CAMBODIA & LAOS RAIL ADVENTURE
14 days/13 nights
Max group 12
Lifetime Deposit
14 Day Rail Adventure from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang
Looking for the ultimate bucket-list Rail journey through Cambodia and Laos? Well, stop right here, because you’ve found it!
You’ll run the full gamut of trains on our 14-day deep-dive of this corner of Southeast Asia. From rather rickety bamboo trolleys to rocketing through the rice paddies on shiny-new fast trains, you’ll have the chance to connect all the dots by rail.
But it’s not only about the glory of train travel. Watch the sunrise like an ochre orb over Angkor Wat, walk with elephants and witness the ancient alms ceremony like a local.
This region, along with Vietnam, was once known as French Indochina and the influence is evident in everything from food to architecture. Although, for all the similarities there are between Cambodia and Laos, the differences are greater. On this trip, you’ll discover how unique each of these nations, and their peoples, truly are.
Our small travel group of 12 (max) means that you’ll have a more intimate experience than getting around on the big-bus style of tours. This is all just a taste of what you can expect from this trip. So get on board… Cambodia and Laos are waiting!
Trip Breakdown
Trip length
14 days, 13 nights
Dates
Start: Siem Reap, 19 February 2025
Finish: Luang Prabang, 4 March 2025
New Date
Price
February 2025 – $5,362 AUD (per person twin share)
- $1,650 AUD deposit, per person
- 2-week cooling-off period applies
- Lifetime deposit. If you need to cancel, your deposit is transferable to other trips
- Twin Share: we’ll match you with a roomie if you’re travelling solo.
- Private supplement available: February 2025 – $1,811 AUD, max 2 spots;
Please refer to our payment terms in the FAQs.
Meeting point
La Niche D’Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Ending point
My Dream Boutique Resort, Luang Prabang, Laos
Group size
Maximum 12 people.
Inclusions
- Meals: 13 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 6 dinners
- 1 international flight between Cambodia and Laos on day 9.
- 5 train rides, otherwise private vehicle transportation throughout.
- 13 nights boutique accommodation
- 1 top-rated and English-speaking Tour Leader in Cambodia and 1 in Laos.
Exclusions
- International flights
- Travel insurance (compulsory)
- Any visas required
- Late check-out at hotels
- Meals and drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
- Drinks with included lunches and dinners
- Tip kitty (See FAQs for more information)
- Personal expenditure
Have a group?
Contact us and we can arrange a private departure.
Trip Highlights
Feel the thrill of riding on the Bamboo Train.
Explore the World Heritage ancient capitals of Angkor and Luang Prabang.
Ride Cambodia’s old-rattlers and Laos’s shiny-new fast trains.
Witness monks receiving Morning Alms like a local.
Eat Hawker-Market-style at Luang Prabang’s laid back night market.
Walk with elephants along a rural path.
What our Cambodia MagRailers say
Overview
Train Journeys Included
Day 4: Battambang to Phnom Penh train, Bamboo Train
Day 6: Phnom Penh to Kampot train
Day 8: Kampot to Phnom Penh train
Day 11: Vientiane to Luang Prabang speed train
Accommodation Preview
All Accommodation on this trip is 4 stars. Here are some examples:
BATTAMBANG RESORT, Battambang - Cambodia
FRANGIPANI ROYAL PALACE, Phnom Penh - Cambodia
MY DREAM BOUTIQUE RESORT, Luang Prabang - Laos
Trip Summary
| Trip Summary | B | L | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Welcome to Cambodia! | |||
| Day 2 | Explore Angkor Wat & Grand Circuit | |||
| Day 3 | Transfer to Battambang, visit the "Killing Caves" | |||
| Day 4 | Bamboo train ride, visit Wat Banan, train from Battambang to Phnom Penh | |||
| Day 5 | Phnom Penh full day city tour | |||
| Day 6 | Phnom Penh to Kampot train ride | |||
| Day 7 | Explore Kampot countryside | |||
| Day 8 | Visit Phnom Chhnork, Kampot to Phnom Penh train | |||
| Day 9 | Flight to Vientiane - Laos | |||
| Day 10 | Vientiane city tour | |||
| Day 11 | High-Speed Train to Luang Prabang | |||
| Day 12 | Almsgiving ceremony, visit Vat Xiengthong and Royal Palace, visit Pak Ou Cave. | |||
| Day 13 | Walk with Elephants and Kuang Si Waterfall | |||
| Day 14 | Farewell friends! |
Trip Map
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Cambodia!
