10 Day Best Of Cambodia Holiday

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will have a great opportunities to explore “the hidden pearl of Asia” with a guided tour of the city including the spectacular Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, the pagoda at Wat Phnom, the Independence Monument and the newly erected statue commemorating the late King Sihanouk. For an insight into Cambodian religious life, visit a pagoda. In the late morning, depending on your time of arrival at the pagoda, you may also be able to see the monks chanting prior to their lunch. After lunch by your own, we continue our tour of Phnom Penh by taking a sobering walk through Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21). Here there are stark and moving reminders of Cambodia’s recent tragic past. Our expert guide will explain the historical, political and social context of the bleak period of Khmer history which followed the fall of Phnom Penh in April 1975. Return to your hotel by early afternoon and the remainder of the day is free and easy for you.

Our most popular day trip! Embark on a colourful journey of discovery to a rural village, learning key historical and cultural facts about the area and its people along the way. A guided ox-cart or horse-cart ride to the rice fields will reveal the farming techniques used in Cambodia, close up. After a tasty home cooked lunch, meet and chat with the delightful family and learn about their lives. Explore the village, meet the locals and get a real feel for what it’s like to live in a rural Cambodian community. The tour ends at around 16:00 pm. 

Optional Sunset and Dinner Cruise

Enjoy an evening experiencing Phnom Penh from the water on this 2.5-hour cruise. Sail along the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers at sunset, and take advantage of the all-inclusive nature of the trip, which includes unlimited soft drinks and one alcoholic cocktail, beer or spirit and delicious food. Step onboard and let yourself relax as your cruise sets off along the water. Quench your thirst with the large variety of available teas, coffee, soft drinks, beer, and spirits, while sampling different appetizers. But leave room for the main meal, which is a western-Asian fusion BBQ consisting of shrimp, fish, chicken, and pork, all freshly cooked and prepared on board.

After breakfast at hotel, you will free at leisure until you will be transferred on our private vehicle to the airport to catch a flight to Siem Reap City. Siem Reap city is widely renowned as the gateway to Angkor Wat, the millennium-old temple ruins of the Khmer Empire. Set along the Siem Reap River, this small provincial capital boasts hundreds of sightseeing opportunities such as well-preserved colonial buildings, unique museums, traditional markets, cultural performances, and verdant parks. This small but lively town close to the northern shore of Tonle Sap Lake has seen phenomenal growth as a tourist destination in recent years, and now offers all the facilities expected by experienced world travelers. Meet and greet upon arrival and private transfer to the hotel. Check-in the hotel and rest of the day will be at leisure. Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.

We rise early to travel to Ta Prohm in the dawn light. Ta Prohm has been abandoned to the elements, left as it was ‘discovered’ by French explorer Henri Mouhot in 1860, the tentacle-like tree roots here are slowly strangling the surviving stones. After soaking up the unique atmosphere of Ta Prohm, we continue to the giant pyramid of Takeo, one of the highest temples in the Angkor area. Built at the end of the 10th century, it was never completed. This morning we also visit the remains of an old Angkorian bridge which once spanned the Siem Reap river. There is also the option to visit the smaller temples of Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon for avid temple enthusiasts. In the afternoon, we visit the immense walled city of Angkor Thom that was the masterpiece of King Jayavarman VII. The scale is simply staggering and we are immediately overwhelmed by the audacity of Jayavarman on arrival at the city’s gates. We begin our visit at the Terrace of the Leper King, continue along the Terrace of Elephants, and visit the Baphuon, once of the most beautiful temples at Angkor, dating from the 11th century. It has undergone a massive renovation by the French and is now once again open for viewing. Our climax is the enigmatic and enchanting temple of the Bayon. Its 54 towers are each topped off with the four faces of Buddha of Compassion, which bear more than a passing resemblance to the king himself. We unravel the mysteries of the temple’s bas-reliefs, with their intricate scenes of ancient battles against the Chams and their snapshot of daily life during the Angkor period. Overnight at hotel.

Wake up early and we will head for Angkor Wat – A temple complex built for king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best preserved temple of this historical site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious purpose since its founding. Watch the sun rise over the Angkor Temple to reveal the natural beauty of this area. Roam around and gaze across at the amazing scenery and unrivaled architecture. Stroll through the temple’s complex chambers and learn the site’s fascinating history. After visiting Angkor Wat, you will be transferred back to the hotel to relax and enjoy your breakfast. 

In the afternoon at 14:00 pm, we will start explore the real Cambodia with our All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV). From the lush countryside to isolated villages, let us take you out for unforgettable memories!! Strikingly beautiful view of the rice fields in the villages and At the end of the day. Back to the hotel. Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at the hotel and today we will say goodbye Siem Reap and leave for Battambang (4 hours by drive). Battambang city is full of wonderful colonial-era architecture and historic old pagodas. The surrounding countryside offers some of the most picturesque rice paddies and rural scenery in the country. Our tour incorporates a stop at Ek Phnom, an 11th century Angkorian-era ruin and Wat Ek Phnom, a modern pagoda, which sits next to the ruin. The river road route out to Ek Phnom from Battambang passes through small villages and rice paddies, providing intriguing insights into rural Cambodian life. Overnight in Battambang

This morning we travel to Phnom Banan, 20 km from Battambang, to visit this stunning Angkorian-era ruin. The 11th century temple is located on a mountain top and at 400 meters offers spectacular views over the surrounding countryside. The ancient temple is well preserved and offers some interesting Apsara and dolphin carvings on the lintels. After our visit we return to the town centre and the rest of the day is free for you to wonder the streets of Battambang and soak up the atmosphere of the town. Overnight in Battambang

After breakfast, we will drive south to Phnom Penh. We will stop at Kompong Chhnang, a provincial town located in the heart of the country. It was known as a centre of pottery some 5,000 years ago, and is still famous today for its undecorated clay pots. Then continue to the ancient city of Oudong, which served as the capital of Cambodia between 1618 and 1866. Oudong Mountain, with panoramic views of the countryside and a stunning display of 3,000 Buddha statues, will give you a moment’s pause for thought as you imagine what it must have been like to live and work here in the past. Arrive into Phnom Penh by late afternoon. Check in to your hotel and take in your first moments of this energetic capital city. Rest of the day will be free at leisure. Overnight at hotel in Phnom Penh city.