Cambodia in 5 Days: The Perfect Extended Itinerary

A 5-day Cambodia itinerary is best spent between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, mixing powerful history with Angkor’s temples, street food, and riverfront sunsets, with daily budgets ranging roughly from $40–50 for backpackers to $150–250 for luxury travellers (excluding international flights).

Cambodia welcomed around 5 million international visitors in 2023, according to the Ministry of Tourism, and most itineraries focus on Phnom Penh and Siem Reap because they’re easy to connect by bus or short flights and offer the country’s most iconic sights.

Here’s the quick overview for a Cambodia 5 day itinerary:

• Day 1 – Phnom Penh: Riverside, Royal Palace, local markets
• Day 2 – Phnom Penh: Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Killing Fields, sunset cruise
• Day 3 – Siem Reap: Travel day, Old Town, night markets, Pub Street
• Day 4 – Siem Reap: Angkor Wat sunrise, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm
• Day 5 – Siem Reap: Tonle Sap floating villages or more temples

Use the Hello app to pre-buy your Hello eSIM for Cambodia, track daily spending, and split costs with friends; this keeps your Cambodia travel plan organised from arrival to departure. Below, you’ll find a detailed day-by-day breakdown with times of day, neighbourhoods, transport tips, meal suggestions, and budgets for every style of traveller.

Day 1 in Phnom Penh is about getting oriented: explore the riverside, visit the Royal Palace, and sample Khmer street food, with a typical daily budget from $45 (budget) to $150 (luxury), excluding accommodation.

Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s capital and the starting point for many Cambodia itineraries, especially short 5-day trips by air. According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap account for the majority of visitor nights nationwide, making them ideal bases for a Cambodia travel plan.

Morning (8:00–12:00)

• Land at Phnom Penh International Airport and clear immigration; visa-on-arrival currently costs around $30–35 (2025 data, per Cambodian MFA).
• Take a taxi or ride-hailing car into town: $12–18, 30–45 minutes depending on traffic. Tuk-tuks are $7–10 if you’re light on luggage.
• Check into your hotel near Riverside/Sisowath Quay – central and walkable.

Afternoon (13:00–17:00)

• Visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda; entry is about $10 plus a few dollars for a sarong rental if needed. Allow 2–3 hours and dress modestly (covered shoulders and knees).
• Walk to nearby Wat Ounalom and the National Museum (entry ~$10). Together, they give a gentle intro to Khmer culture.

Evening (18:00–22:00)

• Dinner on Sisowath Quay: street stalls offer noodle dishes or fish amok for $2–4; mid-range riverside restaurants run $8–15 per main.
• Stroll the riverfront or browse the Phnom Penh Night Market for snacks and souvenirs.

Approximate daily budget (excluding hotel)

• Budget: $15–20 (street food, tuk-tuks, palace entry)
• Mid-range: $40–60 (riverfront restaurant, museum, taxi)
• Luxury: $120–150 (private guide, boutique dining, spa)

Connect an eSIM from Hello on arrival so maps, translations, and ride-hailing apps work straight away; plans start at 5GB with live pricing in the app.

Day 2 focuses on Cambodia’s recent history with visits to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields, plus markets and a sunset river cruise, with budgets typically ranging from $35 to $120 depending on comfort level.

According to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum foundation, over 17,000 people were imprisoned at S-21 during the Khmer Rouge era, making today emotionally heavy but essential context for any Cambodia 5 day itinerary.

Morning (8:30–12:30)

• Hire a tuk-tuk (often $20–25 for a half-day loop) to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21). Entry is around $5–6 with audio guide. Expect 2–3 hours; dress respectfully and keep voices low.
• Continue to Choeung Ek Killing Fields (45–60 minutes from the city). Entry with audio guide is about $6.

Afternoon (13:30–17:00)

• Return to the city and take time to decompress over lunch – local spots serve rice dishes and curries for $3–6; mid-range cafes $8–12.
• Explore Russian Market or Central Market for souvenirs and coffee; tuk-tuk rides within town are usually $2–3.

