Trip Summary
- Trip length and when did I go? 6 days in July 2014
- How much did it cost me? MYR 1,200
At A Glance
- Day 1 - Kuala Lumpur ‣ Phnom Penh
Fly from Kuala Lumpur to Phnom Penh ‣
Walking tour of Phnom Penh ‣
Sisowath Quay ‣
Evening in Eclipse Skybar at Phnom Penh Tower ‣
Overnight in Number 9 Hotel
- Day 2 - Phnom Penh
Day trip by tuk tuk to Phnom Penh's outskirts ‣
Russian Market ‣
- Day 3 - Phnom Penh ‣ Battambang
- Day 4 - Battambang ‣ Siem Reap
Angkor Express boat from Battambang to Siem Reap ‣
- Day 5 - Siem Reap
- Day 6 - Siem Reap ‣ Kuala Lumpur
Itinerary Map (click to view POIs and routes)
Travel Montage
Getting from the airport to Phnom Penh
- 8.00 am - Arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport from Kuala Lumpur by flight (Air Asia) - RM 99 (one way)
- Immigration clearance
- 8.30 am - Walk outside the airport to look for transportation into the city centre
- Ride a motorcycle taxi to hotel near Wat Botum park - $4 (negotiated down from $5)
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| Arriving in Phnom Penh International Airport |
Arrival in Phnom Penh
Wat Phnom
Central Market & Sorya Shopping Centre
Royal Palace
Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields)
Getting from Phnom Penh to Battambang by minibus
Arrival in Battambang
Around Battambang
Bamboo Train
Getting from Battambang to Siem Reap by boat
Arrival at Siem Reap
Siem Reap to Angkor Wat
Angkor Thom & Prasat Bayon
Preah Khan
Last minute sightseeing around Siem Reap
- 9.00 am - Arrival & check-in to Number 9 hotel - $17 per night. Staying for 2 nights (total cost - $34). It was comfy and clean, however one thing I didn't like was that the bathroom I got wasn't fully enclosed. It tends to get very humid after I take a shower
- Enquired reception on transportation options to Battambang. Booked a one-way ticket for the Golden Bayon Express minibus to Battambang - $13 (inclusive of pickup from hotel)
- Wanted to take the public bus initially, but changed my mind after hearing plenty of bad experiences with them
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| Settling in to my room in Number 9 hotel, Phnom Penh |
Around Sisowath Quay
- 9.30 am - Walk to Sisowath Quay which is about 500m from the hotel
- Photo stop at surrounding areas near the Royal Palace, which was closed at the time. Was told that there was a ceremony taking place and it will reopen at 2 pm. Decided to come back again later in the afternoon
- 10.30 am - Quick photo stop at Wat Ounalom
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| Royal Palace, Phnom Penh |
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| The Mekong river, seen from Sisowath Quay |
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| Walking around Sisowath Quay |
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| View of Wat Ounalom from the outside |
Wat Phnom
- Quick photo stop at Cambodia Post Office onroute to Wat Phnom
- 11.00 am - Arrive at Wat Phnom and paid the entrance ticket - $1
- Not much to see here, but the beautifully landscaped surroundings make for plenty of photo opportunities
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| Cambodia Post Office. Stumbled upon this place while finding my way to Wat Phnom |
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| Wat Phnom entrance |
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| Landscaped gardens near Wat Phnom |
Central Market & Sorya Shopping Centre
- 12.30 pm - Stopped for lunch at Central Market - Khmer krom beef stew noodle (4,000 riel)
- Did a bit of shopping in the market. Didn't really buy much as I was told you could get better prices at Russian market
- 1.30 pm - Walk to Sorya shopping centre. If you frequent shopping malls a lot, Sorya doesn't seem to offer much but do note that you can take the elevator to the highest floor, where you can gain access to the rooftop area overlooking the city
- 2.30 pm - Ride motorcycle taxi back to hotel - $2
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| Central Market, Phnom Penh |
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| Inside Central Market |
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| Sorya shopping centre is located just opposite the Central Market |
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| View of Phnom Penh from the rooftop area atop Sorya shopping centre |
Royal Palace
- 3.00 pm - Quick shower at the hotel
- 3.30 pm - Walk to Royal Palace entrance gate (only 500m from the hotel) and paid entrance ticket - $6.25
- There's a dress code to adhere before entering, so make sure you dress appropriately (wear attire that covers your shoulders and knees)
- Photo op in the surrounding areas for about 2 hours
