SHORTLIST

Cambodia Real Food Adventure

Cambodia has a unique and ancient food culture all of its own, and unlike Thai and Vietnamese food, it's probably difficult to find a bowl of it in your local neighbourhood. Using pepper rather than chilli to add spice, Cambodian cuisine is laden with fresh herbs, spices, rice, freshwater fish and condiments. While there are influences from French and Thai styles, Cambodian food has a distinct style and flavour that's best experienced while seated at a local beer hall or family home. While travelling from Phnom Penh through to Siem Reap, discover the sights, sounds and flavours of Kampot, Battambang and Angkor Wat.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. While we endeavor to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
3. As of July 2024, The Cambodian Government has introduced an e-arrival card for travellers entering the country. The e-arrival form needs to be completed within 7 days of arrival in Cambodia. Visit the official website https://arrival.gov.kh/ to obtain the QR code to present to immigration upon arrival. There will be tablets available in the main airports for those travellers who missed to fill in the form before landing.

Tour details
Tour Provider Intrepid Travel
Price From
$1,925
Number of Days
8
Start Location
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
End Location
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Age Range
Avg. 30+
Group Size
1 to 12
Tour Style
Standard
Tour Themes
Food
Physical Rating
Easy to Moderate
Itinerary Open all
Day 1: Phnom Penh
Sua s'dei! Welcome to Cambodia. Your adventure begins in Phnom Penh – the meeting point of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers, where the locals come to snack on the street hawkers’ food and enjoy impromptu waterside entertainment. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight, then you’ll kick off your food adventure with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. The Cambodian cooking pot combines an eclectic mix of local and international influences and has a flavour all of its own. Later, maybe go for a drink or stroll along the famous Sisowath Quay.
Day 2: Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh remains a living relic of the country’s past struggles and successes. Today you’ll visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21) and the Killing Fields of Chung Ek, which tell the story of the tragic legacy of the Khmer Rouge. In the afternoon, maybe visit the Royal Palace. The private quarters of the Royal Palace are home to King Sihamoni and are closed to the public, but you can visit the Silver Pagoda that lies in the palace complex – the most sacred temple in the country. In the evening, hop on a tuk-tuk and enjoy a foodie tour of some of the tastiest local food for dinner in Phnom Penh - the beef skewer and the fried pork ribs are our favourite!
Day 3: Kampot
Today, take a private transfer to Kampot – one of Cambodia's most attractive old towns. Famous for its pepper, Kampot supplied most French restaurants with this vital spice for many years during colonial rule. Today, the region is more renowned for its plantations of durian – a spiky, pungent fruit that you’ll either love or hate (try it and see for yourself). When you arrive, head to Kep Beach for lunch – the nearby Kep markets serve fresh crab cooked to perfection – and eat on the pier overlooking the ocean. After lunch, check into your hotel and in the afternoon, follow your leader on an orientation walk in the city. Stroll along the riverside and admire the French architecture, learning about its history from your leader. Then, maybe have a cup of coffee in the riverside restaurants and admire the view of Bokor Mountain Range. A traditional massage is also highly recommended here, from social enterprise Seeing Hands – the best way to support a local charity, is in loose cotton pyjamas, put in the capable hands of one of the blind masseurs or masseuses. In a country with no social security, the training and support provided by the centres allow blind Cambodians to support themselves.
Day 4: Kampot
This morning you’ll have breakfast at Epic Café – a social enterprise that provides employment for local people living with disabilities. After, visit the salt fields that stretch across much of Kampot’s coastline. After learning a bit about the salt production here, onto the Kampot Pepper Project. Grown in Cambodia for centuries, Kampot pepper is considered the world’s finest. Today, pepper is also seen as an important symbol of Cambodian regeneration. Learn from the best here about the use of pepper in a cooking class at the plantation and try some some pepper ice cream as your desert. The afternoon is all yours in this idyllic town.
Day 5: Battambang
