Things to Do in Cambodia: 34 Best Activities by Region (2026)

Most first trips here are three days of temples and a flight home, which leaves most of the country unseen. The capital is 45 minutes from Siem Reap by air. The coast is a morning's drive from Phnom Penh on the new expressway. In between are colonial river towns, pepper farms, a lake that grows five times larger every monsoon and the Mekong, where some of the last river dolphins in Asia still surface beside the boats.

This guide lists 34 things to do in Cambodia in six regions, in the order most trips run. Each activity has the time it takes, what it costs and the months it works best. The places to visit in Cambodia page covers the history and layout of each sight. This page is about what to actually do once you are there.

Our top 10: Angkor Wat sunrise · Ta Prohm and the Bayon · Phare circus · Tonlé Sap floating villages · Royal Palace · Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek · Bamboo train · Kratie dolphins · Koh Rong plankton · Kampot pepper and Kep crab

What our planners see. Across the Cambodia trips TravelTriangle plans for Indian travellers, December is the most requested month, the typical trip runs 5 to 6 days, and Siem Reap with Phnom Penh is the most booked pairing. One in three travellers adds Vietnam to the same trip.

At a glance: 34 things to do in Cambodia, with costs, time and best months

Prices were checked in November 2026 and converted at Rs 95 to the US dollar. Cambodia prices almost everything for visitors in dollars. Angkor Pass prices come from Angkor Enterprise, the official seller, and Phare's from the circus's own ticket page.

Siem Reap and Angkor: temples, circus and the lake

Siem Reap is where almost every Cambodia trip starts. Angkor Archaeological Park begins 6 km north of town, and one Angkor Pass covers more than 50 temples. Give it three days. The 10 experiences below are the Siem Reap highlights, and our full guide to things to do in Siem Reap has 30, with 1 to 3 day plans.

1. Watch sunrise at Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century for Vishnu, and its five towers turn black against a pink sky around 5:30 am. The gates open at 5 am. Stand on the left side of the north reflecting pool and all five towers sit in the water. When the sun is up, walk straight in while the crowd leaves for breakfast, and find the Churning of the Ocean of Milk on the east gallery. The Angkor Pass costs US$37 (Rs 3,515) for one day, US$62 (Rs 5,890) for any 3 days within 7 and US$72 (Rs 6,840) for any 7 days within 30. Buy it only from Angkor Enterprise, at the Road 60 ticket centre or online.

2. Tuk-tuk the Small and Grand Circuits

The Small Circuit is a 17 km loop through Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, the Baphuon and Ta Prohm. The Grand Circuit swings wider through Preah Khan, Neak Pean and Pre Rup. A tuk-tuk and driver costs about US$15 to 20 (Rs 1,425 to 1,900) for the day. Fix the price and the stops the evening before. E-bikes are a quieter option, and they let you stop wherever you like.

3. Beat the crowds at Ta Prohm and the Bayon

Ta Prohm, the monastery from 1186 where silk-cotton roots grip the galleries, opens at 7:30 am, and that first hour is the only quiet one. India's ASI has led its conservation since 2004. The Bayon, with more than 200 carved faces, is at its best before 8 am, when the low sun throws shadows across them. Both are on the Angkor Pass.

4. Float above Angkor in a balloon

Two very different rides share the name. The tethered Angkor Balloon rises 120 m on a cable near Angkor Wat for a short ride and costs US$20 (Rs 1,900) for adults. A free-flight hot-air balloon at sunrise drifts with the wind over the rice fields for about an hour and costs roughly US$100 to 130 (Rs 9,500 to 12,350). Flights run in the dry months, November to April. Our Siem Reap hot air balloon guide compares both.

5. See Phare, The Cambodian Circus

Phare is a one-hour show of acrobatics, theatre and live music, performed by graduates of Phare Ponleu Selpak, a free arts school in Battambang. It runs nightly under a big top near the Angkor National Museum. Seats cost US$18, 28 or 38 (Rs 1,710, 2,660 or 3,610) for adults and US$10, 15 or 18 for children. Book the middle section. The front rows are close enough to feel the landings.

