Cambodia 1-Week Itinerary for First-Timers: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh & the Coast (2026)
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-17
📍 Distance covered: ~550 km (Siem Reap → Phnom Penh → Coast) ⏱️ Fastest route leg: ~45 min by plane (Phnom Penh → Sihanoukville) 💰 Total 7-day budget: ₹18,000 (~$186.84) to ₹28,000 (~$290.64) ✅ Best mix: 2 nights Siem Reap, 2 nights Phnom Penh, 3 nights coast For related planning, see our guides on Sea Backpacking Hub and Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh.
Seven days is the sweet spot for a Cambodia 1 week trip. Enough time to do Angkor Wat properly, take the weight of Khmer history in Phnom Penh, and end on a beach without rushing anything to the point it stops being fun. This itinerary is based on current bus schedules, published Angkor pass pricing, and traveller reports from 2026. You may also find Phnom Penh to Siem Reap Distance useful for this trip.
You can stretch this to 10 days if you have the time. I have noted where to add the extra days without breaking the flow. See also: Siem Reap to Koh Rong.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| How much does 1 week in Cambodia cost? | Budget backpacker, dorms + street food + buses | ₹18,000 (~$186.84) to ₹28,000 (~$290.64) |
| Do Indians need a visa for Cambodia? | Yes, e-Visa or visa-on-arrival, 30 days single entry | ₹2,890 (~30 USD) |
| How do I get from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh? | Giant Ibis / Mekong Express bus, ~6 hours | ₹867 (~9 USD) to ₹1,445 (~15 USD) |
| Is Siem Reap worth more than 2 nights? | For Angkor, yes, 3 nights is better | ₹1,445 (~15 USD) to $25/day tuk-tuk for temples |
| Can I add the coast in 1 week? | Yes, 3 nights on Koh Rong or Sihanoukville at the end | Ferry ₹1,927 (~20 USD) to ₹3,372 (~35 USD) each way |
Overview: The 7-Day Route
Days 1 to 3, Siem Reap: Angkor Wat complex, Pub Street, Tonle Sap floating village. Days 4 and 5, Phnom Penh: Killing Fields, Tuol Sleng, Royal Palace, riverside. Days 6 to 7, Coast: Bus to Sihanoukville, ferry to Koh Rong, beach. Day 7 or 8: Fly back to Bangkok / Singapore / Mumbai from Sihanoukville, or bus back to Phnom Penh first. For related planning, see our guide on Phnom Penh to Koh Rong.
You can also do this in reverse (start Phnom Penh, end Siem Reap) if the flight prices work out better. The bus legs are the same in both directions.
If you have 10 days, add 1 night in Phnom Penh and 2 more nights on the coast.
Day 1 to 3, Siem Reap (Angkor)
Most first-timers fly into Siem Reap. The airport is small, the e-Visa queue moves faster than the on-arrival queue, and Grab is not available here, so pre-book a tuk-tuk or just walk to the row of drivers outside.
Day 1, Land and settle in. Drop bags at the hostel, walk Pub Street (touristy but useful for orientation), eat your first amok or lok lak. Siem Reap at night is louder than you’d expect from a town this size.
Day 2, The Grand Circuit. This is your Angkor day. Buy the 1-day pass (₹3,565 (~37 USD)) at the main ticket office, get a tuk-tuk driver for the whole day (₹1,445 (~15 USD) to ₹2,408 (~25 USD)), and hit Angkor Wat at sunrise, then Bayon, Ta Prohm (the “Tomb Raider” temple), and Banteay Srei if you have the energy. Sunrise at Angkor Wat is the single most-photographed spot in Southeast Asia. Get there by 5 AM.
Day 3, Tonle Sap or extra temples. Floating villages on Tonle Sap (Kompong Phluk or Chong Khneas) are half-day tours, ₹1,445 (~15 USD) to ₹2,408 (~25 USD) with boat and guide. Alternatively, spend Day 3 doing the smaller temples at your own pace (Banteay Srei, Beng Mealea, or the Roluos group), or rent a bicycle from your hostel for ₹193 (~2 USD) a day and cycle the smaller circuits.
