Day 1
Overnight international flight to Siem Reap.
Day 2
Upon arrival, airport reception and transfer to your hotel for the evening.
Day 3
Afternoon tour of the Angkor Thom with your private guide. You will visit the sprawling Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the enchanting Bayon. This 12th century masterpiece lies at the very center of Angkor Thom City and is an archaeological wonder of symmetry and grandeur. The exterior gallery walls have extensive bas-reliefs, but the main features are the towers each with 3 or 4 gently smiling faces, over 200 in total.
Continue to Sre Rup Temple. Built in 961, the boldness of the architectural design is superb and gives the temple fine balance, scale and proportion. The temple is close in style to the East Mabon, although it was built several years later.
Day 4
Morning visit to Angkor Wat with your private guide. It is unlike all the other Khmer temples in that it faces west, and is inspired by 12th Century Hinduism. Its symmetrical towers are stylized on the modern Cambodian flag. Intricate bas-reliefs surround Angkor Wat on four sides, each telling a story, but the most celebrated of these is the Churning of the Sea Milk, which is located on the east wing – your guide will explain the mystical tale behind it.
Afternoon transfer by rickshaw, to visit Preah Khan. This extensive monastic complex, which covers over 130 acres, was built by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a monastery and teaching complex. Continue to visit Ta Prohm, the temple that has been left largely in its natural state since its re-discovery by the French. Surrounded by jungle, it remains a labyrinth of stone hallways that have become overgrown with roots and limbs of massive banyan trees, which envelope the stone like tentacles.
Day 5
Morning transfer to Tonle Sap Lake with a private boat and guide. This lake is the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia and is the heart of the Cambodian fishing industry and the lifeblood for millions of Khmers living on and around it. You will board a comfortable boat to see the true way of life in one of the floating villages of the Tonle Sap. Here you can see how Khmers and Vietnamese live and work side by side.
Afternoon visit to Banteay Srei, “the Women’s Citadel”, a tiny, enchanting temple, which is one of the jewels in this remarkable city. Built of red sandstone in the 10th century and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, this is the most Indian of all the temples in Angkor and in the words of H.W. Ponder, is “a fairy palace in the heart of an immense and mysterious forest.” Continue to Banteay Samre, another Hindu temple, before returning to the city for an evening at leisure.
Day 6
Morning departure from Siem Reap to Battambang. On the way, there is a famous stone carving village, called Phnom Cheng Cheang, where you can stop to see various types of sandstone carved into anything from giant sitting Buddhas to mortar and pestles.
Continue to make a short visit to a local non-governmental organization called Phar Ponleu Selpak. The group aims to support community development and provide social and educational help to children through the revival of Khmer culture. They originally spawned from one of the many refugee camps along the Thai border as a way to boost morale and offer some hope. They focus on rehabilitating street kids, orphans, high risk children and their families. Continue to Battambang for the evening.
Day 7
This morning you will take a local Remork (also known as Tuk-Tuk – a form of auto rickshaw) to explore the stunning countryside to the north, following a scenic river road. Along the way, you can see the beautiful Cambodian countryside and daily life up close with many opportunities for photos and local interactions. You can also see some local industries, such as rice paper, Khmer Snacks and rice wine making. Take a brief stop to explore the 11th century temple of Wat Ek Phnom before returning to Battambang via a different route.
Afternoon tour of the ancient cultural village of Watko to see some of the beautiful early 20th century Khmer wooden houses, where you will have a chance to interact with the local families. Then, take a short, but scenic, ride on Battambang’s most famous form of transportation; the unique and creative mode of tansport that consists of a bamboo platform, a small engine and a simple chassis. It rides the railway picking up and dropping off passengers, cargo, animals and motorcycles along the way. Cambodia is currently in the process of upgrading its rail system and when the Battambang tracks are replaced, the Bamboo Train will likely become lost to the ages.
Day 8
Depart Battambang for Phnom Penh. On the way, visit a local pottery village and take a boat to a floating village at Kampong Chhnang. Continue towards Phnom Penh and make another short stop at Oudong, the abandoned Royal Capital or “City of Past Kings,” which was the 17th century capital of the Khmer Empire. Today, several temples and religious structures dot the ridgeline and stupas containing the remains of several great Khmer Kings can be found throughout. Finally, continue to Phnom Penh and check into your hotel for the evening.
