6-Day Self-Launched Siem Reap & Kampong Phluk Adventure
6 days · Siem Reap & Kampong Phluk, Cambodia
Vietnam Travel Top charges £690
No-markup version: ~£404 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Vietnam Travel Top's 6-day Siem Reap small-group tour, done independently with a 3-day Angkor pass, a remork (tuk-tuk) driver hired by the day, and shared minibuses for the outlying temples. You'll cover Angkor Wat and the Angkor Thom complex, Phnom Kulen's waterfall and the pink sandstone carvings of Banteay Srei, the jungle temple of Beng Mealea with the remote Koh Ker pyramid, and a paddle through the flooded mangroves of Kampong Phluk. Budget guesthouse stays in Siem Reap keep costs low while preserving the same experiences — all figures are approximate backpacker rates and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Siem Reap & get your bearings
Siem Reap
Fly or bus into Siem Reap (the tour's stated Phnom Penh arrival is a quirk of the operator — most travellers fly direct to REP, and overland from Phnom Penh is a 6-hour Mekong Express/Giant Ibis coach, ~£11). Check into a guesthouse in the Wat Bo or Sok San Road area, buy a local SIM (Smart or Metfone, ~£1.50 for data), and change money — Cambodian ATMs dispense USD. In the afternoon wander the Old Market and riverside, then catch sunset over the moat from the free public path near Angkor's western causeway. Sort your Angkor pass this evening (3-day pass, $62 ≈ £49) at the Angkor Enterprise ticket office on Apsara Road (open from 17:00 for next-day entry) or book online. Optionally pre-book a remork driver for Day 2 for about $20-25/day.
🚌Airport tuk-tuk ~£4, or Giant Ibis/Mekong Express coach from Phnom Penh ~£11
🛏Guesthouse or hostel private double in Wat Bo, Siem Reap (~£17/night)
- →Angkor ticket office (3-day pass, ~£49)
- →Old Market & riverside walk
- →Local SIM card setup
Angkor Wat sunrise & the Angkor Thom circuit
Angkor Archaeological Park
Leave at 04:45 with your hired remork driver (~$22 for the day, split if you pair up with fellow hostel guests) to reach Angkor Wat's reflecting pool for sunrise — arrive by 05:15 to beat the coach groups. Explore Angkor Wat itself before the heat, then cross to Angkor Thom via the Southern Gate with its naga-lined causeway. Walk the Bayon's 200 smiling faces, Baphuon, the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch at one of the Khmer kitchens near Sras Srang (~£4 for a plate of amok and rice). Continue to jungle-clad Ta Prohm, then smaller gems Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda, Takeo and Prasat Kravan, finishing at Phnom Bakheng for sunset (arrive by 16:30; capped at 300 people). Back in town, self-book an Apsara dance buffet — Koulen or Amazon Angkor, ~£11 — instead of the operator's included dinner.
🚌Half-day-to-full-day remork hire ~£18 (split with 1-2 others)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel private double in Wat Bo, Siem Reap (~£17/night)
- →Angkor Wat sunrise entry (3-day pass)
- →Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphuon & terraces
- →Ta Prohm & small circuit temples
- →Phnom Bakheng sunset
- →Apsara dance buffet dinner (~£11)
Phnom Kulen waterfall, Banteay Srei & Pradark village
Phnom Kulen & Banteay Srei
Phnom Kulen is 50km from town and best reached by joining a shared minibus or a group day trip — book through GetYourGuide or your guesthouse for ~£22-25 including the $20 Kulen park fee. Climb to the River of a Thousand Lingams and the 16th-century reclining Buddha carving, then swim at the waterfall (bring a dry bag). Afternoon stops at the rose-pink, intricately carved Banteay Srei temple and Pradark village, where families make palm sugar and sugar-palm handicrafts — buy a block of palm sugar for 50p. If you'd rather go it alone, a private car with driver for the day costs about $55 and gives you full flexibility.
🚌Shared minibus day trip with hotel pickup ~£23
🛏Guesthouse or hostel private double in Wat Bo, Siem Reap (~£17/night)
- →Phnom Kulen River of a Thousand Lingams
- →Waterfall swim
- →Banteay Srei temple
- →Pradark village palm sugar stop
Beng Mealea jungle ruins & the Koh Ker pyramid
Koh Ker & Beng Mealea
A long, rewarding day out east. Join a small-group tour (~£25-30, bookable via GetYourGuide or a Siem Reap agent) or share a private car (~$65, so cheaper with 3-4 people) heading 40km east to Beng Mealea — a sprawling, unrestored temple half-swallowed by jungle where you scramble over collapsed galleries on wooden walkways. Carry on 1.5 hours to Koh Ker, the 10th-century Angkorian capital, and climb the seven-tiered Prasat Thom pyramid for views over the forest (site fee $10). Take lunch from a local stall. Return to Siem Reap for a late afternoon, and treat yourself to a fish amok or lok lak at a Khmer kitchen (~£5).
🚌Shared small-group minibus or split private car ~£27
🛏Guesthouse or hostel private double in Wat Bo, Siem Reap (~£17/night)
- →Beng Mealea temple
- →Koh Ker & Prasat Thom pyramid (~£8 entry)
- →Khmer dinner in town
Kampong Phluk floating village by paddle
Kampong Phluk, Tonlé Sap
Head 30km southeast to Kampong Phluk on the Tonlé Sap. A remork there and back costs about $25 return, or join a shared boat tour (~£15-18 with pickup). Pay the community boat fee at the village jetty (about $20 for the boat, split between passengers) and glide through the stilted village and flooded mangrove forest. Take a small paddle canoe through the mangroves with a local woman rower for a few dollars tip — this is the highlight. Note the water level swings hugely between seasons: in the dry months (Feb-Apr) you'll see the towering stilts, in the wet months you'll be paddling through treetops. Back in Siem Reap by late afternoon for the night market and a last sunset beer by the river.
🚌Return remork ~£20 or shared tour with pickup ~£17
🛏Guesthouse or hostel private double in Wat Bo, Siem Reap (~£17/night)
- →Kampong Phluk floating village boat
- →Mangrove paddle canoe (~£4-6)
- →Night market wander
Free morning & departure
Siem Reap
A relaxed final morning: coffee at a Khmer café, a last wander through Psar Chas (Old Market) for souvenirs, or an optional visit to the excellent Apopo rat-training centre or the War Museum if you have time. Tuk-tuk to Siem Reap International Airport is about £4 and takes 20 minutes — leave 2.5 hours before an international flight. If you're continuing overland toward Bangkok, the Poipet border bus leaves from the bus station and costs roughly £10.
🚌Tuk-tuk to REP airport ~£4
- →Old Market shopping
- →Optional War Museum or Apopo centre (~£3-4)
Self-launched vs. Vietnam Travel Top
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Vietnam Travel Top | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£404 | £690 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £286 per person (41%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Vietnam Travel Top-style trips? Check them out here.~£404
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 6-Day Self-Launched Siem Reap & Kampong Phluk Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £404 per person for 6 days in Siem Reap & Kampong Phluk, Cambodia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Vietnam Travel Top?+
Yes — Vietnam Travel Top charges around £690 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £404 — a saving of roughly £286 (41%) per person.
How long is the Siem Reap & Kampong Phluk, Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Siem Reap & Kampong Phluk, Cambodia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, budget trip through Siem Reap & Kampong Phluk, Cambodia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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