12 Days Tailored Cambodia

Start your visit at the South Gate of Angkor Thom, where statues of the gods of good and evil line the entrance. Your next stop is Bayon, a richly decorated temple. Its most distinctive feature is the hundreds of smiling faces that grace the towers. Impressive bas-reliefs tell stories of daily life and of the great battles that were fought between the Khmers and ancient Thais. Take a short drive to Ta Prohm, one of Cambodia’s most beloved temples. Unusually, Ta Prohm is in much the same condition in which it was found. The combination of large trees growing out of the ruins and the surrounding jungle give the temple a truly magical feel. Return to Siem Reap for lunch and to escape the hot sun. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument and best-preserved temple in the complex. This visually spectacular massive three-tiered pyramid has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its flag. Admire the grandeur of its architecture and its extensive decoration of bas-relief friezes. End your day with a relaxing sunset cruise along the moat of Angkor Thom. Glide quietly along in your gondola to the small temple of Prasat Chrung in the southwest corner of Angkor Thom that is difficult to reach by walking. Take along a few cold beers, kick back, and enjoy as the sun sets on the majestic temples of Angkor.

Today you will immerse in traditional Cambodian culture and take home some great memories. This morning, depart from your hotel and head to the Kok Sangke Community. Begin your tour with a visit to a local family home who will make bamboo sticky rice and traditional Khmer desserts. Next, heading out to see the local farms. Dine on a delicious Khmer lunch, cooked by the local community before visiting Wat Luang Proleung, an ancient pagoda, where you will see locals perform a traditional dance called Chhayam. Explore the pagoda and receive a water monk blessing, said to bring you good luck. Next, head through beautiful rural countryside and picturesque small villages to Kampong Khleang, a village built on high stilts on Tonle Sap Lake. Home to approximately 10,000 people, Kampong Khleang’s residence’s main income comes mainly from fishing. Depending on the time and season you visit Kampong Khleang, you will see a very different landscape, as the lake is tidal. Enjoy an evening filled with traditional Apsara dance. The show brings ancient Khmer culture to life while you enjoy a dinner of traditional Cambodian cuisine.

After being picked up from your hotel, start the day with a visit to the local market. Experience the hustle and bustle of the morning rush as you pick out fresh ingredients. From here, transfer to the organic farm, a small family enterprise supported by Agrisud International to promote economic revival in the agricultural sector. The farm cultivates crops without any use of hormones, synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Pick your ingredients from an assortment of heirloom varieties of tomatoes, cucumber, squash, spring beans, eggplant, and lettuce. A talented team of local chefs will then lead the class through the creation of Khmer culinary masterpieces. Whilst teaching, they will also share about Cambodian culture and how it intertwines with the local cuisine. Sit down to enjoy a delicious lunch of the morning’s creations. Ask the chefs your final questions before heading back. In the afternoon, being picked up for your tour with a visit to Bantreay Srei temple, known as the ‘citadel of women,’ perhaps for its smaller size. Built largely of red sandstone, the temple boasts intricate carvings on almost every surface. The remarkable preservation of these ornamental decorations and their unusual scale has earned the temple recognition as the “jewel of Khmer art,” which should not be missed. Next visit Kbal Spean, an archeological site from the Angkorian era. Described as a “spectacularly carved riverbed,” the site boasts a series of stone rock relief carvings in the sandstone riverbeds. Walk for approximately half an hour uphill along a two-kilometer jungle path to the point where the carvings begin. At this point, the path splits in one direction heading to a waterfall and the other towards the river carvings. Work your way along the riverbeds before returning to the waterfall and making your way back down the path. Ending evening, by getting on Tuk Tuk to Phare Cambodian Circus, an NGO that supports disadvantaged Khmer youth with art and performance training, is a show without animals that showcases a talented cast accomplished in acrobatics, contortion, aerial ballet, tightrope walking, juggling, mime, drama, and comedy. Cambodia has a long history of circus tradition, dating back as far as the 6th century from temple carvings depicting circus performances for ceremonies and festivals. While the show is fully modern, it draws on Cambodian tradition, folk stories, and folk music.

After breakfast, start your journey by private coach to Battambang province (178 km / 4h.). Stop along the way at silk farm of Pouk, you can visit the silk farm with a 30-minute tour with a guide who will walk you through the different steps of fine silk production from the growing of mulberry plant to the work of the workers on the loom machines. Then, continue to Battambang, a famous for its French colonial architecture, fertile soil and the rubies and garnets mined in the province. In the afternoon, we will explore Phnom Sampeau, a natural rock formation with a series of caves. The area was a former stronghold of the communist regime, Khmer Rouge, that controlled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979 and some caves were used as “killing caves.” Your guide will give you a history of this area and will answer any questions you have. You will also have the opportunity to visit Bat Cave to see a steady stream of bats leaving the cave as dusk falls around 5:00 pm.

This morning begins a delightful bicycling through the beautiful countryside around Battambang with a local guide where you will learn first-hand about everyday life in rural communities, which make up over 70% of Cambodia’s population. Here you will visit with local families and learn how they make traditional products such as rice paper, dried bananas, bamboo sticky rice, fish paste, and rice wine using methods that have been passed down for generations. You will also have a chance to taste and experience these products fresh from the fire. Next, hop on a fun bamboo train ride through the countryside, local houses, paddy fields and enjoy great views with some refreshing seasonal fruit and coconut water or soft drink before returning. Continue to the village of Wat Kor where you will see an impressive Khmer Ancient House built in the early 20th Century. NOTE: The ride is approximately 22 kilometers. In the cold afternoon, take a walking tour of the colonial edifice, government buildings and visit to local market

Today after breakfast, we will depart by private vehicle heading to Phnom Penh approximately (5hour) journey. We will make a stop at Oudong, the temple is located on a small mountain which was also the former setting of the royal residence and Cambodia’s capital until 1866. At the base of the mountain, we will visit a memorial that pays respect to the victims of the harrowing Khmer Rouge regime. A small pavilion with painted murals shows the atrocities that were committed during that time. Next, we will stop at Koh Chen, a small village where most residents make their living as copper and silversmiths. You’ll have a chance to admire their beautiful artisan work before continuing to Phnom Penh. This evening is free to explore Phnom Penh or relax at the hotel. 

This morning, hop-on Cyclo and you will be ridden to the majestic Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda complex. Admire the elaborately constructed palace buildings, some of the 5,000 silver floor tiles that give the Silver Pagoda its name, as well as spectacular gold and bejeweled Buddha statues that are considered national treasures. Walk to the nearby National Museum, a beautiful sandstone museum that showcases the world’s largest collection of Khmer art. Set off for lunch afterward before visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former secondary school that was converted by Khmer Rouge into one of the regime’s largest detention and torture centers, Security Prison 21. An important educational site, the museum chronicles the Cambodian genocide and documents the atrocities that occurred within its walls. Please note that the images on display are graphic and can be unsettling. Next, driving to Choeung Ek, one of the mass grave sites of the Killing Fields, where the Khmer Rouge executed over a million men, women, and children between the years 1975 and 1979. Today, Choeung Ek is a memorial with a Buddhist stupa filled with skulls and bones to honor the victims.

Pick up from the hotel and transfer to Sihanoukville 190Km distance (3hours). Upon arrival, transfer by speedboat from Sihanouk Ville mainland to Koh Rong Sanloem for the beach break. The rest of the day is free to explore and relax at leisure. (No meal included) Note: no guide included

Free day to enjoy life on the beach and by the sea.

Today, you will be checked out from the resort and transfer to Phnom Penh airport for your flight home. Note: Flight from Phnom Penh must be nighttime.