PHNOM PENH AND SIEM REAP

Arrive in Phnom Penh and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure.

Sightseeing in Phnom Penh. Explore Phnom Penh, a chaotic, energetic and always fascinating city. Graceful tree-lined boulevards and riverfront promenades are reminders of bygone eras; today they teem with life and activity, as motorcycles weave in and out of traffic, vendors hawk their wares, and pedestrians go about their business.
Start your tour to see the splendor of Cambodia’s royal heritage by visiting the Royal Palace, still the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni, the adjacent Silver Pagoda, also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha, and the elegant National Museum, which contains a comprehensive collection of Khmer art. In the afternoon, learn about a chapter from Cambodia’s more recent, tragic past at the Tuol Sleng Museum (Museum of Genocide). Formerly the Tuol Svay Prey High School, in 1975, this became the interrogation and torture facility for the Khmer Rouge regime - at that time known as Security Prison 21, or simply S-21. Kept largely unchanged, this prison now showcases photographs and exhibits about the thousands of victims that passed through these doors - only seven of whom came out alive.
Explore the modern-day city, visiting one of Phnom Penh’s two great markets, the Central Market, located in a distinctive domed Art Deco building OR the sprawling Russian Market, a labyrinth of stalls selling everything from CDs and DVDs to silks, crafts, jewelry and more. Excursion to the Killing Fields: Just outside Phnom Penh, in a peaceful rural setting, the Killing Fields provide a stark reminder of the atrocities under the Pol Pot regime

Transfer to the airport and flight to Siem Reap.
Visit Angkor Thom (2.5 hrs)
The fortified city of Angkor Thom covers an area of 10 square km. Enclosed by a wall and wide moats; the city includes many of Angkor’s most popular sights. Enter by the monumental South Gate over a causeway lined on either side by statues of demons and gods, each carrying a giant naga. Continue to the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper Kings, former spaces for public ceremonies, both adorned with
dramatic bas reliefs. Visit the ruined Baphuon, Royal Enclosure and Phimeanakas before continuing to the mysterious Bayon Temple. In this temple, one of the most popular and compelling in Angkor, explore the
galleries of beautifully preserved bas reliefs and ascend narrow stairs to reach the central sanctuary, where giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down from every angle. Visit Preah Khan (1 hour)
Preah Khan is a temple built by King Jayavarman VII with towering enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors in a jungle setting. Preah Khan covers a very large area but the temple itself is enclosed within a rectangular wall of around 700 by 800 meters.
Watch the sun set over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple.

Visit the magnificent temple of Angkor Wat, which represents the spiritual and mystical grandeur of the Khmer civilization. The temple complex of Angkor covers 200 acres. It is probably the largest religious monument ever built on earth and is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In the afternoon, visit the temples of Banteay Srei and Samre.

All you need to do this morning is sit back on a boat, relax and enjoy the views of Kampong Kleang, a fishing community on the edge of the Tonle Sap Lake, and cruise past wooden houses built on towering stilts, submerged forests and fish farms. Continue by car and visit the temples;
Sightseeing in Angkor (35 kms)

Visit Ta Prohm temple (2 hours)
Ta Prohm is one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.

Visit Ta Keo (30 minutes)
Ta Keo was built by Jayavarman V who ruled from 968 to 1001, it was the first Angkorian monument built entirely of sandstone and was dedicated to Shiva. The summit of the central tower is 50 meters high and is surrounded by four lower towers.

Visit Thommanon
Thommanon is a temple which mirrors Chau Say Tevoda (just to the north), as it was built around the same time and has a similar plan. It is also dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.

Visit Chau Say Tevoda
Chau Say Tevoda was built during the second quarter of the 12th century opposite Thommanon, it was dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.

Transfer to the airport.