Cambodia – A quick look 6 days (ATD-C06)

Upon arrival at Phnom Penh International airport, you are greeted by your tour guide and driver and then taken to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day will be free to relax or explore at your own leisure.

Overnight in Phnom Penh

After breakfast, you will be greeted by a tour guide who will take you on a guided tour to the most remarkable sights of Phnom Penh.

First, head to Wat Phnom Temple, the founding place of the city on a small hilltop. Continue along the riverfront to the Royal Palace. This palace dates back to 1866 and houses the Silver Pagoda, named for the over 5,000 heavy silver tiles that cover its floors. Its original name is Wat Prakeo, meaning Temple of the Emerald Buddha. In this temple, view a collection of Buddhas in gold, silver, crystal, and bronze.

The next stop will be the National Museum, built in traditional Khmer style, considered as the house of the world’s foremost collection of ancient Khmer artistic, archaeological, and religious artifacts from the 4th to the 13th centuries. Over 5,000 pieces are on display, constituting a repository of the Kingdom’s cultural wealth. In addition, the roof space is home to a large bat colony!

Proceed to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, where you will be told stories from survivors and liberators of the camp. A grim, but important visit that will allow you to dig below the surface and understand Cambodia better.

Late in the afternoon, enjoy an atmospheric sunset river cruise and watch how Phnom Penh’s popular riverfront comes to life in the early evening. Enjoy fresh coconut juice onboard. After the cruise trip, we’ll head to the riverside area of Phnom Penh, a pleasant French style promenade that is great for people viewing. In the early evening (and morning), various activities take place include exercise classes, Khmer dancing and plenty of snacking on local food. You can participate in a Khmer dance class which is a lot of fun for all! From here you can either be taken back to your hotel or left to explore this bustling area independently and have dinner at one of the many great restaurants at the riverfront.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in Phnom Penh

After breakfast depart Phnom Penh for Siemreap. The drive will take approximately 6hrs with breaks on the way. You will pass through numerous provincial towns, villages and roadside hamlets giving you some insights into life in the Cambodian countryside

Arrive Siemreap in the afternoon and check into the hotel. The remainder of the day will be free at your leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in Siemreap

*** Note: There is the flight from Phnom Penh to Siemreap, for those who do not want a long drive

In the morning, with your guide, you will start to visit the ancient city of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This city is surrounded by an 8m high wall, drawing a perfect square. Enter the city through the ancient South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with Elephants and four giant faces. On each side of the entrance path, a row of 54 gods or demons is holding the sacred Naga snake.

Continue on to the incredible Ta Prohm temple, built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries. Ta Prohm is unique in that it has been left largely as it was found: overgrown by jungle trees and vines, with many parts of the temple crumbling to the ground.

In the afternoon, you will visit the legendary Angkor Wat. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with stone carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. Angkor Wat is well known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple.

End up the day by a beautiful sunset view from the top of Phnom Bakheng hill. Once the sun has set and your legs have gone sore, you head back to town.

You’ll be on your own to explore in the evening.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in Siemreap

In the mỏning, you will embark on an interesting boat trip on Tonlé Sap Lake, where you will have the opportunity to learn about life on the lake. Tonle Sap is Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake with its size varying greatly depending on the season, as it swells to about four times its size during the wet season. You will explore Kampong Phluck, a village where you will see houses on stilts that are submerged when Tonlé Sap Lake swells. On the way, you will pass floating houses and impressive flooded forests, portraying life on the water.

In the afternoon, you will be taken on a drive through the countryside to a beautiful small farming village where life revolves around the seasons and family, located approximately 15 minutes outside of Siem Reap. Here you will be taken on an incredible walking tour through the village and local community, learning about their simple way of life, meet local people and you probably want to chat with them or help them with gardening works or help grow vegetables in the gardens The village tour guide will explain to you about Cambodian daily lifestyle, customers, cultures, and superstitions. Then we will also stop at a local pagoda for an intimate monk blessing (water blessing), wishing you good health and a safe journey – a very special experience!

This is a wonderful village tour that provides a lot of photo opportunities and local experiences. End of the trip, you will enjoy seasonal fruits & fresh coconut juice at a host family’s house before transferring you back to your hotel. The rest of the day will be on your own.

*** Note: Today we recommend you to have proper clothes if you want to join the monk blessing at a local temple.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight in Siemreap

Your private transfer greets you at the hotel after breakfast and escorts you to Siem Reap International Airport where you board your flight home or travel on to more adventures, we will help you with the planning.

Meals included: Breakfast