Dorm prices in Siem Reap: ₹482 (~5 USD) to ₹1,156 (~12 USD). Temple-tour tuk-tuk for the day: ₹1,445 (~15 USD) to ₹2,408 (~25 USD).
Day 4 and 5, Phnom Penh
The bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh takes 6 hours and costs ₹771 (~8 USD) to ₹1,445 (~15 USD). Giant Ibis and Mekong Express are the two operators worth using, both have AC, both depart on time. Compare prices on 12go. The road is flat, the AC is cold, bring a layer.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Sit on the left side of the bus going south. The road climbs briefly around the Kompong Thom stretch and you get one of the few good views in Cambodia.
Day 4, History day. This is the hard day. Killing Fields at Choeung Ek (₹578 (~6 USD) entry, audio guide ₹289 (~3 USD) extra, allow 3 hours) and Tuol Sleng (S-21, ₹482 (~5 USD) entry, audio guide ₹289 (~3 USD), allow 2 hours). Take a tuk-tuk for the half-day, ₹963 (~10 USD) to ₹1,445 (~15 USD) total. Most travellers report doing both on the same day and being emotionally wiped by dinner. This is normal. The Khmer Rouge period is not abstract in Cambodia, the staff at these sites are survivors and their families.
Day 5, Capital day. Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (₹963 (~10 USD) entry, closed on Buddhist holy days, dress code: shoulders and knees covered), National Museum (₹963 (~10 USD), worth it for the Khmer sculpture collection), and a sunset walk along the Sisowath Quay riverfront. The palace is right next to the river, you can walk between everything in Day 5.
Dorm prices in Phnom Penh: ₹482 (~5 USD) to ₹963 (~10 USD). Tuk-tuk around town: ₹193 (~2 USD) to ₹482 (~5 USD).
For a sit-down Khmer meal in Phnom Penh, HoubHoub Cambodian Restaurant (BKK1) is a strong pick. The BKK1 area is where most of the better mid-range Khmer food sits, and the kitchen here leans authentic rather than tourist-friendly. For a dal-chawal fix, the Indian Restaurant nearby keeps it basic but the curries and rotis land the way you want them to after a long bus ride.
Day 6 and 7, The Coast (Sihanoukville or Koh Rong)
The bus from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville is 4 to 5 hours, ₹771 (~8 USD) to ₹1,156 (~12 USD). From Sihanoukville port, ferries to Koh Rong run throughout the day, ₹1,927 (~20 USD) to ₹3,372 (~35 USD) each way depending on the operator and whether you book online.
Safety Alert: Sihanoukville itself has changed a lot since the Chinese casino development boom. The city centre beaches (Serendipity, Ochheuteal) are fine in daylight but see reports of bag snatching at night. Most travellers skip Sihanoukville town and go straight to the ferry for Koh Rong.
Koh Rong vs Koh Rong Sanloem: Koh Rong is bigger, has a long white-sand beach popular with backpackers on the south end, more hostels, more nightlife. Koh Rong Sanloem is quieter, smaller, less developed. For a first-timer with 3 nights, Koh Rong (specifically the south end near Koh Touch) is the easier choice.
Day 6, Travel day. Bus + ferry eats half the day. Land on Koh Rong, find a beach bungalow or a dorm, swim, sleep.
Day 7, Beach day. Snorkel trips (₹963 (~10 USD) to ₹1,927 (~20 USD)), jungle treks, or just lie on the sand. There is a bioluminescent plankton swim at night on some beaches (Long Set or Lonely Beach) that is genuinely worth doing once.
Day 7 evening or Day 8: Ferry back to Sihanoukville, then either fly out of Sihanoukville International to Bangkok or Singapore, or bus back to Phnom Penh (5 hours) for the international flight. Bangkok and Singapore have the cheapest connections for Indian passport holders.
Dorm prices in Sihanoukville: ₹578 (~6 USD) to ₹1,060 (~11 USD). Bungalows on Koh Rong: ₹1,445 (~15 USD) to ₹3,854 (~40 USD).
