Slow overland journeys · Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
Journeys · 22 days · Cambodia, Laos
Cambodia & Laos the slow way
Twenty-two days that start at Angkor and drift north: Phnom Penh, the slow train to Kampot, the Mekong road to Kratie, the land border into Laos, and a week between the 4000 Islands and Champasak.
At a glance
- Duration
- 22 days, 21 nights
- Travelling
- Private, your party only
- Starts
- Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Ends
- Pakse, Laos
- Internal flights
- None
- Price
- On request, per trip
Who this journey is for
For travellers who have seen Vietnam already, or who would rather begin with Angkor than end with it. The route follows Cambodia's two slow lines — the railway south to the coast and the Mekong north to the border — and then crosses into the quietest corner of Laos. It is the least-travelled of our four journeys and the one with the most time on riverbanks.
We put a night in Stung Treng before the border on purpose. The direct run from Kratie to the Lao islands is possible in one long day, but it stacks four to five hours of road, a border, more road and a boat. Split, it becomes two ordinary days.
The journey, leg by leg
Days 1–4
Siem Reap and Angkor
Arrive and rest on day 1. Two temple days with a guide, early starts and midday finishes, with a free day between them. Angkor's remains of the Khmer capitals span the 9th to the 15th century and some 400 square kilometres; two days do not see it all, and that is fine.
Days 5–7
Coach to Phnom Penh
About six and a half hours by coach, or a private car if you prefer to stop on the way. Three nights in the capital: a guided morning at the Royal Palace and the National Museum, and time for the riverfront.
Days 8–10
The train to Kampot
Cambodia's daily train south runs from Phnom Penh to Kampot and on to Sihanoukville; the full run to the coast takes about six and a half hours, and Kampot comes before that. Three nights in a quiet river town with pepper farms outside it. Day 10 is a rest and laundry day.
Day 11
Back to Phnom Penh
Train or car back to the capital for one night, ready for the road north.
Days 12–14
North along the Mekong to Kratie
A full day by road up the river. Kratie is a small town on a wide stretch of the Mekong; the river between here and the Lao border is where about 89 of Cambodia's Irrawaddy dolphins still live. A morning boat on day 13, a free day 14.
Day 15
Kratie to Stung Treng
Four to five hours by road, longer in the rainy season. An afternoon and a night in a small Mekong town before the border.
Days 16–19
Across into Laos: Si Phan Don
Crossing a land border in the morning and swinging in a hammock by the afternoon
About an hour and a half to the Trapeang Kriel – Nong Nok Khiene border, with vehicles arranged on both sides because no public transport runs only to the post. Then the road to the Lao landing and a boat to the islands. Four nights, the second laundry stop, and the slowest part of the trip.
Days 20–21
Champasak and Vat Phou
Boat and road north to Champasak. A morning at Vat Phou, the Khmer temple laid out along an axis from the mountain to the river, inscribed by UNESCO.
Day 22
To Pakse
A short drive to Pakse for your onward flight or the next leg of a longer trip.
Sources: The Man in Seat 61 — Cambodia (updated 6 Jun 2026); Wikivoyage — Stung Treng; Mongabay, April 2022; Backpack Adventures, 4000 Islands guide (modified 29 May 2026); UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Angkor; UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Vat Phou, Champasak · checked . Road times vary with season; we confirm each leg before you travel.
Time against comfort, leg by leg
| Leg | Overland time | Comfort | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siem Reap → Phnom Penh | About 6.5 h | Medium by coach, higher by car | A published guide quotes USD 13–15 by coach; check before you travel |
| Phnom Penh → Kampot | Under the 6.5 h full run | Medium — a slow train | A published guide quotes USD 9; check before you travel |
| Kratie → Stung Treng | About 4–5 h | Low to medium | Longer in the rainy season |
| Stung Treng → Lao border | About 1.5 h | Low to medium | No public transport only to the border |
| Border → islands | Road plus a 15–20 min boat | Medium | Boat from Ban Nakasang |
Full table, sources and check dates: overland legs.
Sources: The Man in Seat 61 — Cambodia (updated 6 Jun 2026); Wikivoyage — Stung Treng; Backpack Adventures, 4000 Islands guide (modified 29 May 2026) · checked .
Price
| Travelling party | Comfortable rooms, named hotels | Larger rooms, river or garden views |
|---|---|---|
| Private, 1 traveller | On request | On request |
| Private, 2 travellers | On request | On request |
| Private, 3 – 4 travellers | On request | On request |
| Private, 5 – 6 travellers | On request | On request |
Whether the road legs are by coach or private car is the biggest lever on this price; hotel level in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh is the second. See pricing and how to book.
What the price includes
- 21 nights in named hotels and guesthouses, with breakfast
- Coach or private car on the road legs, as quoted
- Train tickets Phnom Penh–Kampot
- Vehicles on both sides of the Lao border and the island boats
- Guides for two Angkor days, Phnom Penh and Vat Phou
- Morning river boat at Kratie
What it does not include
- International flights
- Cambodia and Laos visas
- Travel insurance
- Lunches, dinners and drinks
- Entrance tickets, including the Angkor pass
- Laundry, tips and personal spending
Who this journey is not for
- First-time visitors who want Vietnam in the same trip — that needs The Long Way Round or a longer combination.
- Travellers who need consistent hotel standards; Stung Treng, Kratie and the islands are simple.
- Anyone travelling in the peak of the rainy season who cannot absorb a slow or muddy road day.
- People who would rather fly between Siem Reap and Pakse in an afternoon.
Pictures from the route
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Do we need visas before we start?
Arrange both before you travel if you can. Check the official e-visa portal of each country for which land crossings accept an e-visa; the list changes and border posts do not always follow it.
Is the train to Kampot worth it over a car?
If you like trains, yes: it is slow, cheap and a view of rural Cambodia at walking pace. If you do not, a car is quicker.
Can this connect to Vietnam?
Yes. Start in Chau Doc and take the river boat to Phnom Penh, or join it after Vietnam by Rail & River.
How basic is basic?
Clean rooms, hot water most of the time, fans or simple air-conditioning, and power that occasionally goes off. Not dormitories.
Related
Read next
Journeys
Journeys
All four journeys side by side: days, legs, flights and who each one suits.
View this journey
Destinations · Southern Laos
Si Phan Don
Four nights in the islands at the bottom of Laos: bicycles, waterfalls and very little else.
View this journey
Destinations · Southern Vietnam
Mekong Delta
Can Tho, Chau Doc and the river crossing to Phnom Penh: five nights where the railway ends.
View this journey
Plan · Overland legs
Overland legs
The leg table: hours, mode, comfort and relative cost for every overland leg we use.
View this journey
Journeys · Prices
Prices
How we price a three-to-five-week private journey, and the third-party fares behind it.
View this journey
Journeys · How to book
How to book
The steps from the first form to the printed leg sheet, and what we need at each one.
View this journey
Start planning
Tell us about the long trip you have in mind
Weeks available, month and party size are enough to start. You get questions first, then a leg-by-leg outline, not a brochure.