A Unique Journey from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: Cruise the River, Explore the Countryside

Hightlight

🚐 Phnom Penh to Siem Reap cruise and land tour
Swap the crowded public bus for a seamless, cruise journey in a safe and reliable riverboat cruise . We provide full porter service for all luggage and suitcases, ensuring a stress-free transition between Cambodia’s two major cities.
🚢 A Journey by Land & Water Why choose one when you can have both? This unique “Hybrid” tour combines a scenic countryside road trip with a relaxing river cruise along the historic Mekong or Tonlé Sap rivers.
🥈 Artisan Discovery: The Silversmiths of Koh Chen Go behind the scenes at a traditional silversmiths factory. Watch master craftsmen at work as they create intricate Khmer silverware using techniques passed down through generations—a perfect opportunity for authentic souvenirs.
🇰🇭 800 Years of History: Kompong Kdei Bridge Walk across one of the world’s oldest surviving arched bridges. Built during the height of the Angkorian Empire, this 800-year-old stone marvel remains a testament to ancient Khmer engineering.
🍽️ Riverfront Dining & Drinks Break up your travel day with a delicious buffet lunch or premium set menu served on board our riverboat. Enjoy your meal with panoramic views of the riverbanks and the cooling water breeze.
📸 Authentic Riverside Immersion Get a true glimpse of “Real Cambodia.” Your expert local guide will lead you through riverside villages and stilted communities, offering insights into the daily lives of the fishing and farming families.

Itinerary

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: Cruise & Land Discovery

The Most Scenic Way to Travel Between Cities

Forget the long, bumpy bus rides and crowded airports. Our exclusive “River & Road” tour turns your travel day into a luxury guided experience. Journey along the historic Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers on our double-hulled cruisers before finishing the trip in a comfortable private vehicle—seeing the real Cambodia every step of the way.

Best of Both Worlds: 5 hours of scenic river cruising + 4 hours of countryside discovery.
All-Inclusive Luxury: Fresh BBQ lunch, unlimited cold drinks, and hotel-to-hotel service.
Unique Stops: Visit the famous Koh Chen silversmith village and the ancient Kompong Kdei Bridge.
Safety First: Avoid dangerous open-lake crossings with our specialized river-and-road route.

At a Glance

Time: 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM (approx. 9 hours).
Price: $139 Per Person (All-inclusive).
Includes: Hotel pickup (Phnom Penh), hotel drop-off (Siem Reap), river cruise, private A/C land transfer, BBQ Lunch (Vegetarian available) & Unlimited Drinks.
Luggage: Full luggage service included—we handle the heavy lifting!

The Itinerary

7:30 AM | Pickup We collect you directly from your Phnom Penh hotel and transfer you to our private pier.

8:00 AM | Set Sail on the Mekong & Tonlé Sap on one of our 3 safe river cruisers. Enjoy a welcome drink and settle in as we cruise north. Our unique boat design allows us to get closer to the banks to see water buffalo, floating homes, and rare river birds. a village stop is normally happening subject to river conditions.

10.30 AM | Onboard BBQ Lunch Relax on deck with a freshly prepared BBQ lunch (vegetarian options available) and unlimited cold beers, soft drinks, and water as the river scenery unfolds.

12.30 PM | Koh Chen Silversmith Village Disembark at Koh Chen island, world-famous for its master silversmiths. Watch artisans create royal-style jewelry and ceremonial pieces—perfect for high-quality souvenirs at wholesale prices.

1:00 PM | Scenic Land Transfer We transition to a private, air-conditioned Lexus or minivan. The journey continues through the pristine countryside, with a special stop at the 12th-century Kompong Kdei Bridge, an ancient stone masterpiece of the Khmer Empire.

4:30 PM | Arrival in Siem Reap We deliver you directly to your hotel door, refreshed and ready for Angkor Wat.

Includes & Excludes

Door-to-Door Service: Stress-free pick-up from your hotel in Phnom Penh and drop-off at your hotel in Siem Reap (or vice versa)

Premium Road Transport: Travel in a late model, air-conditioned SUV or luxury minivan, depending on your group size

Scenic River Cruise: A 4.5-hour journey aboard our comfortable river cruiser (Mekong Tara Prince or similar) to experience the "Four Faces" river junction and rural life

All-Inclusive Dining: A freshly prepared BBQ or Vegetarian Lunch served on board the boat, accompanied by seasonal tropical fruits

Unlimited Drinks: Enjoy free-flow bottled water, soft drinks, and cold beers throughout the cruise portion of your trip.

Expert Local Guide: A professional, English-speaking guide to host you on the boat and during all land-based sightseeing.

Artisan & History Stops: Guided visits to the Koh Chen silversmiths factory and the 800-year-old Kompong Kdei Bridge

Full Luggage Porterage: Our staff handles all heavy lifting—suitcases and large bags are safely stored and transferred for you.

Souvenirs: Any silver jewelry or local crafts purchased at the workshops or roadside stops.

Personal Gratuities: Tips for your driver and boat crew are entirely at your discretion but are greatly appreciated for excellent service.