6. Take a boat to a Tonlé Sap floating village

The Tonlé Sap is Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, and its stilt villages sit 30 to 50 km from town by road. Kompong Phluk has the tallest stilt houses and a flooded forest you paddle through in a small canoe, for about US$20 (Rs 1,900) plus a US$2 community fee. Kompong Khleang is bigger and quieter, with shared boats at US$7 (Rs 665) or a boat for up to five at US$28. The villages are lived in year-round, but boats reach the houses best at high water, August to December. From March to May the lake shrinks and some trips need a longer road leg. Birders can go further to the Prek Toal sanctuary, a full day at about US$95 to 195 (Rs 9,025 to 18,525) a person, best from December to early February. More in our Tonlé Sap lake guide.

7. Hike to Phnom Kulen's waterfall or the Kbal Spean riverbed

Phnom Kulen, about 50 km north of Siem Reap, is where the Khmer Empire began in 802. Pilgrims climb to a 16th-century reclining Buddha, then swim under a two-tier waterfall. The ticket is US$20 (Rs 1,900) and is not covered by the Angkor Pass. The road runs one way, uphill until about 11 am, so go early. Kbal Spean nearby is the "River of a Thousand Lingas", a 45-minute jungle climb to Vishnu and Shiva carvings in the streambed, and it is on the Angkor Pass. Read our Kbal Spean guide and the Kulen mountain guide.

8. Day-trip to Banteay Srei, Beng Mealea or Koh Ker

Banteay Srei, the pink sandstone "Citadel of Women", has the finest carving at Angkor, including Ravana shaking Mount Kailasa. Pair it with the Cambodia Landmine Museum (US$5) on the way back. Further east, Beng Mealea is a collapsed jungle temple you climb through on wooden walkways (Angkor Pass or US$10). Koh Ker, the 10th-century capital with a seven-tier pyramid, is a UNESCO site since 2023 and costs US$15 (Rs 1,425). Further out still, Sambor Prei Kuk (UNESCO 2017, US$10) sits near Kampong Thom on the road to Phnom Penh, and Banteay Chhmar near the Thai border has a village homestay. It sits about 15 to 20 km from the border, at the edge of the zone the UK advises against, so check current advice before you go. Preah Vihear has been closed to visitors since the July 2025 border fighting, so leave it off your plans.

9. Join a Khmer cooking class

A village cooking class starts with a market walk and ends with lunch you cooked. In three hours you will pound kroeung, the Khmer spice paste of lemongrass, galangal and turmeric, steam fish amok in a banana-leaf cup and toss beef lok lak. Classes start at about US$26 (Rs 2,470). Vegetarians should say so at booking, because amok can be made with tofu and the fish sauce left out.

10. Spend a night on Pub Street and at the night markets

Pub Street is loud, cheap and fun, with draught beer from about US$0.50. Nearby, Phalla Angkor Night Market (4:30 pm to midnight) sells silk, pepper and krama scarves. Before dark, fit in the APOPO HeroRATs Visitor Centre, where giant rats show how they sniff out landmines, for US$10 (Rs 950). It is open 8:30 am to 5 pm, with the last tour at 4:30 pm. Our Siem Reap nightlife guide covers the bars and clubs.

Phnom Penh: palaces, history and the riverfront

Phnom Penh sits where the Tonlé Sap river meets the Mekong, and every sight below is within a short tuk-tuk ride. Two days covers it. For neighbourhoods and cafés, see our places to visit in Phnom Penh and things to do in Phnom Penh guides, and for packages that combine the capital with Angkor, our Phnom Penh tour packages.

11. Tour the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

The king still lives in the Royal Palace, so you see the throne hall and gardens from the outside and walk through the Silver Pagoda, floored with more than 5,000 silver tiles. Its cloister walls carry the Reamker, the Khmer Ramayana, with Hanuman in almost every panel. Tickets are US$10 (Rs 950). It opens 8 to 11 am and 2 to 5 pm, and closes at lunch. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and sarongs are sold at the gate.

