4 Days in Cambodia — Angkor Express
1 destinations · 4 days
At a Glance
- ✓ Angkor Wat at sunrise
- ✓ Angkor Thom & the Bayon's stone faces
- ✓ Ta Prohm's jungle-swallowed ruins
- ✓ Tonle Sap floating village
- ✓ Khmer cooking class
If you only have a handful of days — stopping over between Thailand and Vietnam, or carving a long weekend out of a regional trip — this is enough time to see Angkor properly without rushing. It stays entirely in Siem Reap, so there’s no travel days lost to buses or flights.
Day 1: Arrive in Siem Reap
Afternoon: Arrive and check in. Ease into the trip with a long lunch — Mahob or Haven Restaurant are both excellent introductions to Khmer cuisine.
Evening: Walk the Old Market (Phsar Chas) and Pub Street. Book an Apsara dance dinner show at Angkor Village Theatre for the following night, or tonight if you’re not too jet-lagged.
Stay: Old Market area, Siem Reap.
Day 2: Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom
5:00 AM: Tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat for sunrise over the moat. Arrive by 5:15am to claim a spot at the reflecting pools before the crowds.
8:00 AM: Breakfast near the temple, then explore Angkor Wat’s inner galleries and climb to the upper terrace.
10:30 AM: Angkor Thom, the walled royal city, and its centrepiece, the Bayon — 54 towers carved with 216 serene stone faces.
1:00 PM: Lunch and rest during the hottest part of the day.
3:30 PM: Ta Prohm, the “Tomb Raider temple” where silk-cotton and strangler fig trees grow straight through the stonework. Late afternoon light is best for photos.
Evening: Apsara dance performance with dinner, if you didn’t go on Day 1.
Stay: Siem Reap.
Day 3: Tonle Sap & Cooking Class
Morning: Boat trip on Tonle Sap Lake to the floating village of Kompong Phluk — stilted houses that rise and fall with the lake’s dramatic seasonal water levels.
Afternoon: Free time — Angkor National Museum for context on what you’ve just seen, or a spa visit to recover from the temple-walking.
Evening: Khmer cooking class — learn fish amok and a handful of other classics, then eat what you make.
Stay: Siem Reap.
Day 4: One More Temple & Departure
Morning: Visit Banteay Srei, the intricately carved “Citadel of Women” 25km outside the main park — or, if you’d rather stay closer, the quieter Preah Khan within the Angkor complex.
Midday: Return to town, pick up last-minute souvenirs at the Old Market or Angkor Night Market, and head to the airport.
Practical Notes
Getting around: Tuk-tuks cost $15–20/day for temple-hopping with a driver; bicycles are an option for the flatter routes but the distances and heat make tuk-tuks the easier choice.
Budget guide:
- Budget: $35–50/day
- Mid-range: $70–130/day (assumed for this itinerary)
- Luxury: $200+/day
Book ahead: Angkor passes (1-day $37 / 3-day $62) are bought at the official ticket booth on arrival — no advance booking required, but go the afternoon before your first temple day to skip the morning queue. With only 4 days, a 1-day or 3-day pass covers this route depending on how many temples you add.