Important Info

Why Choose a Cruise and Road Transfer Over a Flight?

If you are looking for the best way to travel from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, our combined river cruise and land tour offers an experience that a plane or bus simply can’t match. By avoiding the open waters of the Tonlé Sap Lake, which can be treacherous during storm season or impassable in the dry season, we ensure a safe, year-round transfer that focuses on the beauty of the Tonlé Sap River.

This all-inclusive transfer is perfect for travelers who want to maximize their time in Cambodia. Instead of a wasted travel day, you’ll explore the “Royal Road” of the Khmer Empire, visit the Koh Chen silversmiths, and dine on a historic riverboat. With 20 years of experience, Tara Boat provides the only licensed and fully insured service on this route, turning a standard city-to-city transfer into the highlight of your Cambodian holiday.

🚢 Book the Ultimate Journey Today

Phnom Penh ↔ Siem Reap | The River & Land Discovery

A Unique Journey from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: Cruise the River, Explore the Countryside

Price List

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$119 per person

Private River Cruise: Siem Reap to Battambang | Sangkae River & Floating Villages

You will be picked up at your Hotel in Siem Reap or Battambang by our Tara lake guide just prior to 7:30 AM and be taken to our boat, we pick up in either tuk tuks or cars or mini vans depending on number of guests, the boats we use for this tour have western toilets on board, fully covered and comfortable seating for your comfort, luggage is not a problem, the cruise itself is awesome, lots to see along the way of this beautiful Sangkor River, as the only way to these villages are by boat, its basically untouched over time, You will enter a time forgotten, numerous sights and sounds, wildlife a plenty, water buffalo, jumping fish, the odd Siamese Crocodile, large endangered water birds, so many sights to see, once in a life time cruise, adventure and a real eye opener, numerous floating villages, Pergolas, fishing in the traditional ways and much more, your journey will be a life memory that few get to enjoy, be guided throughout your tour by a qualified local Tara Riverboat guides, who will explain all the sights and how the communities work, yes most of our guides are from the lake and floating villages, so can give a great in-sight into daily life, cruising the famous Sangkor River passing rice paddies, traditional villages and local areas. As no road exist here everything has to travel via boats, children going to floating schools, market shopping, community centers, all by boats, Along the way, discover traditional lifestyles, enjoy magnificent landscapes and experience rural Cambodia.

$240 Per Person

Tonlé Sap Multi-Day Adventure: Floating Villages, Flooded Forest & Prek Toal

2 days & 1 Night Lake Discovery and exploration cruise is the most exciting, interesting and amazing way to discover the Great Tonle Sap Lake, Flooded Forest, Floating villages and the most famous Bird sanctuary at Prek Toal. this is the area rare and endangered large water birds seasonally migrate for their nesting.

$28 Per Person

Phnom Penh Sunset Cruise on the Mekong & Tonlé Sap Rivers

Escape the city, tour the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers and watch the sunset over Phnom Penh whilst relaxing on the Mekong Tara Prince. We cruise by the Royal Palace before turning into the Mekong River towards Silk Island, passing the floating villages all from the comfort of the top decks enjoying the included BBQ and drinks. Once owned by the Prince of Cambodia, this beautiful boat has been refurbished to offer comfort and style ensuring a perfect journey, and its unique double hull enables us to navigate areas other river boats cannot. Come and join us as we escape the hustle and bustle of the city of Phnom Penh and cruise up the Tonle sap river and join the mighty Mekong River to watch the sunset over Phnom Penh. whilst relaxing on the special Mekong Tara Prince. (Once owned by the Royal Family) Please note, we have 2 boats currently in Phnom Penh, they take in turns to operate daily.

$139 Per Person

Cambodia’s Only Scenic Land & River Cruise Between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh

This is an exciting and different way to travel, we Cruise/land tour, we go both ways Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Siem Reap to Phnom Penh Daily. Travel from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap has always been difficult due to the ever-changing water levels on the Tonle Sap Lake, even in the wet season when the water levels are high enough you have other issues, low lying bridges,making the riverboats unable to pass, storms on the lake that can make the crossing treacherous. fishing nets and water hyacinth are also issues, the sheer boredom of crossing the lake as there is nothing to see apart from vast swathes of water, not anymore.

$139 Per Person

A Unique Journey from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: Cruise the River, Explore the Countryside

his is an exciting and different way to travel, we Cruise/land tour, we go both ways Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Siem Reap to Phnom Penh Daily. Travel from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap has always been difficult due to the ever-changing water levels on the Tonle Sap Lake, even in the wet season when the water levels are high enough you have other issues, low lying bridges,making the riverboats unable to pass, storms on the lake that can make the crossing treacherous. fishing nets and water hyacinth are also issues, the sheer boredom of crossing the lake as there is nothing to see apart from vast swathes of water, not anymore.

$165 Per Person

Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary: Home of Cambodia’s Most Endangered Birds

The bird sanctuary at Prek Toal is one of the wonders of Southeast Asia, with the abundance of fish it attracts thousands upon thousands of rare and endangered water birds, on the freshwater lake and flooded forests and mangroves, (see bird list below), The most common bird species we see are the Spot billed Pelicans, Open billed storks, Chinese Pond Herons, Terns, Egrets.