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| Inside the Royal Palace |
Eclipse Skybar at Phnom Penh Tower
- 5.30 pm - Back to hotel to rest for a bit
- 6.30 pm - Ride tuk-tuk to Phnom Penh Tower - $4 (a motorcycle taxi would've costed less but it was drizzling at the time, therefore decided to take a tuk-tuk instead)
- 6.45 pm - Took elevator up to Eclipse Skybar. The rooftop bar was closed at the time, but the views from the indoor area were no less impressive
- Refreshments - Beer ($3)
- 8.00 pm - Walk back to hotel. Stopped for dinner at a roadside stall along the way
- Dinner - Khmer style fried rice/bai cha (4,000 riel) and barbequed pork & papaya salad (10,000 riel)
- Photo stop at Independence Monument before going back to hotel
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| View of Phnom Penh at night from Eclipse Skybar |
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| Another view of Phnom Penh from the skybar |
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| Independence Monument at night. Took this shot while making my way back to the hotel |
- 7.00 am - Wake up and breakfast at a nearby shop
- Breakfast - Sandwiches & coffee (5,000 riel)
- Plan to visit these places today:
- Choeung Ek Genocidal Center (Killing Fields)
- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
- Tuol Tom Poung Market (Russian Market)
Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields)
- 8.00 am - Looked for transportation near my hotel. Met a tuk-tuk driver and showed him my itinerary. He offered to take me to these places for a modest fee. Agreed price - $10 (bargained down from $15)
- Advisable to wear a face mask as the road going there is pretty dusty
- 9.00 am - Arrive at Choeung Ek Genocidal Center. Paid the entrance fee - $5 (inclusive of audio guide)
- My experience so far has been pretty humbling. Given the tranquility of the place, it's hard to imagine that so many atrocities have been committed here
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| Audio guides are provided if you want to learn more about the killing fields. A bit of warning though, some of the audio entries can be quite depressing |
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| The killing tree |
Tuol Tom Poung Market (Russian Market)
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
Wat Botum Park & Independence Monument
- 11.30 am - Ride tuk-tuk to the Russian Market for lunch and shopping
- Lunch at a stall inside the market - Banh xeo (5,000 riel)
- Bought some souvenirs to bring back home. This included a few kramas for use later
- Walked around the market and bought some refreshments from a mobile coffee kiosk - Iced coffee (1,500 riel)
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| Inside the Russian Market |
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| Getting my caffeine fix from a mobile coffee kiosk, just outside the Russian Market. This seems to be a popular franchise here in Cambodia |
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
- 2.30 pm - Ride tuk-tuk to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Paid entrance fee - $3
- Walked around the museum, with photo stops at key points of interest. Keep in mind that some of the displays are pretty graphic and is not for the squeamish
- 4.30 pm - Back to hotel. Told the driver to drop me off at Wat Botum Park and gave him a small tip - $2
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| Entrance to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum |
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| Inside Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum |
- 5.00 pm - Stroll around in Wat Botum Park and photo stop at Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument
- Walk to Independence Monument (under 10 minutes from Wat Botum Park). Photo op for 30 minutes
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| Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument in Wat Botum park |
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| Taking an afternoon stroll around Wat Botum park |
Around Sisowath Quay at night
- 6.30 pm - Return back to hotel to relax before heading out again. Borrowed an umbrella from reception as it was drizzling
- 8.00 pm - Walk around Sisowath Quay and Royal Palace. These places are pleasantly lit, providing plenty of photo opportunities
- For those who want a bit of nightlife, the riverfront area along Sisowath Quay has plenty of restaurants and bars which open at night
- 9.30 pm - Walked around and had dinner at the night market along Street 108
- Dinner - Fried rice / bai cha (6,000 riel)
- 11.00 pm - Head back to hotel
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| Pub street in Phnom Penh |