Evening (17:30–21:00)

• Consider a sunset cruise on the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers; shared boats start around $10–15 per person, with private boats $40+.
• Dinner at a riverside restaurant or social enterprise café: $6–10 for budget, $15–25 for mid-range, and upwards of $40 at fine-dining venues.

Approximate daily budget (excluding hotel)

• Budget: $25–35
• Mid-range: $50–80
• Luxury: $100–120

If you’re travelling with friends, use the Hello app’s expense splitting and AI receipt scanning (works with Khmer and USD receipts) to divide tuk-tuk, cruise, and meal costs fairly and keep everyone’s share transparent.

Day 3 is your transfer day from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, followed by a relaxed evening in the Old Town, night markets, and Pub Street, with door-to-door transport and meals typically costing $35–70 per person.

Most Cambodia 5 day trips use either buses or short flights between the two cities. As of 2025, direct flights Phnom Penh–Siem Reap take about 45 minutes and often cost $40–120 one way, whereas buses take 5–7 hours and can be as cheap as $12–20, according to regional booking platforms.

Morning (8:00–12:00)

• Grab breakfast at your guesthouse ($3–6) and head to the bus station or airport.
• Bus: standard AC buses cost $12–20; VIP minivans $18–25.
• Flight: factor in airport transfer (~$12–18) and baggage fees.

Afternoon (13:00–17:00)

• Arrive in Siem Reap and check into a hotel near the Old French Quarter or Wat Bo area – quiet but walkable to Pub Street and markets.
• Arrange next day’s Angkor pass (1-day pass currently ~$37) and tuk-tuk driver; many hotels can help.

Evening (18:00–22:00)

• Explore Pub Street and the Angkor Night Market. Street food like grilled skewers and noodles runs $1–3; sit-down restaurants $6–12 per main.
• Try local dishes such as lok lak (marinated beef) or kroeung curry.

Approximate daily budget (excluding hotel)

• Budget: $35–40 (bus, street food)
• Mid-range: $50–70 (VIP bus or discounted flight, restaurant)
• Luxury: $120–180 (flight, private car, upscale dining)

Because this is a travel day, having a Hello eSIM already activated helps with bus tracking, flight check-ins, and quick map checks when you first land in Siem Reap.

Day 4 is the temple-intensive core of your Cambodia itinerary, starting with Angkor Wat sunrise, continuing through Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm, and ending with dinner in Siem Reap, with total daily costs usually between $45 and $140.

The Angkor Archaeological Park covers more than 400 square kilometres, according to UNESCO, and Siem Reap alone received over 2 million visitors annually pre-2020; it remains Cambodia’s top tourist draw and deserves at least one full day in any Cambodia travel plan.

Morning (4:30–11:00)

• Leave your hotel around 4:30–5:00 for Angkor Wat sunrise. Tuk-tuk hire for a full temple day costs $20–30, more for air-conditioned cars.
• Use your 1-day Angkor pass (~$37) and explore Angkor Wat until mid-morning. Dress modestly and carry water; you can buy drinks on-site for $1–2.

Afternoon (11:00–16:30)

• Head to Angkor Thom, including Bayon, Baphuon, and the Terrace of the Elephants.
• Lunch inside the park at simple restaurants ($4–8 for curries and noodles).
• Continue to Ta Prohm, famous for tree roots over stone – allow 1–1.5 hours.

Evening (17:00–21:00)

• Optional sunset viewpoint like Phnom Bakheng (go early; it gets crowded).
• Return to Siem Reap for dinner: budget eateries $3–6 per main, mid-range $8–15, and high-end fusion spots $25–40 per person.

Approximate daily budget (excluding hotel)

• Budget: $45–55 (pass + tuk-tuk + simple meals)
• Mid-range: $70–90 (AC vehicle, nicer restaurants)
• Luxury: $120–140 (private guide, upscale dining).

Use the Hello app’s budget tracking to tag temple day expenses (pass, transport, food) so you can see how a big sightseeing day affects your total Cambodia 5 day trip spending.

Day 5 in Siem Reap is your flex day: choose a Tonle Sap lake excursion, countryside tour, or more temples, then wrap up with souvenir shopping and a final Cambodian dinner, with daily costs from about $40 to $160.