$72 Per Person

Kompong Khleang Not Just a Tour — A Glimpse Into Floating Life.

Take a break from visiting temples and experience the amazing floating fishing villages and Stilted villages homes of Kompong Khleang on a day tour from Siem Reap. Enjoy the scenery on the boat ride (traditional long tail type) and meet the children and teachers at the local floating school. Our guide for this tour is actually from this same village, so can give you a great insight as to how the village operates. This village receives very few visitors as its 50km from Siem Reap, but certainly worth the extra effort, the trip out to the village is also interesting as we visit the local brick making kilns, a few stops on route also to explore the countryside, rice fields and taste of the sticky rice. Don’t miss this opportunity to visit the unique and remote floating fishing village of Kompong Khleang, as Kompong Phluk, Kompong Khleang is mainly made up of stilted homes raising some 10 meters high, however does also have a small floating village, but not a large one like the floating villages of Chong khneas, its located on the Northeast of the Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and the richest fishing lake in the World. The Tonle Sap is a unique ecological hotspot. Kompong Khleang is situated around 50km from Siem Reap. (Please note Kompong Khleang does not have a flooded forest as does Kompong Phluk, but it is a much larger village.

$88 per person

Kompong Phluk Flooded Forest & Two Villages Sunset Tour – Siem Reap’s Best Evening Adventure

Does it get any better than this? Watching a magnificent sunset over the largest freshwater lake in SE Asia on board a 100-year-old ex-cargo boat. This unique cruise (Voted best in Siem Reap) is only available through Tara Riverboat tours and is the best way to experience 2 very different types of floating and stilted villages whilst also crossing the Great Tonle Sap Lake and enjoying a full buffet dinner (or fixed menu) and all-inclusive drinks (Includes Champagne, wines from Australia, beers, cocktails, spirits, soft drinks and water)on board our famous Queen Tara, (Queen Tara is the largest by far riverboat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the largest fresh water lake in S.E Asia). We depart your hotel just before 1.30pm, (our lake guide will meet you in your hotel or guesthouse foyer/reception area). and head to the docking station of Kompong Phluk where our traditional flat-bottomed boat will be waiting to cruise you through the floating villages and stilted villages and into the township of Kompong Phluk.

$88 per person

Kompong Phluk “Discover Two Worlds on the Water – Floating & Stilted Villages

Exploring 2 very different floating villages and fishing villages is a great way to experience and get a better understanding of how the villages work on the greatest fresh water lake in S.E Asia, the Tonle Sap lake, the first village is a true floating village whereas the second village (Kompong Phluk or Kampong Phluk) is home mainly to stilted homes and the famous flooded forest, this tour also includes the crossing of the Tonle Sap lake so we are able to explore more than just the different villages.

$ 38 per person

🛶 Kompong Phluk Village Cruise – A Journey Through Cambodia’s Living Waterworld

Our exploring journey to Kompong Phluk or Kampong Phluk (same village, different spelling) floating villages and stilted homes is one of our most popular , and after 20 years of conducting this cruise tour, we know of all the great places to visit, in fact some of our guides for this tour was actually born here, makes it even more exciting for our guests, we leave Siem Reap just before 8:30 am, or 2.30pm two difference daily (our Tara riverboat lake guide will meet you in your hotel or guesthouse foyer area)and travel (via a/c car or tuk tuk ) south/east through small beautiful rural villages and rice fields towards the great lake. Depending on the time of year and the current water levels we go as far as we can by road where our boats will be waiting for you. We travel the rest of the way by boat down the Kompong Phluk river and into the main fishing village.

$38 Per Person

Experience the Most Stunning Siem Reap Sunset on the Queen Tara Riverboat

Unique cruise tours in and around the local floating fishing villages and lake with floating houses, markets, police stations (even a floating jail), floating churches, floating vegetable gardens, floating markets, floating basketball courts, floating police stations, floating health care centers, complete floating villages & schools

$36 Per Person

Authentic Siem Reap: Floating Village & Riverboat Experience

Best cruise tour of the floating fishing villages and lakes with floating homes, churches, floating markets, floating police stations, floating petrol stations, yes floating villages & schools (you name it, the village seems to have it) i guess that is why a lot of people refer to this village as the water village– then chill out on the Queen Tara Riverboat with lunch (Vegetarian options available) and 2 refreshing cold drinks, all free as part of the cruise tour. All our staff from cooks, to Captain, boat drivers and bar staff were born in this unique floating village, so can certainly answer any questions in regard to village life, described as (simply the best floating villages tour in Siem Reap) Trip advisor. ( best floating villages cruise is with the Tara boat guys) Lonely Planets.

$32 Per Person

Tara Riverboat Floating Village Tour -Explore the Authentic Life on Tonle Sap Lake

This is the largest true floating villages in Cambodia, sometimes called the water villages its home to some 6000 people, its a true floating fishing village, in fact it’s actually 2 villages in one, as our very professional Tara lake guides will point out.