Angkor is bigger than one temple. Plan accordingly
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument on the planet, and it's only the headline act. The Angkor Archaeological Park is a sprawl of hundreds of temples scattered through the jungle near Siem Reap, and treating it as a single sight is the classic mistake.
Buy the right pass. A one-day ticket is a rushed taste. A three-day pass (usable across a week) is the right call for most people. Beyond Angkor Wat itself, you want the Bayon, with its 200-odd serene stone faces gazing in every direction. Ta Prohm, the 'Tomb Raider temple' being slowly strangled by giant strangler-fig roots. And the walled city of Angkor Thom. The famous sunrise at Angkor Wat is worth the 5am alarm once. Go early, because the reflection in the pond is the shot. Hire a tuk-tuk driver for the day to ferry you between temples. A good one becomes your guide, and it's how the locals get around the park anyway.
Why your wallet will be full of US dollars
Here's the quirk that surprises every first-timer. Cambodia runs on the US dollar. Prices are quoted in dollars, ATMs dispense dollars, and you'll pay for almost everything in them. The local riel exists mainly as small change. You get riel back for amounts under a dollar (roughly 4,000 riel to the dollar), and it works like cents.
There are two practical consequences. First, bring or withdraw clean, undamaged bills, because Cambodians often refuse torn, marked or older notes, and a ripped twenty can be genuinely hard to spend. Second, carry small denominations, because breaking a fifty for a two-dollar meal can be a problem. ATMs charge a fee per withdrawal, so take out larger amounts less often. Cards work in upscale hotels and restaurants, but cash is king everywhere else.
Phnom Penh and a history you shouldn't skip
It's tempting to treat the capital as a transit point, but Phnom Penh holds the country's most important and most difficult sites. Between 1975 and 1979 the Khmer Rouge killed roughly a quarter of Cambodia's population, and two memorials confront that directly: Tuol Sleng (S-21), a former school turned torture prison, and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek just outside the city.
They are harrowing. Not a pleasant morning out. But visiting them is the most important thing you can do to understand modern Cambodia, a country whose warmth and youth make sense only against that recent darkness. Go with the audio guide, go quietly, and give yourself the rest of the day to recover. On a lighter note, the riverfront, the gleaming Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, and the buzzing Central Market round out a day or two in a capital that's grown fast and confident.
Timing
When to visit Cambodia
The dry season, November to February, is the comfortable window: warm, low humidity and easy temple-hopping at Angkor. April and May are brutally hot. The May-to-October wet season brings afternoon downpours, but also lush green moats around Angkor and far thinner crowds.
Average temperature & rainfall in Phnom Penh
Temp °CRain mmReal climate averages for Phnom Penh (capital). Source: Open-Meteo archive. Rainfall is total monthly precipitation.
Sample route
The perfect 5 days in Cambodia
A ready-made 5-day route built from Cambodia's top sights. Adjust it to your pace, or generate your own plan.
Budget
What a day in Cambodia costs
Guesthouses and hostels, market and street food, a tuk-tuk by the day for the temples, and local buses or boats.
Boutique hotels with a pool, sit-down Khmer restaurants, a private driver-guide at Angkor, and a comfortable island bungalow.
Heritage and resort hotels, private guides, fine dining, and a flight or premium transfer to the coast or islands.
The numbers below are per person, per day in US dollars, which is also the de facto currency on the ground. Bring clean, undamaged bills and small denominations, since the riel is used only as small change.
Don't miss
The best places to visit in Cambodia
Taste
What to eat in Cambodia
Beaches, islands and a slower Cambodia
After the temples and the history, the south coast is the off-switch. The standout islands are Koh Rong and its quieter sibling Koh Rong Samloem. White sand, warm water, bioluminescent plankton glowing in the night sea, and a rustic backpacker-meets-flashpacker scene. Mainland Sihanoukville has been swallowed by casino development and is best skipped, in favour of the islands, or the mellower riverside town of Kampot (famous for its pepper) and seaside Kep.
For a different rhythm, Battambang has colonial architecture and the quirky bamboo railway, and the Cardamom Mountains are opening up for ecotourism. Cambodia is compact and cheap to cross. Many travellers loop Siem Reap to Phnom Penh to the coast over a couple of weeks, often continuing overland into Vietnam or Thailand.
When to go, the visa, and the food
The dry season, November to March, is the time to come. Warm, comfortable, and the easiest for temple-hopping. April and May are brutally hot, and the May-to-October wet season brings afternoon downpours. That said, the rain turns the moats and jungle around Angkor lush and green, and thins the crowds.
The visa is straightforward. Most nationalities get an e-Visa online before arrival, or a visa on arrival at the airports and major land borders, so have a passport photo and US dollars ready. Cambodia is very affordable, comparable to its neighbours. And don't overlook the food, which lives in the shadow of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine but deserves its own spotlight. Fish amok (a coconut-curry custard steamed in banana leaf). Lok lak (peppered stir-fried beef). A national obsession with fresh herbs and Kampot pepper. Eat at the markets and you'll eat well for a couple of dollars.
Visa & Entry
Do you need a visa for Cambodia?
8 countries enter Cambodia visa-free. Check the full requirements for your passport →
FAQ
Cambodia — your questions
WorldCurio Editorial
Travel writers who plan trips the way locals would, grounded in what actually works on the ground. Visa and entry rules are cross-checked against the latest passport-index data, and climate figures use the Open-Meteo historical archive. Last reviewed June 2026. Always confirm visa and safety details with official sources before booking.
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