HIGHLIGHTS OF CAMBODIA – 6 DAYS/ 5 NIGHTS - From: 351$

You will be greeted at the airport and transferred to the city for hotel check in. From 1.30pm onward room is at your disposal. After lunch and your relaxtion, discover the Roluos group of temples – one of the most ancient sites of the region. At the begining, pay visits to the impressive Bakong Temple, dating back to 9th century. Keep following your guide to Preah Ko and Lolei (today it is a small monastery). This trip provides you adequate knowledges about the structure of the Khmer City. How great an introduction to Angkor! Afterwards, take a cycling tour around Bakong and the surrounding countryside. Finish your day trip upon arrival at your hotel. Have your own pleasant meals. Spend your night at the hotel.
Note: For organizing your Angkor entry tickets, it's necessary to spend a while to take a free-of-charge photo right on site.

In the morning, start your day trip by taking a visit to a very famous world heritage site of Angkor Wat. Built up in the 12th century in honour of Vishnu, with incredible bas reliefs and soaring towers, Angkor Wat is known as one of the most amazing monuments made by mankind in the world. After lunch (your expense), continue our trip towards Banteay Srei – a charming small pink temple. Dating back to 10th century and still known as the Citadel of Women, this temple owns a most impressive jewel of Khmer art. On the way back, finish your day by discovering splendid sculptured Devatas and immerse in the unique atmosphere in the ancient Ta Prohm Monastery. This site has a nickname of "Jungle Temple", because of its immense branches having taken root in the stones. Have your own dinner. Night at the hotel.

Note: Lunch is not included but if you want, our guide will be happy to transfer you back to your hotel or to Bar Street in Siem Reapto purchase lunch and have a short rest.

 

Get on a tuk-tuk this morning and we head to Preah Khan Temple, located in the northern end of Angkor. Dating back to 1191, this temple is built up by Jayavarman VII in honour of his father, for the purposes of being both a city and a place for Buddhism studies. Neak Pean, erected in the same era, also known as Entwined Nagas, is the only island temple of Angkor. Four smaller basins, presenting the image of the four great rivers flowing from the earth’s four cardinal points, link and meet together at the large central basin. You will also see the superb statute of Balaha, one of the most interesting features of this site, speaking for the legendary saviour of shipwrecked boats. Angkor will be still many things to explore as we go further south. Built up from the 12th century and during the reign of Suryavarman II, the two spectacular temples of Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda will be our next interesting destinations to visit. They are prominent for their very beautiful sculptured images honouring Shiva and Vishnu.

After lunch (your expense)  and relaxation, continue our trip by visiting the Great City of Angkor Thom.  Your afternoon begins with the south gate and the famous Bayon temple. Dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, the Bayon is dedicated to Buddhism and composed of 216 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara on 54 gigantic towers. Afterwards, pay visits to the Terrace of the Elephants. In the past, it was served as a base for the king’s grand audience hall and used as a gigantic reviewing stand in occasion of public ceremonies. Then come explore the Terrace of Leper King, dating back the 12th century, on which many beautiful Apsaras was sculptured. All meals of day are on your own. Night at the hotel.

After breakfast, departure for Kompong Khleang to enjoy lovely villages with peaceful atmosphere. Locals here only live on stilt houses, which provides you an unique natural environment and breathtaking views of rice fields, floodplains and water far away to the horizon. Meet up with lovely children and hospitable locals while wandering along the village. Then, hop on a boat and cruise along the canals towards a large lake populated by Vietnamese people. Because of the seasons, those poor but friendly people are displaced from their homes. Have a picnic lunch in a home of a villager, upon arriving back to the village. In the afternoon, transfer back to Siem Reap Airport for your flight to Phnom Penh. You will be greeted at the airport and transferred to your hotel to check in. Find some scrumtious foods for your own dinner here. Spend your night at the hotel.

 

Spend the whole day for the capital city. First, take a visit to Wat Phnom to learn about Phnom Penh’s origins. The second destination is the Royal Palace, built up by King Norodom  in 1866. So many different structures are grouped together just in the space of the palace, creating an extraordinary collection of Khmer art. One of the highlights is Silver Pagoda, with remarkable works including a 90-kilogram golden Buddha encrusted with 9584 diamonds, Baccarat crystal conceived in the 17th century and a Buddha featuring emeralds. Keep travelling towards the south of the city and visit the Tuol Sleng genocide museum, you will have the closest and most authentic look of the Khmer Rouge regime - the darkest and forgettable period of Cambodia’s history. Then visit a former secondary school, which was transformed into a detention centre under the Khmer Rouge. Behind the gates with the famous name ‘S21’, thousands of residents and soldiers were detained, tortured and wasted their life here.

Transfer a short way back to Phnom Penh and take a stroll amongst the Russian Markets (Tuol Tumpoung in Cambodian – closed on public holidays ). There are souvenirs such as home wares, jewels, fabrics, jewellery, and handicrafts among many other items, that you can try bargaining when wandering along the stands. Have your own meals. Overnight at the hotel.

Notes:
+ When we visit the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda our guides are unauthorized to lead, so guides on site will be the ones to do .

+ In case the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda are closed without notice (only sometimes for official ceremonies), we will rearrange the visit with another if possible

You are free at your leisure until check out your hotel and move to Phnom Penh Airport for your onward flight or for your beach extension. Room is available before noon only. Our srevices end here.