Day 1 Arrive Phnom Penh (/)
On arrival at the airport at 10:25 you will be transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the morning to relax after lunch at 2pm you will be met by the guide and take a visit to the Royal Palace, National Museum and the Silver Pagoda.
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Day 2 Phnom Penh (B)
Spend the morning at the Killing fields of Choeung Ek, before returning to Phnom Penh visit Tuol Sleng Museum, this was a former high school that was converted into a prison and a torture centre by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. After lunch visit the Russian and Central Markets.
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Day 3 Phnom Penh – Battambang (B)
Depart Phnom Penh at 7am transfer by car to Battambang, enjoy lunch in the French Colonial Town of Battambang, after lunch enjoy the beautiful French Colonial architecture of Battambang town, the Sangke’ River and Buddhist monastery take a short ride on the Bamboo Railway and gain an insight on how goods are transported in this part of the world before visiting a local market.
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Day 4 Battambang – Siem Reap (B / L)
After breakfast visit Wat Ek Phnom, a temple from the days of Angkor, built in the 10th century. A beautiful temple in the style of Angkor Wat. Then take a boat ride on the Tonle Sap Lake to Siem Reap passing floating villages and enjoying the stunning nature of the area, arrive in Siem Reap late afternoon. Accommodation: Somadevi Angkor Resort & Spa
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Day 5 Siem Reap (B)
Today is the beginning of your experience in the Khmer Empire start the day visiting the awe inspiring Temples of Angkor for a full day of discovery. First we visit the “Great City” of Angkor Thom, built in the late 12th Century, entering its impressive stone gates and seeing the exuberant carvings, provide a fascinating insight into the Khmer Kingdom. Within the Royal enclosure you will see the Bayon temple, the Phimeanakas Temple, the Baphoun Temple, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. After lunch we continue on to the most famous temple of the former Khmer kingdom, Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed back in the 12th century and covers an area of around 210 hectares, and today is considered as an architectural masterpiece around the world. Inside, the walls are decorated with beautiful hand carvings and bas-reliefs illustrating Hindu mythology and over 2000 Aspara dancers ornate the temple walls. Having explored Angkor, we head back to our hotel to relax before enjoying this evenings dinner which will be accompanied by a traditional Apsara dance and culture show.
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Day 6 Siem Reap – Stung Treng (B / L)
Early morning departure north along the new and excellent road to the Anlong Veng Town – last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge and only finally ‘liberated’ in 1998. Our tour of this remote town includes visits to Pol Pot’s grave, Pol Pot and Ta Mok’s, (aka ‘The Butcher) villas – now grim concrete shells but spectacularly located on the edge of the steep Dandrek Escarpment marking the border between Thailand and Cambodia - and the strange ‘lake of dead trees’ created by a Khmer Rouge dam project. Continue eastwards to Preah Rumkel Community just the other side of the river to Laos, Relax and watch the rare Irrawaddy Dolphins before crossing the river and driving to Stung Treng.
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Day 7 Stung Treng – Ban Lung (B / L)
Visit the Mekong Blue part of an NGO developed to increase life skills which assist in breaking the cycle of poverty for vulnerable women in the Stung Treng region. It is now regarded as producing one of the finest silk products in Cambodia. They are 100% hand-woven and have even won two UNESCO awards. Most importantly they keep alive a 100 year old tradition of silk-weaving, continuing to Ban Lung spend the afternoon at Yeak Lom Lake, a volcanic lake in the middle of an extinct volcano surrounded by lush forest growth.
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Day 8 Ban Lung – Kroeung Territory (B / L)
Drive north, in the direction of Laos towards the village of Taveng, crossing the volcanic rocks of Veyrum Pling: a lava field in the forest with a small waterfall nearby (the waterfall is only present in the wet season though). As we go north to Taveng, pass first and secondary forests, stop at a few nice Kroeung villages located quite far away in the forest. Learn about their village life and culture. Enjoy lunch at a small waterfall in the forest before returning to Ban Lung.
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Day 9 Ban Lung – Kratie – Trong Island (B / L / D)
After breakfast transfer to Kratie province and cross the river to the lovely Mekong Island of Koh Trong where you will have lunch with the villagers after lunch cycle around the Island and take part in a tree planting with the locals interacting with the community, spend the night in a community homestay. This area has been setup as part of the Mekong Discovery Trail (www.mekongdiscoverytrail.com).
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Day 10 Kratie - Phnom Penh (B)
Early morning after breakfast we transfer back to Kratie town for have breakfast and forward to Phnom Penh capital, we will pass Kampong Cham stopping at Wat Nokor before arriving in Phnom Penh.
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Day 11 Phnom Penh- Kep – Rabbit Island (B)
Leaving Phnom Penh, we visit the colonial-era seaside resort of Kep. Have lunch before taking a half day boat trip to Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island).
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Day 12 Kep – Bokor Hill (B / L / D)
After breakfast travel along the coast via Kampot to Bokor Mountain drive part of the way and then trek to the top of Bokor Mountain the trek up takes about 2 hours visit of the former king’s residence and a stunning waterfall, spend the night at a community homestay at Bokor Mountain
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Day 13 Bokor Hill - Sihanoukville (B / L)
Wake up early and take in the sunrise from the top of Bokor Mountain, after breakfast visit the old French ghost town of Bokor before trekking back down (2 hours) and then driving to Sihanoukville.
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Day 14 Sihanoukville (B)
Free Day in Sihanoukville
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Day 15 Sihanoukville – Phnom Penh (B)
Transfer from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh airport the drive will take about 3 ½ hours for your onward flight which departs from Phnom Penh
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