Posts by Erwanploz

Hello,

I think this is a great itinerary that will let you discover the classics like the Angkor temples, of course, Tonlé Sap Lake, and the capital, but also two more off-the-beaten-path stops: Kratie and the Mekong, and Mondolkiri with its vast, rolling landscapes.

If you need to cut a day, maybe Kratie since you’ll arrive around noon if you leave Siem Reap early, which still gives you a day and a half there. It’s hard to estimate the travel time between SR and Kratie more precisely because, with the new bridge over the Mekong a few kilometers south of Kratie, there’s a huge time saving on the horizon. However, the road connecting to this bridge (the stretch from Kampong Thom to Kratie) doesn’t seem to be fully finished yet. Probably around 6 hours by road. Kratie to Sen Monorom takes about 4 hours, and Sen Monorom to Phnom Penh 6 hours. From Kratie to Banlung (Ratanakiri), it’s also around 4 hours—the road is good, but you’d then be much farther away to head back down to Phnom Penh.

In Siem Reap, consider setting aside a day to visit Phnom Kulen and the River of a Thousand Lingas. Don’t miss the sunset over Tonlé Sap Lake from the top of Phnom Krom, about a dozen kilometers south of SR. At the summit, there’s a set of old temples included in the Angkor pass, so you’ll need a valid pass to enter. In Kratie, take time to stroll around Koh Trong, the island in the middle of the Mekong. You can also cross the Mekong by ferry to the wilder west bank, ride along the riverbank by motorbike or scooter, and return via the new bridge. On the east side, a nice ride is to head up toward Phnom Sambok and continue along the riverbank to Sandan on a well-paved road. For Mondolkiri, I think four days is perfect—two for trekking. That leaves half a day to relax and explore the town and its small market, and a day to venture out to Bou Sra Waterfall and Phnom Nam Lear (impressive but a very steep climb with no guardrails, just a simple rope), toward Dak Dam and Chrey Thom Waterfall, mainly visited for its massive tree with a trunk 4 or 5 meters wide, which gives the site its name.

A few practical tips: For tight budgets, you can find small guesthouse or Khmer hotel rooms for less than 8-10 € a night with a double bed, fan, and private bathroom. Expect to pay around 25-30 € for a pool and AC in a nice setting. At local eateries, you can eat Khmer food for 1 € (rice or soup with meat and veggies, unlimited tea)—you’ll recognize them by their usual red plastic chairs and big pots at the entrance where you pick what you want. Stick to the local currency, the riel, used by all Cambodians. In very touristy spots like Siem Reap, you can also pay in US dollars, but elsewhere, no one uses them, and all transactions are in riels. Business owners in other provinces like Kratie and Mondolkiri won’t expect dollars, which they’d have to either pass on or exchange themselves. You can withdraw riels or dollars from ATMs (our bank machines) at banks for a $5 fee per withdrawal, and exchange money at any Wing, True Money, or E-Money offices, which are absolutely everywhere in the country. The most economical option for a short trip is to bring euros in very good condition (50 or 100 € bills—ask your banker to prepare them) and exchange them directly for riels for a better rate. Don’t do this at the airport but at exchange offices, for example in SR a bit south of the intersection of Sivutha Blvd and Sok San Road in the center near Pub Street. VET / Virak Buntham has established itself in recent years as the best transport company, with routes connecting even small provincial towns in comfortable buses/minibuses and regular departures. You can book directly through their app instead of using travel apps like 12goAsia, which offer a very limited list of routes outside tourist cities and charge an extra commission. For peace of mind, it’s best to get a local SIM card, no matter the operator (Smart, Cellcard, or Metfone). The SIM + 60GB of data costs around 6 $, maybe 8 $ directly at the airport, and they’ll install it for free in your phone. With that, you can download Grab or PassApp, two apps that let you book city transport (tuk-tuk, taxi) at a fixed price—no need to negotiate!

