Phnom Penh and Siem Reap

Upon clearing Customs and Immigration, your guide will present you with a welcome packet including all necessary documentation and vouchers and all contact information of your guide and local offices. Transfer by air-conditioned vehicle (8 kms).

et’s see what Cambodia’s capital city has to offer! The riverfront promenade that lines the mighty Mekong is a hive of activity, from the chaotic traffic to busy pavements full of street-side vendors and pedestrians. We’ll visit the National Museum and the Silver Pagoda, and then rub shoulders with the royals in the Royal Palace, where King Norodom Sihamoi still lives today. And of course, there’s time for shopping for exotic souvenirs in one of the city’s fabulous markets. We’ll either visit the art-deco Central Market or the sprawling Russian Market to barter for locally made silk, crafts, jewellery and lots more. Let us know if you have a preference! Today’s Highlights: Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum, Central Market or the Russian Market. Visit Tuol Sleng (S-21) 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. The country still bears the scars left by the Khmer Rouge. Just outside the city, in a peaceful rural setting, we find the Killing Fields. Thousands of people were killed here between the years of 1975 and 1978 and buried in mass graves. It is a distressing place to visit, but it’s necessary to get a clearer idea of how Cambodians have suffered and ultimately survived.
Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Siem Reap.
Transfer by air-conditioned vehicle (45 km).
Sightseeing in Angkor.
Visit Angkor Thom, 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, 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 metres. Visit a temple for sunset, Watch the sunset over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

Visit Angkor Wat, The crown jewel of Khmer architecture, Angkor Wat is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. To approach the temple, first cross the vast moat, continuing along a broad causeway lined with naga balustrades. Upon entering the main structure, ascend through a series of galleries and courtyard before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway and across the surrounding countryside.
On the way, stop to enjoy the intricate stone carvings that adorn nearly every surface of the temple, with some 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted from the walls. Along the outer gallery walls run the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which narrates stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones. Visit Prasat Kravan, Prasat Kravan: the five brick towers were built for Hindu worship in 921 and are notable for the bas-reliefs cut into the bricks on the interior walls.
Visit Banteay Kdei Temple, a massive Buddhist temple dating from the second half of the 12th century, Banteay Kdei is surrounded by four concentric walls, the outer walls measuring 500 by 700 metres. Visit Srah Srang, Srah Srang is a basin east of Banteay Kdei measuring 800 by 400 metres with a tiny island in the middle where only the stone base remains of what was once a wooden temple. Banteay Srei is one of the most romantic temples in Angkor. Built from pink sandstone, the walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual delicacy. Visit Banteay Samre, Banteay Samre is a mid-12th-century temple dedicated to the god Vishnu.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

Today, we will take a walking tour of a floating village usually submerged in the water. During the dry season, Kampong Kleang transforms itself. Houses on long rickety poles soar up to three metres above the ground. It is incredible to see how high they have to be built to survive the Tonle Sap flooding. During the dry season, a road appears between the houses allowing us to explore this unique community on foot. We will walk through the village to see the variety of houses-some built from wood, others from brush and bamboo. One of the locals will even welcome us into their home to revive ourselves with a fresh coconut juice and local snacks. We can chat and learn about life on the Tonle Sap while enjoying views of the village. We’ll also get to see how the delicious Cambodian sticky rice is made and have a tasting!
And this afternoon we will sightseeing in in Angkor, 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, 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 metres 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.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

Transfer to the airport.