12. Walk the National Museum of Cambodia

Next door, in a red building from the 1920s, the National Museum holds the best Khmer sculpture anywhere, including the 6th-century eight-armed Vishnu from Phnom Da. Entry is US$10 (Rs 950), 8 am to 5 pm. One hour here before Angkor makes every temple easier to read.

13. Visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)

Tuol Sleng was a high school that the Khmer Rouge turned into Security Prison 21. Thousands were held, photographed and tortured here between 1975 and 1979, and the rooms are left as they were found. Entry is US$5 (Rs 475) and the audio guide another US$5. Take the audio guide. It sets the pace and the tone. In July 2025 UNESCO listed Tuol Sleng, Choeung Ek and the former M-13 prison together as the Cambodian Memorial Sites. Our Tuol Sleng guide explains the background.

14. Pay respects at the Choeung Ek Killing Fields

About 15 km south of the centre, Choeung Ek is where most S-21 prisoners were killed. A glass stupa holds thousands of skulls, and the audio guide leads you round in silence. Entry with audio is US$6 (Rs 570). Most visitors pair it with Tuol Sleng in one morning, then rest in the afternoon. It is a heavy half day.

15. Shop the Central Market and the Russian Market

The Central Market (Phsar Thmei) is a yellow Art Deco dome from 1937. The surrounding commune, Sangkat Phsar Thmei, is named after it. Jewellers sit under the dome and food stalls ring the edge. The Russian Market (Tuol Tom Poung) is a tight, hot maze of fabric, krama, silver and noodle stalls, and the place to buy factory-surplus clothing. Bargain with a smile and start at half. Our Cambodia shopping guide lists what to buy where.

16. Climb Wat Phnom and walk the riverside

Wat Phnom, on the city's only hill, is the temple Phnom Penh is named after. Legend says a woman named Penh found four Buddha statues in the river here. Foreigners pay a small fee, about US$1. Walk down to Sisowath Quay at about 5 pm, when families come out to exercise, monks stroll and food carts line the promenade.

17. Take a sunset cruise on the Mekong

Boats leave Sisowath Quay near Street 90 around 5 pm for a 90-minute loop where the Tonlé Sap, Mekong and Bassac rivers meet. Shared boats with drinks cost from about US$9 (Rs 855), and nicer boats with free-flow drinks about US$25. Traditional Khmer boats are still how many people get around the river towns, and a sunset loop is the easiest way to see that river life. If you want days on the water, longer Mekong river cruises link Phnom Penh with Siem Reap and the Vietnam delta.

18. Cycle Silk Island (Koh Dach)

Koh Dach is a long, flat island in the Mekong, about 15 km north-east of the centre, reached by a small ferry. Families weave silk on wooden looms under their stilt houses, and you can watch, ask questions and buy scarves straight from the weaver. Hire a bicycle and give it half a day. Our Silk Island guide has the route.

19. See rescued wildlife at Phnom Tamao

Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, about 40 km south of the city, cares for sun bears, pileated gibbons, tigers and elephants taken from traffickers. Adult entry is about US$5 (Rs 475). It is the ethical answer to elephant rides, and a good half day with children. Our Phnom Tamao guide and the Phnom Penh safari guide cover the options.

20. Eat Phnom Penh street food and drink on Bassac Lane

Phnom Penh eats on the street. Try num banh chok (rice noodles in green fish curry) for breakfast, fried noodles at the night market and a cold beer in the tiny bars of Bassac Lane. Brave eaters stop at Skuon, on the Phnom Penh to Siem Reap road, for fried tarantulas. Training restaurants such as Romdeng in Phnom Penh and Haven in Siem Reap teach young Cambodians to cook and serve, and the food is good. For vegetarian and Jain meals, see our list of Indian restaurants in Cambodia. Our Phnom Penh nightlife guide picks up where dinner ends.