If you have 10 days total, add 1 night at the start of Siem Reap (Day 0, fly in evening, recover), 1 night extra in Phnom Penh (Day 5 becomes a chill riverside day), and 2 more nights on Koh Rong (now you can do a day trip to Koh Rong Sanloem or cover the jungle properly).
Cambodia 1-Week Trip Cost Breakdown (Budget Backpacker, 2026)
At the time of writing, 1 USD ≈ ₹96.53 and 1 KHR ≈ ₹0.024. Cambodia runs on US dollars in practice (for anything over ₹482 (~5 USD)), with Cambodian riel given as change under ₹96 (~1 USD). Bring small US bills, $1s and $5s and $10s, in clean condition. Torn or marked bills get refused.
| Item | Cost (per day) | 7-day total |
|---|---|---|
| Dorm bed | ₹482 (~5 USD) to ₹1,156 (~12 USD) | ₹3,372 (~35 USD) to ₹8,092 (~84 USD) |
| Street food (3 meals) | ₹192 (~2 USD) to ₹289 (~3 USD) | ₹1,348 (~14 USD) to ₹2,023 (~21 USD) |
| Local transport (tuk-tuk) | ₹289 (~3 USD) to ₹771 (~8 USD) | ₹2,023 (~21 USD) to ₹5,395 (~56 USD) |
| Activities (temples, museums) | ₹1,445 (~15 USD) to ₹2,408 (~25 USD) | ₹4,335 (~45 USD) to ₹7,225 (~75 USD) |
| Inter-city bus | ₹771 (~8 USD) to ₹1,445 (~15 USD) per leg | ₹3,083 (~32 USD) to ₹5,780 (~60 USD) |
| Visa (e-Visa on arrival, ₹3,468 (~36 USD)) | one-time | ₹3,468 (~36 USD) |
Total 7-day budget: ₹19,653 (~204 USD) to ₹36,705 (~381 USD), or ₹19,700 (~$204.49) to ₹36,800 (~$381.98) at current rates.
The realistic mid-range is ₹25,000 (~$259.50) to ₹28,000 (~$290.64), which covers the bus upgrades, a nicer dorm most nights, one proper sit-down meal per day, and the Koh Rong ferry.
Visa for Indian Passport Holders
You can either do the e-Visa online before you fly (₹3,468 (~36 USD), apply at the official portal) or visa on arrival at the airport (₹2,890 (~30 USD)). Both give 30 days, single entry. The e-Visa costs ₹578 (~6 USD) more but you skip the immigration queue at the airport. Photo requirement is 4x6 cm, white background.
Visa extension (if you want to stay longer) is ₹4,335 (~45 USD), done at the immigration office in Phnom Penh. Allow 3 to 5 working days.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Carry a ₹2,890 (~30 USD) bill (two $20s and a ₹963 (~10 USD)) for the visa on arrival in clean, unfolded condition. Cambodian immigration officers do check bill condition, and a torn ₹1,927 (~20 USD) is a real problem at 11 PM after a 3-hour flight delay.
Indian Passport Specifics
- No embassy in every city. The Indian embassy in Phnom Penh handles all consular matters. Check the MEA portal for the current phone number before you fly. For lost passport or emergency, this is your first call.
- Currency exchange. US dollars are king. Most guesthouses, restaurants, and bus counters quote in USD. Indian rupees are not exchangeable at any reasonable rate, convert at the airport in Bangkok or Singapore before flying in. For Thai baht or Vietnamese dong exchange, money changers in Phnom Penh’s BKK1 area give fair rates.
- SIM card. Smart and Cellcard are the two main operators. A tourist SIM with 5 to 10 GB data costs ₹482 (~5 USD), available at the airport counters. Coverage is good in cities and along the main highways (Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville), patchy on Koh Rong (only the south end gets signal). An eSIM with a local number also works if your phone supports it.
