Cambodia in 2 days
To know before the trip
How to get to Cambodia
You can either fly to Siem Reap or take a night bus from Thailand or Vietnam.
We took a night bus from Bangkok at 01h30 with Khao San Travel Mart Operator. I definitely recommend this option.
Either way once you get there you will need to fill a VISA ON ARRIVAL [if you are Spanish. Check if your country of origin requires for something different]
The visa will cost 30USD. In our case, we came by sleeper bus and the company offered to take care of all the paperwork and queues if we paid 40USD.
How to pay in Cambodia
Cambodia has its own currency: RIEL. Nevertheless, it is possible to pay with USD*
*Only if the bills are in good condition and usually exact amount. They do not tend to have change.
CASH is your best friend, card payments are likely to be rejected.
My advice is to have an international card [Revolut, N26, etc] where you can change currency in your account before withdrawing and benefit from lower fees.
How to move around Siem Reap
Tuk-Tuks are the main transport method around Siem Reap. You can either stop one in the street or use the app GRAB.
Grab will usually have better prices in this case, since it will give you the amount in Riel and is non-negotionable. If you try to pay in USD it is more likely to be "more expensive". However, rides are usually 1-5 USD max. For rides inside the city, we usually paid 1-2 USD.
Grab allows to pay online, which is nice if you have limited cash on you.
WHAT TO VISIT
There is no doubt I will recommend to visit the world wonder of ANGKOR WAT. but since you have 2 days, I will also recommend to visit Siem Reap itself.
Overall, the 2-day itinerary will look like this:
DAY 1: arrive early in the morning, check in the accommodation, rent a scooter, visit Siem Reap, Go to the Lotus Farm workshop, have an early dinner and go to bed
DAY 2: Sunrise from Angkor Wat, visit the temples all day, go back to Siem Reap to return scooter and have dinner. Leave the city at night or the next morning
Day 1: arrival + Siem Reap + Lotus Farm workshop
In our case, we arrived at around 10am to Siem Reap after a night bus from Bangkok [BTW, the bus was very comfortable and would recommend!]
We checked into our hotel: LOK TANEUY RESIDENCE. We chose this hotel as it was far from the noisy "pub street" in Siem Reap, close to the centre both by foot and moppet & it was on the way to the temples. It was very decent and very well-priced.
Since we had been travelling for many hours and had jet lag, we rested for a couple hours before going for lunch, however here are a few options of things to do in Siem Reap on your first day before our proposed plan!
- Phare, the cambodian circus
- Theam's gallery [best before 1-2pm]
- Visit the Pub Street and main market [we went for dinner]
- Rent a motorbike [see below for details]
For lunch we found this beautiful restaurant near our hotel that offered Khmer food and had a very nice ambiance:
Motorbike rental in Siem Reap
It depends mostly on how long you stay and need the bike for. Prices usually start at 10-12USD/day and get lower as you add days.
In our case we only rented the bike for 24h, so we choose to use TukTuk the first day and rent the bike last thing at night, but you can do as it is most convenient.
The cheapest and most recommended by locals was this store:
The place was reliable, asked for 10USD/day, and took our ID as deposit [you can leave any document that has your full name + picture]. Helmets were free.
Pro tip: download the map on Google Maps to drive offline. But do not trust Google Maps 100%, keep an eye out on traffic signs. Sometimes it is not up to date and you may get fined for not following the rules!
LOTUS FARM WORKSHOP
One of the best decisions we took was to participate in this Lotus Farm workshop. We learned about the lotus flower and its many uses with @lotusfarmsiemreap. They have a website [see below] but we booked it all via Instagram. You pay there in cash or by card.
This organisation supports local women by teaching them skills and giving them jobs. They reduce waste by utilising all the parts of the lotus flowers that are usually thrown away after religious ceremonies and create textiles, candles, soaps, paper, scarves, incense, jewellery... It is incredible to see and experience.
I like to make a positive impact while travelling, and this is the best way to be socially and sustainable responsible while ENJOYING A LOT.
We did the full package [3h] for 35USD per person, and I would do it all again a thousand times. Everything you create in the workshop you get to keep, plus they take you to the lotus field for sunset on a boat and it was honestly the best sunset I have seen in a VERY LONG time.
Check my Instagram for all the videos and details of this beautiful experience <3 | @paolaagusti
Day 2: Temple visiting - Angkor Wat
No need for much information about this world wonder - it is the main attraction in Cambodia and most people's reason to come. I have been here twice and I have been shocked by how beautiful it is every time. You can never get used to it or get bored of it.
You can book a tour with the hotel, agencies in the street or, our chosen option: to rent a moppet and tour yourself.
TIPS TO VISIT TEMPLES ON YOUR OWN
1) Remember to buy tickets online or in the ticket office prior. The office is NOT in the temples. Go to this location and have your tickets checked before going to the temples. The ticket starts from 37USD for 1 day. You can pay in cash [Euro, THB, USD, Cambodian Riel] or by card [Visa, mastercard, unionpay... no AmEx]. There is an ATM there, too.
1day = 37USD, 3-day = 62USD, 7-day = 72USD
2) Wear appropiate clothing. Cover shoulders and knees. Some temples require to be covered to both men and women, the rest only women.
3) take into account the visiting hours for the temples! not all have the same schedules. Some open 5am, others 7am. Close around sunset.
You can see sunrise from:- Angkor Wat
- Srah Srang
- Phnom Bakheng
OUR TEMPLE ITINERARY
Enjoy the ride between temples, the gates are impressive and the roads are beautiful! We had lunch in one of the restaurants in the parking lots before Ta Prohm.
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I hope you enjoy!! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions <3
@paolaagusti
The home for unique & authentic travel
