Discover Cambodia: Temples, Battambang, the Coast and Koh Kong in 14 Days

Welcome to Cambodia's lively capital. After your airport pick-up and a rest at the hotel, set out to the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866, and the Silver Pagoda within its grounds, with its floor of silver tiles and a solid gold Buddha. End at Wat Phnom, the hilltop temple that gave the city its name, as the light softens over the tree-lined avenues. Dinner is at a local restaurant.Overnight: Phnom Penh · Meals: D

Drive to Kampong Cham on the Mekong. Here you visit local pagodas and temples, then hop on the back of a motorbike with an experienced local rider for a gentle tour of remote villages, where life moves at the pace of the seasons. After lunch, continue by private car with your guide to Kampong Thom.Overnight: Kampong Thom · Meals: B, L

Visit Sambor Prei Kuk, 37 kilometers from Kampong Thom, once the 7th-century capital of King Isanavarman I, with brick temples hidden in the forest. Drive on to Siem Reap and board a wooden boat at Kampong Phluk to glide past houses on tall stilts and through the flooded forest to the open Tonle Sap. At dusk, enjoy a one-hour quad bike ride at an easy pace through rice fields and villages.Overnight: Siem Reap · Meals: B, L

Today you explore Angkor the local way, by tuk-tuk. With your specialist guide, visit the unrivaled Angkor Wat, the Bayon and its mysterious faces, and Ta Prohm, where huge roots wrap around the stones. Between the big names, your guide adds smaller temples that are often quieter, and shares the stories and details that bring this World Heritage site to life.Overnight: Siem Reap · Meals: B, L

Follow the country road to Banteay Srei, a small temple of pink sandstone with the finest carving in Khmer art. Stop at Preah Dak village on the way, then visit Banteay Samre with its reliefs of Vishnu and Krishna. In the afternoon, see the Roluos group, the 9th-century capital of King Indravarman I: Preah Ko, the temple-mountain of Bakong beside its active monastery, and Lolei.Overnight: Siem Reap · Meals: B, L

Travel by road to Battambang, a relaxed river city of old pagodas and French-era houses. On arrival, visit a mountain full of caves and stories, then walk through town to admire its colonial architecture and riverbank. Stop at Wat Ek Phnom and a market where prahok, the Cambodian fish paste, is made. Late in the afternoon, ride the bamboo train, a simple platform that rattles along a rural track.Overnight: Battambang · Meals: B, L

Drive back to Phnom Penh by way of Kampong Luong, a floating village on the Tonle Sap where homes, shops and pagodas sit on the water. Your guides also arrange a short local motorbike ride to see the surrounding countryside. Arrive in the capital in the late afternoon and check in to your hotel.Overnight: Phnom Penh · Meals: B, L

Spend the day exploring the capital by tuk-tuk, weaving through markets and streets of palaces and pagodas. Your guide also leads a careful, respectful visit to Tuol Sleng Museum, the former S-21 prison, and the memorial at Choeung Ek. It is a moving day that helps explain how far Cambodia has come.Overnight: Phnom Penh · Meals: B, L

After breakfast, your private driver takes you south to Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand. This is a transfer day with no guide, so you can relax on the road and check in to your beach hotel in time for an afternoon swim and a seafood dinner of your choice.Overnight: Sihanoukville · Meals: B

A day entirely at leisure. Enjoy the beach and the hotel pool, take a long walk along the sand, or book a massage. Any outings you would like can be arranged locally at your own cost. Otherwise, simply rest and enjoy the sea breeze after a busy first week.Overnight: Sihanoukville · Meals: B

Your driver takes you west along the coast road to Koh Kong, where forested hills of the Cardamom Mountains meet mangroves and rivers. Check in to your floating tent at a riverside retreat, a calm and low-impact place to stay. Spend the rest of the day listening to the river and watching the light change on the water.Overnight: Koh Kong · Meals: B

Wake up on the river with nothing planned. Read, rest on your deck or take a slow walk nearby. The retreat can suggest activities on and around the river, which you book directly at your own cost. It is a rare chance to unplug in one of Cambodia's greenest corners.Overnight: Koh Kong · Meals: B

Another unhurried day in Koh Kong. Many guests use it to see more of the river and the nearby villages, arranged through the retreat, or simply to enjoy one last long breakfast on the water. Activities are at your own account, and the day is yours to shape as you like.Overnight: Koh Kong · Meals: B

After breakfast, your private driver takes you overland to Phnom Penh, a journey of around six hours with stops on the way. You are dropped at the airport for your onward flight. This transfer is with a driver only, so allow for an afternoon or evening departure.Meals: B