Real Cambodia: Self-Guided Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand Adventure

Fly into Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Take the 109 airport bus into the city centre (~£0.50) or a metered Vinasun taxi (~£5). Check into a hostel in the Bui Vien backpacker district. Spend the evening exploring the street food scene on Bui Vien Walking Street and grab a Saigon beer for under £1.

🚌Airport bus 109 to city centre (~£0.50) or metered Vinasun taxi (~£5)

🛏Townhouse Hostel or The Hideout Hostel, Bui Vien District (~£8-12/night dorm)

• →Arrive and settle into your hostel in the Bui Vien backpacker area
• →Walk Bui Vien Walking Street for street food and atmosphere
• →Try banh mi and pho from street stalls

Full day exploring HCMC's unmissable sights. Visit the War Remnants Museum (£1.50 entry) and the Reunification Palace (£1.50). In the afternoon, head to the Ben Thanh Market for lunch and souvenir browsing. In the evening, book a street food tour via GetYourGuide (~£15) for a guided intro to local cuisine on a motorbike.

🚌Grab (ride-hailing app) for cross-city trips (~£1-2 per ride)

🛏Townhouse Hostel or The Hideout Hostel (~£8-12/night dorm)

• →War Remnants Museum — self-guided entry ~£1.50
• →Reunification Palace — self-guided entry ~£1.50
• →Ben Thanh Market for lunch and shopping
• →Evening street food motorbike tour via GetYourGuide (~£15)

Take an early morning self-booked bus or shared minivan to the Cu Chi Tunnels (~£3-4 return, bookable at any hostel). Spend 2 hours exploring the famous Viet Cong tunnel network (~£4 entry). Return to HCMC and board an afternoon cross-border bus to Phnom Penh with Mekong Express or Giant Ibis (~£10-12). The journey takes around 6-7 hours including the Moc Bai/Bavet border crossing — ensure you have your Cambodia e-Visa arranged in advance (~£30 online at evisa.gov.kh).

🚌Shared minivan to Cu Chi (~£3-4 return); Mekong Express or Giant Ibis bus HCMC→Phnom Penh (~£10-12)

🛏Mad Monkey Hostel or Funky Flashpacker Phnom Penh (~£8-12/night dorm)

• →Cu Chi Tunnels — self-guided visit, entry ~£4
• →Moc Bai/Bavet border crossing into Cambodia
• →Arrive Phnom Penh evening — explore the riverside

A day confronting Cambodia's recent history and vibrant present. Visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21 prison, ~£4) and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields (~£5 including audio guide) in the morning — both are sobering but essential. In the afternoon, stroll along the Phnom Penh riverside promenade, visit the Royal Palace (~£7), and browse the Central Market. Grab dinner at Friends Restaurant, a social enterprise training former street youth.

🚌Tuk-tuk for the day (~£8-10 for a full-day tuk-tuk hire)

🛏Mad Monkey Hostel or Funky Flashpacker (~£8-12/night dorm)

• →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) — entry ~£4
• →Choeung Ek Killing Fields — entry + audio guide ~£5
• →Royal Palace — entry ~£7
• →Riverside promenade and Central Market browse
• →Dinner at Friends Restaurant (social enterprise)

Take a morning Giant Ibis or Mekong Express bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (~£8-10, ~6 hours). These are the gold-standard budget buses in Cambodia — air-conditioned with Wi-Fi and onboard snacks. Arrive early afternoon. Check into a hostel near the Old Market area and spend the afternoon exploring Pub Street, Angkor Night Market, and sampling amok curry for dinner. Buy your Angkor Wat pass this afternoon at the official ticket booth (1-day £30, 3-day £50) — passes are loaded onto a card with your photo.

🚌Giant Ibis or Mekong Express bus Phnom Penh→Siem Reap (~£8-10)

🛏Mad Monkey Siem Reap or Onederz Hostel (~£8-12/night dorm)

• →Morning bus Phnom Penh → Siem Reap with Giant Ibis (~£8-10)
• →Explore Pub Street and Old Market area
• →Purchase Angkor Wat pass at official ticket centre
• →Angkor Night Market for dinner and browsing

The highlight of the trip. Hire a tuk-tuk driver for the full day (~£12-15) who will guide you around the Small Circuit. Start with sunrise at Angkor Wat (arrive by 5:15am) — one of the world's great spectacles. Continue to the Bayon temple at Angkor Thom (famous for stone faces), the Elephant Terrace, and Ta Prohm (the 'Tomb Raider' temple engulfed by tree roots). Carry water, sunscreen, and snacks. Lunch at a local restaurant near the park gates (~£3-4).

