Cambodia Emotion

You’ll be met at the airport by your local English-speaking guide. Travel by private car to your hotel, where your rooms are available anytime after 2 p.m. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon, discover Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, with a visit to the Royal Palace and the splendid Silver Pagoda. A couple of hundred meters away, experience ancient Khmer art at the National Museum, a major architectural monument that now houses the magnificent art that once adorned the temples of Angkor. To round off the day, get to know Phnom Penh’s origins with a visit to Wat Phnom. Return to the hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Early in the morning, meet your guide at reception and transfer to visit Ta Prohm Bati, a small yet impressive Buddhist temple surrounded by a pretty garden. Built during the reign of Jayavarman VII, the temple is a few hundred metres from another temple, Yeay Peau, where, in a modern pagoda, believers leave locks of their hair once their prayers are answered. Then visit the Royal Palace, built in 1866 by King Norodom and comprising different structures which group together in one area the remarkable art of the Khmer. The Silver Palace features major works including a massive golden Buddha encrusted with 9584 diamonds and weighing 90kgs, and a Buddha of emerald and Baccarat crystal dating to the 17th century. Move south, then, to understand another period of history: that of the Khmer Rouge. See, then, the Apsara Association of Arts where you will see street children learn traditional Khmer art, dance and traditional music. Following this, you’ll visit Tuol Sleng, the Genocide Museum, an old secondary school which was transformed into a detention centre under the Khmer Rouge. The prison gate still carries the name S21. Here, thousands of prisoners were detained, tortured and killed. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Information:

• At Tonle Bati, a number of children will attempt to sell you incense sticks and lotus flowers. Don’t accept what may appear first to be gifts as they will ask you for money in return.

Note:

• Visits to the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and National Museum are conducted by guides on site as our guides are not authorised to do so.
• Due to official ceremonies and events, sometimes the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda are closed without notice. If this occurs, an alternative our will be arranged if possible.
• The Apsara Association of Arts and markets are closed on public holidays.

An early start sees you off to cross the Cambodian countryside on a good road to Battambang. During the drive, you’ll see magnificent scenery of rice fields dotted with sugar palms and traditional wooden houses on stilts. After about two hours, you’ll arrive in Kompong Chhnang, a provincial town where you can walk through traditional potting villages and see local artisans at work making braziers for domestic cooking along with many other utensils and decorative pieces for the home. An hour later back on the road, we’ll stop at Kompong Luong village where a traditional boat will motor around the lake allowing you to view community life of a real floating village and all its unique characteristics. Lunch at the local restaurant. Afterwards, continuing on the road, arrive then at Battambang and your hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Note: Battambang is not highly developed for tourism. Its restaurants, hotels and general services are still quite local. 

Discover the charming town of Battambang, beginning with a tour by local Tuk-Tuk, a three-wheeled taxi, from which you’ll be able to see the elegant colonial French-style houses along the river. A visit to the provincial museum and a pretty wooden pagoda precedes your arrival at an 11th century temple, Wat Ek Phnom, the road to which passes many traditional villages. On the way, help a family make rice pancakes and talk with local Cambodians about their daily life. In the afternoon, travel along the river whose suspended bridges join all the villages together. Crossing the orange orchards, you’ll arrive at the superb 12-13th-century temple Prasat Banon, which towers over the peak of the hill you have just climbed. From here, you can enjoy the beautiful village countryside scenery, the plains and their pagodas. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

(1 day cruise from 7 to 9 hours depending on the season – possible from August to February, depending on weather)

Transfer to the wharf and then in a private traditional boat take a superb cruise along the Sangke River. Bordered by stilt houses and local vegetation, the river takes you to a floating fishing village, Bak Prea. From here you’ll be able to spot the black wood Chheu Khamu pagoda while you enjoy a picnic lunch onboard. At the mouth of the river, where it meets Tonle Sap Lake, you’ll pass by Prek Toal village. Here you will see schools and floating pagodas and a myriad of fishing methods, including fishponds and crocodile farms. Continuing to cruise along this great lake, you’ll arrive at Chong Khneas village, the point of disembarkation at the end of the afternoon. Transfer to your hotel for check in. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Note: The small traditional Cambodian boats are noisy and do not have toilets. Rest stops are planned at villages along the way. The cruise’s remarkable beauty overrides these small inconveniences.

(Dry season program : from February to July)

Leave by road from Battambang heading for Siem Reap through scenic Cambodian countryside featuring rice fields and traditional wooden houses. The road travels through Sisophon in the province of Banteay Meanchey, 68km from Battambang. From here, and after about 100kms, arrive in Angkor. (Note: the road is not always in good condition.)

On the road you’ll observe stone sculptors and silk weavers. At a silk farm about 15km from Siem Reap, you will be able to see all the steps of traditional silk production, from raising the worms to making the silk and colouring it. Arrive at 13.00 at Siem Reap for lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon visit Angkor National Museum which is a profound cultural landmark in Siem Reap. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, discover one of the most ancient sites in the region about a half-hour from Siem Reap: the Temples of Roluos. Begin the visit with the impressive Bakong, a ninth-century temple. Follow this with Preah Ko and Lolei, which today houses a small monastery. This is an ideal introduction to Angkor because it allows a full understanding of how the Khmer city was organized. In the afternoon, visit Angkor Thom (Grand City) beginning at the south gate and the famous Bayon of the 12th and 13th century, dedicated to Buddhism. It is made of 54 gigantic towers featuring 216 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva embodying the compassion of all Buddhas. Continue on to the Terrace of Elephants which, at 350 m, was used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the king’s grand audience hall. Then see the Terrace of the King of Lepers, from the 12th century, a raised platform featuring many sculptured Apsaras (celestial dancers). Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Meet your guide at reception and head off to the marvellous temple of Angkor Wat, a world heritage site featuring the most extraordinary bas-reliefs. This is one of the most astonishing monuments ever conceived by mankind, and was erected in the 12th century (1112-1152) in honour of Vishnu. In the afternoon, leave for Banteay Srei, one of the most impressive jewels in the world of Khmer art. Built in the 10th century, this little pink sandstone temple whose name signifies ‘the citadel of women’ houses remarkable sculpted lintels in very good condition. Andre Malraux made it famous at the beginning of the 20th century after removing one of its Apsara heads. He restored it to Banteay Srei in 1923. On the road home, visit the ancient Ta Prohm monastery where immense branches have taken root in the stones. Here you will find splendid sculptured devatas (guardian angels) and experience an atmosphere entirely suited to this temple and all those built under the reign of Jayavarman VII. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

A free day until transfering to the airport for your flight. Your room is available up until noon. Meals on your own. Ends of service.

Option: Visit Artisans of Angkor, a local artisan school that operates on a not-for-profit basis to rehabilitate and keep local crafts alive. Take a tour of the old market.