Welcome to the Kingdom of Cambodia! You’ve just landed in the temple mecca of Siem Reap. We know you’re excited to get the train travel rolling but your first introduction to transportation is by private transfer to your hotel. Fancy! Watch the dusty streets of Siem Reap come alive as your driver navigates through honking motorbikes and darting tuktuks. Is that Angkor Wat in the distance?
Tonight you’ll gather together with your fellow train lovers over a special welcome dinner, all hosted by your new BFF, your local guide! Get some rest this evening, tomorrow is an early start to your first full day in Cambodia.
ACCOMMODATION: La Niche d’Angkor (or similar)
INCLUDED: Dinner
Day 2: Sunrise at Angkor Wat
What better way to dive into the Kingdom of Wonder than exploring its crown jewel, Angkor Wat. You’ll rise early today, and while it might feel a bit tiresome after a long day of travel, we promise it’s worth it! Arrive at Angkor Wat under cover of darkness and watch the temples come alive as the sun rises against megalithic Buddha images and crumbling bas reliefs. Remember your new BFF from last night? Your guide knows just the right section of this labyrinthine complex to head for first in an attempt to beat the crowds. This is one of the most iconic UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world after all!
💡Tip! Don’t forget to cover your shoulders, chest, and knees today! Angkor Wat is a religious site and culturally insensitive clothing is prohibited.
ACCOMMODATION: La Niche d’Angkor (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 3: Battambang
Watch as the ancient city of Angkor fades away in a cloud of dust today as you weave through the countryside on a four-hour bus drive to Battambang, Cambodia’s ‘rice bowl’. Cambodia isn’t exactly all-impressive UNESCO sites and smiling locals. Instead, you’ll come face to face with its grisly past at the Killing Caves this afternoon.
While it can be difficult to fathom these heart-wrenching stories, it’s all part of a greater understanding of Cambodia’s not-too-distant and oft-too-tragic Khmer Rouge history. Stick around until nightfall if you dare. Thousands of bats emerge from these caves and you’ll have a front row seat to the show!
ACCOMMODATION: Battambang Resort (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4: Bamboo Train
You’ve been anticipating the very thing that makes a Magnificent Rail journey special: train travel! Today’s your first taste, in more ways than one. Less of a locomotive per se and more of an open trolley, the bamboo trains run along railroad tracks long abandoned by French colonists. The ride is open and fast and you’ll feel the wind in your hair as you rumble past farmers tending their fields and locals going about everyday life. This was once a popular mode of transportation for them!
After lunch you’ll be able to explore any remaining nooks and crannies of Battambang with some free time, before heading to the train station at 3pm. It’s a slow, eight-hour journey to Cambodia’s shimmering beehive of a capital, Phnom Penh, but you’ll have plenty of time to take in the rural landscape as dusk settles over the millennia-old paddy fields. Tie over any hungry-tummy growls with some snacks from the vendors near the train station, or be a bit more daring and grab some dinner with the locals aboard the train – with your guide’s assistance, of course!
ACCOMMODATION: Frangipani Royal Palace (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 5: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
If you didn’t already know you were in Cambodia’s capital, you will today! Get out and about the chaotic streets of steamy Phnom Penh and delight in the colourful commotion of incessant honking, awash in the smell of exhaust.
Today is a contrast of activities that tell the history of the city – from ornate palaces and glittering stupas to the horrific acts at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. The beauty of sights like the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda are in stark contrast to the tragedies of the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng prison.
Phnom Penh is developing rapidly, but the Cambodia of old waits around every corner. Enjoy lunch out at a local restaurant before spending the evening at your leisure. Float in the resort’s saltwater pool or wander the disorderly streets looking for Cambodian silk scarves. Tomorrow you’re headed for pepper country!
