If you’re considering Cambodia for your next trip, G Adventures’ Cambodia Experience tour is a great option. There are many advantages to using G Adventures, including smooth border crossings from Vietnam to Cambodia and Cambodia to Thailand, which can be very intimidating if you were to do it on your own.
As for what you will see and experience, see below for a small taste of what to expect.
Day 1 – Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive at your starting hotel and meet your group around 6pm. This meeting is not mandatory if you are arriving late. Just be sure to look for the G Adventures leaflet at the hotel lobby for details on when you leave the next day.
Arriving a few days early to check out Ho Chi Minh? Be sure to check out the below Vespa Tours.
Have more time and want to see the rest of the country? A common route is Ho Chi Minh to Denang/Hoi Ann to Hanoi (including Halong Bay). Allow for 5-7 days to do this route. Cheap flights are available via VietJet.
Below are some videos of Halong Bay and Hoi An.
Day 2 – Ho Chi Minh City
Enjoy an included boat cruise through the villages, islands, and markets of the Mekong Delta, and visit traditional coconut factories.
Day 3 – Ho Chi Minh City/Phnom Penh
This is a travel day via public coach with border crossing from Vietnam to Cambodia. Be prepared as the washrooms on the coach aren’t the greatest (or might not exist at all).
On arrival to Phnom Penh, enjoy a cycle tour through the city to benefit a local organization (don’t worry, you don’t have to peddle yourself unless you want to). After the tour, enjoy an optional home-cooked meal at a local home.
Tip. Exchange and pay in Riel to optimize your cash. Most merchants will accept U.S. dollars, but will give you a lower rate. As of the time of this posting, most merchants would give 20,000 riel per 1USD, but if you exchange it first, the rate was 22,000 per 1USD (a 10% difference!).
Tip: Be very careful with the water, including when showering. Water sanitation is very limited in Cambodia and water should not be placed in your mouth, even for rinsing/gargling.
Day 4 – Phnom Penh
Guided tour of Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 Prison) and Choeung Ek (Killing Fields).
Out of respect to those who lost their lives, no photos or videos were taken this day. Be prepared for an emotional day.
Day 5 – Phnom Penh/Siem Reap
Drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap via private coach. Your CEO will give you the option to stopover in a small town (floating village). This is optional and will cost about 10USD per person, but is highly recommended. The decision to go will be vote-based on the group you are travelling with.
Day 6 and 7 – Siem Reap
Wake up at 3:30am to head to Angkor Wat to see the sunrise. Afterwards, get a guided tour of Angkor Wat.
In the evening, enjoy a traditional meal of Khmer food at the G Adventures-supported New Hope project (included).
Spend the second day exploring more temples of Angkor.
Tip: Water is your best friend. Some temples offer little shade and heat-stroke is quite common. Where a hat, sunscreen, and drink lots of water.
Tip: Some temples require you to wear long pants and have covered shoulders. Long clothes can help protect you from the sun as well.
Day 8 – Siem Reap/Bangkok
Cross the border into Thailand and enjoy a final night out with your new friends. Cabbage and Condoms is a great place for food and a final group dinner.
Day 9 – Bangkok
Tour ends… but nothing is stopping you from staying longer.
Tip: In Thailand, you get a better exchanger rate for bigger U.S. bills. Take $50/$100 bills to get the best rates
Tip: Similar to Cambodia, most temples will require you to have long pants, covered shoulders, and will ask you to remove your footwear (so where something that’s easy to take on/off).
