we caught—though not by me, I’m terrible at that too).
A kayak trip through the mangroves.
In short, everything was perfect here too, and I took my time to enjoy the sunsets.
Back to Phnom Penh for one last night before returning to France.
A sunset cruise on the Mekong, and I visited some places I didn’t have time for when I arrived.
This was my first solo trip—I usually travel with someone—but the organization was flawless, and the people were wonderful.
I didn’t go to the islands near Sihanoukville, even though that was originally part of the plan. But I truly fell in love with this country. I’m considering Thailand next winter, but I’m also seriously thinking about returning to Siem Reap or even visiting those islands.
If you’d like more details, I’m happy to help. Nathalie and Mélanie were incredibly patient with me—I’d been in touch with them since 2020, and in 2021, I had to cancel everything.
They’re two French women who’ve lived there for a long time, know the country inside out, and—most importantly—have immense respect for the people they work with (guides, drivers). That’s a value that’s very important to me.
Happy travels to all!
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