The two biggest reasons people don’t travel: 1. It is too expensive (BUDGET).
2. I don’t have time to research and plan a whole trip (ITINERARY).
Well...I am here to help!
Below I have outlined by entire ITINERARY around Cambodia. I have included all the places I went and you will also find my complete BUDGET for my 2 day Cambodian adventure (The Thailand portion of this trip can be found on the Thailand page). No excuses, go explore!
*If you need me to go into any further detail, or if you have questions about any destinations, please visit my other Cambodia blog posts or email me at thetravelerbee@gmail.com .
ITINERARY
SUNDAY
7:30am: Leave hotel for airport
Flight: Leave Bangkok at 10:00am - Arrive in Siem Reap at 11:00am
11:30am: Airport Pick Up by Hotel
12pm: Check into Hotel (Sarai Resort & Spa)
12pm-3pm: Pool
3:30pm-5pm: Old Market
5:30pm-7pm: Bug Café
8pm-9:30pm: Phare, The Cambodian Circus
MONDAY
7:30am-4:30pm: Bike the Angkor Temples Tour 4:30pm-6pm: Pub Street
7:30pm-9pm: Traditional Khmer Massage at Hotel 9pm-10pm: Air Center Night Market
TUESDAY
6:00am: Leave hotel for airport
Flight: Leave Siem Reap at 8:20am - Arrive in Phuket at 9:40am
BUDGET
*All pricing and information below is from January 2019* *3995 Cambodian Riel = 1 United States Dollar (USD)*
TOTAL TRIP COST, excluding Thailand expenses = $766 or $383/each
FLIGHTS = $97 (Bangkok to Siem Reap)
I took a round trip flight from Chicago, IL, USA to Bangkok, Thailand (all the information on that flight can be found on my Thailand page).
The flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap was booked on AirAsia, which is a great and affordable airline. We left Bangkok (DMK) at 10:00am and arrived in Siem Reap at 11:00am, so it was a very quick flight. Also, be aware of their baggage policies. We only had our carry ons but the airline does have strict weight and size limits. Also, be sure to get the AirAsia app. This allows you to check in online up to 14 days ahead of time, so we were able to check into all of our AirAsia flights before we left the US. This was a huge convenience for us because once we got to the airport we would simply find the AirAsia kiosk, print our boarding passes, and head straight to security. This saved us A LOT of time. Keep in mind that DMK airport in Bangkok has an Air Asia kiosk, but the Siem Reap airport does not!
ACCOMMODATION = $197 (2 nights)
Sarai Resort and Spa = $197 (2 nights)
Salakamreuk Rd, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia
This hotel was fantastic! It’s worth noting that we really went above and beyond with our accommodations. There were plenty of far less expensive hotels to stay at in the area, but with the cost per night being only about $80 we couldn’t pass it up.
EXPERIENCES = $332
Visa = $76
Website: www.evisa.gov.kh
Yes, US citizens do need a tourist visa to get into Cambodia, but do not let this be a deterrent. It’s VERY easy to apply. You can fill out your application and apply online. You do need a recent 2in X 2in photo of you as well. I applied and got a notification within minutes saying I was approved. I printed off my visa, put it in my passport and was ready to go. You can also opt to get your visa at the Siem Reap airport upon arrival, but I highly suggest doing it online beforehand so you don’t have to waste time waiting in the visa line.
Grasshopper Adventures: Bike the Angkor Temples = $90
Website: www.grasshopperadventures.com/en/day-tours/bike-the-angkor-temples.html
Angkor Day Pass = $74
Your day pass can be purchased online or during your Bike Tour with Grasshopper Adventures. During our bike tour, we made a stop at the ticket booth to purchase our passes.
Phare, The Cambodian Circus = $36
Website: www.pharecircus.org
Traditional Khmer Massage at Sarai Resort = $56
Website: www.sarairesort.com/seasonsspa
TRANSPORTATION = $40
Tuk Tuks = $20 Tuk Tuks are the primary mode of transportation around Siem Reap, and they are very inexpensive. For example, to take us from our hotel to the circus (which was about a 10 minute ride) was only $4. Be sure to have cash for tuk tuks; they do not accept credit card. Hotel Shuttle = $20
We were in communication with our hotel before we arrived in Siem Reap and they actually arranged to pick us up from the airport for free. We did have to pay to go from our hotel back to the airport but it was only $20. Be sure to talk with your hotel and see if they offer shuttle services to and from the airport.
FOOD = $100 Going out to eat in Cambodia is super cheap! While driving around in our tuk tuk we saw a lot of local places that had fried rice dishes for $1-$1.50. You can get a beer for 50c! We loved our hotel pool so we did end up getting some drinks and appetizers there, which accounts for the majority of our food expenses. Also, be sure to check out Bugs Café (I have a separate post about this)!
