Visitors walking along the stone causeway towards Angkor Wat

International destination

Cambodia for corporate offsites and incentive trips from India

Angkor Wat at sunrise, five-star ballrooms in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh for groups of 50 to 1,500, and non-stop flights from Kolkata and Delhi. ICE India handles Cambodia incentive trips, offsites and conferences, covering the venues, flights, hotels and temple visits.

Plan an event in Cambodia
Getting there
Non-stop from Kolkata to Siem Reap and Delhi to Phnom Penh, and one stop from other major cities
Best months
November to March, when highs run from 24 to 32 °C
Suits
Groups of 50 to 1,500, from incentive trips and leadership offsites to conferences
ICE India in Cambodia
Planned by ICE India, with vetted local partners on the ground.

Why companies choose Cambodia

  • Angkor, a World Heritage site

    Angkor Wat, the Bayon and Ta Prohm give an incentive trip its story and its photographs, with no set-building.

  • Two cities in one programme

    Siem Reap for the temples and Phnom Penh for the capital, less than an hour apart by air.

  • A ballroom for 2,500

    The Sokha resort in Siem Reap seats 2,500 theatre-style in one hall, and several Phnom Penh hotels seat 1,600.

  • Culture that fits an evening

    Apsara dance dinners, a circus in a big top and boat trips on the Tonle Sap slot easily into a free evening.

  • Warm and dry in winter

    From November to March the days are dry and bright, ideal for temples and outdoor dinners.

  • Easy to pair with Thailand or Vietnam

    Bangkok is about an hour and a quarter from Siem Reap, so a two-country trip needs one short flight.

Cambodia for corporate groups

Cambodia suits groups that want a programme built around a place. Angkor is the draw, and Siem Reap has the resorts, ballrooms and evenings to go with it. Phnom Penh adds a capital with a royal palace, markets and city hotels.

A programme can stay in Siem Reap alone, or add a night or two in Phnom Penh by air.

For group flights, hotels and visas to Cambodia, see corporate travel.

Visas for Indian passport holders

The Cambodia e-Visa is a tourist visa applied for online, and most corporate groups use it. ICE India files the applications for the whole group together.

Tourist e-Visa
Single entry, for a stay of up to 30 days. It is issued online on the Cambodian government's e-Visa portal.
Processing time
Usually about 3 working days. ICE India submits group applications with plenty of time in hand.
Documents
A passport scan, a photograph, a return ticket and a passport with a blank page, valid for at least six months.
e-Arrival Card
Every visitor arriving by air completes the free Cambodia e-Arrival Card within seven days before landing.
Visa on arrival
It is available at both international airports for stays of up to 30 days. Queues can be long, so groups use the e-Visa.

Two experiences groups book in Cambodia: Angkor at sunrise and an Apsara dance dinner

A morning at the temples and an evening of Khmer dance. Most programmes build around both.

The towers of Angkor Wat in silhouette against an orange dawn sky, reflected in a pond

Angkor Wat at first light, then the Bayon and Ta Prohm

Angkor at sunrise

Groups leave the hotel before dawn to reach Angkor Wat for first light, when its towers appear across the pond. The temple opens at 5 am, and the best places by the water fill early in the dry season.

Most groups return for breakfast, then go back out for the Bayon at Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm.

Time
Hotel departure before 5 am, back by breakfast.
Group size
Any size, split across several coaches with a guide on each.
As the gala night
Better kept for the group photograph at first light. The gala belongs at the dinner.
Food
Coffee at the hotel before leaving, then a full breakfast on return.
Apsara dancers in silk costumes and gold headdresses performing on a red stage in Siem Reap

Khmer classical dance, staged for a seated dinner

Apsara dance dinner

Apsara dance tells old Khmer stories in slow, precise movement, in gold headdresses and silk. Hotels and restaurants in Siem Reap stage it with a Khmer dinner.

For a company gala, a ballroom or garden is set with a stage, so the dance opens the evening and the awards follow.

Time
An evening, about three hours.
Group size
A hotel ballroom in Siem Reap seats 1,100 for dinner, and smaller restaurants take a few dozen.
As the gala night
A private ballroom with a stage, the dance, then the awards ceremony.
Food
Khmer set menus or a buffet; vegetarian and Jain dishes are arranged beforehand.