ACCOMMODATION: Frangipani Royal Palace (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 6: Kampot, Cambodia
Today starts early with the slow train to Kampot. Settle in with the locals for your march south, all the way to the coast. The train moves lazily through the countryside like a slow-moving snake – crawling past rice paddies, lumbering water buffalo and rural village life… all the sights you won’t see from the main roads.
This afternoon you’ll explore Kampot with your guide before enjoying a traditional Cambodian dinner. Your accommodation tonight is an ode to the days of French occupation! Tuck into bed in a historic, colonial terrace house that just oozes old-world charm.
ACCOMMODATION: River Tree Villa & Resort (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7: Cambodia’s Countryside
You’re a week into the trip and it’s finally time for a glimpse of the real Cambodia. The Cambodia that’s unveiled in tiny towns and their surrounding pastoral landscapes. Today is a true homage to rural life and the production of the country’s most famous crop – pepper.
Kick off the day with a drive through the countryside, passing craggy clusters of limestone and secret caves. Did somebody ask for a little seasoning? Spice experiences abound as you visit both a specialty peppercorn plantation and artisanal salt fields. Lunch is served in a traditional riverside stilt-hut, no doubt with local seasonings, that overlooks a series of minor rapids. You’ll have some time this afternoon to relax or wander to the riverside in search of a cheeky cocktail or two.
ACCOMMODATION: River Tree Villa & Resort (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Lunch
Kampot Pepper
At one point in time, Kampot pepper graced the tables of many fine French establishments. Touted as the ‘champagne of peppers’, today it’s revered for its mild, fragrant taste that’s ideal for seasoning vegetables and meat.
Kampot pepper was in danger of extinction during the Khmer Rouge’s brutal reign but has slowly made a comeback thanks to intrigued visitors and culinary hounds alike. Be sure to grab a bag to take home. The white peppercorns are especially sought after and expensive in Europe!
Day 8: Kep
Lovers of seafood, rejoice. Today you’re headed to the coast for a crustacean feast! If you’re lamenting a crab lunch, don’t fret, there’ll be something for everyone and it’ll all be delicious. Pass through the ruins of French-style villas in Cambodia’s lost Riviera on your way to local temples. This afternoon is a mixture of cultures that’s undeniably fascinating.
You’re back on the train to Phnom Penh this evening. While you might think you know what to expect (you’ve done this journey once before after all!), you’ll be surprised at how ever-changing the countryside is out your window. The four-hour adventure will no doubt have a few surprises up its sleeve. Soak in the frenetic nature of the tumultuous capital and humble Cambodian trains, tomorrow you’re headed for more peaceful territory.
ACCOMMODATION: Frangipani Royal Palace (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 9: Welcome to Laos!
Welcome to Laos! This is your second country of the trip and it only gets more intriguing from here. You’ll begin the morning with a quick flight to Vientiane, Laos’ laidback capital city. We figured we’d save you the 15-hour journey by bus.
Exhale, Vientiane’s population is only half that of Phnom Penh and it’s immediately evident in the manicured streets and relaxed atmosphere. Start your peaceful reprieve by meeting your new, Laotian BFF! Your guide will host a traditional fine-dining welcome dinner as a celebration of your arrival in their beloved country.
ACCOMMODATION: Salana Boutique Hotel (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10: Explore Vientiane
Today is all about getting to know Vientiane. Follow your guide through vibrant temples like Wat Si Muang, where locals come to pray for everything from babies to new cars and continue on to the COPE centre for a look at America’s ‘Secret War’.
Did you know that Laos is the most heavily bombed country in the world? Throughout the Vietnam War, America unleashed over 270 million bombs, leaving behind over 80 million unexploded ordnance. 50 years on, the remaining undetonated ordinances continue to cause casualties, often when farmers unearth them while working.
ACCOMMODATION: Salana Boutique Hotel (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 11: High Speed Train to Luang Prabang
You’ve got another early start, but haven’t they all been worth it so far? This time you’re rising with the sun to experience a bit of comfort. The snail pace trains of Cambodia are a thing of the past and China’s investment in Laos’ new high-speed trains is your win today! Soon you’ll be jetting through the countryside in comfort.
Watch as the golden pagodas and tree-lined avenues of Vientiane slowly slip into misty karst mountains and bicycled lanes. Before you know it you’ll be pulling up to Luang Prabang, located amid the confluence of the Nam Khan and the mighty Mekong Rivers.
