The Best of Cambodia & Laos

4 Suggested Cambodia &
Laos Itineraries
The days when both Cambodia and Laos were countries where you
could travel only by plane, unless you were an adventurer, are long gone. Roads are
improved, buses are regular, and as a result the internal flight network is vastly reduced.
Having said that, both countries remain very much in the developing stage, and charging
around with a must-do checklist in a short space of time makes little sense. The pace of
life, particularly in Laos and rural Cambodia, is slow (though Phnom Penh is frenetic
these days), so a more leisurely trip will keep you in tune with those around you. It is a
good idea to think of what interests you most before you set off. If you like history and
ancient temples, then consider making Luang Prabang and Siem Reap the central part of
your trip. If nature is your thing, then river trips and protected areas in the north of Laos
should be the priority. For beaches and relaxation, start with the laid-back islands in the
Mekong in southern Laos, followed by time spent on the beach at Sihanoukville in
Cambodia. The mix-and-match opportunities are wide and varied.
1 THE BEST OF CAMBODIA IN 1 WEEK
If time is limited you are best off doing fewer things well than tearing around Cambodia
doing everything badly. On a first visit, Cambodia can be a bit overwhelming, so the best
way to ease into it is to fly to Siem Reap and start your trip with the Angkor Wat complex.
Angkor is an overwhelmingly spectacular experience, but Siem Reap is a small town
with good facilities where most things are walkable. Once you have arrived and checked
into your hotel, head over to the Psar Chas area. Here you have the market, the antiques
shops, souvenir stalls, and restaurants and cafes of every type. It’s a very compact area and
a wander, a meal, and maybe a glass of wine or a cup of coffee is a gentle way to kick off
your explorations.
Day 1: Angkor Wat
Get up before dawn and see the sun rise over
Angkor Wat (p. 113) itself. As the sky glows
red, this spectacular structure will reveal itself
first in silhouette and then in all its immense
glory. As the first major site you see in Cambodia,
you’re off to a pretty good start. After
this curtain opener, a close-up tour of the
temple itself is best undertaken in the afternoon,
when its facade is no longer backlit
and the afternoon sun begins to wash the
carvings, towers, and reliefs in a softer direct
light. After your bleary-eyed but dramatic
sunrise experience it is time for you to charge
over to one of the world’s most enigmatic
structures while the light is still soft: the
Bayon (p. 116). Clambering over this astonishing
structure will continue the highimpact
start to your journey. There are four
gates to Angkor Thom where the Bayon is
situated, but the south gate is most impressive.
Some 200m (656 ft.) to the northwest
of the Bayon is the Baphuon, the central
structure of Angkor before the rest of