Cambodia Green Season Tour - full itinerary

Our Cambodia “Green Season” tour offers plentiful photographic opportunities, from ancient temples to vibrant contemporary life. Phnom Penh combines the grandeur of the Royal Palace complex with the colonial-era architecture of the old French Quarter. Along the rivers, floating villages and bustling markets provide glimpses into traditional riverside life.

​The temples of Angkor showcase the pinnacle of Khmer architecture, including Angkor Wat's soaring spires and Ta Prohm's ruins. At dawn, Sra Srang's reservoir provides mirror-like reflections, while the enigmatic faces of the Bayon emerge from the mist. Less-visited temples present atmospheric scenes of ruins slowly returning to the forest.

​Throughout the country, vibrant markets, Buddhist monasteries, and the quiet rural life offer endless photographic possibilities. From the pottery villages of Kampong Chhnang to traditional silk weavers near Phnom Penh, Cambodia's artistic heritage and its warm, resilient people create a paradise for those seeking authentic cultural experiences.

Day 1:
Arrival in Phnom Penh
We will arrange for you to be picked up from the airport and taken to our boutique hotel near the royal palace. Nathan runs an optional pre-tour technical workshop from around 3-5pm for those new to travel photography or who feel they would benefit from a refresher course (please confirm your interest). There’s a meet ‘n’ greet with Nathan at the hotel starting at around 6pm, followed by drinks and dinner with the group.

Day 2:
Phnom Penh
Early this morning we kick off with a visit to the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. Still the principal residence of the King of Cambodia, these highly decorative buildings and gardens date back to the 1860s and offer a wealth of photo (teaching) opportunities. The complex presents majestic scenes of traditional Khmer architecture, with its gilded spires and ornate rooflines best captured in early morning light. The Chan Chaya Pavilion and Throne Hall are particularly photogenic, their golden roofs gleaming against the sky.

After the palace, we explore the nearby artisan area around Street 178, combined with visits to Wat Sarawan and Wat Ounalom, two of the foremost pagodas in the city. Wat Sarawan features richly decorated interiors and active monk life, offering intimate cultural photographs. Nearby Wat Ounalom presents architectural details and chances to document daily religious practices. Sunset cruises on the Mekong River capture the convergence of three rivers, with fishing boats and riverside life silhouetted against the evening sky.

In the afternoon, we take a walking tour around the River Quarter. Wat Phnom is one of the capital city's main tourist sites and the starting point for our stroll through old colonial buildings, bustling street markets and interesting temples. We then make our way to the delightful riverside, where we will board a small cruise boat for sunset shots from the river.

Day 3:
Phnom Penh
This morning we explore a community living on Phnom Penh's railway tracks which exemplifies how fast the city is changing. Along the tracks, photographers can document local life as residents navigate their daily routines alongside the rails. We then combine photography and shopping opportunities with a visit to the landmark building that houses Central Market. The art deco market's distinctive dome and interior passages provide both architectural and street photography opportunities.

Afterwards we visit the infamous former interrogation centre S21 which now houses the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. The sobering museum requires sensitive photography, with its preserved rooms telling powerful stories through simple objects and spaces.

In the afternoon, we visit Silk Island in the nearby Mekong River. Despite being only a short ferry ride, we find ourselves stepping back in time to see a charming rural Cambodian community set amongst orchards, paddy fields and pagodas. offers a peaceful contrast with its traditional silk weaving, rural life, and riverside scenes. The island's slower pace allows for intimate portraits of artisans and agricultural lifestyles, particularly effective in late afternoon light. Nathan once had a small house on the island and has built up many friends over the years.

If you hadn't guessed, the island gets in name from its primary form of income, silk weaving. Most of the households own a loom, and we get many opportunities to photograph the local people as they spin and weave their highly praised handmade silk products. We also make a point of calling in on a few other cottage industries and finally catching the sunset as the cows come home.

Day 4:
Phnom Penh — Oudong — Kampong Chhnang
Today we set off from Phnom Penh to visit a large monastery at Oudong with plenty of time to enjoy the great photo opportunity of many monks and nuns taking their lunch preceded by much ritual and ceremony. Oudong Temple, perched atop a hill about 40km north of Phnom Penh, offers striking photographic opportunities centered around its modern Buddhist stupas and historic structures.

