Daily departure from Phnom Penh with English
or French speaking guide
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Arrvival Phnom Penh (D)
Transfer from Phnom Penh International Airport to the hotel (rooms may
not be ready until the afternoon).
Phnom Penh city tour: Visit the Victory Monument, and the National
Museum, also called Musee des Beaux-Arts. A French archaeologist and
painter, Georges Groslier, designed it in Khmer style in 1917. The
museum contains a collection of Khmer art - notably sculptures – from
throughout the ages. Visit the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in
1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda. Located within
the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because
of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. The treasures found
inside include a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90kilograms
and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha. End your
afternoon with the visit of the Wat Phnom Temple, Phnom Penh’s namesake.
Dinner at local restaurant and accommodation at hotel.
Day 2:Phnom Penh - Tonle Bati - Takeo
– Phnom Da – Kampot(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart from Phnom Penh for Kampot.
En route, stop at Tonle Bati and visit Ta Prohm temple (12-13th
century) and Yeay Peau temple (12th century). Visit the Prasat Neang
Khmao, the temple of the Black Virgin (10th century). Visit a silk
weaving village before proceeding to Takeo.
Lunch at local restaurant.
Take a boat from Takeo to Phnom Da (please note that the speedboat
does not have a cover or any shade – hat and sun tan cream
essential). Visit Phnom Da temple, a pre-Angkorian laterite tower
(6th century) and Asram Maharoseil (6th century), an Indian-style
sandstone temple constructed in a style unlike any other temple in
Cambodia (the climb up is easy as this particular Phnom (hill) is
not very high. The path up to the temple is steep, over some big
rocks). Return to Takeo by boat and continue to Kampot, panoramic
tour of the town and check-in at hotel. Dinner at local restaurant
and accommodation at hotel in Kampot.
Day 3:Kampot - Kep – Rabbit Island -
Kompong Som (Sihanoukville)(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Drive to Kep, formerly known as Kep-sur-Mer. This beautiful coastal
area was once the favorite holiday spot for Cambodia’s
French-influenced elite. Boat trip to Rabbit Island. Return to
Kampot for lunch at local restaurant.
Panoramic tour of Kampot town. Drive along the coats and the Damrei
(Elephant) Mountains to Kompong Som (Sihanoukville) (96 km. 2 hours
drive). Check-in at Sokha Beach Resort on beautiful Sokha beach.
Dinner and accommodation Sokha Beach Resort.
Day 4: Kompong Som (Sihanoukville)(B)
Breakfast at hotel.
Day at leisure with car and guide at disposal.
Lunch free at own account. Dinner and accommodation at hotel.
Day 5: Kompong Som (Sihanoukville) -
Phnom Penh(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Free at leisure to enjoy the beach.
Lunch free.
Return to Phnom Penh in the afternoon with private car and guide.
Dinner and accommodation at hotel.
Day 6: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Transfer to Phnom Penh International Airport and departure by Siem
Reap Airways International or similar to Siem Reap. Arrive at Siem
Reap International Airport, welcome by your local guide and direct
transfer to Angkor Complex. Visit the Roluos Group. The monuments of
Roluos, which served as the capital of Indravarman I (reigned
877-89), are among the earliest large, permanent temples built by
the Khmers and mark the beginning of Khmer classical art. Preah Ko
erected by Indravarman I in the late 9th century dedicated by the
King to his ancestors in 880. Bakong the largest and most
interesting of the Roluos group temples, with his active Buddhist
monastery just to the north of the east entrance. Lolei built on an
islet in the center of a large reservoir (now rice fields) by
Yasovarman I, the founder to the first city at Angkor. In the
afternoon, you will continue your temple visit, including Prasat
Kravan with unique brick sculptures, Srah Srang, (“The Pool of
Ablutions”) undoubtedly used in the past for ritual bathing, Banteay
Kdei, surrounded by four concentric walls, Eastern Mebon, guarded at
its corner by stone figures of harnessed elephants, some of which
are still in a reasonable state of preservation, and Pre Rup, the
mountain-temple until sunset. Dinner at local restaurant and
accommodation at hotel.