There you go—enjoy your trip! Late December is a lovely time with dry, cool weather (especially at night, even a bit chilly in the Mondolkiri highlands) and temperatures ranging from 18-20 °C at dawn to 30-32 °C in the afternoon, with not a cloud in sight!

Thanks! Yes, it’s a beautiful region, unfairly overlooked by tourists even though it’s relatively close to the Phnom Penh–Siem Reap route. It’s a shame for those who haven’t visited Laos, especially, to travel through Cambodia without discovering the Mekong’s banks.

Yes, especially the climb up Wat Hanchey hill—it’s really steep! I was passing through Kampong Cham yesterday, and the Mekong River level is particularly high this year. The little dirt path that leads to the bamboo bridge during the dry season was completely underwater, with kids having fun fishing there. The whole area east of Kampong Cham, on the Tonlé Bet side, is more or less flooded. You can actually see it really well from the small bridge on RN7, about 7-8 km from Kampong Cham—it’s pretty impressive!

Maybe wait until September/October then, when some road sections might be flooded and only passable by boat 😉

Hey Thierry!

Yes, exactly. We go down to Chhlong and continue along the river, which is lined with many Cham Muslim villages. When we reach Krouch Chhmar, we can either keep going south to reach Kampong Cham via the east bank or cross the bridge built three years ago to head back down the west bank, passing by Wat Hanchey. There’s a lot of traffic from Kratie to Chhlong, but after that, it’s quieter because the buses and minivans heading to Phnom Penh continue south (not toward Krouch Chhmar) to pass near Suong/Tbong Khmum and then cross Prey Veng.

Hi,

The new bridge near Kratie has just opened—it spans the Mekong and continues straight toward Kampong Thom and Siem Reap, so it should save quite a bit of time compared to before (you used to have to take one of the two bridges farther south, either near Krouch Chhmar or Kampong Cham). That said, I’m not sure if the road is completely finished, since it crosses some very sparsely populated areas. If it’s not, the trip could drag on! If the buses or minibuses leaving Kratie still go through Krouch Chhmar, that means the road from the new Kratie bridge isn’t ready yet.

As for Kampong Thom, it depends on how much time you have—it’s not a must-stop before Siem Reap.

Alright. In that case, to avoid losing too much time on transport, it's better to do PP - Mondolkiri - Kratie - SR. The PP - Mondolkiri route doesn't go through Kampong Cham or Kratie but crosses Prey Veng province via the N8, then goes through Memot to take the shortest way. If you choose Ratanakiri instead, your PP - Kratie - Ratanakiri - Siem Reap itinerary is the right one. Finally, if you decide to visit both after all, the Mondolkiri - Ratanakiri trip takes two and a half hours on a very good, almost deserted road! Have a great trip!

Both destinations are pleasant and have their own unique charms, but Mondulkiri is more easily accessible from Phnom Penh. It takes about 6 hours by minibus to reach Sen Monorom. The journey is long if you want to continue to Siem Reap (around ten hours), which is why I usually recommend stopping for two days along the Mekong River in Kampong Cham. With the new bridge recently built over the Mekong near Kratie, you can now also make this stop in that other town on the east bank of the river.

Mondulkiri is especially known for its rolling landscapes, with grassy hills (stunning during the rainy season) and forested valleys. Travelers come here for treks and to see domesticated elephants that tourism has rescued from daily forest labor. You’ll also find the impressive double waterfall of Bou Sra and, further away, the massive basalt rock of Phnom Namlyr, which dominates the region and offers a superb view of the surroundings (be careful—the climb is dangerous with a steep slope and only a rope for a handrail).

You can stay directly in the small town of Sen Monorom or a little further south in Putang, where treks and walks to meet elephants and Bunong ethnic villages start. You can get information from Damrey So Garden Homestay ("the garden of the white elephant" in English), based in Putang with a magnificent view of the valley. The French owner offers excursions with a Bunong guide.

I’m posting a photo of Phnom Namlyr where young monks were having fun making their robes billow in the gusts of wind.

