Make Essential Oils with a Village Herbalist Near Phnom Penh

Walk village paths, gather herbs, and bottle the oil you distill yourself.

Make essential oils with a village herbalist in the countryside near Phnom Penh: cross the Mekong by local ferry, gather fresh herbs on quiet paths, then chop, distill, bottle and label your own oil at a family garden. The class runs four hours with a live English-speaking guide. Ferry fees are separate. You leave with a handmade bottle of lemongrass mist and water included.

The experience

Sophors' essential oil kitchen sits just outside Phnom Penh, across the Mekong. You start at Areyksat Ferry Dock, where a guide meets you after the local ferry crossing and walks you into village life. The route takes you along quiet countryside paths where you'll gather the fresh herbs that become your oil: lemongrass, and whatever else grows in the family garden that day. As you walk, you meet neighbors and see how daily life moves outside the city.

Back at the garden, you take part in every step: chopping the plants, feeding them into the distillation setup, watching the oil appear drop by drop, bottling it, and labeling the bottle yourself. This is not a demonstration you watch. You handle the tools, make the decisions about timing and temperature, and see exactly how something simple, fresh plants from the ground, becomes something you can carry home. The whole process takes four hours.

You leave with your own bottle of lemongrass mist, a bottle of water, and the story of how it got made. Each time you open it, the scent brings you back to the paths, the garden, and the place you became part of. Pickup and drop-off at the ferry dock are included. Ferry fees are paid separately.

What’s included

• One bottle of lemongrass mist that you make and bottle yourself.
• one bottle of water.
• pickup and drop-off at Areyksat Ferry Dock.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Child (under 13)

GroupUp to 4

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 0.15

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Meet the Province

Is this one for you?This class works best for small groups or solo travelers who want to learn by doing, not watching. You'll spend the morning with your guide and other travelers (if any) in a working family garden, so come ready to get your hands dirty and move at the pace of the plants and the distillation.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 13).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How do I get to Sophors' garden from Phnom Penh?

You meet your guide at Areyksat Ferry Dock after crossing the Mekong by local ferry. From there, you walk together along village paths to reach the family garden and home where the class takes place.

What do I actually make during the four hours?

You gather fresh herbs on the walk, then chop them, distill them, bottle the oil as it drips from the still, and label the bottle yourself. You handle every step of turning the plants into the finished oil you take home.

What do I get to keep at the end?

You take home one bottle of lemongrass mist that you made yourself, plus a bottle of water. The bottle is yours to keep, and the scent stays with you long after the class ends.

Is this class suitable for someone who is not very fit?

The class is suitable for all physical fitness levels. It involves walking village paths and standing while you work with the plants and distillation, but the pace is gentle and built around the work itself, not physical exertion.

What language does the guide speak?

The guide speaks English throughout the four hours, so you can understand every step of the process and ask questions as you work.