- Indian food. The “Indian Restaurant” listed above is your safety net in Phnom Penh. In Siem Reap, every hostel can point you to a couple of Indian kitchens on Pub Street. On Koh Rong, Indian food is very limited. The Indian Restaurant in the shortlist is in Phnom Penh, not on the coast. For strict-veg on Koh Rong, stick to simple rice-and-vegetable dishes at local stalls and confirm no fish sauce is used.
- Safety. Most of Cambodia is safe for Indian backpackers. The two things to keep in mind: bag-snatching at night in Sihanoukville (don’t take your phone out after dark on the beach road) and tuk-tuk overcharging in Phnom Penh (agree the price before you get in, ₹193 (~2 USD) is a fair city fare). For a fuller picture, check the MEA travel advisory at mea.gov.in before you fly.
Getting Connected
Mobile data works along the main tourist corridors but drops on the smaller islands and some of the rural bus stretches. A local SIM is cheap (₹289 (~3 USD) to ₹482 (~5 USD) for 5 to 10 GB) and available at the airport. Get Nomad eSIM before you leave India if you want coverage on landing.
When NOT to Take This Route
Monsoon, June to October. The roads still run but the Angkor sunrise gets clouded out more often, the Tonle Sap villages flood unpredictably, and the ferry to Koh Rong can be cancelled in rough weather (July to September is the worst stretch). If you can only travel in these months, swap the coast for Battambang (smaller, quieter, more rice-paddy Cambodia) and add a day in Phnom Penh instead.
April. Khmer New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey, April 13 to 16). Some shops close, transport fills up, the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng still operate but expect big crowds. Book buses 3 to 5 days ahead in this window.
FAQ
Can I do Cambodia in 7 days as a first-timer? Yes. Siem Reap for Angkor, Phnom Penh for the history, the coast to decompress. It is the tightest schedule that still feels like a real trip.
Is Cambodia cheaper than Thailand or Vietnam? A bit. Dorm beds are ₹96 (~1 USD) to ₹289 (~3 USD) cheaper than Bangkok, street food is similar. The big-ticket items (Angkor pass at ₹3,565 (~37 USD), the visa at ₹2,890 (~30 USD) to ₹3,468 (~36 USD)) are the main cost difference. Read the full 1 week Cambodia cost breakdown above.
How much cash should I carry for the trip? Carry US dollars in small bills (₹96 (~1 USD)), roughly ₹19,268 (~200 USD) to ₹28,902 (~300 USD) for 7 days. Cambodia is heavily dollarised, ATMs dispense USD in major cities (with a ₹482 (~5 USD) fee per withdrawal).
Is Koh Rong safe for solo travellers? The south end (Koh Touch) has a hostel party scene, watch your drink. The north end and 4km beach are quieter and family-friendly. Solo female travellers report Koh Rong Sanloem as the safer pick.
Do I need to book buses in advance? In peak season (Nov to Feb), book 2 to 3 days ahead on 12go. In monsoon season, same-day booking usually works. Compare prices on 12go.
Should I fly Siem Reap to Sihanoukville instead of bus? Only if you have 8 days instead of 7. The flight is 45 minutes and ₹4,817 (~50 USD) to ₹7,707 (~80 USD), the bus is 10 to 12 hours and ₹1,927 (~20 USD) to ₹2,408 (~25 USD). For a tight week, bus gives you a whole extra day on the beach. For the 10-day version, the flight is worth it.
What is the best time of year for this trip? November to February. Cool, dry, Angkor sunrises work, the ferry to Koh Rong runs on schedule. March and April are brutally hot (38°C). May to October is monsoon.
Subodh’s Take
Cambodia in 7 days is the one Southeast Asia route I recommend to friends who have never backpacked before. It is small enough that you do not need to plan, the buses run on time, and the country packs more emotional weight per kilometre than anywhere else on the trail. Angkor at sunrise, the Killing Fields audio guide, a ₹482 (~5 USD) dorm on Koh Rong, a ₹385 (~4 USD) Khmer curry in Phnom Penh. That is the trip. Add 3 days if you can and you get the slow version. Either way, do not skip Phnom Penh. It is the part of Cambodia that stays with you longer than the temples.