Day 7: Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel
In the morning, drive to the typical Khmer countryside and visit
Banteay Srei temple (10th c), regarded as the jewel in the crown of
Classical Khmer Art. Continue to visit Banteay Samre, one of the
most complete complexes at Angkor due to restoration using the
method of “anastylosis”. The name Samre refers to an ethnic group of
mountain people, who inhabited the region at the base of Phnom Kulen
and were probably related to the Khmers. No inscriptions have been
found for this temple, but the style of most of the architecture is
of the classic art of the middle period similar to Angkor Wat. The
proportions of Banteay Samre are splendid. A unique feature is an
interior moat with laterite paving, which when filled with water
must have given an ethereal atmosphere to the temple.
In the afternoon, you will continue your
temple visits to Preah Khan. Built by the King Jayavarman VII, Preah
Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder
hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, the temple of Prea Khan
is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration
efforts should maintain and even improve this situation. Continue to
Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool (representing
the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), and Ta Som. Dinner at
local restaurant and accommodation at hotel.
Day 8: Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Moring, visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of
Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is
comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its
distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the
12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the
prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s
five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks - the enclosing wall
represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the
surrounding moat, the ocean beyond..
Visit the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning
of the ocean of milk), the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th
century), Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over
200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure,
Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper
King. Sunset at Angkor Wat. Dinner at local restaurant and
accommodation at hotel.
Day 9: Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning, drive to the remote Beng Mealea temple through the typical
Khmer countryside (60Kms from Siem Reap).
There is a lot to see in the approximately 2½ hours drive as it
takes you through many lively villages and along kilometers of rice
paddies. Explore the long abandoned temple (11th C), strangled by
the jungle.
Lunch box will be provided at the site.
A further 1 hr drive brings you to Koh Ker, situated in the
northeast of Siem Reap. Discover the long abandoned temples in the
forests of northern Cambodia. Also known as Chok Gargyar, it served
as the capital of Jayavarman IV (reigned 928-42). His son and
successor Harshavarman I moved the capital back to Angkor in 944.
There are a remarkable number of religious buildings in the Koh Ker
region, considering the short space of time that it was the capital
of the empire. There are more than 30 major structures and experts
believe there may have been as many as 100 minor sacred buildings in
the region. It was also a prolific period for gigantic sculpture and
several of the most impressive pieces in the National Museum in
Phnom Penh come from Koh Ker, including a huge garuda (half-man,
half-bird creature). Return to Siem Reap. Dinner at local restaurant
and accommodation at hotel.
Day 10: Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning, visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10
kilometers south of Siem Reap. Visit the village and take an
excursion in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the
“Great Lake” of Cambodia, one of the wonders of Asia.
Note: From Feb-July, the visit to the Tonle Sap lake is not
recommended because of the low water level. The below visits will be
provided instead in the morning:
Visit “Les Artisans d’Angkor - Chantiers Ecoles” of Siem Reap and
spend time at leisure at a local Market. Visit Wat Inkosei built on
the site of an ancient temple, which still remains. Continue to Wat
Bo pagoda to view its well-preserved paintings. You will also
observe monks making the various moldings, which adorn the pagodas.
Visit a workshop where traditional shadow play puppets are made.
Afternoon, continue the temples tour: Takeo, Thommanon, Chau Say
Tevoda and Ta Prohm, one of the most beautiful temples in the area,
as it has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and
retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that,
unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was abandoned and swallowed
by the jungle, looking very much the ways most of the Angkor temples
appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them. Dinner
and accommodation at hotel.
Day 11: Siem Reap - Departure (B)
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning, drive from Siem Reap to the district of Puok. Visit
the Silk Farm of Puok. Learn the different stages of the complex
process of producing handmade silk. Before returning to Siem Reap,
visit the nearby Western Baray and the temple of Western Mebon.
Transfer to Siem Reap International Airport for departure to the
next destination.
HOTEL ADDRESSES:
| Borey
Bokor Hotel
|
At Kampot
Town, Kampot Province
Tel: (855 33) 932 846, (855 12) 820 826 |
|
Sokha Beach Resort |
Street 2 Thnou, Sangkat 4, Mittapheap
District, Sihanoukville
Tel: (855 34) 935 999, Fax: (855 34) 935 888 |
|