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| Phnom Penh night market |
Getting from Phnom Penh to Battambang by minibus
- 6.00 am - Wake up and breakfast at a shop nearby
- Breakfast - Sandwiches & coffee (5,000 riel)
- Pack up and check-out from hotel
- 8.00 am - Hotel pick-up to Golden Bayon Express office
- 8.30 am - Depart Phnom Penh for Battambang (via National Road No. 5)
- 12.00 pm - Stopover for lunch at Pursat
- Lunch - Fish amok & vegetables with rice (8,000 riel)
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| Golden Bayon Express office, where I waited for the minivan which will take me to Battambang |
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| Phnom Penh to Battambang by minivan takes roughly 5 hours, plenty of time for some light reading |
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| Somewhere along National Road No. 5 |
- 1.30 pm - Arrive in Battambang. Upon arrival there, there were plenty of tuk-tuk drivers waiting to offer their services. Some even offered free rides to your hotel of choice, in exchange for you agreeing to take up day trips with them later on
- A friendly tuk-tuk driver offered me a free ride to my hotel, which I gladly accepted
- 1.45 pm - Check-in to Senghout Hotel - $17 per night (staying for 1 night)
- I also booked from hotel reception: a ticket for the Angkor Express boat departing at 7 am for Siem Reap - $20
- Asked the tuk-tuk driver to wait for me while I stored my luggage in my room
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| A quick glance at my room in Senghout Hotel. This was the nicest hotel I could find within my budget in Battambang |
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| View of Battambang from Senghout Hotel |
- Asked the tuk-tuk driver to quote me for a day trip around Battambang. Agreed price - $15 (negotiated down from $20)
- 2.10 pm - Stopped by at Kinyei cafe nearby for some coffee. There were plenty of good reviews about this place, so I thought I'd give it a try
- Coffee - Macchiato ($1.50)
- 2.30 pm - Quick tour of Battambang. Visited the following points of interest:
- Naga statue. An interesting sculpture put together from weapon parts
- Old stone bridge (Thmor Chas)
- Governor's palace
- Ta Dumbong statue. My tuktuk driver shared with me his version of the tale of Ta Dumbong. Legend has it there was once a man who had a magic stick, given to him by a divine. One day, he used the magic stick to stir rice in a goblet, and turned black once he ate it. He angrily threw the stick away and Battambang came to be where the stick landed
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| Old Stone Bridge in Battambang |
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| Ta Dumbong statue |
Bamboo Train
- 3.00 pm - Ride tuk-tuk to starting point of Battambang bamboo train. Upon arrival there, you will be greeted by a tourist police who will guide you through the ropes and collect payment from you if you wish to ride the bamboo train
- Ride bamboo train to the village on the other end of the tracks (under 30 minutes) - $10
- It normally costs $5 per person if you come in a group, however I had to pay $10 since I came alone
- Occasionally, you have to get off while your bamboo train is disassembled and taken off the track momentarily to give way to oncoming bamboo trains. There seems to be a rule to this, it all depends on how many passengers there are on each bamboo train. The one with lesser passengers will have to give way (in my case, that meant plenty of stops and getting off for me :D)
- 3.30 pm - Arrival at the village. Walked around the place for a bit. Although I did bump into the occasional pushy lot who are trying to peddle their wares, the village folk were generally very friendly
- 4.00 pm - Ride bamboo train back to starting point (under 30 minutes). Tipped the driver before getting off - $2
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| Battambang's bamboo train |
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| The village at the other end of the track. Here, you will be pestered to no end by adorable little kids |
Phnom Sampeau
- 4.30 pm - Ride tuk-tuk to Phnom Sampeau
- 5.00 pm - Upon arrival there, my tuk-tuk driver introduced me to a guide who offered to take me up the hill on his motorcycle for a modest fee. Agreed price - $4 (inclusive of the $3 entrance fee, which I thought was a pretty good deal)
- Ride motorcycle to the top of the hill (under 10 minutes). The view from the top is breathtaking, especially during sunset
- Visited several points of interest, which included the killing caves and the monastery located on top of the hill
- 6.00 pm - Ride motorcycle back down. Tipped the guide as a thank you for his services - $1
