What are the highlights of this 8 day adventure:
- Feel the energy of Ho Chi Minh City on a guided walk through its lively streets
- Ride through Phnom Penh’s bustling streets on a traditional cyclo
- Watch the sunrise over the iconic towers of Angkor Wat
- Make the most of your free time in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh to tick off your personal bucket list
Itinerary
Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City Arrive at any time.
Accommodation: Amory Hotel (or similar) - Hotel
Today's Activities: Your opportunity to meet your tour CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City Enjoy a free day in the city of Ho Chi Minh. Spend the day checking off the stops on your must-see-list or take a day trip to the Mekong River for a boat cruise through the villages, islands, and markets of the Delta.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Amory Hotel (or similar) - Hotel
Today's Activities:
- Free Time (Ho Chi Minh City): Enjoy a free day to explore Ho Chi Minh City your way!
Optional Activities - Day 2:
- Cu Chi Tunnels Countryside Cycling Tour (Củ Chi): Meet your guide at the hotel and drive 90 minutes to the north of Ho Chi Minh City. After hopping on the bike, you'll ride beneath rows of rubber trees and past countless forest vistas that offer incredible photo opportunities. Along the way, you'll also have the opportunity to visit a rice paper making station, farmers working in the fields and taking care of their livestock and local villages. Bike until you reach the famous Cu Chi tunnel, a complex network of tunnels that the Viet Cong lived in to protect themselves from opposing forces during the Vietnam War. Try crawling through some of the tunnels (if you're not claustrophobic). These tunnels stored ammunition, had underground hospitals, and served as a hidden base for attacking allied forces. Afterwards, drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.
- Full Day Mekong River Delta Tour (Mekong Delta): Trade the city bustle of Ho Chi Minh City for the slower rural life on the Mekong Delta. Begin by exploring the peaceful Vinh Trang Pagoda, then cruise the legendary Mekong River, visiting Unicorn Island to enjoy fresh fruits and traditional music. Sample local chocolates and fresh honey tea from a bee farm. Experience local life with a peaceful rowboat ride through narrow canals, a tuktuk adventure, and a stop at a coconut candy workshop. Indulge in an optional riverside lunch before we return to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City / Phnom Penh Cross the border from Vietnam to Cambodia and arrive to Phnom Penh in the afternoon.
Enjoy a cyclo tour through the city to get acquainted with your first stop in Cambodia.
Drive to the border and cross into Cambodia. Continue on to the capital, Phnom Penh, and enjoy a cyclo ride through the city for a street-level perspective.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Pacific Hotel (or similar) - Hotel
Today's Activities:
- Local Bus: Ho Chi Minh City to Bavet (2h) - Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
- Border Crossing (Vietnam - Cambodia) (Mộc Bài - Bavet): Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
- Phnom Penh Cyclo Tour (Phnom Penh) (45m-1h): Settle in a traditional cyclo and depart from Wat Phnom. Tour busy streets to soak up the real vibe of the city. Pass the post office and Van's restaurant, both stunning colonial buildings, and make your way to the Royal Palace and National Museum. Go along the riverside road and take in the atmospheric cafes that line the street.
- Private Vehicle: Bavet to Phnom Penh (3h) - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Day 4: Phnom Penh Take a guided tour of Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 Prison) and Choeung Ek (Killing Fields).
Then enjoy a free afternoon to visit the Royal Palace, the National Museum or the Central Market.
Meet a local guide to learn more about the dark side of Cambodian history. Visit to Choeung Ek, the site of the infamous Killing Fields. After, visit Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 Prison), the notorious Khmer Rouge prison where thousands of Cambodians perished.
Enjoy a free afternoon to sightsee. Opt to explore the city's many sights: the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum. With time, choose to visit the Russian Market, Wat Phnom or sip a drink at a riverside café.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Pacific Hotel (or similar) - Hotel
Today's Activities:
- Choeung Ek (Killing Fields) Guided Tour (Phnom Penh): Learn more about the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge visiting the killing fields of Choeung Ek; the grounds now stand as a powerful memorial filled with victims' skulls and mass graves. Tour this sombre, yet serene, site with a guide.
- Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 Prison) Guided Tour (Phnom Penh): Learn about the dark history and devastation that occurred at Security Prison 21 (S-21); the prison, used by the Khmer Rouge regime, is now Tuol Sleng Museum. Take a guided tour to hear the stories behind the sombre photos lining the museum walls.
- Free Time (Phnom Penh): Use this free time to see the sights that interest you most.
Optional Activities - Day 4:
- National Museum (Phnom Penh): 10 USD - Visit Cambodia's largest museum of culture, history, and archaeology. Tour its buildings inspired by Khmer architecture - constructed in the early 1900s, they house one of the world's largest collections of Khmer art. Visits here are well worth your time.
- Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda Visit (Phnom Penh): 10 USD - Visit the Royal Palace, a complex of buildings where the kings of Cambodia have resided since the 1860s (except for during the reign of the Khmer Rouge). Be sure to tour the Silver Pagoda compound (aka the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and the central compound. See the many magnificent treasures inside this beautiful vihara (Buddhist monastery), including its floor lined with more 5,000 tiles of silver.
- Russian Market (Phnom Penh): Visit the Russian Market for a selection of souvenir stalls along with jewellers and fabric sellers.
- Wat Phnom Visit (Phnom Penh): 1 USD - Visit Wat Phnom (Hill Temple) in late afternoon, a historic monument with lots of green space. Keep an eye on your food and belongings; cheeky monkeys like to get a hold of anything they can.
Day 5: Phnom Penh / Siem Reap Drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, the home base for exploring incredible Angkor Wat.
Opt to pre-book the "Phare Circus" activity ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Grand Bayon Siem Reap Hotel (or similar) - Hotel
Today's Activities:
- Shared Van: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (6h, 320km) - Drive through the beautiful Cambodian countryside.
- Free Time (Siem Reap): Opt to pre-book the "Phare Circus" activity on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.
Optional Activities - Day 5:
- Phare Circus (Siem Reap): Enjoy a stellar performance by Phare, a unique and socially conscious circus that injects Cambodian culture and history into its inspiring shows. See acrobatics, contortion, and aerial arts melded with theatre, modern dance, and more. Take in stories of war, relationships, and discrimination, inspired by the real-life experiences of Phare's creators and performers.
Day 6: Siem Reap Watch the sun rise over the massive Angkor temple complex with a guided tour.
Opt to visit the Tonlé Sap floating village and the Angkor National Museum. Enjoy a traditional meal of Khmer food.
Spend two days exploring Angkor, the former capital of the Khmer kingdom and one of the wonders of the archaeological world. See some of the highlights of this ancient capital, like sunrise at the magnificent temple of Angkor Wat, the enigmatic Bayon within the walled city of Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm, also known as the 'Tomb Raider' temple.
Enjoy a traditional meal to learn about Khmer food and meet some friendly locals. Alternating locations of our included local meal means we can support multiple small businesses and projects in the area. Each experience is truly unique and memorable.
Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner
Accommodation: Grand Bayon Siem Reap Hotel (or similar) - Hotel
Today's Activities:
- Angkor Wat Guided Tour (Angkor Wat): Follow a local expert through the massive grounds of Angkor Wat for 2 days. You'll have the opportunity to go in and out of the complex, resting at the hottest part of the day.
- Free Time (Siem Reap): Enjoy free time in Siem Reap.
- G for Good Moment: Depending on the day of the week your tour visits Siem Reap, you will either enjoy a traditional meal at the G Adventures-supported New Hope project or in a local home in a nearby village. With so many travellers coming through this area, alternating experiences helps to allow multiple small businesses to flourish. Both experiences are truly unique and memorable.
- The New Hope Vocational Training Restaurant, an initiative kickstarted by G Adventures, provides skill-building opportunities to marginalized community members. The project also funds the adjacent free community school and health centre. Meals at Phila's house support the education of underprivileged children in the area. Visit either project - both run by locals - and see how they have supported positive change in the community.
Optional Activities - Day 6:
- Angkor Museum Visit (Siem Reap): 12 USD - Learn about the story of Angkor and the Khmer empire at the interactive Angkor Museum. Explore the museum's inspiring galleries and interactive technology, which bring Angkor's past to life. Opt to rent an audioguide (5 USD) for the full experience.
- Tonle Sap Floating Village (Siem Reap): 25-30 USD - Tour the floating villages of Tonlé Sap. See what life is like living on a lake - rice planting, attending churches and school, are all done on top of water. (Please note: this activity runs seasonally.)
Day 7: Siem Reap Spend another day exploring the temples of Angkor. In the afternoon, opt to going further afield in Siem Reap.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Grand Bayon Siem Reap Hotel (or similar) - Hotel
Today's Activities:
- Angkor Wat Guided Tour (Angkor Wat): Enjoy another day touring the impressive ancient ruins with a local guide.
- Free Time (Siem Reap): Get out and explore!
Optional Activities - Day 7:
- Tonle Sap Floating Village (Siem Reap): 25-30 USD
Day 8: Siem Reap Depart at any time.
Meals included: Breakfast
Next Steps
Ready to go? Simply request a spot via your MyIVHQ profile, and our team will reach out with availability and seasonal pricing details.
This tour is best completed before your volunteering experience in , we'll help with recommendations to bridge any gaps between your volunteer program and the tour. These arrangements are your responsibility and we can provide you with personalized transit and accommodation advice to make your travel straightforward.
Best of all, you’ll be in great hands with our trusted partners who have led sustainable, community-first travel for 30 years. Your adventure makes a real, positive difference every step of the way.
Please note that exact activities and timing can vary depending on the season and availability. Don't worry, your tour provider will share your final, confirmed itinerary once your dates are set!
Let’s get your journey started!
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