Battambang: bamboo train, bats and art

Battambang is a calm river town of French shophouses and galleries, about three to four hours by road from Siem Reap. One night is enough for the three things below. Our things to do in Battambang guide has more.

21. Ride the bamboo train

The norry is a bamboo platform on train wheels, pushed along a single track by a small motor. When two meet head-on, the lighter one is lifted off the rails so the other can pass, and that is the best part. The original line closed when the national railway was rebuilt, and the ride now runs on its own short track near Phnom Banan, about 20 to 30 minutes from town. Foreigners pay about US$5 (Rs 475).

22. Watch the bats leave Phnom Sampeau at dusk

Phnom Sampeau is a limestone hill 12 km south-west of town. Climb to the hilltop pagodas and the Killing Caves, a quiet Khmer Rouge memorial, then sit at the foot of the cliff around 5:30 pm. Millions of bats pour out of a cave mouth in a ribbon that lasts half an hour. Read our Battambang bat caves guide.

23. See Phare Ponleu Selpak, the galleries and Wat Banan

Phare Ponleu Selpak is the arts school behind the Siem Reap circus, and its Battambang campus puts on student shows and opens its studios. In town, Street 2.5 has small galleries and cafés in colonial shophouses. South of town, Wat Banan is an 11th-century five-tower temple at the top of 358 steps, a miniature Angkor Wat with a view over the rice fields. After dark, our Battambang nightlife guide has the riverside bars.

Kratie, Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri: dolphins, elephants and a crater lake

The north-east is Cambodia without the crowds, with the Mekong, red-dirt roads, waterfalls and Bunong villages. It needs three to four days and works best in the dry months.

24. Spot Irrawaddy dolphins at Kratie

At Kampi pool, 15 km north of Kratie town, a small group of critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins surfaces around the boats with a soft puff of breath. Boatmen cut the engine and paddle, so the hour is quiet. The ticket is US$10 (Rs 950) a person. Go December to April, when the river is low and the dolphins gather in the deep pool. Back in town, cycle the loop round Koh Trong island.

25. Walk with elephants in Mondulkiri (observe only)

Mondulkiri is the cool highland province on the Vietnamese border, with nights near 17°C in January. The Elephant Valley Project near Sen Monorom lets you walk behind retired working elephants as they forage in the forest. There is no riding and no bathing, which is how it should be. Foreigners pay US$60 (Rs 5,700) for a half day with lunch and US$100 (Rs 9,500) for a full day. Visits run Sunday to Friday, and groups are small, so book ahead. Add the two-tier Bou Sra waterfall on the drive. Our Elephant Valley Project guide has the details.

26. Swim in Yeak Laom crater lake

Yeak Laom, 5 km from Banlung in Ratanakiri, is a near-round volcanic crater lake ringed by forest. Jump off a wooden jetty into clear, warm water. Entry is about US$2 (Rs 190). Go early, before the day-trippers. Beyond Banlung, licensed guides lead treks into Virachey National Park, one of the country's largest protected areas.

Islands, Kampot and Kep

Cambodia's coast runs from Koh Kong on the Thai border to Kep near Vietnam. Go between December and April for calm, clear water. From June to September the south-west monsoon halts many boat services and closes some island resorts. Our best beaches in Cambodia guide compares them all.

27. Swim with glowing plankton off Koh Rong

Koh Rong placed ninth in The World's 50 Best Beaches 2026, and Long Beach on its west side is why. Speedboats from Sihanoukville take about 30 to 45 minutes and cost US$14 to 30 (Rs 1,330 to 2,850). On a dark, moonless night, wade into the bay and every movement leaves a trail of blue-green light from bioluminescent plankton. Koh Rong Samloem next door is calmer, with Saracen Bay for families. On the mainland, Otres Beach is the quieter strip. Sihanoukville itself was rebuilt by the casino boom, so most travellers take the ferry straight out. Read our Koh Rong island guide.