Traditional architecture meets modern comfort at your accommodation for the next few nights. Bask in the evening glow on your balcony and admire the resort’s hand-carved wooden features. Even more fun – tonight you’re headed to the night market for an impromptu food tour turned dinner with the locals! Let your nose guide you to specialities like fragrant larb, Laotian sausage and freshly baked baguettes.
ACCOMMODATION: Capital Hotel (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 12: Explore Luang Prabang
You’re nearing the end of your cultural rail journey through Southeast Asia and it wouldn’t be a Magnificent Rail trip if we didn’t squeeze out every last drop! That being said, today’s a big day – packed to the gills with all things Luang Prabang.
Rise with the monks for an enchanting experience – the legendary morning alms ceremony. In recent years the main streets of Luang Prabang have become crowded with other visitors, elbowing in for photos, but we’re going off the beaten path in a nearby village for the real deal.
After witnessing this ancient tradition, breakfast is at the Luang Prabang market before spending the afternoon exploring further afield by both road and river. They say you haven’t been to Luang Prabang until you climb the 328 steps of Phousi Mountain. This hike, coupled with a boat ride to the famous Pak Ou Caves, are both feats for the trophy cabinet. Dinner is at your leisure this evening. Be sure to grab a BeerLao, you’ve earned it!
ACCOMMODATION: My Dream Boutique Resort (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast and Lunch
Laos: Land of a Million Elephants
Laos once lived up to its nickname as the ‘Land of a Million Elephants’. Thousands of elephants roamed the dense forests and sparse settlements that made the perfect home for these shy mammals. Now, wild elephants in Laos number less than 1,000, all thanks to poaching and human encroachment on their natural habitat. Slowly but surely, initiatives have begun to help the last of these native creatures through sanctuaries and rescue centres alike. You can be a part of the cause by avoiding activities like elephant riding.
Day 13: Elephants & Waterfalls
Today you’ll visit MandaLao, one of the most ethical elephant experiences in Southeast Asia. They pride themselves on taking the utmost care of their herd of rescued elephants and don’t allow detrimental activities like riding. First you’ll cross the river to watch them bathe with their mahouts. The bond between them is inspiring. Then you’ll stride alongside two of these gentle giants as they weave along their favourite jungle path, picking at the vegetation as they go. Their size and grace will rest fondly in your memory for years to come! It’s just a 2.5-km walk, but if that isn’t for you, you’re welcome to hang back and enjoy the riverside views at MandaLao instead.
By the afternoon, you’ll be up for a swim yourself – in the aqua pools of the Kuang Si Waterfall. Can you believe it’s already time for the farewell dinner? Gather together with your cherished local guide and the MagRail gang for a traditional meal. This will be a night to remember!
ACCOMMODATION: My Dream Boutique Resort (or similar)
INCLUDED: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: Farewell Friends
This may be the end of your trip but it’s not the end of your friendships! Be sure to exchange info with your fellow trip-goers to keep in touch. We’ve arranged for transport to the airport in Luang Prabang after a final Laotian breakfast, of course. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you next time!
INCLUDED: Breakfast
Frequently Asked Questions
Prior to the payment of your full balance, the final price may change if there is significant variation in the AUD:USD exchange rate. Our trip pricing is determined by what the exchange rates are at the time of publishing the trip.
The pricing on this trip is based on an exchange rate of 1 AUD:0.67 USD.
A deposit of $1,650 is required to hold your spot. Payment can be made by credit card (fees apply) or bank deposit.
There is a cooling-off period of 2 weeks. (Applicable to all bookings made 110 days in advance.)
We have implemented a ‘lifetime deposit’ guarantee. Deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable at any time, right up until the first day of the trip.
The final balance of the trip is required 95 days in advance of the departure date. Our suppliers require upfront payment well in advance to guarantee availability.
Most of our trips have a tip kitty because many cultures have interesting and diverse rules when it comes to tips. We’ve found it to be the easiest way to combat over-tipping, under-tipping or having the tip fall into the wrong hands. Our goal is for guests to relax and know that the complexities of tipping are taken care of, on their behalf.