Three prominent stupas contain royal relics, with the central stupa housing Buddha relics. These structures offer compelling subjects in varying light conditions. The intricate carvings, gilded surfaces, and tiered umbrellas of the stupas provide rich detail for both wide-angle compositions and intimate architectural studies. The hilltop complex stands in sharp contrast to the surrounding plains, with its gleaming white and gold structures visible for miles around.

From Oudong, we head north for around an hour to Kampong Chhnang, a lively riverside town renowned for its pottery and traditional crafts. On arrival, we enjoy lunch before checking in to our hotel, after which we set off to explore the outskirts of town where families produce earthenware using age-old techniques passed down through generations. The rhythmic turning of the wheel, the earthy scent of clay and smoke from wood-fired kilns, and shafts of sunlight filtering through palm-leaf roofs make for rich photographic material — full of colour, texture and human warmth.

Later in the afternoon, we visit families making clay pots amongst the sugar palm-studded paddy fields. The surrounding countryside offers an array of additional photographic subjects, including sugar palm trees, colourful paddy fields and fishing ponds. Finding people working in those environments as the sun sets can create many of the most rewarding photo opportunities of the day. These vistas also make great pictures, especially at this time of year with local families planting paddy fields, gleaming in brilliant shades of emerald green with their mirror-like surfaces reflecting trees and clouds.

Day 5:
Kampong Chhnang — Skun — Kompong Thom
In the morning we take a short drive to the river and board a local boat to explore the nearby floating village. During the green season, houses drift on calm, reflective waters and boats glide between stilted homes and floating gardens. It’s a world of fishermen casting nets, children paddling to school and families tending floating shops. The light is beautifully soft, perfect for capturing everyday river life and intimate portraits of this vibrant community before returning to shore and continuing our journey.

We return to our hotel, check out and set off for the bustling market town of Skun, famous for its fried tarantulas and other unusual snacks. Stalls line the roadside with trays of crisp spiders, crickets and silkworms, alongside tropical fruits and local sweets. It’s a lively, colourful stop that offers a glimpse of rural Cambodian life and a few unforgettable photo opportunities, from grinning vendors proudly showing off their wares to brave locals (and visitors) sampling the region’s most notorious delicacy.

From here, we continue to the town of Kompong Thom, taking lunch at a roadside restaurant before checking in to our comfortable boutique hotel. In the afternoon we head up Santuk mountain to visit quirky monasteries and ancient carvings in cliff faces, and take some sunset shots in the iconic Cambodian countryside. Rising from the surrounding plains, it provides elevated vistas of the Cambodian countryside. The 809 steps to the summit lead past colourful Buddhist shrines and offer increasingly panoramic views.

The summit is particularly photogenic at sunset, when golden light bathes the landscape and long shadows stretch across the plains below. The surrounding rural scenery is at its most vibrant during the green season, when newly planted rice paddies shimmer in brilliant shades of emerald and jade. Reflections of clouds and palms ripple across the flooded fields, creating painterly compositions that change with every passing breeze. Traditional stilted houses, farmers tending the crops, and water buffalo grazing in the soft light complete this timeless rural tableau.

Day 6:
Kompong Thom — Sambor Prei Kuk — Kompong Phluk —Siem Reap
We make an early morning departure to Sambor Prei Kuk, our first Ancient Temple experience in the forest. These temples pre-date those at Angkor, so they are a great introduction to the vast Khmer Empire. The UNESCO World Heritage site features over 100 brick temples scattered through atmospheric forest. The light filtering through the trees onto the ancient structures creates compelling compositions.

The temple complex is divided into three main groups - Prasat Sambor, Prasat Yeay Poan, and Prasat Tor - each offering distinct architectural elements. We can capture intricate carvings, ornate lintels, and unique octagonal towers. The relative lack of crowds allows for unobstructed shots and the opportunity to document local life.

