Kulen Mountain Waterfall Tour from Siem Reap: Swim & Picnic

Swim in mountain pools and eat lunch on the rocks where a thousand carved Shiva symbols line the riverbed.

An eight-hour guided tour from Siem Reap to Kulen Mountain combines waterfall swimming, visits to the 1,000-year-old reclining Buddha and the River of 1000 Shiva Lingas, and a picnic lunch with local Khmer food. The tour includes hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, all attraction entry, and transportation by air-conditioned vehicle. Children from age 6 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kulen Mountain and Waterfalls

• Pick up from hotel lobby
• Visit Palm Sugar Village
• Walk to panoramic viewpoint
• Climb to reclining Buddha statue
• See sacred fertility symbols in riverbed
• Picnic and swim at waterfalls
• Return to hotel in Siem Reap

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your hotel between 8:00 and 8:30 AM, then heads straight into rural Cambodia. You'll pass emerald rice paddies and wooden stilt houses before stopping at Palm Sugar Village, where families have made traditional Cambodian sugar the same way for generations. You watch the whole process from palm tree to golden crystals. A short walk leads to a viewpoint that stretches across canyons and forests, the kind of panorama that justifies the climb.

The reclining Buddha comes next: an 8-meter stone figure carved into the mountainside a thousand years ago, with monks still lighting incense and pilgrims still climbing the same path. Below it flows the River of 1000 Shiva Lingas, where 11th-century priests carved fertility symbols directly into the riverbed, turning flowing water into sacred water for the entire Angkor kingdom. The carvings are still there, still visible beneath the surface.

The waterfall pools are where the day opens up. Crystal-clear water filtered through limestone, fed by the mountain itself, cold enough to wake you up the instant you step in. Your picnic spreads across smooth rocks with the waterfall as your backdrop: grilled chicken with special sauces, local beer, seasonal fruits, and palm cake. The guide and all entry tickets are included. Vegetarian meals are available if you request them when you book. After the swim and lunch, you travel back to Siem Reap.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Siem Reap.
• air-conditioned transportation.
• English-speaking guide.
• all attraction admission tickets.
• picnic lunch with authentic Khmer food (grilled chicken, local beer, seasonal fruits, palm cake).
• cold bottled water and refreshing towels throughout the day.
• vegetarian meals available on request.

Options for this experience

2 options

Joined tourGuide in English · 08:00Small-group tour: Join a small group to explore the lost city of the Khmer Empire alongside other unknown travelers and enjoy a great trip together. Pickup is included.

100% Private tourGuide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 10:00Private tour: This option is a private tour and is especially well suited to couples and families. The tour itinerary and timing can be adjusted. Includes pickup.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 8h, runs every day, 4 start times, from US$ 48 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 14 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 10:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 141 private ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 75 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Asean Angkor Guide

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full-day countryside loop combining swimming, temple visits, and riverside picnicking: the guide coordinates the sequence so you move between waterfalls, the reclining Buddha, and sacred sites without backtracking.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What's the reclining Buddha like when you get there?

The reclining Buddha is an 8-meter stone figure carved into the mountainside over 1,000 years ago. Monks still light incense and local families still climb to pray there. The ancient carving seems to shift expression as the light changes across the day.

Can I swim in the waterfall pools, or is it just a viewing stop?

You swim in the waterfall pools. The water is crystal-clear and cold, filtered through limestone, and deep enough to dive into. You see every pebble on the bottom.

What does the picnic lunch include?

Picnic lunch includes grilled chicken with special sauces, local beer, seasonal fruits, and palm cake, served on rocks beside the waterfall. Vegetarian meals are available if you request them when booking.

How long is the whole tour, and what time does it end?

The tour runs eight hours total. Pickup is between 8:00 and 8:30 AM, so you're back at your hotel in the early afternoon.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to pay for separately?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, air-conditioned transportation, an English-speaking guide, all attraction entry tickets, the picnic lunch, seasonal fruit tastings at Palm Sugar Village, cold bottled water, and refreshing towels. Soft drinks are not included.