Self-Launched Angkor Wat & Phnom Penh from Ho Chi Minh City
5 days · Cambodia
Exodus Travels charges £950
No-markup version: ~£330 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Skip the guided add-on price tag and do this iconic Cambodia loop independently. You'll fly from Ho Chi Minh City into Siem Reap, spend two days exploring the legendary Angkor temple complex (including a DIY sunrise at Angkor Wat), then hop on a short domestic flight to Phnom Penh for a full day taking in the Royal Palace, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. All activities are bookable directly or via GetYourGuide/Klook, transport is included in the budget, and accommodation swaps the group-tour hotels for well-rated guesthouses and boutique budget hotels. All costs are approximate estimates per person.
Day-by-day
Fly Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap — Arrival & Optional Afternoon Temple Visit
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Make your own way to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (HCMC) and catch one of several daily budget flights to Siem Reap International Airport. Airlines including VietJet, Cambodia Angkor Air, and AirAsia typically price this route at £40–£70 one way — book in advance for the best fares. On arrival, grab an official tuk-tuk or prearrange a guesthouse pickup (£3–£5) into town. Check in to your guesthouse near the Old Market/Pub Street area. If your flight arrives early enough, pick up a 1-day Angkor Pass (£37) and take a tuk-tuk out to the Angkor complex for a late-afternoon visit — this is a great low-crowd window to see Angkor Thom's south gate lit in golden hour light. Alternatively, wander Pub Street, grab a cheap Khmer meal, and rest up for the big temple days ahead.
🚌Budget flight HCMC → Siem Reap (~£55 avg); tuk-tuk airport transfer (~£4)
🛏Lub d Siem Reap or Onederz Hostel (well-rated, central, private rooms from £12–£18/night, dorms from £6–£8)
- →Budget flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap (book via Skyscanner — VietJet, Cambodia Angkor Air or AirAsia, ~£40–£70)
- →Tuk-tuk from Siem Reap airport to guesthouse (~£3–£5)
- →Optional: buy 3-day Angkor Pass on arrival (£37 for 3 days — best value if you plan 2+ temple days)
- →Optional late-afternoon visit to Angkor Thom south gate and Bayon at golden hour
- →Explore Pub Street and Night Market for dinner
Full Day Exploring the Angkor Temple Complex
Siem Reap / Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia
Today is your deep dive into one of the world's greatest archaeological sites. Hire a tuk-tuk driver for the day (£12–£15, easily arranged at your guesthouse) who will shuttle you between temples at your own pace. Start with Angkor Thom and the awe-inspiring Bayon temple with its 216 serene stone faces. Continue to the Baphuon, Phimeanakas, and the Terrace of the Elephants. After a local lunch in the temple area (£3–£5), head to Ta Prohm — the 'Tomb Raider' temple where giant tree roots engulf the ancient stone, left deliberately unrestored. Round off with Banteay Kdei. If you want a guided experience, book a half-day or full-day Angkor tour via GetYourGuide or Klook (from £18–£25pp) which includes an English-speaking local guide. End the afternoon with a swim at your guesthouse pool or explore Siem Reap's lively market.
🚌Tuk-tuk for the day (~£13)
🛏Lub d Siem Reap or Onederz Hostel
- →Hire a tuk-tuk for the full day (£12–£15, arrange via guesthouse)
- →Angkor Thom royal city: Bayon temple, Baphuon, Terrace of the Elephants
- →Ta Prohm jungle temple (iconic tree-root ruins)
- →Banteay Kdei temple
- →Optional: book a guided Angkor full-day tour via GetYourGuide from £20pp
- →Lunch at local restaurant in temple area (£3–£5)
- →Evening: explore Siem Reap Night Market or Old Market
Angkor Wat Sunrise, Final Temple Visit & Fly to Phnom Penh
Siem Reap → Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Set your alarm for 4:30am — this is the highlight of the trip. Arrange for your tuk-tuk driver (or a new one, ~£5 for the early run) to take you to Angkor Wat before dawn. Arrive at the western causeway by 5:15am to secure a spot at the reflection pool. Watching the sun rise behind Angkor Wat's iconic towers is genuinely one of Southeast Asia's most memorable experiences and needs no guide — just your Angkor Pass. After sunrise, spend an hour or two exploring the interior galleries, bas-reliefs, and central sanctuary. Return to the guesthouse for breakfast, then check out and head to Siem Reap airport for your onward flight to Phnom Penh. Cambodia Angkor Air operates this ~45-minute domestic route (£50–£80 — book ahead). Alternatively, the Mekong Express luxury bus takes ~6 hours for around £12, if you'd prefer to save money and see the countryside. Check in to your Phnom Penh guesthouse near the riverfront.