🚌Tuk-tuk full-day hire for temple circuit (~£12-15)

🛏Mad Monkey Siem Reap or Onederz Hostel (~£8-12/night dorm)

• →Sunrise at Angkor Wat (arrive ~5:15am)
• →Angkor Thom and the Bayon temple
• →Elephant Terrace and Baphuon
• →Ta Prohm jungle temple
• →Full-day tuk-tuk hire for Small Circuit (~£12-15)

Day two at the temples — explore the Grand Circuit, which is quieter and less visited. Key stops: Preah Khan (jungle-clad and atmospheric), Neak Pean, and Pre Rup. In the afternoon, arrange a boat trip to the floating villages on Tonlé Sap Lake (~£8-10 via your hostel or direct at the lake dock). Watch the sunset from the lake. Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and the floating villages are a genuine cultural experience.

🚌Tuk-tuk full-day hire (~£12-15); boat to Tonlé Sap (~£8-10)

🛏Mad Monkey Siem Reap or Onederz Hostel (~£8-12/night dorm)

• →Angkor Grand Circuit — Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Pre Rup
• →Afternoon boat trip to Tonlé Sap floating villages (~£8-10)
• →Sunset over Tonlé Sap Lake

Take a direct cross-border bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok — bookable through Capitol Tours, Nattakan, or your hostel (~£12-15, ~8-9 hours including the Poipet/Aranyaprathet border crossing). No Thai visa required for UK passport holders (30-day visa exemption). Arrive Bangkok's Morchit or Ekkamai bus stations in the evening. Take the BTS Skytrain or MRT to the Khao San Road or Silom area. Check in and explore.

🚌Capitol Tours or Nattakan cross-border bus Siem Reap→Bangkok (~£12-15); BTS Skytrain from bus station to hostel (~£1-2)

🛏Lub d Bangkok Silom or NapPark Hostel Khao San (~£12-18/night dorm)

• →Morning departure: cross-border bus Siem Reap → Bangkok (~£12-15)
• →Poipet/Aranyaprathet border crossing (no visa required for UK passports)
• →Arrive Bangkok evening — explore Khao San Road area

Dive into Bangkok's extraordinary mix of ancient and ultra-modern. Start at Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha, ~£3) and walk to the Grand Palace (~£12). Take a longtail boat along the Chao Phraya River and through the klongs (canals) (~£3-5). In the evening, visit a Muay Thai boxing match at Rajadamnern Stadium (~£20-25 for tourist seats, bookable via Klook) or explore Chatuchak Weekend Market (weekends only, free entry). End the night at a rooftop bar or with street pad thai on Yaowarat (Chinatown).

🚌BTS Skytrain day pass (~£4); river ferry (~£1)

🛏Lub d Bangkok Silom or NapPark Hostel Khao San (~£12-18/night dorm)

• →Wat Pho — Reclining Buddha, entry ~£3
• →Grand Palace — entry ~£12
• →Longtail boat through the klongs (~£3-5)
• →Muay Thai boxing at Rajadamnern Stadium via Klook (~£20-25) or Chatuchak Market (weekends)
• →Street food in Yaowarat Chinatown

Final morning in Bangkok. If time allows, visit Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn, ~£2) at sunrise across the river from Wat Pho — the tiled spires are stunning in the morning light. Browse MBK Center or Siam Square for last-minute shopping. Head to Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) via the Airport Rail Link (~£6, 30 minutes from Phaya Thai station) or Don Mueang Airport (DMK) via bus A1 (~£1.50).

🚌Airport Rail Link to Suvarnabhumi (~£6) or bus A1 to Don Mueang (~£1.50)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Sunrise at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) — entry ~£2
• →Last-minute shopping at MBK Center or Siam Square
• →Airport Rail Link to Suvarnabhumi Airport (~£6, 30 mins)