Where to go in Cambodia

Most groups base themselves in Siem Reap and travel out to the temples and the lake. Phnom Penh is the second stop, by a short flight.

A fruit stall with dragon fruit and melons in the Old Market, Siem Reap
Crowds under lanterns and neon signs on Pub Street in Siem Reap

The base for Angkor

Siem Reap

A small town of boulevards, riverside restaurants and the Old Market, with large resorts on the roads to the temples. Siem Reap for a corporate group works from one resort, with drives out for sightseeing, which keeps room blocks and luggage simple. The resorts below have ballrooms that seat 350 to 2,500 theatre-style, so a conference and a gala can share one address.

Pub Street, about a kilometre of bars and restaurants in the Old Market district, takes a whole group for a free evening. The Old Market sells produce, spices and souvenirs, and the Angkor Night Market, founded in 2007 to support local artists and open from 4 pm to midnight, has more than 200 craft stalls.

Where groups stay
Resorts along the roads between the town and the temples, several with their own ballrooms.
Craft visit
Artisans Angkor, a social business founded in 1992, gives free guided tours of its stone, wood and silk workshops near the Old Market.
An evening out
Phare, the Cambodian Circus, performs in a big top, and hotels and restaurants stage Apsara dance dinners.
Group rhythm
Temples early, a rest at the resort at midday, then the town in the evening.
Selected corporate venues in Siem Reap
HotelAreaRoomsEvent venuesLargest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Sokha Siem Reap Resort & Convention CenterSiem Reap776Grand Ballroom, 3 ballrooms and meeting roomsGrand Ballroom: about 23,250 sq ft, 2,500
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa ResortCharles de Gaulle Boulevard, Siem Reap2384Phokeethra Ballroom: about 4,840 sq ft, 350
Angkor Palace Resort & SpaSiem Reapabout 260Royal Ballroom, 2 rooms, a pavilion and poolsideRoyal Ballroom: about 6,720 sq ft, 550
Borei Angkor Resort & SpaNational Road 6, Banteay Chasabout 188Grand Ballroom plus meeting roomsGrand Ballroom: about 4,680 sq ft, 400
Sokhalay Angkor Resort & SpaSiem ReapNot available4 ballroomsSenmonorom Ballroom: about 6,930 sq ft, 800
Angkor Wat and its five towers reflected in a pond under a blue sky
Giant tree roots rising beside a stone wall at Ta Prohm

The temples

Angkor Archaeological Park

Angkor is a World Heritage site of about 400 square kilometres, set in forest a short drive north of Siem Reap. It holds the remains of the Khmer capitals from the 9th to the 15th century. Angkor Wat, raised in the early 12th century by King Suryavarman II, is the largest monument.

Angkor Thom, the walled city of King Jayavarman VII, holds the Bayon, known for the stone faces on its towers. Ta Prohm is left half-covered by tree roots, and Banteay Srei, a small temple north of the main sites, is known for the fine detail of its carving.

Pre Rup, the state temple of King Rajendravarman II, is a quieter stop on the same loop. Every visitor needs an Angkor pass, which ICE India arranges for the whole group. An Angkor Wat gala dinner is held in a Siem Reap ballroom, with the temples kept for the daytime.

First light
Angkor Wat opens at 5 am, so groups reach the pond before the crowds.
Pace
Two half-days cover the main temples, and a third suits Banteay Srei and the quieter sites.
Guides
A guide on each coach explains the carvings and keeps the group together.
Heat
Early morning and late afternoon are the cooler hours for walking between the temples.
Houseboats and a temple roof among the floating village on the Tonle Sap, seen from the water
A floating school on the Tonle Sap, with a paddler in a small boat beside it

Floating villages

Tonle Sap Lake

The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South-East Asia and has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1997. Each year the lake floods the forest around it, millions of fish spawn, and the villages along the shore live on stilts and rafts. The flooded forest draws water birds, and fishing families work the water all year.

Boat trips leave from landings south of Siem Reap, and a half-day trip with transfers runs about five to six hours. In the wet season, smaller paddle boats take guests through the flooded forest. Larger groups sail in several boats together, with a guide on each, and the trip gives a quiet half-day between temple mornings.

