Cambodia Uncovered - Boutique holidays in Cambodia - Boat trips, Khmer cooking lessons, tailor made tours

Day Trips from Phnom Penh

For those who would like to experience more of Cambodia than Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat, there are numerous places not far from Phnom Penh that gives the visitor insight into the Khmer culture – both past and present

Souen can arrange trips of your choice – including half day, full day, 2, 3 or more day trips. We recommend that you choose activities that interest you and we will organise your schedule for an unforgettable experience!
If you don’t have much time, you can pack in as many things as you like in one day however if you want to have the flexibility to stop and look at something that attracts you on the way, choose just a few things and see where your nose (and Souen) leads you!

DAY TRIPS include:

Trips South
Take a day trip south of Phnom Penh to Takeo where you can visit a hill top Angkorian temple with great views over the rice fields and a village dyeing and weaving beautiful Khmer ikat silk. This can be followed by a speed boat ride on the 5th century canals to visit a small museum and 6th century Funan period temple. Other alternative sites and activities include a visit to the Phnom T’mao zoo (which caters for many globally threatened species that have been rescued from poachers) and for the temple lover or archeologist, old temple ruins such as Prasat Neang Khmao and Tonle Bati

Trips North and East
Kandal-Kampong Speu
There are many opportunities to see rural life on a day trip from Phnom Penh. Just north and north west of Phnom Penh one can see a change from city life easily as you pass on dirt roads to visit an old 7th century temple set in the grounds of a more modern temple. See someone climbing the sugar palm tree to collect palm juice, buy some snails or lotus seeds to eat. You may like to visit the old Khmer capital of Oudong in Kampong Speu and see the stupas as well as magnificent views over emerald green rice fields from the top of the hill. The ancient art form of silver box and ornament making can be seen in a village close by for those interested in art

Kandal-Kampong Cham
Another great alternative is to take a trip along the Mekong through Kandal and Kampong Cham seeing water jars being made, tofu skin, noodle making, mat weaving, blacksmiths and various other activities as you pass through villages

Kandal-Prey Veng
Another possibility is to head north along the Mekong in Kandal then east to Prey Veng. You will see normal river life along the Mekong and the Tonle Touitt (tributary of the Mekong) as well as have the chance to see bamboo blind making, brickworks, mango nurseries, hand opearted ferries, fish farms and dried fish in markets and much more

Kandal
Or for those who may want to visit Souen's village, take the ferry over the Mekong and visit family members living in a nearby rural village in Kandal. Visit a temple, see the local activities and cottage industries in the area, ponder how life can be so different to Phnom Penh when it is so close as the crow flies (no bridge to link it to Phnom Penh so it is many, many years behind in development). This can be combined with a Phnom Penh city tour or take a longer trip through Kandal, Prey Veng or Kampong Cham

Each day tour includes english speaking guide, pick up and transport in our air conditioned car, drinks, snacks, lunch (either home prepared Khmer delicacies and a picnic in the province or in a local restaurant on your trip) and entrance fees (where applicable). There will be plenty of opportunities to stop and see life close up, sample local foods and take photos if you are interested

LONGER PROVINCIAL TRIPS
A visit to Cambodia will only be complete if you spend some time away from touristed Siem Reap and busy, bustling Phnom Penh. Combine a day trip with some other provinicial visits and see the different landscape, agriculture, housing, cottage industries and food delicacies. Take indirect country routes meandering along river roads or through quieter provinicial areas to experience the real Cambodia. Bus trips are great but you can't stop when you see something you like - with Cambodia Uncovered, we can stop at interesting sites, when activities catch Souen's eye or when you just need a break from the car

Long Boat Trips
For the really adventurous, take a 2 or 3 day boat trip on Neang Niak and observe the provinicial changes to the style of temples, houses, fishing traps and way of life. For those who like adventure and 'roughing' it, you will enjoy seeing the milky way from the back deck or rooftop as you sleep under the stars. It is possible to be taken to or picked up somewhere along the Mekong if you have limited time or are averse to a round trip. You can combine a boat trip with a road trip going first to Kampong Cham or Kraties then taking a car to Mondulkiri or Rattanakiri or being dropped in Kampong Chhnang and heading north to Battambang. See here for more details

Trips South
A day trip to Takeo can be extended with 2 or 3 days spent in Kep or Kampot. Kep is a quiet seaside village with terrific seafood and Kampot lies on the Kampot river 30 minutes away. There are plenty of activities in this region including visiting pepper and fruit orchards, seeing salt pans and the harvesting of salt, visiting limestone caves, being rowed on a mangrove creek out to the ocean for sunset, walking in the National Park of Bokor or Kep, boating to Rabbit Island or visiting a government weaving school using natural dyes for their cotton
You could then head west to Koh Kong and spend a few days exploring the local river, forest and beach scenery before returning to Phnom Penh

North Eastern Trips
One can take a trip to Kampong Cham meandering along the Mekong visiting various cottage industries such as incense making, brickworks, mat weaving, noodle making as you travel along. You will also pass through large fruit orchards growing mangoes, bananas, papayas as well as seeing sesame seeds, mung beans and kapok growing. Once in Kampong Cham one can explore old temples, cross the bamboo bridge linking a large vegetable and fruit growing island to the town, visit silk villages and observe life on the Mekong. From Kampong Cham, one can either continue up the river road to Chhlong and Kraties stopping to observe various province specific activities on the way such as tobacco fields, tobacco drying, vegetable preserving, bat farms, old temples and maize and corn growing. Or alternatively, go via teak and rubber plantations, cassava fields on a more direct route. In Kraties you can visit the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins and critically endangered Cantor's soft shell turtle north of the town, and wander the French colonial building lined streets

For those with more time, visit the quaint Mekong river town of Stung Treng and spend a few days exploring the river, birds, wetlands and forests of this area. For nature lovers it is a 'must see' and to date, there are very few tourists in this entire region so for those who like to be away from the tourist sites and out amongst beauty, you will love Stung Treng. See North Eastern Trips for more information on Stung Treng activities
Other areas include a visit to Rattanakiri where one can see the harvesting of rubber, swim in the beautiful Yaklom lake and visit local waterfalls. Mondulkiri is another north eastern province where one can have an elephant ride over the hilly terrain, get cool at waterfalls or visit a local market

North Western Trips
Combine a day trip to Oudong or the silver village with a visit to Kampong Chhnang (home of earthern ware pots) and Pursat (to see life on the Great Lake). Stay in Pursat before continuing on to Battambang where you can easily spend a few days exploring the city, meandering along the Stung Sangke River, visiting various Angkorian temple complexes or witnessing Komping Puoy, a very large civil-engineering project central to the Khmer Rouge's plan to irrigate the countryside around Battambang. Tens of thousands of people are said to have died here from starvation, overwork and maltreatment. There are many comfortable places to stay in Battambang and your time here will be enjoyed

Let us help you plan your trip
Tell us what you like, what you don't like, how long you are planning to stay and we can help you organise a trip you will never forget. Guests are often overwhelmed by the hospitality and friendliness of Khmer despite the abject poverty seen in some areas. You won't be disappointed by their smiles and zest for life despite the difficulties many continue to face. We highly recommend you get off the beaten track of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap even if it is only for a couple of days and uncover the real Cambodia. We are sure you won't regret your decision
Contact us for more information about day trips or longer trips. We can organise an unforgettable holiday - be it a day trip or a two week trip to various provinces of Cambodia

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Day Trips from Phnom Penh