A Koun Khmer Homecoming Experience
Water Festival Homecoming
Bon Om Touk: longboat racing on the river by day, lantern celebrations by night.
November 4–13, 2027 · Ten days through Phnom Penh, Battambang, and Siem Reap, ending in the joy of Bon Om Touk.
Photo: Priscilla Kim Ong, "Bon Oum Touk Boat Racing," Phnom Penh, Nov 2023.
Water Festival Edition
Celebrate on the river, together
Bon Om Touk marks the end of the rainy season, when the Tonle Sap reverses its flow and the whole country gathers by the water for boat races, lights, music, and celebration. It is one of the most joyful times to be in Cambodia.
This November, we close our ten days together in the middle of the festivities. The Water Festival begins November 12, 2027, and Independence Day on November 9 falls during our journey too.
Early bird opens May 3, 2027
Small group: 5–10 koun Khmer
Hosted by Sela
What makes this homecoming different
More than sightseeing
For koun Khmer
Created for Khmer diaspora by someone who has lived this journey. A shared space where you never have to explain yourself.
Small by design
An intimate group of 5 to 10 people, so friendships form naturally and every voice is heard.
Space to reflect
Guided reflection circles, journaling, and sharing to help you process what this return means to you.
Joy and depth
History and healing balanced with food, laughter, rest, and modern Cambodia.
The journey
Itinerary at a glance
We begin and end in Phnom Penh. A detailed day-by-day itinerary is shared with registered homecomers before the trip.
Days 1–3
Phnom Penh
Welcome dinner and meeting your homecoming family
Learning the history of the Khmer Rouge and genocide sites, with care and space to process
Khmer Buddhist practices at the wat
Practicing Khmer at a local market
Days 4–5
Battambang
Time with local families and their livelihoods in the countryside
A home-cooked meal shared with a Khmer family
Sunset bamboo train ride
Days 6–8
Siem Reap
Angkor Wat and the temples with trusted local guides
Khmer cooking class, where you make a 4-course meal
Sunset boat ride and an Apsara dinner show
Days 9–10
Phnom Penh
Water Festival celebrations and boat races
Final reflection circle and farewell dinner
Each homecoming is thoughtfully tailored, so activities and dates may shift slightly with the season and local availability to give you the best experience.
Only on this homecoming
What makes the Water Festival edition special
Celebrate Bon Om Touk, the Water Festival, in Phnom Penh
Watch the longboat races on the river
See the illuminated floats and lantern celebrations at night
Cooler days as the rainy season comes to an end
Rooms & pricing
Choose your room
Prices are per person in USD. Early bird pricing is available May 3–17, 2027.
Recommended
Shared Room
Double occupancy with a fellow koun Khmer, matched by the preferences in your registration form.
$2,650
May 3–17, 2027 early bird · then $2,850
Our default, and a natural way to build friendships
9 nights in 4-star and boutique hotels
Your own space
Private Room
Single occupancy, for those who rest and recharge best on their own.
$3,150
May 3–17, 2027 early bird · then $3,350
Includes the $500 private room upgrade
9 nights in 4-star and boutique hotels
Registration opens May 3, 2027. Join the list and we’ll email you the moment it opens.
Early bird
May 3–17, 2027
Registration closes
Sep 5, 2027
Final payment
By Sep 15, 2027
Homecoming
Nov 4–13, 2027
Payment plan
Pay over time
Secure your spot with a $500 deposit. The rest is split into three monthly payments, charged automatically on July 15, August 15, and September 15, 2027. Everyone pays on the same dates.
If you register
Your payments
Before Jul 15, 2027
Jul 15, Aug 15 and Sep 15
Jul 15 – Aug 14, 2027
Jul + Aug payments together on Aug 15, then Sep 15
Aug 15 – Sep 5, 2027
All three payments (your full balance) on Sep 15
Joining after a payment date has passed? It’s simply added to your next payment, so you’re all caught up by then. Prefer to pay in full? Choose that option on the registration form and we’ll email one invoice for your balance after your deposit.
Shared Room
Private Room
Payment
Due
Early bird
Standard
Early bird
Standard
1 · Deposit
At registration
$500
$500
$500
$500
2
Jul 15, 2027
$717
$784
$884
$950
3
Aug 15, 2027
$717
$783
$883
$950
4
Sep 15, 2027
$716
$783
$883
$950
Total
$2,650
$2,850
$3,150
$3,350
What’s included
Thoughtfully taken care of
Included
9 nights in 4-star and boutique hotels with pools
Meals: daily breakfast plus about 7 group meals, including welcome and farewell dinners, an Apsara dinner, a home-cooked family meal, and a Khmer cooking class
Trusted local guides and Khmer to English interpretation
All transport between cities and within the itinerary
Entry tickets to cultural sites, museums, and Angkor Wat
Daily Khmer lessons and guided reflection with Sela
Not included
International flights and airport transfers
Hotel nights before and after the trip (at least 2)
Meals and drinks outside the itinerary
Travel visa and insurance (required)
Personal expenses and travel outside the itinerary
From past koun Khmer
What our homecomers carry home
This experience with Sela truly gives you the safe space to connect, reflect, and deepen your understanding of Cambodia.
Dec 2025 homecomer
If you feel a longing for your roots or the diaspora, it’s absolutely worth answering that call.
Victoria
Instead of feeling rejected as a koun Khmer, we felt accepted as a koun Khmer.
Savandy
Questions
Frequently asked
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Early bird registration opens May 3, 2027 and runs for two weeks. Join the early bird list and we’ll email you the moment it opens.
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Yes. Choose “Pay the remaining balance in one payment” on the registration form. After your $500 deposit, we’ll email you one invoice for the rest instead of setting up monthly payments.
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Within 14 days of registering (and more than 60 days before the trip): your deposit and any payments are refunded, minus processing fees.
After that, until 60 days before the trip: your deposit is non-refundable (or can be saved as credit toward a future Selarati trip). Any other payments are refunded minus processing and administrative fees.
60 to 30 days before: your deposit and second payment are non-refundable; later payments are refunded minus fees.
30 days or less: the full trip cost is non-refundable. In an emergency, please reach out and we’ll talk it through.
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Absolutely. Many homecomers are first-timers, and many arrive with little or no Khmer. You’ll be supported every step of the way, with daily Khmer lessons and interpretation throughout.
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You book your own flights into Phnom Penh (Techo International Airport). Please plan at least 1 night before and 1 night after the trip; we’ll share our Phnom Penh hotel so you can book the same one. A group chat opens before the trip so you can coordinate arrivals.
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Each group is intentionally small, typically 5 to 10 people, so everyone is seen and friendships form naturally. If a trip is cancelled for not meeting the minimum, your payments are refunded minus processing fees.
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Daily life and tourism in Cambodia are safe as usual, and we’ve hosted multiple homecomings since 2025. Our team and local partners monitor conditions closely and will communicate clearly if anything affects the trip.
More questions? Visit our full FAQ or email contact@selarati.com.
Feeling called to come home?
Be first in line for the Water Festival
Early bird opens May 3, 2027 for two weeks. Join the list and you’ll be the first to know.