Chong Kneas
The nearest landing, 30 to 45 minutes from town, suited to a short trip.
Kampong Phluk
Three stilt-house villages about an hour away, the usual choice for groups. In the wet season boats go through the flooded forest.
Prek Toal
The bird sanctuary in the reserve, a full-day trip, best in the dry-season bird months.
Season
The forest is at its best in the wet season, and the water is lowest in the dry months.
The golden roofs of the Chan Chaya pavilion at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh
Gilded and red doorways between marble columns at the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh

The capital

Phnom Penh

The capital of Cambodia stands where the Tonle Sap river meets the Mekong. The Royal Palace, begun in 1866 for King Norodom and home to Cambodia's kings since, anchors the riverfront. In its grounds the Silver Pagoda is known for its floor of silver tiles.

The National Museum of Cambodia lies just north of the palace. Wat Phnom, a 14th-century temple on a small hill, is the tallest religious structure in the city at 27 metres. The Art Deco Central Market and the Russian Market cover shopping.

Raffles Hotel Le Royal, open since 1929, seats up to 200 for dinner in its Royal Ballroom. Rosewood fills the top floors of the 188-metre Vattanac Capital Tower, and its Sora sky bar looks over the city.

Riverfront
Sisowath Quay runs outside the palace walls, a promenade for a walk or a sunset drink.
On the water
Sunset river cruises pass the Independence Monument, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda.
Hotel ballrooms
The city hotels below seat 270 to 1,600 theatre-style, so a conference can stay in the capital.
Museum
The National Museum shows Khmer art and suits a quiet morning between sessions.
Selected corporate venues in Phnom Penh
HotelAreaRoomsEvent venuesLargest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Sofitel Phnom Penh PhokeethraTonle Bassac, central Phnom Penh201Grand Ballroom plus 5 meeting roomsGrand Ballroom: about 15,400 sq ft, 1,600
NagaWorldCentral Phnom Penh1,6585Grand Ballroom: about 11,800 sq ft, 1,600
Raffles Hotel Le RoyalDaun Penh1756Royal Ballroom: about 5,380 sq ft, 440
Rosewood Phnom PenhVattanac Capital Tower, Daun Penh1753 salons plus the PavilionSalon 1: about 3,040 sq ft, 270
Hotel CambodianaSisowath Quay, on the riverabout 239Grand Ballroom plus 7 private roomsGrand Ballroom: about 6,030 sq ft, 600

Flights from the main Indian cities to Cambodia

Siem Reap Angkor Airport (SAI) is 45 to 50 km, about an hour, from town. Phnom Penh's Techo Airport (KTI) is about 20 km south of the centre. The two cities are under an hour apart by air.

Reaching Cambodia
FromAirportNon-stop flightsOne-stop routes
MumbaiChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (BOM)No non-stop serviceBangkok, then about 1h 15m on to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, about 7h 30m in all. Kuala Lumpur is the alternative
DelhiIndira Gandhi International (DEL)Air Cambodia to Phnom Penh, about 5hNon-stop
BengaluruKempegowda International (BLR)No non-stop serviceBangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore
ChennaiChennai International (MAA)No non-stop serviceBangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore
HyderabadRajiv Gandhi International (HYD)No non-stop serviceBangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore
KolkataNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (CCU)IndiGo to Siem Reap, about 3hNon-stop
KochiCochin International (COK)No non-stop serviceKuala Lumpur or Singapore
AhmedabadSardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (AMD)No non-stop serviceVia Mumbai or Delhi, booked as one ticket
Pune, Jaipur and other citiesLocal airportVia Mumbai or Delhi, booked as one ticketNon-stop

Where to hold the evenings

Where a whole group can sit down for the gala, an Indian dinner or a team activity.

  • Gala dinner venues

    Hotel ballrooms in both cities. Capacities are for a seated dinner.

    • Grand Ballroom, Sokha Siem Reap: 1,100
    • Grand Ballroom, Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra: 1,100
    • Grand Ballroom, NagaWorld, Phnom Penh: 700
    • Phokeethra Ballroom, Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra: 300
    • Royal Ballroom, Raffles Hotel Le Royal: 200
    • Royal Ballroom, Angkor Palace Resort & Spa

  • Indian restaurants for groups

    Both cities have Indian restaurants with vegetarian menus. ICE India briefs them early for large and Jain groups.

