Cambodia Essentials

Our guide and driver meet you in Siem Reap and drive you to visit Angkor Thom, the ancient royal city of the Khmer Empire with its centerpiece, the Bayon temple. Your guide will take you to the Terrace of the Elephants, which served as a platform from where the King could welcome back his victorious army, and the Terrace of the Leper King, which holds detailed carvings winding along a narrow passageway that leads to the Baphuon complex.

Continue to drive to visit Preah Khan temple, originally a Buddhist monastery and school, this temple was dedicated to Jayavarman VII’s father. Home-make lunch at the local house (Mr. Peout and his wife, Mrs. Gin living in a small house with a peaceful atmosphere and green garden will serve you a great lunch and share their lives story during the Khmer Rouge to present).

After lunch, we continue to visit the rest of the temples in the grand circle such as Neak Pan, Ta Som, East Mebon, and Pre Rup temples. Return to Siem Reap town, and stop at one of the Khmer Traditional Massage Places to enjoy 60 minutes foot massage before dropping you off at the hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

We leave the hotel early for Tonle Sap Lake Boat Pier to embark on the local boat to ride to Prek Toal Floating Village. A breakfast box will be provided on board, and the boat rides through Mechreay Floating Village and the open lake of Tonle Sap, it will take us about 60 minutes to arrive at the Prek Toal Floating Village, the biggest floating village in Tonle Sap Lake.

On arrival, we meet the bird guide and change to a smaller boat to proceed to the Bird Sanctuary. Return to the floating village, and visit the community activities doing water hyacinth weaving, they are making baskets, handbags, and other things. Enjoy the authentic lunch served by the community, then we ride the boat back to the mainland and transfer by vehicle to Siem Reap. Free at leisure in the late afternoon.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

Wake up before sunrise and make a 15-minute journey to Angkor Wat. Your guide will take you to a serene viewpoint where you can experience the dramatic sunrise as the first rays of the day kiss the magnificent temple’s good morning. It is certainly one of the most unique places in the world for sunrise but be forewarned, you won’t be alone!

After sunrise, we walk to the backdoor to visit Angkor Wat Temple at level 1, level 2, and level 3, an architectural marvel, one of the world’s most impressive ruins to understand in depth Khmer Culture and Civilization. Then we walk through the small village at Srah Srang where we will stop at one of the Khmer Traditional Houses where our high tea and picnic breakfast is arranged, the host will serve us hot tea, coffee, snacks, and fresh seasonal fruits and picnic breakfast.

Continue to visit the Ta Prohm temple of “Tomb Raider” fame, the temple that had nearly disappeared into the jungle and remains overgrown, an oddly haunting and exotic scene. The magnificent roots of a tree, pushing between the huge stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, evoke feelings that you may remember forever.

Until 4.30 pm, your guide and the driver will pick you up again to drive to Phnom Bakheng, the mountain temple built on the top of a natural mountain in the 9th century. Enjoy the sunset from the top of the hill, one of two hills dominating the plain of Angkor, and have a spectacular view of the Western Baray and Angkor Wat.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, our guide and the scooter/tuk-tuk driver pick you up and ride you to Phnom Krom, we ride up the hip of the mountain to view the floating village of Tonle Sap Lake and then we ride further to Krabei Riel Village to visit the daily activities of the villagers working in the vegetable gardens, rice fields, and weaving, a lot of stops for pictures and interaction with villagers. Then we get to Mr. Ron’s house, enjoy the cooking class that will lead by his wife, Mrs. Sina. Taste the food you cooked as lunch, then say goodbye to Mr. Ron’s family, and our driver ride you back to your hotel in Siem Reap for relaxation.

At 4.00, the driver ride you to Wat Damnak, which is one of the most beautiful pagodas in town with French colonial architecture. Participate in a private good luck blessing ceremony, performed by local monks that reside at the temple. Before you continue on your journey, you will receive a small keepsake from the monks to remind you of this special moment. Continue to ride around the outskirt of Siem Reap and taste some Cambodian snacks, fruits, and food that are available, and take a short walk through the night markets and pub street in the old market area. Stop at one of the restaurants for dinner before coming back to the hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

Depart for a full-day trip to Koh Ker and Beng Mealea both located in the beautiful rural hinterlands of Siem Reap. Travel off-the-beaten track for 2 hours before arriving at Koh Ker, the former capital of the Khmer Empire between 928 and 944 A.D. The style of the Koh Ker temple is different from any other temple in Cambodia and has more of a resemblance to the ancient pyramids of Egypt. Enjoy an authentic picnic lunch near the temple and continue to visit other ancient structures in the peaceful area.

As you head back to Siem Reap, visit the spectacular ruins of Beng Mealea, which was constructed by King Suryavarman II (1113-1150). It preceded and may have served as a prototype for Angkor Wat. Contrary to Angkor, few carvings or bas-reliefs are evident. Today the temple is largely overrun by vegetation and the stone walls are crumbling which uniquely adds to its charm.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

Your private transfer greets you at the hotel after breakfast and escorts you to Siem Reap International Airport where you board your flight home or travel on to more adventures, we will help you with the planning.