9 Days Cambodia Budget Tour with Ho Chi Minh & Bangkok

Tour Overview

Travel from Vietnam to Cambodia & Thailand, experiencing the vast differences between three of the region’s most fascinating countries. During the 9-day Cambodia budget trip, learn how the people conquered the dark ages of the Khmer Rouge; Walk with a history guide at Angkor Wat to observe this wonder from different perspectives; Join an optional cooking class to make authentic Cambodian meals yourself; Ride in the surrounding countryside of Battambang with a breath of fresh air, and Immerse yourself in the vibrant Bangkok.

Highlights of This Tour

• Explore the vibrant Ho Chi Minh city & the historical Cu Chi tunnels.
• Have an early morning visit to capture the stunning sunrise at Angkor Wat and admire the ubiquitous megalithic carvings and intricate reliefs.
• Cycle through the countryside around Battambang and visit a pottery village.
• Take an optional cooking class to learn how to make authentic Cambodian dishes.
• Peek into the residence of the Thai royal family at the dazzling building complex, Grand Palace.

Itinerary

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City Arrival

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s metropolis, known as the “Paris of the East”! Once there, you can explore some of the landmarks on your own, such as the Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the City Post Office, all of which are great places to learn about Vietnam’s history.

Meal: N/A

Accommodation: Ho Chi Minh City

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City – Take the Bus to Phnom Penh
Central Market

After breakfast, take a 10-hour bus journey (including a stop for lunch) across the border to Phnom Penh, the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia. After check-in at the hotel, get some rest. Or explore the Central Market, a French-style indoor market known as “Phnom Penh’s Art of Living Museum.” There is a wide variety of goods, from handicrafts and daily necessities to fresh food. In addition, it is a foodie’s paradise, where you can taste Cambodian delicacies while experiencing local life.

Note: If you do not wish to travel by bus, we are happy to assist you in booking your flight (at your own expense).

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Phnom Penh

Day 3: Phnom Penh Sightseeing
Wat Phnom, National Museum of Cambodia

Today, take a guided tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek to learn about the Khmer Rouge’s tragic past. After that, move forward to the Royal Palace, which was the residence of the King of Cambodia, consisting of a group of buildings with golden roofs and yellow walls, looking quite exquisite and resplendent. Silver Pagoda, reached from the south gate of the Royal Palace, is a stunning Buddhist temple known for its thousands of silver bricks.

Afterwards, pay a visit to Wat Phnom, a tranquil, 30-meter-high temple filled with Khmer-style relief sculptures. Also, you can have an optional tour of the National Museum of Cambodia, where you can enjoy many artifacts from different periods of the Angkor dynasty, including stone, bronze, porcelain and wood.

Optional:

In addition to walking, a cyclo tour takes you to Independence Monument.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Phnom Penh

Day 4: Phnom Penh – Battambang
A Pottery Workshop, Bamboo Train Experience

Travel to Battambang by comfortable minibus (about 6 hours). On the way, we will stop at Kampong Chhnang to visit a pottery workshop, where you will learn how pottery is made. Continue your bus tour to Battambang, Cambodia’s second-largest city, rich in rice and fruit. It is a riverside city with many elegant French colonial buildings.

Take an optional cooking class to learn how to make authentic Cambodian dishes. If you’re interested, you can hop on a bamboo train running through fields, across rickety bridges, and through rolling bushes. It is powered by a small motorcycle or tractor engine.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Battambang

Day 5: Battambang – Siem Reap
A Local Cottage Industry

Ride a bike in the countryside, breathing the fresh air. Visit a local cottage industry to get a better understanding of rural life in Cambodia. For a quick snack, a three-hour minibus tour will take you to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor’s historic sites. Have a good rest at the hotel after arriving in the evening.

Note: The country bike ride is 24km, and if you are tired, your guide can arrange a tuk-tuk tour for you (included).

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Siem Reap

Day 6: Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm Temple

After breakfast, you’ll take a temple tour to the world-famous Angkor Wat. Known as one of the four wonders of the Ancient East, it was once the capital of the ancient Khmer Kingdom and is now preserved with more than 600 historic sites. Two famous temples are not to be missed, Bayon and Ta Prohm.

Bayon Temple is a good place to watch the sunrise view. Here you can not only find the famous “Khmer smile”, but also appreciate the rich and vivid relief on the cloister. Ta Prohm Temple offers a variety of exquisite sculptures. Today, the temple has been swallowed by nature, creating a wonderful landscape. Today’s tour ends with a breathtaking sunset.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Siem Reap

Day 7: Siem Reap – Tonle Sap Lake
Angkor Wat, Tonle Sap Lake

Continue your exploration of Angkor Wat today. Ubiquitous megalithic carvings and intricate reliefs will fill your camera. In the afternoon, take a boat trip to the floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake (Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake) to see the houses, churches, and schools on the water. At dusk, enjoy the sunset on the lake, which is different from that of Angkor Wat.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Siem Reap

Day 8: Siem Reap – Bangkok

We will arrange a 10-hour bus ride for you from Siem Reap to Bangkok. Make stops along the way for some fresh air and lunch. Upon arrival in Bangkok, check in at the hotel.

The capital of Thailand, Bangkok, a bustling international metropolis, with the alias of “City of Angels”, is a trading center for precious metals and precious stones. Start your Bangkok tour with a glimpse of colorful fruit and flower markets. End today’s journey with a traditional boat ride for sailing along the winding canals that are lined with delicate architecture.

Note: If you prefer not to travel by bus, you can book the flight between the two cities by yourself (at your own expense). We will be happy to assist you.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Bangkok

Day 9: Bangkok Departure
Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, Jim Thompson House Museum

Your 9-day Cambodia budget tour will come to a perfect conclusion. If you still want to do some sightseeing, you can pay extra to come with us to visit the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, and the Jim Thompson House Museum.

In the end, your driver will escort you to the airport for your onward flight.

Meal: N/A

Accommodation: N/A