Hello,

The region has changed a lot, especially around Banlung, Lumphat, and along the main roads. There are now many large monoculture concessions, like those for rubber, cashew nuts, or bananas. Despite this, there are still beautiful waterfalls around Banlung, as well as the volcanic lake of Yeak Laom and the surrounding forest trail. Visiting the minority villages is still possible (there are 12 ethnic minorities in this province, I believe). Walking with elephants at Airavata is also a great experience! Above all, Virachey National Park remains largely preserved. While the 2-day/1-night treks don’t allow you to venture deep into the park, it’s possible to organize longer hikes of up to 4-5 days with the park rangers. This way, you can reach wilder and more spectacular areas like the Veal Thom hills. I’ve never been there myself, but the photos are dreamy! Camera traps scattered throughout the park last year revealed a diverse biodiversity: Asian elephants, gaurs, bantengs, dholes, clouded leopards, pangolins, all sorts of birds, monkeys, and deer, etc. It’s quite encouraging, as poaching is still present, especially from nearby Vietnam.

Depending on the length of your trip in Cambodia, I’d still recommend adding Ratanakiri—and the northeast region in general (Kampong Cham, Kratie, and/or Stung Treng along the Mekong, Mondolkiri / Ratanakiri). It’s a pleasant province that’s worth the detour, in my opinion. Travel can be a bit tricky on the dirt roads during the rainy season, though. In Banlung, I recommend the Garden View Lodge & Trekking—wooden bungalows and a very friendly English-speaking Khmer family.

The land and maritime borders between Thailand and Cambodia have been closed until further notice since June 2025. There were clashes at the end of July 2025 and again in December in several areas along the border. Currently, a ceasefire has been holding for five and a half months, but the Thai occupation of several Cambodian villages on Cambodian territory continues to fuel tensions, especially since the Thai Prime Minister refuses to resolve the dispute through international bodies.

That said, both countries are completely safe outside the border zone, and there’s no issue for travelers who want to explore the region (except along the border, of course).

To reach Cambodia, you’ll need to fly from Bangkok or another Southeast Asian airport (Singapore, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur), East Asia (several Chinese cities, Seoul as well), or the Middle East, or enter via the land borders with Laos or Vietnam.

You can find cheap tickets for Bangkok - Siem Reap or Bangkok - Phnom Penh with the low-cost airline Air Asia.

Oh, got it, that makes more sense now—thanks, Thierry!

That first sentence—"August is *so* hot"—had me confused, coming from someone who supposedly lives in Bangkok and should know the difference between the scorching heat of April and the much milder climate of early August. 😉 Same thing when I reread their other message about Cambodia: I was thrown off by them saying they go there 3-4 times a year ("it’s kinda my backyard," they wrote) but somehow not knowing the Thailand/Cambodia land border has been closed since last June! And then 24 messages posted in 24 different threads—like they’re casting a line everywhere hoping for a bite! !

Hey Flo,

Which 4 hours of rough road are you talking about for Mondolkiri? I go there by motorbike from time to time, and the road is pretty decent for Cambodia—whether it's from Phnom Penh to Snuol, Kampong Cham to Snuol, or even the last stretch Snuol–Sen Monorom, even if the road gets a bit damaged just before Keo Seima. From Kratie to Snuol, the road is even excellent. And if you come from the north (Ratanakiri), the road is perfect and empty. The real issue is that they're not dual carriageways, so you often get stuck behind trucks and crawl along at 50-60 km/h! 😅

The overnight bus is an interesting option (with a stop/change of bus in Phnom Penh) to arrive early in the morning in Sihanoukville, but from what I remember, the bunks aren’t very long, and someone who’s 1.90m tall will have to contort a bit to sleep comfortably! Plus, five tickets end up costing more than making the trip by taxi.

There’s also the option of stopping in Phnom Penh for an afternoon + one night and continuing to Sihanoukville the next morning. By taxi, by bus (5-6h from Battambang), or even by train (departure from Battambang at 3 PM, arrival in Phnom Penh at 10:30 PM). The next day, the PP–Sihanoukville trip takes 2.5h via the new highway.

