From Angkor Ancient Temples to Cambodia's Tropical Islands: 8 Best Days with Private Trans 

What You Will Do

You will get the full run From Angkor Ancient Temples to Cambodia's Tropical Islands in one trip.

You will watch the sun hit Angkor Wat before most people finish their coffee. You will float past stilt houses on Tonle Sap. You will help cook your own dinner at a farm near Siem Reap. You will stand in front of 1,400 year old brick towers at Sambor Prei Kuk. You will eat Khmer food on a boat on the Mekong. You will spend three full days doing very little on a white sand beach. That last part is the whole point.

Two guests minimum. Hotels are not part of this package. You book those (I will tell you where and how in the details below).

Itinerary

Here is the full 8-day plan From Angkor Ancient Temples to Cambodia's Tropical Islands. Read it once and screenshot it. We handle the rest.

Day 1: Arrive Siem Reap (SAI), Optional Beng Mealea Stop
Your driver meets you at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. Private car straight to your hotel.

Land before 2 PM? We add a stop at Beng Mealea, the jungle temple about 65 km east of town. You can buy the single Beng Mealea pass at the gate. While you are there, grab your 1-day Angkor Pass too. This saves you a queue at 4:30 AM the next day.

Land after 2 PM? Straight to the hotel. Rest up. Big day tomorrow.

Day 2: Angkor Wat Sunrise (or Sunset), Bayon, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm
Pick your side. Are you a 4:45 AM person or a golden hour person? Both are fine.

Sunrise fan? Join our best seller, the small group Angkor Wat Sunrise Tour. You get the reflection pond shot. Then Bayon and its stone faces. Then Angkor Thom. Then Ta Prohm, before the buses roll in. Back at your hotel by early afternoon for a very earned nap.

Not a morning person? Book the Angkor Wat Sunset Tour. Same temples, softer light. Some people say the sunset run is even better. I go back and forth on that one.

Day 3: Tonle Sap in the Morning, Rice Fields at Sunset
Morning: Tonle Sap Fishing Village and Flooded Forest small group tour. A small wooden boat takes you through the flooded forest. You visit a real stilt village where kids wave from school windows. It is a working village, not a set piece.

Afternoon: Siem Reap Rice Field Sunset Tour with home cooked dinner at Baitang. You chop. You stir. You eat food you helped cook. The sun drops behind the palm line. Best meal of the trip, in my book.

Day 4: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh via Sambor Prei Kuk, Then Mekong Cruise
Check out by 7:30 AM. Private car south.

Siem Reap to Sambor Prei Kuk: about 2.5 hours, 166 km.

Sambor Prei Kuk is the one most people skip. Big mistake. These are pre-Angkor brick towers from the 7th century. They are older than Angkor Wat itself. And they sit in a quiet forest with almost no one around. You get about 2 hours with a private guide. Lunch stop somewhere local (not included, plan 6 to 10 USD).

Sambor Prei Kuk to Phnom Penh: about 3 hours 40 minutes, another 200 km.

Check in at your Phnom Penh hotel. Quick shower. Your driver takes you to the river at 6:45 PM for the Mekong dinner cruise. Fairy lights on the water. Khmer buffet. Live music. Touristy in the good way.

Day 5: Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville to Koh Rong
Check out at 8 AM. Private car straight to Sihanoukville port. About 4 hours on the road.

Your speedboat tickets are already waiting at the port. The boat to Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem takes 40 to 50 minutes.

You get the full afternoon and evening on the island. Feet in the sand by lunch. Cold drink by 3 PM.

Day 6: Free Day, Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem
Nothing on the plan. That is the point.

Snorkel. Kayak. Nap. Read that book you never finished. There are glow in the dark plankton off the south beach at night, if the moon plays fair.

Day 7: Free Day, Round Two
Same as day 6. This is the day you will start thinking about staying longer. Most people do.

Day 8: Koh Rong Back to Phnom Penh, End of Trip
Morning speedboat back to Sihanoukville (40 to 50 minutes). Then a private car to Phnom Penh. You arrive just after lunch. Plenty of room for an afternoon or evening flight home.

Tour ends in Phnom Penh.

KEY DETAILS

Quick facts for the full run From Angkor Ancient Temples to Cambodia's Tropical Islands.

• Length: 8 days, 7 nights
• Minimum group: 2 guests
• Start: Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI)
• End: Phnom Penh (hotel or airport drop off)
• Hotels: Not included. You book 3 nights Siem Reap, 1 night Phnom Penh, 3 nights Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem
• Best months: November to March (dry season). April to October is greener but wetter
• Language: Tours and drivers in English
• Payment: USD cash or major cards at most stops

Day 1 pick up point: Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI), arrivals hall.

Our driver waits at the exit door with a sign that has your name on it. Look for the Journey Cambodia logo. If your flight is late, do not worry. We track it. The driver will still be there.

