Cambodia Essentials

Su-sa-dei! Welcome to Siam Reap, the gateway to the Angkor Wonder! Met and greeted upon arrival and transfer to hotel for check in.

In the same afternoon we will take our visit to the jungle covered temple of Ta Prohm, one of the most famous sights within the Angkor Archeological park where pop culture fans may recognize a few scenes from Angelina Jolie's Tomb Raider. There are enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers embracing over stone foundations of the temple’s structure giving the impression of man's creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature making it a very photogenic site.
Later of the day we will take a fun tuk tuk cruise around the Siem Reap town to catch common scenes of local life and get a blessing ceremony by Buddhist monks for your journey safety, prosperity and happiness.
Evening is at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

angkor explore

Hotel in siam reap

Optional Angkor Sunrice activity for scene of the sun rising over the temples of Angkor Wat is available at your disposal.

Breakfast is at the hotel then take a drive out to visit the Roluos Group once the seat of Hariharalaya, first capital of Khmer Empire dating back from mid of 9th century. Temples here were built with different material from bricks, laterite to sandstone. Spend time to explore some prominent temples within the group such as Bakong – the stepped pyramid temple mountain with wonderful carvings on the false doors and lintels, Lolei – once an island temple with exquisite carvings and inscriptions representing the Mount Meru surrounded by the world ocean in Hindu mythology, Preah Ko – the Sacred Bull temple that built to honor the King’s ancestor.

Get to the centre of the Angkor Archeological Park for our visit to the Angkor Thom Ancient City, the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire during the reign of King Jayavarman VII in the late twelfth century. Enter the city through the ancient South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with Elephants and four giant faces then explore the impressive Bayon Temple that consists of 54 towers featured with multitude of Buddha’s serene and mysterious smiling faces, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King.
Continue to Angkor Wat, the most impressive temple of the complex with its five impressive towers representing the 5 holy peaks of the Mount Meru. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. Construction is thought to have taken around thirty years of intensive labor. Today, Angkor Wat is figured on Cambodia's national flag as the temple symbolizes the soul of the Khmer people.
We stroll around this massive edifice, seeing the many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple.
Later, take a light trek to the top of Bakheng Hill for an extraordinary sunset view of the Angkor Wat, Tonle Sap and surrounding area.
Back to the hotel and evening is at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Angkor temples explore

Breakfast

Hotel in siam reap

In the wet season from Jun to November:
After breakfast, drive to the remote land of Siam Reap, of the beaten track and the crowd for our discovery of the fascinating Tonle Sap Lake, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia at its most pristine and stunning side.
Here we will take a boat cruise through flooded forest and around to explore the natural splendor and visit Kompong Khleang Floating Village village the largest village at the Tonle Sap Lake, where you will meet the local life at the rural to learn about typical traditional life style of people on the water and to know how important the lake is with the Cambodian people.
During the dry season when the water level low, you will be amazed by the scene of a forest of stilts supporting wooden and bamboo houses rising up to 10 meters in the air. In the wet season when the lake size becomes ten time bigger, the waters rise up making the village a photogenic floating community.

In the dry season from December to May:
Drive out of the town to visit to the Banteay Srei that was constructed in the late 10th century and is a masterpiece of religious architecture and carving with its no space left undecorated with unique and wonderful bas-relief on pink sandstone. Along the way there we will make stops to visit the local village of Preah Dak where we have chance to learn something about local life and enjoy local interaction, the Banteay Samre temple which is adorned with impressive relief’s depicting scenes of Vishunu and Krishna legends.

Get transfer to the airport for afternoon flight to Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia.
Check in hotel and remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

tonle sap lake cruise

Internal flight

Breakfast

Hotel in phnom penh

After breakfast, we start the tour today with our visit to the National Museum that has a great collection of Khmer art with over 5000 objects are on display.
Following is the Royal Palace that contains the Royal Residence, the Throne Hall, the Silver Pagoda which is more like a repository for cultural treasures such as 90 kg golden Buddha encrusted with 2086 diamonds and has its floor paved by silver tiles.
End the morning with visit to the Wat Phnom Temple, one of the most important pagodas in Phnom Penh, built in 1373 on an artificial hill by the wealthy widow Penh from whom the city got its name.
This afternoon we will visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum also called the S-21 Prison, converted from a secondary school,  that used by Khmer during the bloody rule from 1975 to its fall in 1979. There was an estimate of 20,000 people were imprisoned, tortured, coerced to confess what so called “revolutionary reaction crimes” before being taken to be executed at the extermination camp – the “Killing Fields” of Choeng Ek, located 15 km south of Phnom Penh which we will visit after the Toul Sleng.
This excursion may prove distressing however, it is an important piece of this country’s historical and cultural puzzle.

Remainder of the day is free at leisure.  

Summary of inclusions

Private vehicle

Sightseeing phnom penh

Breakfast

Hotel in phnom penh

Breakfast is at the hotel.
Free at your leisure to explore the town and enjoy last minute sightseeing, shopping at your own pace. Check out time is 12.00.
Transfer to the airport for flight to onward destination.
Safe travel and see you again!

Summary of inclusions

Private airport transfer

Breakfast