Weekend Trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: Everything You Need to Know

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is Cambodia's most-traveled domestic route. It's easy, cheap, and if you're a Cambodian national with your ID, the temples at Angkor are free. Here's how to do the trip properly — not the vague version.

Getting There: Transport Options

Giant Ibis Bus is the best option for most people. $12–15 per seat, departs Phnom Penh at 6:30 AM and 7:00 AM daily from the station near Sorya Mall. Arrives Siem Reap around 1 PM. Clean coaches with AC, WiFi, and USB charging. Book at giantibis.com — recommended to book 2–3 days ahead on weekends. This is the operator most travellers and expats use, and for good reason.

Mekong Express is a slightly cheaper alternative ($10–12), similar comfort. Departs around 7:30 AM. Less reliable on-time performance.

Share taxi from the Central Market area: $12–15 per seat, departs when full (usually 6–8 AM), takes 4.5–5 hours if traffic cooperates on National Road 6. Faster but less predictable. Good for solo travellers willing to sit tight.

Driving yourself: National Road 6, approximately 315 km. Budget 5.5–6.5 hours depending on traffic through Skun and Kampong Thom. Straightforward, mostly flat road.

Best departure for a Friday–Sunday weekend: Take the Thursday evening bus (some operators have a 6 PM departure) or the 6:30 AM Friday bus. Arrive Friday afternoon, check in, rest — you have the full Saturday and Sunday before the return.

Cambodian Nationals: The Temples Are Free

Bring your national identity card (អត្តសញ្ញាណប័ណ្ណ). Cambodian citizens enter all Angkor Archaeological Park temples without charge — Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, all of them. Foreigners pay $37 for a day pass or $62 for three days.

For a group of 10 Cambodians, this means the main attraction of the trip costs nothing. The villa is the biggest line item.

Note: Bring the original ID, not a photocopy. Park rangers check at the gates.

2-Night Itinerary

Friday:

• Depart Phnom Penh 6:30 AM → arrive Siem Reap ~1 PM
• Check in, swim, decompress
• Evening: Old Market area for dinner (fish amok or lok lak at any local restaurant: $4–6/dish). Pub Street after

Saturday:

• 4:30 AM wake-up. Yes, it's worth it
• TukTuk to Angkor Wat East Gate (driver will know): arrive 5 AM, watch sunrise over the five towers. Free entry with national ID
• Angkor Wat + Bayon + Ta Prohm (small circuit) — done by noon
• Back to villa: pool afternoon, rest
• Evening: Phare Cambodian Circus if you book ahead ($18–28), or KTV at the villa

Sunday:

• Kampong Phluk floating village (45 minutes south): $15–20/person for boat + guide. See Tonle Sap lake communities on stilts
• Lunch near Old Market
• Depart for Phnom Penh around 2–3 PM (arrive ~8–9 PM by bus)

What a Weekend Costs for a Group of 10

Item	Per Person
Bus (return)	$25–30
Villa (2 nights, $300/night ÷ 10)	$60
Food (2 days, eating well)	$30
Angkor Wat (free — bring national ID)	$0
Activities (floating village, drinks)	$30
TukTuk transport local	$10
Total	~$155–160/person

For comparison: a budget hotel room in Phnom Penh costs $30–50/night per person. Two nights in Siem Reap at the villa — with a private pool — runs $60/person for accommodation. The math works.

Practical Notes

• Book your return bus before you leave Phnom Penh. Sunday afternoon buses back to Phnom Penh fill up by Friday.
• SIM cards: If you don't have data roaming, grab a Smart or Cellcard SIM at the Siem Reap bus terminal. $3–5 for a week of data.
• TukTuk apps: Grab works in Siem Reap. For Angkor sunrise, arrange a driver the evening before through your accommodation — the pre-dawn trip is faster and cheaper if pre-arranged ($8–12 return for the group).
• Weather: November–February is ideal. April is brutal (38–40°C). May–October is wet but manageable if you embrace the rain.

→ Read: Things to Do in Siem Reap Beyond the Temples

→ Read: Best Time to Visit Angkor Wat