Day trips · Siem Reap · Cambodia
6 best day trips from Siem Reap
Where to go when you want a day away from Siem Reap, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Sven Brinkhoff, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Siem Reap is Kbal Spean (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car). The closest option is Tonle Sap floating villages, about 30 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 6
- Closest
- Tonle Sap floating villages (30 km)
- Most popular
- Kbal Spean
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kbal Spean | 50 km | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car | Car with driver or tuk-tuk, often combined with Banteay Srei | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Phnom Kulen | 50 km | About 1.5 hours by car | Car with driver up the mountain road | Families, Culture, Quiet stays |
| Beng Mealea | 70 km | About 1.5 hours by car | Car with driver; separate entry ticket | Culture, Quiet stays, First-timers |
| Koh Ker | 120 km | About 2.5 hours by car | Car with driver; often combined with Beng Mealea | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Tonle Sap floating villages | 30 km | About 45 minutes by road, then a boat | Tuk-tuk or car to the jetty, then a boat tour | Families, Culture, First-timers |
| Battambang | 170 km | About 3 hours by road | Bus, minivan or private car; seasonal boat when the lake is high | Culture, Quiet stays, Budget |
The day trips
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50 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car
1.Kbal Spean
The 'River of a Thousand Lingas' is a riverbed in the Kulen hills carved with lingas, Vishnu reclining and other Hindu figures, reached by a forest hike of about 1.5 km uphill. The carvings are clearest in the dry season when the water is low.
- Getting there
- Car with driver or tuk-tuk, often combined with Banteay Srei
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
50 km · About 1.5 hours by car
2.Phnom Kulen
The sacred plateau where Jayavarman II proclaimed the Khmer Empire in 802 has a large reclining Buddha carved into a boulder at Preah Ang Thom, riverbed carvings and a waterfall with a swimming pool beneath. Entry is charged separately from the Angkor Pass.
- Getting there
- Car with driver up the mountain road
- Best for
- Families, Culture, Quiet stays
70 km · About 1.5 hours by car
3.Beng Mealea
A vast 12th-century temple left largely unrestored, with collapsed galleries, carved lintels and trees growing through the stones. Wooden walkways let you climb over and through the ruins, and it feels far wilder than Ta Prohm.
- Getting there
- Car with driver; separate entry ticket
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays, First-timers
120 km · About 2.5 hours by car
4.Koh Ker
Briefly the Khmer capital in the 10th century, Koh Ker is a scattered group of temples in the forest, dominated by Prasat Thom, a seven-tiered stepped pyramid. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, it still sees few visitors; stay on marked paths.
- Getting there
- Car with driver; often combined with Beng Mealea
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
30 km · About 45 minutes by road, then a boat
5.Tonle Sap floating villages
Southeast Asia's largest lake swells massively in the wet season, and villages such as Kampong Phluk stand on stilts up to several metres high, surrounded by flooded forest. Boat trips are best from about August to November when water is high; Chong Kneas, closest to town, is known for aggressive upselling.
- Getting there
- Tuk-tuk or car to the jetty, then a boat tour
- Best for
- Families, Culture, First-timers
170 km · About 3 hours by road
6.Battambang
Cambodia's second city keeps rows of French colonial shophouses along the Sangker River, hilltop temples at Phnom Sampeau and Wat Banan, and the home school of the Phare circus. It is a long day, so an overnight stay works better.
- Getting there
- Bus, minivan or private car; seasonal boat when the lake is high
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays, Budget
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Siem Reap?
Kbal Spean. The 'River of a Thousand Lingas' is a riverbed in the Kulen hills carved with lingas, Vishnu reclining and other Hindu figures, reached by a forest hike of about 1.5 km uphill.
+How long does it take to get from Siem Reap to Kbal Spean?
About 1 hour 15 minutes by car — Car with driver or tuk-tuk, often combined with Banteay Srei, about 50 km.
+How long does it take to get from Siem Reap to Phnom Kulen?
About 1.5 hours by car — Car with driver up the mountain road, about 50 km.