Cambodia Tours

Magical Angkor Wat

Tour Code: 3-Pro

Cambodia. Once a mighty empire that built soaring temples is today also a bustling modern city. Cambodia is a study in contrasts. Although the Angkor Wat temple complex woos most tourists with its imposing architecture and sprawl, there are other wonders to be seen for the ones who seek. Museums featuring relics from Cambodia’s war-torn past lie juxtaposed with emerald paddy fields. Siem Riep resonates with music from glitzy cafes while just a few kilometers away is Tonle Sap, famous for its “floating villages” on a lake. Wander around and lose yourself in the magic of Cambodia’s old world charm, see the vast Mekong, walk in its beautiful countryside. There are lots of things to discover.

Day 1

Arrival at Phnom Penh

Our English speaking guide will meet and welcome you at Phnom Penh airport. Transfer you to Phnom Penh downtown. Today, explore Phnom Penh, a chaotic, energetic and always fascinating city. Graceful tree lined boulevards and riverfront promenades are reminders of bygone eras; today they teem with life and activity, as motorcycles weave in and out of traffic, vendors hawk their wares, and pedestrians go about their business. Start the tour with an insight into Cambodia’s cultural heritage with a visit to the Royal Palace, still the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoi and the adjacent Silver Pagoda, also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha. Continue to the elegant National Museum, which contains a comprehensive collection of Khmer Art. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 2

Full Day Tour of Phnom Penh

Begin with an excursion to the Killing Fields (4 Hours). Just outside Phnom Penh, in a peaceful rural setting, the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek provide a stark reminder of the atrocities under the Pol Pot regime. Thousands of people were killed here between the years of 1975 and 1978 and buried in mass graves. Next, enjoy a sunset cruise on the Mekong (Aboard a local boat) (1 Hours)
Enjoy a short sunset cruise along the Phnom Penh riverfront. A tour cruise typically takes about 1 hour and runs up the Tonle Sap River along the central riverfront area providing a picturesque view of the Royal Palace, National Museum, parks and Phnom Penh skyline, and then across the Tonle Sap and up the Mekong River to view floating fishing villages with the view when the sun is setting down. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 3

Phnom Penh – Siem Reap

After breakfast, transfer to airport to take a domestic flight to Siem Reap. Our driver will meet and welcome you at the airport after which you will be transferred to your hotel. You have the day to yourself till the evening when you will be treated to an Apsara Dance performance. Enjoy the buffet dinner to follow and stay overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 4

Angkor Tour, Small Circuit

Initially, you will explore the Small Circuit. This tour includes the huge pyramid of Takeo, and the jungle-clad Ta Prohm, made famous by the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Tomb Raider’. Move on to explore the impressive Royal City of Angkor Thom, where you will find the Bayon, a temple famed for its many gigantic carved faces smiling beguilingly down at you. You will also visit other important sites in this immense walled city, including the pyramid of Baphuon, Phimeanakas, and the royal viewing stands known as the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. If you have the time, your guide will take you to an excellent spot for watching a mesmerizing Angkor Wat sunset. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 5

Angkor Wat, Grand Circuit

This morning, you head 30km north to visit the captivating and beautiful temple of Banteay Srei or ‘Fortress of the Women’. The journey allows you to experience the beautiful Cambodian countryside as you pass through small typical villages. En route you will visit Banteay Samre, an elaborately decorated temple, embellished with floral motifs and scenes from the Ramayana, all carved from pink sandstone. It is said the carvings must have been done by women as the detail is too fine for the hands of a man. In the afternoon, visit the spectacular temples of the Grand Circuit, beginning with Preah Khan or ‘Sacred Sword’, one of the largest temples at Angkor, continue to Neak Pean surrounded by fountains and ponds, Ta Som and its famous strangler fig tree and finally, you arrive at Pre Rup, a pleasant spot to experience another Angkor sunset if you wish.

Day 6

Siem Reap – Wat Thmei – Tonle Sap – Siem Reap

Breakfast at the hotel, and then visit Wat Thmei, which contains a unique glasswalled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. Come back to visit the “Les Artisans d’Angkor – Chantiers Ecole” for the Finest Authentic Khmer Arts and Crafts. In the afternoon visit the Floating Villages, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia and the largest in Asia. Here you’ll see plenty of examples of the Khmer way of life on the Tonle Sap. Then visit Wat Bo founded in the 18th century, a highly respected pagoda that contains very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana) that are said to be late 19th century and a sneak peek into the local market. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 7

Depart from Siem Reap

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home.

This offbeat international tour just a sample itinerary from our repertoire of Cambodia tours and is fully customizable. Feel free to ask us to chop and change in ways you want. Don’t want a fully guided tour? No problem. Ask us how we can make you travel to the deepest places without feeling like you are on an organized tour. We are here to help you plan. Help you travel. Responsibly. Write in to us for prices.