28. Dive or snorkel the Koh Rong archipelago

Dive shops on both islands run day boats to reefs around Koh Rong Samloem and the outer islands, where you will see seahorses, cuttlefish and soft corals rather than big pelagics. Two fun dives cost about US$80 (Rs 7,600), and a three-day Open Water course about US$320 to 380 (Rs 30,400 to 36,100). Snorkellers can join the same boats for less. Our scuba diving in Cambodia and snorkelling in Cambodia guides name the sites.

29. Tour a Kampot pepper farm and take a river sunset boat

Kampot pepper carries an EU Protected Geographical Indication, and the farms between Kampot and Kep grow black, red and white pepper from the same vine. Most farms show you round free and sell by the bag. La Plantation charges US$2.50 for self-guided entry, which you can spend in the shop. On the way, stop at the salt fields on the Kep road. In the evening, take a sunset boat on the Praek Tuek Chhu river and watch the fireflies on the banks. Our Kampot beach guide and Kampot nightlife guide cover the rest of town.

30. Drive up Bokor Mountain

Bokor Hill Station was built by the French in the 1920s at about 1,000 m. A paved 32 km road climbs from Kampot to an abandoned Catholic church, Le Bokor Palace (the 1925 hotel, restored and reopened in 2018) and the Popokvil waterfall, often in cloud. Hire a car or tuk-tuk, or ride a scooter if you are confident on hairpin bends. Carry a jacket. It is noticeably cooler on top. See our guide to waterfalls in Kampot.

31. Eat crab at Kep and cross to Koh Tonsay

Kep's crab market is a row of wooden shacks about 1.5 km up the shore from Kep Beach. Women pull crab baskets out of the sea and stir-fry them with fresh green Kampot pepper while you wait. Then take a boat to Koh Tonsay, 20 to 30 minutes away. The community boat leaves at 9 am and 1 pm, and a private boat costs about US$25 (Rs 2,375) return for up to six. There is no mains power and no ATM, so bring cash.

32. Kayak the Green Cathedral at sunset

North of Kampot, the river narrows into mangrove channels where the trees close overhead into a green tunnel locals call the Green Cathedral. Three-hour sunset kayak trips with a guide, transport and a drink cost about US$20 to 28 (Rs 1,900 to 2,660). Some operators offer stand-up paddleboards on full-day trips.

33. Go off the beaten track

If you have seen the classics, these places get you into the Cambodia most visitors miss. Kampong Cham, on the Mekong, has Wat Nokor and the Koh Paen crossing, where a bamboo bridge is still put up for visitors in some dry seasons, so ask in town. Kampong Chhnang, 90 minutes north of Phnom Penh, has pottery villages where women shape pots by hand. Kirirom National Park, about two hours south-west of the capital, is cool pine forest. In the far south-west, Koh Kong and the Tatai river lodges open up the Cardamom Mountains, and the Chi Phat community project runs jungle treks with village homestays. Our hiking in Cambodia and national parks in Cambodia guides go further.

Across Cambodia: food, culture and wellness

34. Watch Apsara dance, get a Khmer massage and learn a craft

Apsara dance is the classical dance of the Khmer court, the same celestial dancers you see carved on every Angkor wall. Performers in gold headdresses and silk tell stories from the Reamker through hand gestures, and a buffet dinner with a show costs about US$18 to 35 (Rs 1,710 to 3,325) in Siem Reap.

After a temple day, a Khmer massage is the best few dollars you will spend. Street parlours charge US$3 to 6 an hour and hotel spas up to US$50. Khmer massage uses stretches and pressure rather than oil. Fish spas, where small fish nibble at your feet, are a Siem Reap novelty. Pick one with clean, running water.

Food is the other way into Khmer culture. Beyond fish amok (fish steamed in coconut curry in a banana leaf), try samlor machu trey, a sweet and sour fish soup, num banh chok, the Khmer rice noodle, and num ansom chrouk, sticky rice cake wrapped in banana leaf. At Artisans Angkor in Siem Reap, young craftspeople carve stone and weave silk, and the workshop tour is free. A dawn blessing from monks at a local wat is a quiet way to start a day. Our Cambodia shopping guide covers silk and crafts.