Day 9
Morning at leisure to relax or explore some of the city. Then, embark on an afternoon cyclo tour to visit the Royal Palace, which was built in 1866 and is comprised of numerous structures, one of which is the popular Silver Pagoda. Constructed with over 5,000 silver tiles, this building also houses a life-sized gold Maitreya Buddha that is decorated with 9584 diamonds and is one of Cambodia’s national treasures.
Continue to take a boat along the Mekong River, which offers magnificent views of the Phnom Penh Riverfront, the Royal Palace, Wat Ounalom and the ever-changing skyline. Cruise to the point where the Tonle Sap meets the Mekong and be sure to have your camera on hand, as spectacular sunsets are common here.
Day 10
Morning visit to the Apsara Arts Association, a local non-governmental organization whose aim is to see Cambodian arts and culture become more valued and popular in Cambodia after having been destroyed by the ravages of war. Continue to visit the National Museum, A Khmer temple inspired building that houses the world’s largest collection of Khmer art sculptures, ceramics and bronzes. Although the emphasis is on Angkorian artifacts, there is also a good collection of pieces from later periods, including a special exhibition on post-Angkorian Buddha figures.
Afternoon visit to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, which is essential for first time visitors to Cambodia. During the Pol Pot regime, Toul Sleng, formerly a high school, was converted to a detention center known for interrogation and torture of prisoners before being transferred to the “Killing Fields”. Enjoy a bit of local shopping at the Toul Tom Pong Market, before visiting the fields at Cheung Ek. Today, the site is a memorial for Cambodians and visitors to pay their respect for those lost. A memorial stupa has been erected and displays over 5,000 human skulls, bones and clothes of the victims. The visit is a profoundly moving, but depressing experience.
Day 11
Morning transfer to Kep (if you would prefer spending your last few days relaxing at the beach, your travel consultant can arrange an alternate itinerary ending in Sihanoukville). Driving out of the city, you will pass many garment factories, which soon give way to quaint villages and scenic agricultural land. Your first stop along the way will be at Tonle Bati, a small lake that is home to the 12th century temples Ta Prohm and Yeay Peau. Marvel at the well preserved architecture, bas reliefs and other carvings.
Continue to the Kampong Trach Caves just outside of Kep. En route, you will drive through some beautiful, peaceful, green countryside before arriving at the spectacular limestone caves. The caves are quite spectacular, as small shrines and stupas appear before you as you explore deeper into the mountain. Afterwards, contine to drive a short distance to the coastal town of Kep. Enjoy the remainder of the afternoon and evening to explore the town or relax at your leisure.
Day 12
Transfer to the pier for a short boat ride (20-30 minutes) across the bay to the small, beautiful, and undeveloped island of Koh Tonsai or Rabbit Island. There is a walking track that circumnavigates the island passing small fishing villages and farm land; there are also some crude trenches and bunkers left from past conflicts. This beautiful walk takes around 2.5 – 3 hours along beaches and flat jungle trails and offers some great photo opportunities.
Alternatively, you can take this time to ramble and explore the island and its lovely beaches at your own leisure; snorkeling equipment will be at your disposal if you wish to explore the waters. A seafood barbeque will be prepared for lunch and you will have more time to relax in a hammock, swim or explore before heading back to Kep by mid afternoon.
Day 13
Before departing town this morning, take a short drive along the scenic coastal road to see the remnants of some once glorious 1960’s villas that preserve the memory of a progressive and modern Cambodia, before the Khmer Rouge regime. Also a great hive of activity is the famous Kep Crab market, which is great for a brief stop to experience some local interaction, before continuing to Kampot.
On the way to Kampot you will visit a local Starling Pepper Farm. Pepper has been cultivated in Cambodia for more than a millennia and is one of the nation’s chief exports that has its own unique place within the region’s rich history. Depending on the season, you can also make a stop at one of the many salt flats that can be found in the area. Continue your drive to Phnom Penh for your flight home or continue with the Yampu Tours add-on of your choice.
Banteay Srei
Royal Palace
Rabbit Island
