Wonderful Cambodia

Welcome to Phnom Penh, in Cambodia. Our adventure begins with a welcome meeting tonight at 6:00 PM. If you have some free time in the afternoon, consider taking a stroll through the streets of Phnom Penh and explore the city, admiring the interesting French colonial architecture. The National Museum, with its collection of classic Khmer crafts, is well worth a visit. Consider a visit to Wat Phnom, a peaceful temple situated on a hill from which the city takes its name. According to legend, a 14th-century woman named Penh found sacred Buddhist objects in the nearby river and placed them on this small hill. A great way to spend the first evening, after an important meeting, is to walk along the famous Sisowath Quay and enjoy a coffee or cocktail at one of the many cafes while watching the busy river traffic.

Phnom Penh stands as a living testament to the country's past struggles and triumphs. Included visits to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21) and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields narrate the tragic legacy of the Khmer Rouge. Tuol Sleng, a former school, served as the Khmer Rouge's torture center, with an estimated over 20,000 people detained and tortured here. The Choeung Ek Memorial houses a stupa made up of about 8,000 human skulls, marking the site of the infamous Killing Fields. This was the execution site for Tuol Sleng's torture victims, and standing in this peaceful setting, it's almost unthinkable to imagine that nearly 9,000 bodies have been exhumed from the area to date. In the afternoon, consider a visit to the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace's private quarters house King Sihamoni and are closed to the public, but you can visit the Silver Pagoda located within the palace complex, the country's most sacred temple. An ideal way to spend your second evening here is to unwind at a riverside cafe.

This morning, we take a private vehicle to Kampong Cham (about 3 hours). This city is located on the banks of the Mekong River and has all the charm of a frontier town and French colonial character. In the afternoon, head to Koh Pen Island and hop on a bicycle to pedal around the island, passing through authentic traditional Khmer wooden houses, banana, corn, and tobacco farms, and you might even see the bamboo bridge during the dry season. It's truly a great opportunity to experience local life!

We travel by private vehicle to Sambor Prei Kuk (about 3 hours). We start a village tour with the local guide. The guide will introduce us to the lifestyle of the local people, their family structures, and our hosts for tonight. This is a fantastic opportunity to experience daily life in rural Cambodia. The nearby temple ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk are among the oldest in the country (dating back to the 6th century) and are well worth a visit. In the evening, relax and unwind as you enjoy a traditional Khmer dinner with the host family.

Travel by private vehicle to Siem Reap today (about 3.5 hours). Along the way, stop at Kampong Pluck and switch gears to board a local boat and visit the floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake. Pass by the administrative offices, the school, the stilt houses that rise 7 meters along the waterway, paddle under the flooded forests, and understand the intricate life and connection between the lake and the local communities. Then continue to Siem Reap, the small, expanding town that is the gateway to Angkor. This is the most popular destination for travelers throughout Cambodia, perhaps even in Southeast Asia. You'll likely notice a change of pace here, so take a stroll and enjoy the atmosphere. A visit to the old market is a must, even if you're not looking for souvenirs; wandering among the stalls and surrounding shops, the silks, cottons, sarongs, silver, and statues are a riot of colors and a feast for the eyes. There's also a long tradition of shadow theater in the region, and if you're lucky, you might catch a show in one of the local restaurants in the evening, perhaps while eating the specialty of Cambodian cuisine, amok - the name given to the curry steamed in banana leaves.

Our journey in Cambodia continues to Angkor Wat in the early hours of the morning to watch the sunrise as in ancient times (weather permitting). We spend a full day visiting the temples with a local guide to make the most of your visit to the world-renowned Angkor complex, built between the 9th and 13th centuries, when the Khmer empire was the predominant influence in Southeast Asia. The ruins are spread over an area of about 160 square kilometers, but the main group of temples is close to Siem Reap, so you will have plenty of time to fully appreciate the great archaeological site. These include Angkor Wat, the Bayon, and the Ta Prohm engulfed by the jungle. The temples were believed to represent the cosmic world and were arranged in perfect balance, symmetry, and composition.

