Essentials of Cambodia: 15 days

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival – Siem Reap

  ♦ Arrival at Siem Reap airport, welcome by our French-speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. ♦ Visit to the night market 60 m away and Pub Street. ♦ Dinner at leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap.

• day 2

  Siem Reap

  ♦ Departure from the hotel in a private vehicle to explore Angkor Thom, starting with the Terrace of the Leper King. ♦ Your visit continues along the Terrace of the Elephants, which hosted the splendor of royal audiences and public ceremonies. ♦ Continue to the south gate with the famous Bayon, then explore the forgotten temple of Ta Prohm, overrun by the jungle. ♦ In the afternoon, visit the temple of Angkor Wat. ♦ Overnight at the hotel.

• day 3

  Siem Reap

  ♦ Departure by motorbike or trailer to visit the grand circuit: Ta Nei temple, the ancient city of Preah Khan and Neak Pean. ♦ In the afternoon, visit the mythical Banteay Srei, the citadel of women. ♦ On the way back, visit the production of palm sugar and authentic Cambodian houses, then visit the romantic Banteay Samré temple. ♦ Dinner-show and overnight at the hotel.

• day 4

  Siem Reap – Off-the-beaten-path temples: Beng Mealea and Koh Ker

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Full-day excursion to visit the Koh Ker temple (about 3 hours' drive through the countryside). ♦ Lunch at a local restaurant. ♦ Then depart for the Beng Mealea temple. ♦ On the way back to Siem Reap, visit a current pagoda-monastery where young monks study. ♦ Dinner and overnight stay with a local family in Chansor.

• day 5

  Chansor – Kampong Kleing – Battambang

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Enjoy the ox cart ride, discover mat weaving and local life, then depart for the stilt village of Kompong Khleang. ♦ Departure for an excursion on the Tonlé Sap through the canals. Discover the floating houses and the local life of the inhabitants. ♦ Lunch in a local restaurant. ♦ Transfer by road to Battambang. Check-in at the reserved hotel. ♦ Dinner at leisure. Overnight in Battambang.

• day 6

  Battambang – Visit

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Discovery of the city of Battambang, a charming city with its elegant French colonial-style houses along the river, orientation tour by Tuk-Tuk. ♦ Visit to the local Phar Nat market, the provincial museum, and a pretty wooden pagoda. ♦ On the way, discovery of the Wat Ek Phnom temple and the possibility to watch a local family making rice cakes. ♦ Lunch in a local restaurant. ♦ In the afternoon, discovery of Phnom Sam Pov, then a ride on the Bamboo train. ♦ Return to Battambang, then visit one of the oldest houses in the city.

• day 7

  Battambang – Kampong Speu

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ After breakfast, departure for Phnom Penh passing through the province of Kompong Chnang, visit to a potters' village. ♦ Boarding in the morning on a private boat towards the Kampong Leng peninsula. ♦ Visit of Kampong Leng by tuktuk (motor-cart). ♦ Discovery of local activities: mat weaving, basket weaving, visit to a pre-Angkorian sanctuary tower from the 7th century, "the Women's Tower". ♦ Then, you will continue the visit to Mrs. Bo's house. Upon arrival, welcome by a small Bo family and stroll through their fields. ♦ Local lunch. ♦ Afterwards, continue the road for about 10 minutes through the mountain range to reach the most popular waterfall in the Orm Laing region. ♦ Swimming at will in the waterfalls in the middle of the forests. ♦ Dinner and overnight at Mrs. Bo's.

• day 8

  Kampong Speu-Phnom Penh

  ♦ Local breakfast at Mrs. BO's. ♦ Departure by motorized ox cart through villages and rice fields. Arrival at the foot of the hill. Take a small path traced by villagers through wild bamboo fields. ♦ Your route always follows the watercourse, passing through orchids and wild plants. ♦ Picnic lunch and enjoy swimming, then departure for Phnom Penh with guide. ♦ Dinner at your leisure and overnight at the hotel.

• day 9

  Phnom Penh – Visit

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Cyclo tour of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, the National Museum, and the Apsara dance school. ♦ Lunch in a local restaurant. ♦ In the afternoon, visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21), then a stroll in the Russian Market. ♦ Cyclo ride in the old colonial quarter, located between the Tonlé Sap river and Wat Phnom hill, which you will climb at sunset. ♦ Dinner at leisure. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

• day 10

  Phnom Penh – Koh Dach Island

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Exploration of Silk Island. ♦ Lunch with the villagers on site. You return to Phnom Penh in the late afternoon by local private boat. ♦ Dinner at your leisure. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

• day 11

  Kep-Kampot

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Departure by road with a guide to Kep. On the way, visit Phnom Tamao Zoo, which is home to species that are almost extinct, then explore Phnom Chisor temple. ♦ Dinner at leisure and overnight in Kampot.

• day 12

  Kep – Sihanoukville

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Discovery of the local market in Kep. ♦ Continue the visit of the stalactite caves, the boat trip to discover the mangrove and the city of Kampot. ♦ In the afternoon, departure by road to Sihanoukville. ♦ Check-in at your reserved hotel. Meals are at your leisure. Overnight in Sihanoukville.

• day 13

  Sihanoukville - Koh Takiev – Free

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Departure for Ream, where you will board a traditional boat to a small island not frequented by regular tourists, such as Koh Takiev. ♦ Arrival on the island. Free time on the beach and overnight on the island.

• day 14

  Koh Takiev – Free

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Free day without guide or car. Night in Sihanoukville.

• day 15

  Koh Takiev – Phnom Penh – Departure

  ♦ Breakfast at the hotel. ♦ Transfer by traditional boat to Ream, then transfer by private car without a guide to Phnom Penh International Airport. End of our services!