During my trip to Southeast Asia in the summer of 2024, I had one main priority in each of the three countries I went to: The Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam, the Full Moon Party in Thailand, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

However, I may have spent a little more time in Vietnam than originally planned because I loved it so much. That meant I was suddenly on a tight schedule to make it through Cambodia, see Angkor Wat, and still reach Thailand’s islands in time for the Full Moon.

My time in Cambodia was short and sweet, but it was just long enough to get a taste of the culture and know I’d want to come back one day.

Siem Reap

I flew from Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap and grabbed a taxi to my hostel, Mad Monkey. This was the only Mad Monkey I stayed at while in Asia, but honestly, it was amazing — major Love Island villa vibes with two pools and nightly pub crawls, plus a restaurant serving authentic local food (and plenty of beer). They also organized group tours of Angkor Wat, so it was the perfect setup for my visit.

Knowing that I only had one full day here, I decided to make the most out of it. I immediately booked a 3AM sunrise tour of Angkor Wat for the next morning, chatted with other travelers about what to do in Siem Reap, and enjoyed a traditional Khmer fish amok for dinner.

Just a few hours later, the next day, I was on a bus with other sleepy travelers, ready to experience the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. I made friends with another solo female traveler, and together, we took lots and lots of photos of this huge, stunning temple complex. Originally a Hindu temple before becoming a Buddhist sanctuary, Angkor Wat covers about 400 acres, and it was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

We got lost more than once while wandering through centuries of history, and after the early wake-up, we were pretty exhausted. Back in Siem Reap, I took a much-needed nap before heading out again to explore the city’s markets, Pub Street, local shops, and anything else I stumbled upon.

That night, I packed up and grabbed a drink at the hostel, and by midnight, it was time to move on to the next stop!

Overnight Bus to Phnom Penh

Yes, you read that right. I took an overnight bus alone across Cambodia. Honestly, and maybe surprisingly, it was an excellent experience.

The bus station was a bit confusing, and I definitely stuck out as the only non-Cambodian person there, but the staff members were super helpful and gave me all the directions I needed in English. Once onboard, I was very impressed… The bus was new and pretty comfortable, much nicer than the buses I had taken in Vietnam. I had my own little pod with a privacy curtain where I curled up, put on some music, and slept just fine through the night (despite having zero phone signal while traveling alone through rural Cambodia… Whoops).

By 6AM, we pulled into Phnom Penh, just in time for sunrise at a TotalEnergies service station… Almost like I was back in France again, just a bit different!

With a few hours to kill before my flight, I decided to explore a bit, though the heat + my heavy backpack + some catcalls made this less than enjoyable. After passing by a temple and watching the sunrise at the port, I decided to ditch the discomfort and head to the airport for some breakfast in the lounge.

Being in Cambodia for just a couple of days makes it one of the places I’ve been to that I would most like to revisit. Technically, I accomplished my main goal in Cambodia by visiting Angkor Wat, but I know there is so much more to experience here: chatting with locals, trying more Khmer dishes, and exploring other cities.

If I’d had more time, I would have loved to spend a few days each in Phnom Penh, Battambong, and Koh Rong. Unfortunately, this whirlwind trip didn’t allow for that — but it just means that I already have a reason to come back!