On tour days from your hotel in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, we pick you up in the lobby. Please be down about 5 minutes before the pick up time. Small tours run on time.

Day 4 drop off: your hotel in Phnom Penh, then back again at 6:30 PM for the Mekong cruise.

Day 5 drop off: Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem pier. A tuk tuk from the pier to your island hotel is easy and cheap (about 3 to 5 USD).

Day 8 drop off: your Phnom Penh hotel of choice, or Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH). Please tell us which one at the time of booking.

THINGS TO BRING

Packing for this trip means packing for two very different climates. Sandstone at 5 AM is cool. Koh Rong at noon is not.

• Light long pants or a skirt below the knee (Angkor Wat dress code, they will turn you away without it)
• Shirt with sleeves for temple days (a light scarf works too)
• Reef safe sunscreen, SPF 50 (regular sunscreen is being phased out on Koh Rong)
• Reusable water bottle, 1 liter
• Sturdy walking shoes for Angkor. Sandals for the islands
• Bug spray with DEET, mostly for the rice field dinner and Koh Rong at night
• Small day pack for temple days
• USD cash in small bills (1s and 5s are king in Cambodia)
• A basic dry bag for the speedboat ride
• A Type A, C, or G plug adapter (230V)

Here is what your booking pays for.

• Private arrival transfer at Siem Reap Airport (SAI)
• Optional Beng Mealea stop on day 1 (if you land before 2 PM)
• Small group Angkor Wat Sunrise Tour or Sunset Tour on day 2 (your pick)
• Small group Tonle Sap Fishing Village and Flooded Forest morning tour on day 3
• Siem Reap Rice Field Sunset Tour with home cooked dinner on day 3 (dinner included)
• Private transfer Siem Reap to Phnom Penh on day 4, with a 2 hour private guided stop at Sambor Prei Kuk
• Sambor Prei Kuk entrance fee (about 10 USD per person)
• Mekong dinner cruise on day 4, with hotel to pier transfer
• Private transfer Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville port on day 5
• Roundtrip speedboat tickets between Sihanoukville and Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem
• Private transfer Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh on day 8
• English speaking driver for every long drive
• English speaking guide at Sambor Prei Kuk

Full honesty. A few things sit outside this package on purpose, mostly so you can pick your own hotels and budget.

• Hotels for all 7 nights (3 Siem Reap, 1 Phnom Penh, 3 Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem)
• International flights in and out of Cambodia
• Angkor Archaeological Park Pass (37 USD, 1 day, paid at the ticket booth)
• Beng Mealea pass (about 5 USD, only if you add the day 1 stop)
• Lunches on days 4 and 5 (plan 6 to 10 USD each)
• Breakfasts (most hotels include this, check when you book)
• Personal drinks (beer, wine, soft drinks, bottled water)
• Cambodia visa on arrival or e-visa (about 30 USD)
• Travel insurance (please get a policy that covers speedboats and remote islands)
• Tips for drivers and guides (5 to 10 USD per day for drivers, 10 to 15 USD per day for guides is standard)
• Personal costs (laundry, spa, SIM card, souvenirs, snorkel or kayak rentals on Koh Rong)
• Anything not listed in the INCLUSIONS section above

ADDITIONAL INFO

A few last things to know before you book the From Angkor Ancient Temples to Cambodia's Tropical Islands trip.

Two guest minimum. If it is just you flying solo, get in touch and we can quote a single supplement.

The Angkor Pass gets checked at every temple gate. Bring it with you on day 2, all day long. Do not leave it in the hotel safe.

Cover shoulders and knees at Angkor Wat. This is a real rule. Guards do turn people away.

The speedboat runs in most weather. But in heavy storms it can be pushed by a few hours. This is rare, but it happens once or twice a year. We keep you posted.

Koh Rong has power and Wi-Fi, but both can be spotty. That is part of the fun, in my opinion. Come with low bar expectations and you will love it.

Dry season (November to March) books out early. If your dates fall in that window, we suggest locking in your seats at least 6 to 8 weeks out.

Kids are welcome. The mix of temples, boats, and beaches works well for ages 8 and up. Younger kids do fine too, just plan for early nights.

Payment is a small deposit at booking, then the rest before day 1. USD cash, major cards, or bank transfer all work.

Wrap Up

You will not see two versions of Cambodia in one week by chance. It takes a plan. This is that plan.

We do the calls, the bookings, the driver texts at 6 AM. You do the packing. And the swimming. And the many, many photos of Angkor Wat at sunrise.

Book From Angkor Ancient Temples to Cambodia's Tropical Islands now with Journey Cambodia. Two guests minimum. Dry season fills up fast, so early dates are your best friend.

Cancel more than 30 days out for a full refund minus a small fee. Within 30 days, we work case by case. Life happens.