    • Maharajah, Siem Reap
    • Curry King, Siem Reap
    • Flavors of India, Siem Reap
    • Namaste India, Phnom Penh
    • Dakshin's, Phnom Penh
    • Curry Pot, Phnom Penh

  • Team activity venues

    Activities that suit a full group on an incentive trip.

    • Phare, the Cambodian Circus, Siem Reap: evening shows in a big top
    • Cycling through rural villages around Siem Reap
    • Tonle Sap boat trips for groups

What groups do in Cambodia

  • Bayon and Angkor Thom

    The walled city of the Khmer kings, with a temple whose towers carry large stone faces.

  • Ta Prohm

    A temple left half-swallowed by giant tree roots, a favourite for group photographs.

  • Banteay Srei

    A small temple of pink sandstone, carved in fine detail, north of the main Angkor sites.

  • Phare, the Cambodian Circus

    An evening of acrobatics, music and dance by Cambodian artists, performed in a big top in Siem Reap.

  • Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

    The King's residence in Phnom Penh, beside a pagoda known for its silver-tiled floor.

  • Cycling through villages

    Guided rides through rice fields and villages near Siem Reap, a relaxed team morning.

A sample programme in Cambodia

A five-day incentive route for 60 to 120 guests, with a gala dinner and two Indian dinners. The plan changes with the brief.

4 nights, 5 days

  1. Lanterns and neon signs over a crowded Pub Street at night in Siem ReapDay 1

    Arrival and Pub Street

    Flights land at Siem Reap Angkor and the group transfers to the resort, about an hour away. After a free afternoon, dinner is in the town centre, with a walk along Pub Street.

  2. Stone faces on the towers of the Bayon temple at Angkor ThomDay 2

    Angkor and an Indian dinner

    Sunrise at Angkor Wat, breakfast at the resort, then the Bayon at Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. The evening is free, with an Indian dinner at a restaurant such as Curry King, on a vegetarian menu briefed in advance.

  3. A boat on the Tonle Sap lake passing a floating villageDay 3

    Tonle Sap and the gala dinner

    A half-day boat trip to a floating village on the Tonle Sap. The gala dinner follows in the Grand Ballroom at Sokha Siem Reap, with an Apsara performance and the awards.

  4. The Silver Pagoda and a white stupa in the Royal Palace compound in Phnom PenhDay 4

    To Phnom Penh

    A flight of under an hour to Phnom Penh, then the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. Dinner is Indian, at Namaste India.

  5. The yellow Art Deco dome of the Central Market in Phnom Penh, with the Vattanac tower behindDay 5

    Markets and departure

    Wat Phnom in the morning, then the Central Market for last gifts. Coaches take the group to Techo International Airport for the flights home.

Food, souvenirs and shopping in Cambodia

Gifts and food fit into stops already on the route, so shopping seldom needs a day of its own.

  • Local food to try

    Khmer food is mild and built on fish, rice, coconut and herbs. Restaurants around Siem Reap's Old Market and Phnom Penh's riverfront serve all of these.

    • Fish amok, fish steamed in a coconut curry
    • Lok lak, stir-fried beef with a pepper and lime dip
    • Kuy teav, a pork noodle soup eaten at breakfast
    • Num banh chok, rice noodles with green fish curry

  • What to bring home

    Pepper, palm sugar and textiles make the usual gifts for family and colleagues.

    • Kampot pepper, from the south of the country
    • Palm sugar
    • Krama, the checked cotton scarf
    • Khmer silk scarves and textiles
    • Handicrafts from Artisans Angkor, Siem Reap

  • Where to shop

    Markets for gifts and silks, and air-conditioned malls in Phnom Penh.

    • Old Market, Siem Reap: souvenirs and spices
    • Angkor Night Market, Siem Reap: evening gifts
    • Central Market (Phsar Thmey), Phnom Penh: an Art Deco hall of jewellery and crafts
    • Russian Market, Phnom Penh: silks and handicrafts
    • AEON Mall, Phnom Penh: brands and a food court

When to go

November to March is the main season, dry and cooler, with daytime highs of 24 to 32 °C and every outdoor plan available. April is the hottest month, so temple visits move to early morning. From May to October the rains come, and programmes lean on indoor evenings.

Hotels fill and prices rise from December to January, so book ballrooms early.