- Walk to a nearby cave (under 5 minutes) to watch thousands of bats flying out in search of food. There seemed to be no fixed time for this (I waited around 15 minutes before my viewing), however your best bet would be around 6-7pm
- 6.20 pm - Met up with my tuk-tuk driver and ride out to a nearby rice field by the roadside to watch streams of flying bats forming serpent-like patterns in the sky
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| The view from the top of Phnom Sampeau |
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| The pagodas atop Phnom Sampeau |
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| Watching bats fly out by the thousands at dusk |
Phare Ponleu Selpak
- 6.30 pm - Ride tuk-tuk to Phare Ponleu Selpak, a well-known circus in Battambang, performed by young adults only on Mondays and Thursdays
- 7.00 pm - Arrival at the entrance. Went to the ticketing counter and bought a ticket for the 7 pm show - $10
- Fortunately, the show started a bit late that evening, so I was able to catch the full show. Do come early if you want to get front row seats though, as it was pretty packed by the time I came
- If you happen to miss it, another alternative is Phare, The Cambodian Circus in Siem Reap (an off-shoot of Phare Ponleu Selpak) which has shows at 8pm daily
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| Phare Ponleu Selpak. The best seats were already taken by the time I got there. Come early to avoid disappointment. |
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| Great acrobatics performance by young and talented Cambodians |
Back to Battambang
- 8.00 pm - Ride tuk-tuk back to hotel. Gave a generous tip to the driver and thanked him for his services - $10
- Quick shower and relaxed for a bit before heading out again
- 9.00 pm - Walk to Street 121 (Battambang Pub Street) for dinner. There isn't much nightlife to be found here, as most establishments in Battambang close early
- Dinner - Rice with barbequed pork (6,000 riel)
- 10.00 pm - Photo op along Battambang riverside
- 10.30 pm - Head back to hotel
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| Battambang Pub Street |
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| Battambang at night |
Getting from Battambang to Siem Reap by boat
- 6.00 am - Wake up, pack up and hotel check-out
- Ride motorcycle taxi (arranged by hotel) to the jetty (located north of town) - $5
- 7.00 am - Arrival at the jetty. The boat departed a bit later that day as the operator was waiting for more passengers to arrive
- 7.45 am - Ride Angkor Express boat from Battambang to Siem Reap
- The journey along the Sangker river can be described as very scenic, from vast plains to floating villages to an immense lake (the largest in Southeast Asia), all of which provide plenty of photo opportunities. The occasional sightings of children waving and rural folk going about their daily lives made the trip all that much more memorable
- Be prepared for a very long day though, as the journey itself takes 8-10 hours. If you're not into excruciatingly slow boat rides, take the bus instead (only 3-4 hours, costs about $7)
- 12.00 pm - Stopover for lunch on a floating shop
- Lunch - Mixed rice (12,000 riel)
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| Taking the Angkor Express from Battambang to Siem Reap. 'Express' is a gross overstatement though, be prepared for a really long and tiring boat ride |
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| Views along the Sangker river. The occasional sight of children waving at you from afar made my experience a much more memorable one |
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| Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia |
Arrival at Siem Reap
- 2.30 pm - Arrival at Siem Reap jetty. Plenty of tuk-tuk drivers waiting there, so transportation to Siem Reap isn't an issue
- Ride tuk-tuk to hotel in Siem Reap - $7 (negotiated down from $8)
- Upon arrival at the hotel, I made an arrangement with the tuk-tuk driver for a day trip at Angkor Wat the next day. Agreed price - $20 (negotiated down from $25)
- 3.00 pm - Check-in to Boutique Cambo Hotel - $19 per night. Staying for 2 nights (total cost - $38)
- Had a quick shower and a nap before heading out again
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| Arriving in Siem Reap jetty |
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| Riding the tuk-tuk to Siem Reap. Some tuk-tuk drivers will take you for a lower price provided you agree to take up their services later on |
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| Checking in to my room in Boutique Cambo Hotel. After a long and exhausting day, finally! |
Pub Street
