DAY1: ARRIVE PHNOM PENH
Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, we will be welcomed by our local guide and transferred to our hotel. Phnom Penh, the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia, is built around four
river arms formed by a sharp curve in the Mekong River near the junctions of
Bassac and the Tonle Sap tributaries. This charming city has wide boulevards
and a pleasant blend of oriental and colonial architecture but reminders of a
troubled past are also evident. Overnight stay in Phnom Penh.
DAY2: ROYAL PALACE – SILVER PAGODA
– NATIONAL MUSEUM – S21
This morning, we will visit the Royal Palace built in 1866 by the
French, followed by the Silver Pagoda (also known as the temple of the Emerald
Buddha). Formerly a wooden building, the Silver Pagoda was rebuilt in 1962 in
concrete and marble and is floored with over 5000 silver tiles each weighing
1kg. It is famous for its 90kg solid gold Buddha made in 1907 and an emerald
Buddha said to be made of baccarat crystal. We will also stop at the National Museum, located next to the Royal
Palace, before an emotional visit to Tuol Sleng Museum, known as the Museum of
Genocidal Crimes. This former school was used by the Khmer Rouge as a detention
and torture center in the late 1970s; today the building houses paintings and
photographs of the victims. Visitors can see the crude cells built in the
classrooms and the torture devices used to extract confessions in Stalinesque
purges of the regime. After lunch, we drive south-west of Phnom Penh to visit the emotional
Killing Fields of Cheung Ek, made famous by the film of the same name. More
than 17,000 civilians were killed and buried in mass graves here making this
place a chilling reminder of the brutalities of the genocidal Khmer Rouge
regime.
Please be aware that the visits to the
Tuol Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields of Cheung Ek may be confronting and
upsetting for some group members.
We will finish the day with a relaxing sunset cruise on the Mekong
River. Overnight stay in Phnom Penh.
DAY3: PHNOM PENH - KEP
We head south to the colonial beach town of Kep, stopping along the way
to visit Tonle Bati and Phnom Chisor to see the ancient temples and enjoy a
packed picnic lunch en route. We also stopped at Kompong Trach, which was one of the last Khmer Rouge
holdouts and boasts a series of limestone caves and passages that were carved
into the mountain itself. We continued to Kep and transferred to our
hotel. The afternoon is at your leisure. Kep
served as a glamorous seaside resort for the French in the early 1900s however,
during the Khmer Rouge years, most of Kep's French colonial buildings were destroyed.
Many of the villas and mansions that remain today are abandoned, reminding
visitors of a rich and luxurious past. Fortunately, the town is beginning to
thrive with visitors again, traveling to the seaside town for its peacefulness,
sunsets, and seafood - particularly the crab! Overnight stay in KEP.
DAY4: KEP - SIHANOUKVILLE
This morning, we drive along the southern coast heading west through
Kampot, admiring its rustic, French colonial streets and Chinese architecture.
We will enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing to the seaside town of Sihanoukville. The town of Sihanoukville was built as a port city in the late 1950s,
however, it is a newer, more urban city than most of the provincial cities in
Cambodia. Nowadays it is as much a beach town as it is a port town and caters
to beach-going weekenders from Phnom
Penh, as well as a steady increase of foreign
visitors. Despite this, it still has a relaxed pace of life. Overnight stay in Sihanoukville.
DAY5: SIHANOUKVILLE
Enjoy the full day at leisure to further explore this seaside town
Lunch with the group is included today and your guide will advise where
and when to meet. However, if you decide to have lunch on your own please let
your guide know; it will be at your own expense if you choose to do this. Overnight stay in Sihanoukville
DAY6: SIHANOUKVILLE – PHNOM PENH
Today we drive back to Phnom Penh, detouring through Kirirom National
Park, which was once a favorite resort of the royal family and, at 700m above
sea level, maintains a cooler climate than in Phnom Penh. The National Park protects stunning small waterfalls, unique and
abundant birdlife, and lush, elevated pine forests. We enjoy a picnic lunch
here and then continue to our hotel in Phnom
Penh. Overnight stay in Phnom Penh.
DAY7: PHNOM PENH - BATTAMBANG
We head north to Battambang this morning and stop en route to visit the 17th-century
capital city of Cambodia, Udong.
Udong was the ancient capital during the latter stages of the Khmer Empire. It
offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside with innumerable sugar
palm trees, as well as 18 ancient stupas. Next, we visit Kompong
Chhnang Province to see traditional handmade pottery as well visiting the
amazing floating village, Chnok True. Later we continue to Battambang, Cambodia’s second largest city.
Situated on the banks of the Stung
Sangke River,
Battambang possesses some of the grandest and best-preserved colonial
architecture and scenic countryside. Upon arrival in Battambang, we say goodbye to our Phnom Penh guide and are welcomed by our Siem
Reap guide. We check in to our hotel and enjoy the
remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Overnight stay in Battambang.