We continue our exploration of the Angkor Complex this morning with a half-day tour. The structures you saw yesterday and will see today include the namesake Angkor Wat, the largest and most complete structure, and the only one of the Angkor temples with a west-facing entrance – the others face east. Next is Angkor Thom, the 'Great Royal City', a temple famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone. Of all the temples visited, the Bayon temple is the centerpiece, with over 200 smiling faces carved and more than 50 gothic towers. You'll also visit the Ta Prohm temple, where nature has reclaimed its place and large trees are embedded in the stone foundations of the structure. Your afternoon will then be free and there are some optional activities to keep you busy. If you're up for an adventure, perhaps take the Angkor zip-line course, which gives you a bird's eye view of the beautiful rainforest - and a rush of adrenaline, of course. You could delve into the heart of Cambodia through its food with a cooking course. Another option is to visit the sobering Landmine Museum.

The tour continues to Battambang, the second-largest city in Cambodia. Battambang is a charming town along the river with French elegance, friendly Khmer people, and beautifully preserved colonial architecture. The city is famous for its numerous statues of animals and deities that decorate the streets and buildings. The city lacks the traffic of Phnom Penh and the number of visitors in Siem Reap, making it a great place to get a real slice of Cambodia. With an afternoon free, you might visit the hilltop Wat Banan temple, which offers 360-degree panoramic views of the Sang Ke River. There are also the Killing Caves of Phnom Sampeau, which provide a thought-provoking experience. In the evening, perhaps take a stroll along the river where locals engage in hobbies like yoga and folk dancing.

This morning, let's enjoy a half-day bicycle tour through the beautiful surrounding countryside of Battambang. Stop along the way to discover the local rural lifestyle, uncovering small artisanal industries that produce sticky rice, noodles, and fish paste. There are a number of activities for your free afternoon today. You can watch students practicing in their school of circus and music and young painters at work in the visual arts (open Monday and Thursday). There is also an optional cooking class to learn the secrets of local dishes such as amok, Khmer curry, and spicy fried chicken.

We're setting off on a 3.5-hour journey from Battambang to Kampong Chhnang, located near the mouth of Tonle Sap Lake, where it meets the river of the same name. Head to a pottery workshop, where you'll learn the traditional ways in which the locals create pottery and you'll have the chance to try it yourself, if you wish! In the evening, there's the opportunity to have dinner in a local home. Talk to your group leader if you want to arrange this.

Let's take a private vehicle to Kampot (about 4.5 hours), one of the most charming ancient cities of Cambodia. Famous for its pepper, Kampot supplied most French restaurants with this vital spice for many years during colonial rule. Today, the region is more renowned for its durian plantations, a spiky and pungent fruit that you will either love or hate: try it if you dare! In your free time, you might choose to stroll along the river and observe the French colonial architecture or have a cup of coffee on the veranda of one of the riverside restaurants and enjoy the view of the Bokor mountain range. A traditional massage is also highly recommended. Certainly, one of the most enjoyable ways to support a local charity, you change into cotton pajamas before placing yourself in the capable hands of one of the blind masseurs or masseuses.

Immerse yourself in a day of countryside exploration, giving you the chance to uncover the gems of Kampot province. Pay a visit to the Pepper Project and find out why Kampot's pepper has been hailed by international chefs as the world's finest. Also, take a tour of Kampot's salt field, the only salt field in Cambodia. A short stroll through the paddy fields and an uphill climb offer a charming view of the surrounding countryside. A few steps further and you enter the mouth of the Phnom Chhnork limestone cave that houses a small 7th-century brick temple inside. Explore the old buildings near Kep's waterfront. The town was Cambodia's most famous and prestigious seaside resort from the early 1900s until the 1960s. During the Khmer Rouge years, many of Kep's mansions and villas were destroyed, but the spectral remains of many are still a silent reminder.

This morning we leave Kampot and you will return to Phnom Penh by private vehicle (about 4.5 hours). The rest of the afternoon and evening are free for further exploration or perhaps for some last-minute shopping. Maybe take a walk along the riverfront at Chatomok, where the Tonle Bassac, Tonle Sap, and Mekong rivers meet. Perhaps conclude your trip in Cambodia by joining your travel companions for dinner - at the early evening market stalls selling delicious local specialties.

There are no activities planned for the last day and you can leave the accommodation at any time. Our journey in Cambodia ends here. See you on the next tour!