- 6.00 pm - Ride tuk-tuk to Pub Street (free of charge, provided by hotel)
- 6.15 pm - Arrive at Pub Street. Walked around the area for a bit to survey food and shopping options
- 7.00 pm - Had dinner at Temple Bar (has free Apsara shows daily starting 7.30pm)
- Dinner - Morning glory sour soup with rice & beer (22,000 riel)
- Watched Apsara show. Loved how graceful the dancers were, a bit out of sync though but can't complain because it's free! :D
- 9.00 pm - Went to Angkor Night Market to shop for some souvenirs
- Bought some supper before going back to the hotel - Banana chocolate pancake (4,000 riel)
- 11.00 pm - Walk back to hotel (under 30 minutes)
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| Pub Street, Siem Reap |
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| Temple Bar in Pub Street has free Apsara shows daily |
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| Angkor Night Market, a great place to shop for souvenirs in Siem Reap |
Siem Reap to Angkor Wat
- 7.00 am - Wake up and breakfast at the hotel
- 8.00 am - Ride tuk-tuk to the entrance to Angkor Wat (under 20 minutes)
- Got off my tuk-tuk and lined up at the ticketing booth to take a photo for my Angkor pass. There wasn't much of a queue, so I got it in under 10 minutes. Bought the 1 day Angkor pass - $20
- Updated in February 2017: A 1 day pass now costs $37 (up from $20), whereas a 3 days pass costs $67 (up from $40). Always carry your Angkor pass with you and make sure you don't lose it, as they will check at every temple
- 9.00 am - Arrival and photo stop at Angkor Wat
- Plenty of photo opportunities present here, such as the temple moat in front of Angkor Wat. You can also climb the stairs up to the top of Angkor Wat to get a bird's eye view of the temple surroundings
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| The ticketing booth at the entrance of Angkor Wat |
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| Cycling is a great way to get around Angkor at your own pace |
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| Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world |
- 11.30 am - Ride tuk-tuk to Angkor Thom (via south gate)
- Quick photo stop at the south gate before entering Angkor Thom
- 12.00 pm - Arrival and photo stop at Prasat Bayon
- Prasat Bayon is fairly small and can be explored in under an hour. Most tourists come here just to pose with the faces then move on to the outlying temples such as Baphuon & Leper King Terrace
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| Angkor Thom's southern gate |
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| Prasat Bayon, the temple of many faces |
Preah Khan
- 1.15 pm - Ride tuk-tuk from Prasat Bayon to Preah Khan (via north gate)
- 1.30 pm - Arrival and photo stop at Preah Khan
- Preah Khan is one of Angkor's hidden gems, as it is often off the usual tourist route. A vast baray (with Neak Pean at its center) opens up at the other end of this temple
- 2.30 pm - Lunch at a nearby shop outside the temple
- Lunch - Khmer-style spring rolls (6,000 riel)
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| Preah Khan, one of Angkor's hidden gems |
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| A vast baray at the opposite end of Preah Khan. If you have really good eyesight, you could probably spot Neak Pean from here |
Ta Prohm
- 2.45 pm - Ride tuk-tuk back to Angkor Thom (via north gate), and then onwards to Ta Prohm (via east gate)
- 3.00 pm - Arrival and photo stop at Ta Prohm
- Owing its fame to a film about tomb raiding, it's often said that no trip to Angkor would be complete without a visit to this temple
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| Ta Prohm, of Tomb Raider fame |
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| Trees growing out of the ruins are Ta Prohm's biggest attraction |
Srah Srang & Banteay Kdei
- 4.00 pm - Ride tuk-tuk to Srah Srang (under 10 minutes)
- At the time of my visit, Srah Srang was still undergoing some restoration, so there's nothing much to see except a vast baray
- 4.15 pm - Walk over to Banteay Kdei which was just opposite the road from Srah Srang (under 5 minutes)
- Photo ops at Banteay Kdei
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| For sunsets, Srah Srang is a good alternative to the overcrowded Phnom Bakheng |
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| Banteay Kdei, located opposite Srah Srang, is another hidden gem worth visiting |
Back to Siem Reap
- 5.30 pm - Ride tuk-tuk back to hotel
- Quick shower and rested for a bit before heading out again
- 6.30 pm - Ride tuk-tuk to Pub Street (free of charge, provided by hotel)
- Had dinner at a roadside stall - Num banh chok & bong'aem (6,500 riel)