Khmer New Year
Mid-April, with a public holiday of three days. Some businesses close, and Siem Reap holds street celebrations.
Water Festival
Boat races on the river in Phnom Penh, held around the full moon in October or November. The city is busy and hotels fill.
Wet season
May to October. Afternoon rain is common, and the lake is at its fullest.

Cambodia on film

Cambodia in 4KA short film of the country, from the temples to the capital.

  • Dear Mufaddal & ICE team,

    I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for the amazing job you did in organizing our all-company offsite in Goa. From start to finish, it was a seamless and enjoyable experience. Your team was a pleasure to work with, and I was thoroughly impressed by their professionalism, attention to detail, and willingness to go above and beyond.

    Mufaddal, throughout the planning stages, you were incredibly responsive and proactive in addressing any questions or concerns we had. You provided us with valuable insights and recommendations that helped us create a customized program that perfectly met our needs for a good balance between team building, local experiences and fun.

    During the event, your team was exceptional in their coordination and execution. They were always available to help and ensure everything was running smoothly. I appreciate you being there to supervise everything and act as a point of contact throughout the event, going out of your way to accommodate any last-minute needs or changes. Your personal involvement really helped us deliver a memorable and meaningful offsite.

    Overall, I am thrilled with the experience your team provided us.

    Jean Marc GoguikianChief of Staff to the CEO - Fairmatic Inc.

  • ICE India has been managing our corporate travel incentives since 2012. As a corporate our requirements are usually specific, involve a last minute rush, lot of back and forth on dates, hotels, number of travelers, etc. Through all of this, it's a pleasure dealing with Mufaddal and his team for the way they manage the trip and the group. The best part is the personalized service and the rapport our group shares with Mufaddal by the end of the trip. All the best!

    Nilesh ShevadeNational Sales Head, ECL Finance Ltd.

  • Dear Mufaddal and Shreya, This was our first event and we approached ICE India for support. You both were very calm, composed and able to make decisions at once, quickly. You were able to understand our needs and always happy to help even when the plan changes last minute. You are very organized in your work which leads to minimum last minute issues – which we all know are bound to happen. We had a fantastic experience and were treated with thorough professionalism right from planning, organizing and executing the event. It was a fabulous experience working with you both and we cannot thank you enough for executing it so well. Kind regards, Gita

    Gita WaghelaTalwar, Thakore and Associates

Planning an event in Cambodia: questions

Is ICE India a Cambodia DMC?

No. ICE India plans Cambodia programmes for Indian companies, working with vetted local partners in Cambodia. Travel agencies and DMCs interested in working with ICE India on India programmes can read about India destination representation.

Which currency should the group carry?

US dollars are used everywhere for larger payments, and hotels and tours price in dollars. Riel is used for small change, at about 4,000 to the dollar. Notes should be clean, because damaged ones may be refused.

What should guests wear at the temples?

Shoulders and knees must be covered at Angkor Wat and every other Angkor temple, for men and women alike. Guards check at the entrance, and sarongs can be rented outside if someone arrives in shorts.

Can a vegetarian or Jain group eat well in Cambodia?

Hotel kitchens and caterers are briefed ahead, menus are adjusted every day and restaurants are visited beforehand. Vegetarian and Jain guests eat a complete meal rather than a plate of sides.

Do we need both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh?

No. Siem Reap carries a full programme alone, with the temples, the lake and large ballrooms. Phnom Penh is a flight of under an hour away, or about 320 km by road, which takes five to six hours.

Compare destinations

  • Destination

    Vietnam

    Ha Long Bay, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, a short flight from Siem Reap.

  • Destination

    Thailand

    Beach resorts and large conference hotels in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya.

  • Destination

    Malaysia

    Kuala Lumpur's convention centres, with islands and highlands nearby.

Photographs via Wikimedia Commons: Christophe95, Marcin Konsek, Gerd Eichmann, Gzzz, PsamatheM and Clay Gilliland (CC BY-SA 4.0, Gilliland CC BY-SA 2.0); MoonsMoon (CC BY 4.0); Radek Kucharski (CC BY 2.0); Radosław Botev (CC BY 3.0 PL); Christophe Archambault (CC BY 2.5); RoadTripWarrior (CC0). Other photographs are from Unsplash and public sources, and remain the property of their owners.