The middle of the day entails a 3-hour drive broken up by lunch. late afternoon, we visit Kompong Phluk, a fishing village built on 8-metre stilts that helps the locals deal with equally high rises in lake height during the rainy season. The floating village presents a glimpse of life on the Tonle Sap Lake. We can document daily life as villagers navigate between homes, fish with traditional methods, and tend to floating gardens. The evening light is particularly effective for capturing these activities.

The nearby flooded forest offers ethereal scenes as boats weave between partially submerged treetops. During dry season, the exposed stilts create a forest of wooden poles, with fishing in the remaining deeper waters. The open water at sunset offers an incredible Cambodian sunset with fishing boats crossing your frame heading home before dark. We make a point of being on the Tonle Sap (Cambodia's largest lake) for sunset.

Day 7:
Siem Reap
We begin the day with an unforgettable sunrise over Angkor Wat, which demands attention from every angle. We follow this stunning introduction with several hours of exploring the largest religious building on the planet, often with the help of a few monks known to Nathan. The classic reflection shots at dawn are just the beginning; the extensive bas-reliefs and soaring towers offer endless compositional possibilities.

Later in the day, we visit the excellent Angkor Thom – the ancient city capital of Angkor. Its three square kilometres of walls still contain many treasures such as decorative gates and parade areas. Its massive gates and bridge statues provide dramatic framing opportunities.

These are stunning enough but are mere appetisers for the jewel within that is Bayon. The enigmatic faces of the temple, at Angkor Thom's heart, emerge gradually from shadow as the sun rises. The interplay of light across these massive stone visages creates constantly changing expressions, while the upper terraces offer compelling views across the surrounding jungle canopy. Originally constructed as an official state temple around the early 13th Century, this temple shows over a hundred serenely smiling Buddha faces that will keep any photographer happy for hours. We end the day with some sunset shots around the South Gate.

Day 8:
Siem Reap
Before the sun rises, we head to Sra Sang (an ancient Khmer name for a bathing pool) to view the beginning of the day. A friend of Nathan’s volunteers to make a great silhouette as she collects water for her mother's orchid garden from the pool with the sun rising behind. The vast reflecting pool provides classic sunrise shots, with the ancient landing stage silhouetted against the dawn sky and stone nagas creating strong foreground elements. The early morning mist often adds atmosphere to these compositions.

After sunrise we head to Ta Phrom, aiming to get there early enough to avoid the crowds. This iconic temple displays an iconic marriage of architecture and nature, where massive tree roots embrace crumbling temple walls. Early morning light creates dramatic interplay between shadows and highlights.

In the afternoon, we go to the lesser-known Srei Vibol, a remote temple with few visitors but some monk friends. It offers opportunities for atmospheric shots without crowds, its tumbled stones and forest setting providing a sense of discovery. On the last visit of the day, with the sun setting over local sugar palm-studded fields, we see a boy riding his buffalo home.

Day 9:
Siem Reap
We set out early this morning to reach one of Angkor’s most remote and atmospheric sites, Kbal Spean. The trail climbs gently through shaded jungle, passing tangled roots and birdsong before emerging beside a clear stream. Here, riverbeds and boulders are intricately carved with ancient Hindu motifs — lingas, deities and serpents — earning the site its name, the Valley of a Thousand Lingas. In the soft morning light, the carvings reveal remarkable detail, framed by moss and running water, creating beautiful opportunities for close-up and abstract compositions.

We continue deeper into the Kulen mountain area for a relaxed lunch and a chance to photograph forest waterfalls surrounded by lush greenery. On our return, we stop at Banteay Srei, celebrated for the most exquisite stonework in the entire Angkor complex. Built from rose-pink sandstone, the temple glows warmly in the late afternoon light, its intricate carvings of apsaras and mythological scenes casting fine shadows across the delicate reliefs. Small in scale but endlessly detailed, Banteay Srei offers a perfect final session for capturing texture, light, and the timeless artistry of Angkor.

Day 10:
Departure from Siem Reap
Today you have free time until our driver collects you to take you to the airport or your flight home.

We hope you will have had an enjoyable and memorable experience, and we look forward to seeing you again on another photographic adventure!