Tonle Sap is Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake, and according to UNESCO-related studies its area can expand from roughly 2,500 km² to over 10,000 km² between dry and wet seasons, making village life here a unique addition to a Cambodia 5 day itinerary.

Morning (8:00–12:00)
Option A – Tonle Sap floating villages: group tours start around $25–35 including boat, village visit, and guide; private tours $50–80+.
Option B – More temples such as Banteay Srei, known for intricate pink sandstone carvings; a half-day tuk-tuk is about $20–25.

Afternoon (13:00–17:00)

• Return to Siem Reap for lunch ($4–10 depending on venue).
• Shop for last-minute souvenirs at Old Market (Psar Chas) or Artisans Angkor for locally made crafts.
• Build in rest time at a café ($1.50–3 coffees) or hotel pool.

Evening (17:30–21:30)

• Enjoy a final dinner: budget travellers can eat well for $3–6; mid-range restaurants $10–20 per person, and gourmet tasting menus can exceed $50.
• Consider a show like Phare, the Cambodian Circus, with tickets around $18–38 depending on seating (2024 data).

Approximate daily budget (excluding hotel)

• Budget: $40–50
• Mid-range: $70–100
• Luxury: $130–160

At the end of your Cambodia travel plan, export your spending from the Hello app (multi-currency with automatic exchange rates) to see exactly what your 5 days cost and to plan for future trips to Cambodia or neighbours like Thailand.

A 5-day Cambodia itinerary is enough to see Phnom Penh and Siem Reap highlights with a realistic daily spend of $40–60 for backpackers, $80–130 for mid-range travellers, and $150–250 for luxury, excluding flights and high-end tours.

Below are concise answers to the most common Cambodia 5 day itinerary questions:

Q: Is 5 days enough for Cambodia?
A: Yes for a first visit focused on Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. You’ll cover key sites like Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, the Royal Palace, Tuol Sleng, and the Killing Fields, plus at least one countryside or Tonle Sap experience.

Q: How much cash should I budget?
A: For 5 days, many travellers are comfortable with:

• Budget: ~$200–250 total (street food, buses, guesthouses)
• Mid-range: ~$400–600 (restaurants, flights, nicer hotels)
• Luxury: $900+ (private guides, resorts).
  Cambodia widely accepts US dollars alongside riel, and ATMs are common in major cities.

Q: Do I need to book tours in advance?
A: Angkor transport can be arranged on arrival, but popular experiences like Phare Circus or certain Tonle Sap tours are safer to book 1–2 days ahead, especially in peak season (December–February).

Q: Is mobile data and navigation easy?
A: Yes; using Hello’s eSIM plans means you arrive already connected, with instant data activation and no need to hunt for local SIM shops. This is especially helpful for tuk-tuk hailing, temple navigation, and keeping your Cambodia travel plan synced in the Hello app.

Q: What’s a simple 5-day route?
A: 2 days Phnom Penh + bus/flight + 3 days Siem Reap is the most straightforward structure and fits most travellers.

A typical 5-day Cambodia trip splits time between central areas in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, using tuk-tuks, buses, and short flights, with total on-the-ground budgets ranging from roughly $200 to $600 per person depending on travel style.

To help compare options for your Cambodia itinerary, here’s a simple overview:

Key neighbourhoods to base in

• Phnom Penh: Sisowath Quay/Riverside for easy access to the Royal Palace and night market; BKK1 for cafés and quieter streets.
• Siem Reap: Old French Quarter and Wat Bo area for walkability to Pub Street without being too noisy.

Typical transport costs (2025–2026 ranges)

• Phnom Penh airport–city taxi: $12–18
• Tuk-tuk within city: $2–3 per ride
• Phnom Penh–Siem Reap bus: $12–25
• Phnom Penh–Siem Reap flight: $40–120+ one way
• Angkor day tuk-tuk: $20–30

Using the Hello app, you can import bank statements, scan receipts with AI, and categorise expenses automatically, making it much easier to stick to your preferred tier (budget, mid-range, or luxury) across your Cambodia 5 day trip.