Cambodia in Depth

Welcome to the Kingdom of Cambodia!

On arrival at Siem Reap International Airport, you will meet our airport representative, who will provide the private vehicle transfer to your hotel.

Cambodia is much more than temples, its history is both inspiring and sobering, uplifting and heartbreaking. Visit Siem Reap’s magnificent temples, abandoned centuries ago by the Khmer kingdom and now surrounded by its lush forests. In Phnom Penh, witness stark reminders of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge. However, this tour will not only take you to the well-known destinations of Cambodia but also to some more remote places in the northeast of the country.

The day is at leisure.

Be prepared to be impressed, as today is all about Angkor. No doubt you’ve seen photos of the epic Angkor Wat, the largest and most important of the Angkor Temples, full of courtyards and carvings. Then there’s the mysterious Bayon Temple with its giant smiling stone faces. And let’s not forget the haunting beauty of Ta Phrom – left to the clutches of the jungle, bound by the roots of massive trees. But nothing can prepare you for the sheer scale and the spiritual atmosphere you will experience when seeing these ancient monuments in real life. We will, of course, visit all the above, plus many more renowned and lesser-known temples. Finally, to end a perfect day, you will climb to the upper terraces of one of the ancient temples to view the sunset.

In the morning, after enjoying breakfast at your hotel, explore how the Cambodian people are making Khmer rice noodles or Nom Banh Chok. Observe how the noodles are made, and then try them yourself as you tuck into a delicious breakfast. Not far from the temples of Angkor is the small village of Preah Dak – a beautiful hamlet that specializes in traditional handmade handicrafts. Here you will also see artisans skilled in the making of Nom Banh Chok. 

Filled full of noodles, continue to another small village to see a street vendor preparing palm sugar. Palm trees are very important to Khmer people as they find uses for most of the plant including the stem, leaves, trunk, fruit and flowers. The palm juice has a distinct smell and flavour and is perfect for cooling down in the Cambodian heat. 

Later we will visit Banteay Srei, which is one of the most romantic temples in Angkor. Built from pink sandstone, the walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual delicacy. 

In the afternoon, sit back on a boat, relax and enjoy the views of Kampong Kleang, a fishing community on the edge of the Tonle Sap Lake. You will cruise past wooden houses built on towering stilts, submerged forests and fish farms.  

Today you will continue the tour and journey by private vehicle from Siem Reap to Banlung, the capital of Ratanakiri Province. (436 km, approximately 6-7 hours)

Visit the beautiful temple of Preah Vihear, a famous UNESCO World Heritage site, dramatically perched on a clifftop near the Thai border. There is the option to go by local truck and the views from the top are spectacular. Legend talks of mysterious spirits that inhabit the waters of Yeak Loam Lake – but we won’t let that put us off! The emerald-green waters of this circular crater lake are perfect for swimming. We’ll also visit waterfalls and browse around the Banlung Market.

Today’s Highlights: Preah Vihear Temple, Yeak Loam Lake, waterfalls, Banlung Market (6 hours)

Today we will need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to navigate the uneven country roads to Ta Veang. Here, we’ll visit many of the different minority villages in the area, including Tumpoun, Krueng, Kra Chok and Kavet.

Driving time from Sen Monorom to Banlung via Koh Nhek and Lumphat is around 4 hours.

The Jarai people are an ethnic minority who dwell in traditional stilt houses. Their beliefs are polytheistic (they believe in many gods!). We’ll visit one of their villages by boat to learn about their elaborate funerary customs and see the fascinating totems they carve out of wood.

Hold on to your seats! An adventurous and bumpy journey along country roads brings us to one of the country’s most impressive waterfalls. The water tumbles from a height of 35 metres through a gorge in the jungle.

Today enjoy a visit to the Elephant Valley Project, and have a chance to get up close to the gentle giants in their natural habitat. There are no rides, tricks or shows; instead, you can observe these beautiful creatures simply being happy in their little sanctuary. This eco-tourism project was established to improve the health and welfare of domestic elephants in Mondulkiri province.

We continue our tour and drive from Sen Monorom to Kampong Thom (370 km).

Upon arrival, check-in to your hotel and enjoy the afternoon and evening at leisure.

Before noon we will drive from Kampong Thom to a local village in Baray, where you will enjoy lunch before visiting a local school to learn about the country’s education system. You will also get involved in other activities with the kids and the people of the village.
In the late afternoon, pay a visit to assist the elderly people of the village, and after enjoy an ox cart ride to the rice fields for sunset.

Overnight in a local Village (Homestay).
Meals: Breakfast, Home-hosted Khmer Dinner.

After your homestay experience in Baray and breakfast, you will visit a fantastic old market.
Enjoy a private vehicle transfer from Kampong Thom to Phnom Penh by private vehicle approx 168 km.

The city of Phnom Penh still bears the scars left by the Khmer Rouge. In particular, the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. Formerly the high school, later it became the main interrogation and torture facility. Largely unchanged, it bears witness to the thousands of victims that passed through the doors – only seven of whom survived. In a peaceful rural setting, just outside the city, we find the Killing Fields. Thousands of people were killed here between the years 1975 and 1978 and buried in mass graves. These are distressing places to visit, but it’s necessary to get a clearer idea of how Cambodians have suffered and how they have survived.

Today enjoy a day of touring Phnom Penh. The riverfront promenade that lines the mighty Mekong River is a hive of activity, from the chaotic traffic to busy pavements full of street-side vendors and pedestrians. Visit the National Museum and the Silver Pagoda, and then rub shoulders with the royals in the Royal Palace, where King Norodom Sihamoi still lives today.
Of course, there is time for shopping for exotic souvenirs in one of the city’s fabulous markets. You will either visit the art-deco Central Market or the sprawling Russian Market to barter for locally made silk, crafts, jewellery, and lots more. Let us know if you have a preference! In the late afternoon enjoy a cyclo ride around Phnom Penh during the sunset.

Enjoy your last few hours of leisure in Cambodia before you meet your driver who will provide the private vehicle transfer to Phnom Penh International Airport.