Either way, that’s a lot of hours on the road! !

Hi there,

Spending the first night in Phnom Penh is a good idea to recover from the long trip. And hiring a private driver the next morning to get to Siem Reap won’t be much more expensive than buying five bus tickets—around 70 €, I think. Alternatively, you could take a night bus to arrive in Siem Reap early in the morning and avoid wasting the morning on the road. Siem Reap is a really pleasant city that deserves at least 4 days, including three full mornings to visit the Angkor temples. A day trip to Phnom Kulen could also be interesting. From Siem Reap, you can spend half a day on the Tonlé Sap exploring a stilted and/or floating village. That said, you could also pass through several floating villages and observe life on the lake and along the Sangker River by taking the boat from Siem Reap to Battambang. Battambang or Mondolkiri? Personally, I prefer the second option, especially since the hilly landscapes around Sen Monorom are stunning during the rainy season. But it’s a bit out of the way for your itinerary: you’d need to go from PP to Sen Monorom (6h) and then Sen Monorom to Siem Reap (10h by bus), or break up the trip with a stop in Kampong Cham on the Mekong River. Kampong Cham is a lovely stop I highly recommend! If you go PP → SR → Battambang, a private car can then take you to Sihanoukville to catch the boat to Koh Rong. It’s a full-day trip and can now be done through the Cardamom Mountains via the new N10 road from Battambang to Koh Kong to Sihanoukville. It’s hard to give an exact duration since it’s so new, but the scenery is amazing. The other option is the classic route via Phnom Penh or slightly west of PP through Kampong Speu (if you have a private vehicle). I’d advise leaving Koh Rong the day before your return flight because boat connections between Koh Rong and Sihanoukville can be suspended this time of year if the weather’s bad, and travelers can end up stranded on the island for 24 hours. But you can always change plans last minute if the weather’s calm and leave Koh Rong the morning of your flight. Even with a breakdown or multiple delays, you’d still make it to the airport in time for your 9 PM flight. Weather-wise, August is the rainy season, but it’s not too bothersome—mostly short storms that cool things down in the late afternoon or at night, while the days are usually sunny. And these storms don’t happen every day; some years, you might go two weeks in August without a drop of rain! On the islands, it’s generally wetter, but you could still have sunshine the whole time or, conversely, rain for several days.

I haven’t seen/read about any damage to Banteay Chhmar either. Yet when temples like Preah Vihear or Ta Krobey were damaged, it was all over the national media. So we can assume the temple is intact! However, it’s possible that villagers fled the fighting near the border as a precaution and only recently returned, but I imagine tourist services are still running.

Hi Eric,

Access to Prasat Preah Vihear is completely forbidden at the moment, first for security reasons after the recent clashes, and then because of the work that will need to be done since the temple was seriously damaged by Thai artillery. UNESCO will have quite a bit of work on their hands! As for Banteay Chhmar, I don’t know what the direct impacts of the bombings were (Banteay Meanchey province was heavily bombed by Thai aviation, and Banteay Chhmar is only 20 km from the border). Maybe there were none, but we can imagine that the population—or at least part of it—was evacuated in December, like half a million Cambodians from the border areas.

Hi there, no problem visiting Chi Phat, but it's best to avoid going all the way to the border town of Koh Kong, even though the clashes at the border stopped three weeks ago. For Banteay Chhmar, it's really close to a contested border area, so while everything is probably very calm on-site right now, you never know if or when hostilities might flare up again. I’d recommend waiting for updates from other travelers before heading to Banteay Chhmar. Have a great Sunday! !

Oh yeah, Siem Reap has really grown since!

Hi there,

No problem at all in Siem Reap and the Angkor temple area—thousands of Western tourists visit every day during this peak season. The tensions are focused at the borders (Siem Reap - Angkor is far from there), but the ceasefire signed at the end of December between the two countries is still holding. Have a great trip! !

Everything is peaceful, the weather is nice and not too hot—enjoy your trip! 😎