STEAL THIS TRIP
A dream cultural adventure in Cambodia
Planned by Rhys Asia Specialist
When people ask us to plan a trip to Southeast Asia, they usually have ideas about Vietnam or Thailand – and might mention throwing in Cambodia as a secondary stop en-route, usually to hit the big-name sights of Angkor Wat. But Cambodia deserves way more kudos for its cultural adventure credentials than it currently gets.
I recently had the chance to plan a dream trip focusing exclusively on Cambodia – pulling out some of the country’s most special experiences.
The travellers
Barbara and Neil are recently retired, and are ready for their own adventure. They’ve watched their grown-up children spend years backpacking all over the world, throwing themselves into the unknown and visiting places they’d quite literally never heard of. Now, with a little less backpack and a little more luxe, it was their turn.
The trip
Barbara explained they didn’t mind where they went - so long as they saw luscious landscapes, met locals who live totally different lives to them, and ate delicious food along the way. What they wanted was a cultural adventure, and this is how we made it happen.
The adventure
The best of street food in Phnom Penh
Because of its easy international flight connections, I planned an itinerary that started and ended in Phnom Penh: an absolute haven for street food.
Beef lok lak was hands down my favourite dish in Cambodia and, as Neil had told me he was a self-professed carnivore, it went straight on my list of recommendations for their trip.
Alongside Kampot pepper (a protected ingredient that only accredited members of the Kampot Pepper Producers Association can sell), it's made with thick coconut milk, garlic and lime, creating layers of flavour that are completely delicious, and not something I’d ever tasted before.
Kampot pepper is everywhere. You’ll find drinks menus peppered with it - literally: in one little bar, I tried a margarita garnished with pink and green peppercorns.
Tonlé Sap lake and its floating village
A 4.5 hr drive between Phnom Penh and Battambang, a half way stop at Tonlé Sap lake provides a natural break from the road.
Tonlé Sap is Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake – but its floating village doesn’t float all year round.
There is a dramatic difference between visiting Tonlé Sap in November and in April. Following the rains of the wet season, which ends in October, the lake swells to four times higher than its lowest levels, so the village homes appear to float. Between February and June, some of that mystique disappears as the lake ebbs to its dry season state, with the stilts revealed on dry ground.
It's a great place to visit and enjoy a guided kayak or wooden boat tour of the lake and village, stopping at a family home for a picnic lunch. It’s an experience not everyone’s heard of – but one that people always absolutely love.
Biking in Battambang
Known for its French colonial aesthetic and its modern arty appeal (which was repressed during the Khmer Rouge regime), Battambang is coming back to life. It’s a classic example of Cambodia’s fusion of past and present – flourishing despite a dark and brutal recent history.
On my most recent trip to Battambang, I cycled with Soksabike. Given Barbara and Neil’s sense of adventure, I thought whizzing through the countryside on two wheels sounded right up their street – especially because, alongside the green views, it’s a great chance to meet working Cambodians.
When I went, I picked up some banana paper, sampled some rice wine and even got to give rice paper making a go. It’s a brilliant way to support the local economy and to thank them for letting us glimpse their everyday life.
Of course, cycling can get sweaty in the hottest of temperatures, so the slightly cooler climes of the months between November and January make this experience even more blissful.
Siem Reap – but go for more than Angkor
People know Cambodia for its array of ancient temples, with the most famous, Angkor Wat, just a 15 min drive from Siem Reap.
With over 4,000 temples to choose from, you need to prioritise the ones you really must see – and Angkor Wat isn’t necessarily my number one.
In the very same area as Angkor Wat (so you can definitely see both!) Banteay Srei is my favourite temple for its unique pink toned sandstone. As the only temple in Cambodia to be built with this material, it’s less weathered and better preserved than others built at a similar time, with incredibly intricate carvings.
I always recommend people go in the morning. It’s east facing, and when the sun hits the carvings, you can really appreciate their depth and detail. Look out for Kala (a toothy mythical lion)!
The calm of Koh Rong before heading home
The island of Koh Rong offers beauty and tranquillity in ample measure (45 km of white sand, to be precise). It holds a sense of seclusion you’d be hard pushed to find on the busier (but no less beautiful) beaches of Thailand.
If you step back from the ocean front, you’ll sink into Koh Rong’s lush jungle – humming and hooting with a billion birds and insects. The waters are translucent blue, and if you grab your snorkel or scuba gear, you’ll find it’s teeming with bamboo sharks and manta rays. Koh Rong makes a perfect end to a trip – and I wanted to make sure Barbara and Neil had plenty of time for some well-earned relaxation at the end of their Cambodian adventure.
It’s a 45 min boat from the mainland, with Phnom Penh airport then just 2hr by road. That means they can wake up on Koh Rong, get in the sea a final time, and make their afternoon flight home, still warm with the glow of one of Cambodia’s best beaches.
Did you know?
Cambodia doesn’t celebrate birthdays. Some of the elder community may not know the date they were born – but they can tell you their age by counting rice harvests instead. Presents are instead given at Cambodian New Year (Chaul Chnam), which falls in April.
Cambodia’s secret power:
Cambodia holds a brutal recent past that Cambodians and international visitors alike are still trying to comprehend. But its sense of survival and respect for those lost endures.
With over 4,000 temples, it’s literally impossible to see them all in one trip – it will keep history fans coming back for more.