🚌Tuk-tuk to airport (~£5); domestic flight (~£60) or bus (~£12); tuk-tuk from PP airport/bus station (~£5)
🛏Mad Monkey Phnom Penh or The Spot Guesthouse (private rooms £14–£20, dorms £7–£9, riverfront area)
- →Pre-dawn tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat for sunrise (~£5)
- →Sunrise at Angkor Wat reflection pool — self-explored with Angkor Pass
- →Explore Angkor Wat's inner galleries, bas-reliefs and central towers
- →Check out and transfer to Siem Reap airport
- →Domestic flight Siem Reap → Phnom Penh with Cambodia Angkor Air (~£60) OR Mekong Express bus (~£12, ~6hrs)
- →Check in to Phnom Penh riverfront guesthouse, explore riverside promenade
Phnom Penh: Royal Palace, Tuol Sleng & the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
A full and emotionally significant day in Cambodia's capital. Start at the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda complex (£8 entry), a stunning example of Khmer architecture housing priceless royal artefacts including a life-size gold Buddha studded with 9,584 diamonds. Walk north along the riverfront, then head to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21, £4 entry) — the former school turned Khmer Rouge torture centre that held up to 17,000 prisoners between 1975–1979. The audio guide (£3) is excellent and highly recommended. Allow 1.5–2 hours. In the afternoon, take a tuk-tuk 15km south to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek (£6 entry with audio guide included) — a mass grave site where the evidence of the Khmer Rouge's systematic genocide is laid bare. The audio guide features survivor testimonies and is deeply moving. Both sites can be visited independently without a guide, though a half-day Phnom Penh guided tour via GetYourGuide (from £18pp) will add valuable context. Return to the riverfront for dinner — the restaurant strip along Sisowath Quay has everything from cheap Khmer street food to rooftop dining.
🚌Tuk-tuk for the day (~£13)
🛏Mad Monkey Phnom Penh or The Spot Guesthouse
- →Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (entry ~£8, self-guided or with audio guide)
- →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum / S-21 (entry ~£4, audio guide ~£3)
- →Killing Fields of Choeung Ek (entry ~£6, audio guide included — book direct or via GetYourGuide)
- →Tuk-tuk between sites (full day hire ~£12–£15)
- →Optional: book a guided Phnom Penh history tour via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£18–£25pp)
- →Dinner along Sisowath Quay riverfront
Phnom Penh Departure
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Your Cambodia self-launched adventure wraps up this morning. Depending on your onward flight time, you may have a relaxed morning to explore the riverside, visit the Central Market (Phsar Thmei) — a stunning Art Deco dome full of gold, jewellery, food stalls and souvenirs — or grab a final Cambodian coffee and baguette at a riverside café (a legacy of French Indochina that Phnom Penh does brilliantly). Book a tuk-tuk or Grab (Southeast Asia's Uber) to Phnom Penh International Airport (~£5–£8) for your onward journey.
🚌Grab or tuk-tuk to airport (~£6)
- →Morning stroll along Sisowath Quay riverfront
- →Visit Central Market (Phsar Thmei) for souvenirs and street food
- →Final Cambodian coffee and baguette at a riverside café
- →Grab/tuk-tuk to Phnom Penh International Airport (~£5–£8)
Self-launched vs. Exodus Travels
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus Travels | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£330 | £950 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £620 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus Travels-style trips? Check them out here.~£330
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 Self-Launched Angkor Wat & Phnom Penh from Ho Chi Minh City cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £330 per person for 5 days in 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 Exodus Travels?+
Yes — Exodus Travels charges around £950 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £330 — a saving of roughly £620 (65%) per person.
How long is the Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through 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, backpacker, budget trip through 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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