Your trip covers 2 countries with individual currencies, so we ask your contribution be:·
- Cambodian tip kitty given to your guide on Day 1
350,000 Cambodian Riel (equivalent to $78USD) at exchange rate $1USD:4,059 Riel) - Laos tip kitty given to your guide on day 9
850,000 Laos Kip (equivalent to $40USD) at exchange rate $1USD:21,300 Kip).
Each kitty will be managed by the guide and distributed along the way at restaurants for included meals, hotel staff, drivers and all guides.
So long as you have a general level of health and fitness, you’ll be fine. There is no specific exercise planned for this trip, but there will be days where you’ll be walking and spending a lot of time on your feet – sometimes on uneven ground and unpaved tracks. Daily activities may include morning walks and getting on and off various forms of transport, including trains, vehicles and boats.
There are no luggage attendants at train stations in Cambodia and Laos, so you will need to be capable of managing your own luggage for short periods of time. Luggage is most regularly stored overhead from your seat. Your tour leader will be on hand to assist.
All activities are optional, meaning that if you don’t feel like it, you can skip it but it will be impossible to enjoy your trip if you’re not able to do a walking tour for a full afternoon. Unfortunately this tour cannot accommodate people requiring walking aids.
You love to travel but don’t like being herded around B-grade attractions… just the mere idea of joining a ‘big bus’ tour makes you want to run for the hills. You love train travel!
You also know, however, that some places are worth the wait.
You’re open-minded and open-hearted. You try to embrace the little things. You understand that even in the best vehicles, the air-con sometimes breaks. This is just part of the adventure, and you choose to be gracious.
You also love the idea of living a day fully, and then returning to unique, interesting accommodation!
You enjoy trying new food, visiting new places, and making new friends. You make a great travel buddy and you love to share experiences with others. You understand that to fit in with local cultures, sometimes that could involve trying something you haven’t tried before, or sitting on the floor to eat with a nomad family.
If that sounds like you, you’d enjoy our trips!
There are several 1 and 2 stop flights available from Australia and New Zealand that transit through other SE Asia countries. Siem Reap and Luang Prabang both accept international flight arrivals. Alternatively they connect easily with their capital cities by a domestic flight, or in Laos’ case, a transfer by fast-train (around 2 hours). If you’d like to travel by train, we can help arrange your ticket and give you any guidance you need to meet it.
Australians and New Zealanders require tourist visas to enter both Cambodia and Laos. Currently, you can choose between an online application, or visa-on-arrival. You’ll need to budget for around $120 AUD to cover off both. We’ll be providing more guidance on visas closer to the trip departure.
Will we be picked up at the airport?
Yes! One of our friendly team will be waiting for you in the public arrivals area of the airport. You’ll transfer directly to the hotel. The transfer is free and in a private and air-conditioned vehicle, which you will only share if there is anyone else on your flight joining the tour.
When should we arrive?
Try to arrive before midday on the start day, although earlier would be recommendable. If possible, come one day early to settle in. We can organise additional hotel nights for you at cost.
Whether you are a couple, or a couple of friends, or travelling solo, our Magnificent Rail journeys will appeal to anyone who is inspired by the charm of scenic rail travel and wants to see the best of a country.
Our adventures are designed to appeal to those in their 50s, and 60s and early 70s (but of course, everyone is welcome!) Our clients are curious and active, and want to find the magic of travel again, but with some modern comforts in unique and interesting places along the way. They’ve often avoided tours in the past because they’re not attracted to being herded around in large groups.
They prefer insider perspectives and lingering longer in the right places for a deeper experience.
Your trip has been designed by Mat & Lisa, the two cultural adventure experts behind Magnificent Rail.
Magnificent Rail is brought to you by the same team who built Patch Adventures, a boutique women-only adventure company.
Lisa is a travel guidebook author and photographer. Mat’s first rail journey was an epic adventure through Europe at the age of 13 (accompanied by parents of course.) He has since organised highly successful tours to far-flung destinations around the world. Between them, they have put together this well-balanced adventure for you.
The preparation of this trip has taken months and months of work.
Your trip will be led by local experts that have been selected by our team for their knowledge and experience.
Send us an email at contact@magnificentrail.com.au or give us a call at +61 482 095 648; A deposit is required to reserve your spot.