Free and cheap things to do in Cambodia

Many of the best things to do in Cambodia cost nothing or close to it.

How many days you need: 5, 7 and 10-day activity routes

Five days covers Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Seven adds Kampot and Kep, and ten reaches Koh Rong or the north-east. These are the routes our planners build most often.

Short on time? Do not cut Phnom Penh. The Royal Palace and Tuol Sleng tell you more about modern Cambodia in one day than anywhere else, and the flight from Siem Reap is 45 minutes. Cut the beach instead. Couples can see our Cambodia honeymoon packages, and families our Cambodia family packages.

Best time for each activity, and the festivals

November to February is the best time for most things to do in Cambodia, dry and with highs of 30 to 33°C. Some activities have their own season, set by the monsoon and the rise and fall of the Tonlé Sap. Our best time to visit Cambodia guide has month-by-month weather.

Our festivals in Cambodia guide explains each one.

Plan it from India

Flights. IndiGo flies nonstop from Kolkata to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, leaving at 3:35 am and landing at 8 am. Air Cambodia flies nonstop from Delhi to Phnom Penh, which is now served by Techo International Airport (KTI). From Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, connect via Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Ho Chi Minh City.

No overland from Thailand. The Thailand to Cambodia land border, Poipet included, has been closed since June 2025, and no reopening date had been announced by early November 2026. Fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap instead. It takes about an hour.

Visa and arrival card. Indians need a tourist visa. The e-visa costs US$30 (Rs 2,850) at evisa.gov.kh, or you can get one on arrival. Every air arrival must also fill in the free Cambodia e-Arrival card at arrival.gov.kh within seven days before landing. Our Cambodia visa guide for Indians walks through it.

Money. Carry clean, untorn US dollar notes in small denominations. Change comes back in riel, at about 4,000 to the dollar. ATMs work in the cities but not on the islands or in the north-east.

Daily budget. Outside your hotel, plan on about US$30 to 40 (Rs 2,850 to 3,800) a day on a budget, US$50 to 70 (Rs 4,750 to 6,650) mid-range and US$100 (Rs 9,500) or more for private guides and cars. Add the Angkor Pass to the Siem Reap days.

Food. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh have Indian restaurants with pure-veg menus. Khmer cooks will leave out fish sauce and meat if you ask clearly. On the islands and in the north-east, carry snacks.

Getting around. Tuk-tuks in town, a car and driver for day trips, buses and minivans between towns, and a 45-minute flight between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Our how to reach Cambodia page has every route, and things not to do in Cambodia lists the mistakes first-timers make.

Travel responsibly in Cambodia

• At Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek, stay quiet and keep photos respectful. No selfies, no posing, and cover up as you would at a memorial anywhere.
• Skip orphanage visits and "volunteer for a day" tours. Child-protection groups in Cambodia warn that they fuel the separation of children from families.
• Do not ride or bathe elephants. Choose observe-only projects such as the one in Mondulkiri, or Phnom Tamao.
• Cover shoulders and knees at temples and the Royal Palace. A light scarf or sarong solves it, and Angkor Wat's top level turns away bare shoulders.

Fees on this page were checked against Angkor Enterprise and Phare's official ticket page, and against recent site listings for the rest, in November 2026.

Cambodia rewards anyone who goes past Angkor. Start with three days in Siem Reap, add Phnom Penh, then pick the coast, Battambang or the north-east by season. When you know which activities you want, our Cambodia tour packages can be built around them, and the Cambodia travel guide has the rest.

Sources: Angkor Enterprise (angkorenterprise.gov.kh), Phare, The Cambodian Circus (pharecircus.org), UNESCO World Heritage Centre (whc.unesco.org), Government of Cambodia e-visa portal (evisa.gov.kh) and e-Arrival portal (arrival.gov.kh), UK FCDO travel advice for Cambodia, The World's 50 Best Beaches 2026, IndiGo and Air Cambodia schedules. Prices checked November 2026.

Edited by TravelTriangle