DAY8: BATTAMBANG EXCURSION
This morning, we will drive to the railway station and catch the bamboo
train, set up by the villagers to facilitate the transportation of goods and
people. The train in itself is very basic - one platform to sit on, placed on
top of four wheels activated by a small motor. Our guide will provide some
cushions for our comfort. We travel 8km to the next station, O’Sralao, through
beautiful landscape and rice paddies. Once we arrive, we visit a village and discover the daily life of people
who live in the Cambodian countryside. We visit a workshop that specializes in
wooden sculpture and then continue to a non-governmental organization, ‘La
Maison de Coco’. This organization
implements different projects to support underprivileged people in the
community, especially children and girls who are victims of abuse, domestic
violence, and trafficking. From here we transfer by
tuk-tuk back to Battambang to explore the city center with its beautiful houses
dating from colonial times. This afternoon we drive to Phnom Bannon Hill and climb to the top to
reach the 12th Century Prasat Bannon Temple
and enjoy the breathtaking view over the surrounding plains. Overnight stay in Battambang.
DAY9: BATTAMBANG – SIEM REAP
High water season
(August to January)
After breakfast this morning we head to the local wharf to board our
private speedboat to Siem Reap. We
cruise down the Stung Sangke River before entering Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater
lake in Southeast Asia. During the rainy
season, it can swell from 3,000 km to 7500sq km and is one of the world’s
richest sources of freshwater fish. Our cruise visits floating villages
complete with schools, restaurants, and even a hospital. This cruise takes approximately 6-7 hours and gives us a view of the
wonderful landscape and insight into the daily life found along the river. We
will have a packed lunch onboard. When we disembark from our boat, we drive
into Siem Reap and check in to our hotel. Siem Reap is a bustling tourist destination due to its proximity to both
the ancient Khmer national capital city of Angkor
as well as Tonle SapLake. Angkor Wat is one
of the main attractions and is the world's largest religious monument, in
addition to being the spiritual and cultural heart of Cambodia. This huge complex of
palaces and temples was built on the sprawling alluvial plain to the north of
Tonle Sap and will amaze all its visitors. Overnight stay in Siem Reap.
DAY10: SIEM REAP – ANGKOR COMPLEX
After we have completed the formalities to get our National Park pass
this morning, we begin our tour of the temples of Angkor, visiting the
incredible fortified city of Angkor Thom. We will start at the South Gate,
flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side, and then continue to the 12th
Century Bayon. Its beautifully crafted central towers are decorated with
extraordinary bas-reliefs incorporating over 11,000 figures. From here, we visit the Elephant Terrace which was used as a giant
viewing platform for public ceremonies and served as a base for the King's
grand audience hall and the Terrace of the Leper King. After lunch, we will visit the magnificent 12th-century Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat took 30 years to build and represents the Khmer civilization at its
grandest; it is also the best-preserved temple with its fascinating decorative
flourishes and extensive bas-reliefs. Overnight stay in Siem Reap.
DAY11: SIEM REAP – BANTEAY SREI –
TA PROHM and GRAND CIRCUIT
This morning, we visit Banteay Srei, a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva
and considered by many to be the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of Angkorian art. The
temple is cut from stone of a pinkish hue and contains some of the finest stone
carvings in the world. We also visit Banteay Samre before enjoying lunch. After lunch, we continue to Preah Khan, Neak Pean, and the fabulous Ta
Prohm, undoubtedly the most atmospheric ruin at Angkor. Unlike the other
monuments of Angkor, it has been left to be
swallowed by the jungle. For all would-be Mouhots and closet Indiana Jones, Ta
Prohm is the perfect ‘lost temple’ in the jungle, where Strangler Figs and
Kapok trees have entwined themselves around the ruins. Their roots have burst
apart even the thickest of walls, yet their clinging embrace prevents the
walls' total collapse. In the afternoon we climb to the summit of Pre Rup to enjoy the sunset
over the Cambodian rice fields. Overnight stay in Siem Reap.
DAY12: SIEM REAP – BENG MEALEA – ARTISAN D’ANGKOR
Today we travel to the less visited Beng Mealea, a temple almost
forgotten by the local population. Beng Mealea, which dates from the 11th
Century, is just waiting to be rediscovered by the more adventurous travelers.
This sprawling jungle temple, which covers over 1sq km, is largely overrun by
vegetation and was constructed in a distinctly Angkor Wat style. However, Beng
Mealea precedes and may have even served as a ‘prototype’ for Angkor Wat. We
will enjoy a picnic lunch and then return to Siem Reap. Upon arrival back in town we visit the local markets and Les Artisan
D'Angkor, where disadvantaged youth are taught traditional Cambodian crafts. Tonight,
we enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant whilst watching the Apsara dance show. Overnight stay in Siem Reap.
DAY13: DEPART SIEM REAP
After breakfast and check-out, we will be transferred to the airport for
onward flight.
End Tour