Travel by private bus to Battambang (pronounced battambong)– Cambodia's second-largest city. On the way, stop at Kampong Chhnang and visit local pottery workshops to see how the masters are working at their craft, and enjoy a lunch in the village. Then continue onto Battambang. Battambang is a riverside town of French influence, famous for its many statues of animals and divinities that decorate the streets and buildings. It also lacks the traffic of Phnom Penh and the visitor numbers of Siem Reap, so it’s a great place to get a real slice of Cambodia. Your leader can recommend activities for the rest of afternoon. Perhaps join a local Battambang foodie for a home-cooked meal, tasting local dishes such as amok, Khmer curry and fried spicy chicken with homemade rice noodles.
Day 6: Siem Reap
Take a bicycle ride into the countryside. The ride is easy and takes mostly shady roads through local villages. Along the way, stop to experience rice paper making, fruit drying and preparation, production of the famous prahok (fish paste) and rice wine making at local homes. Finish up at the best Kralan (sticky rice in bamboo) stall in the district. After, you’ll head to Siem Reap via private vehicle. this small but expanding town is the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Angkor complex. This is the most popular destination for travellers in all of Cambodia (maybe even in Southeast Asia!). You'll probably notice a change of pace here, so maybe take a walk and enjoy the atmosphere when you arrive. A visit to the old market is a must, even if you're not looking for souvenirs – wandering through the stalls and surrounding shops, you’ll find silks, cotton, sarongs, silver and statues among a flurry of colour. There's also a long tradition of shadow puppetry in the region, so if you're lucky, you might even catch a show at one of the local restaurants tonight.
Day 7: Siem Reap
Head to the village of Preah Dak for a traditional breakfast of homemade num banh chok (a popular Khmer noodle dish). This village is famous for its lifestyle, language, spirituality, culture and of course, its food! You’ll see how the local families make the noodles just as their ancestors made them, then you’ll try some seasonal fruits. After, it's time to explore more of the Angkor complex, built between the 9th and 13th centuries when the Khmer Empire was the pre-eminent influence in South East Asia. See the Bayon temple and the jungle-covered Ta Prohm. Tonight, head out for a final dinner at a plant-based restaurant celebrating contemporary flavours. Using fresh produce from their own gardens, you’ll tuck into dishes like grilled eggplant, creamy pumpkin soup, vegetable curry and homemade lime pie.
Day 8: Siem Reap
Your adventure comes to an end this morning. There are no activities planned for today and you’re free to leave at any time. If you’re keen to continue your exploration of the Angkor complex, please speak with your leader about extending the length of your access pass.
Inclusions
  • Meals: 6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners.
  • Transport: Private Vehicle, Bus, Bicycle.
  • Accommodation: Hotel (7 nights).
  • Phnom Penh - Welcome Dinner.
  • Phnom Penh - Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21).
  • Phnom Penh - Killing Fields of Choeung Ek.
  • Phnom Penh - Food tour by tuk-tuk.
  • Kampot - Crab Market & Lunch.
  • Kampot - Leader-led orientation walk.
  • Kampot - Phnom Chhnork.
  • Kampot - Pepper plantation & salt field visit.
  • Kampot - Breakfast at Epic Art Café (NGO restaurant).
  • Kampot - Cooking class & pepper ice cream tasting.
  • Kampong Chhnang - Pottery village visit.
  • Battambang - Rural food by bike tour.
  • Siem Reap - One day Angkor Pass.
  • Siem Reap - Village breakfast.
  • Siem Reap - Sunrise at Angkor Wat.
Departure dates
All pp pricing is based on twin share occupancy. Single supplements will apply
Start End Availability Price NZD
06 Nov 2025 13 Nov 2025 1 $2,465
20 Nov 2025 27 Nov 2025 4 $2,185
18 Dec 2025 25 Dec 2025 6 $2,215
25 Dec 2025 01 Jan 2026 10 $2,180
08 Jan 2026 15 Jan 2026 11 $1,925
12 Feb 2026 19 Feb 2026 10 $2,035
19 Mar 2026 26 Mar 2026 12 $2,095
16 Apr 2026 23 Apr 2026 12 $2,035
07 May 2026 14 May 2026 10 $2,035
04 Jun 2026 11 Jun 2026 12 $2,035
02 Jul 2026 09 Jul 2026 12 $2,035
17 Sep 2026 24 Sep 2026 12 $2,035
15 Oct 2026 22 Oct 2026 12 $2,035
05 Nov 2026 12 Nov 2026 12 $2,155
19 Nov 2026 26 Nov 2026 12 $2,155
26 Nov 2026 03 Dec 2026 12 $2,095
10 Dec 2026 17 Dec 2026 12 $2,035
24 Dec 2026 31 Dec 2026 12 $2,095
07 Jan 2027 14 Jan 2027 12 $2,135
11 Feb 2027 18 Feb 2027 12 $2,135
25 Feb 2027 04 Mar 2027 12 $2,200
11 Mar 2027 18 Mar 2027 12 $2,260
01 Apr 2027 08 Apr 2027 12 $2,200
15 Apr 2027 22 Apr 2027 12 $2,135
06 May 2027 13 May 2027 12 $2,135
03 Jun 2027 10 Jun 2027 12 $2,135
01 Jul 2027 08 Jul 2027 12 $2,135
16 Sep 2027 23 Sep 2027 12 $2,135
30 Sep 2027 07 Oct 2027 12 $2,135
14 Oct 2027 21 Oct 2027 12 $2,135
04 Nov 2027 11 Nov 2027 12 $2,260
18 Nov 2027 25 Nov 2027 12 $2,260
25 Nov 2027 02 Dec 2027 12 $2,200
09 Dec 2027 16 Dec 2027 12 $2,135
23 Dec 2027 30 Dec 2027 12 $2,200