- 8.00 pm - Went to Siem Reap Art Center Market for some more shopping
- 10.00 pm - Walked back to Pub Street and had really cheap beers at Khmer Family Restaurant (only $0.50!)
- 11.00 pm - Ride motorcycle taxi back to hotel - $1
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| Siem Reap Art Center Market |
Last minute sightseeing around Siem Reap
- 8.00 am - Wake up and breakfast at the hotel
- 9.00 am - Ride tuk-tuk to Pub Street (free of charge, provided by hotel)
- 9.15 am - Walked around Old Market (Psar Chas) to do some last minute shopping. Also did some sightseeing along the Siem Reap river
- 11.30 pm - Ride back to hotel by motorcycle taxi - $1
Siem Reap to airport
- Pack up and hotel check-out
- 1.00 pm - Ride tuk-tuk arranged by hotel to Siem Reap International Airport for return flight back - $5
- 3.00 pm - Return flight to Kuala Lumpur (Air Asia) - $93 one way
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| Watermill at Siem Reap river |
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| Old Market in Siem Reap |
Trip Cost & Expenses
How much?
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What for?
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$89
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Accommodation
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$34
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Accommodation
in Phnom Penh (2 nights)
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$17
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Accommodation
in Battambang (1 night)
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$38
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Accommodation
in Siem Reap (2 nights)
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$146.25
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Ground Cost
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$20
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Transportation
around Phnom Penh
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$1
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Entrance
ticket – Wat Phnom
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$6.25
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Entrance
ticket – Royal Palace
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$5
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Entrance
ticket – Choeung Ek Genocide Center (Killing Field)
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$3
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Entrance
ticket – Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
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$13
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Minibus
from Phnom Penh to Battambang
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$24
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Transportation
around Battambang
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$10
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Admission
- Bamboo train
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$10
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Entrance
ticket – Phare Ponleu Selpak
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$20
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Angkor
Express boat from Battambang to Siem Reap
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$14
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Transportation
around Siem Reap
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$20
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1
day pass – Angkor Wat
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$124
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Flights
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MYR 99
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Flight
from Kuala Lumpur to Phnom Penh (one way)
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$93
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Flight
from Siem Reap to Kuala Lumpur (one way)
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$46
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Misc
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$31
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Food
& drinks
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$15
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Tips
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$405
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Total
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How much did it cost me?
- In local currency: $ 405
- Conversion rate (at the time): $ 1 = MYR 3.15
- After conversion: MYR 1,275 (for 6 days)
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