DAY 1 : PHNOM PENH ARRIVAL (-/-/D)
You will meet your guide on arrival, transfer and check-in to your hotel. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Phnom Penh, answer any questions you have, and make arrangements for the following day. NOTE : kindly note that should you arrive early, an early check-in is not included and subject to hotel’s availability. Your guide will brief an orientation of the city along the way. Once checked in we leave you at your leisure.
Enjoy free time for the remainder of the day. The riverside capital of Phnom Penh, once known as “The Pearl of Asia” and long considered the most beautiful French-built city of the Orient, is a charming and captivating city. The old French ochre-coloured colonial buildings are now being filled with trendy cafes, boutiques and art galleries and many traditional ornate temples still remain. The bustling squares and frangipani-lined boulevards create an atmosphere that is unlike any other city in South East Asia.
DAY 2 : PHNOM PENH (B/L/-)
Set out with your guide to visit the National Museum, designed in traditional Khmer style by a French archaeologist and painter in 1917. The museum houses Khmer art and sculptures from different periods of Cambodian history. Next visit the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, built in 1866 by the French for King Norodom, two of the most striking buildings in the capital and amongst the finest examples of Khmer architecture. Learn about the turbulent years of the Khmer Rouge on your visit to the infamous Tuol Sleng Museum. Tuol Sleng, a high school prior to 1975, became an interrogation prison known as S-21 during the Khmer Rouge era and today it is a genocide museum. Although a haunting experience, the museum is a sobering reminder of the Khmer Rouge’s brutality and a testament to their crimes. Return to your hotel or to one of the riverside cafes or bars to watch the sunset over the Tonle and Mekong rivers.
DAY 3 : PHNOM PENH (B/L/-)
Situated 17 kilometres from Phnom Penh town, Cheung Ek was made famous by the movie “The Killing Fields”. The seemingly peaceful stretch of green fields of Cheung Ek does not allude to the horrors that took place here. A large memorial commemorates the 17,000 men, women and children, who died here under the reign of Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot. The skulls and bones inside the memorial stupa and the mass graves that dot the area are a reminder of the terrible suffering that occurred here. This journey into Cambodia’s past will provide you with a background to the cruelty of the Khmer Rouge regime. Besides the tragic past, it will also give you an appreciation of the struggle that Cambodian people have faced and their tremendous courage to move on and rebuild their nation. Enjoy free time to explore Phnom Penh for the remainder of the day.
DAY 4 : PHNOM PENH / SIEM REAP (B/L/-)
In the morning fly from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and meet your guide on arrival. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Siem Reap and answer any questions you have. Siem Reap is the gateway to the World Heritage ancient temple ruins of Angkor, eighth wonder of the world and spectacular ancient capital of the powerful Khmer Dynasty. Accompanied by your guide start exploring the stunning temples this afternoon by tuk-tuk. Visit Angkor Thom, the ancient fortified royal city and former capital of the Khmer Empire. The city has five monumental gates and consists of several temples including the Bayon, Baphuon, Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King.
DAY 5 : SIEM REAP (B/L/-)
Explore temples of the World Heritage Angkor complex with your guide. Start with a visit to the picturesque and atmospheric Ta Prohm, built in 1186. This fascinating jungle-clad temple is one of Angkor’s most impressive and most beautiful structures. Over centuries the fig tree roots have engulfed the temple’s huge stone blocks, crumbling towers and walls. In the afternoon, visit one of the world's most impressive archaeological sites, the iconic temple of Angkor Wat. The largest and most breathtaking of Angkor’s monuments, this vast temple was constructed between the 9th and 13th centuries and is the largest Hindu structure in the world. As you stroll the massive hallways you discover small shrines still in use today by the local people. Return to one of the grass terraces in front of the five massive towers of Angkor Wat to watch the sun setting over the temple complex. Afterwards, return to your hotel in Siem Reap.
DAY 6 : SIEM REAP (B/L/-)
Depart with your guide and drive through the Cambodian countryside to Beng Mealea, located in the beautiful rural hinterlands of Siem Reap. Beng Mealea is a sprawling jungle temple built by King Suyavarman II in the early 12th century and thought to have served as a prototype for Angkor Wat. The temple is enclosed by a huge moat and largely reclaimed by jungle with its stone walls crumbling, adding to the atmosphere and charm of the site. Enjoy a simple lunch in a traditional Cambodian wooden house before heading to Banteay Srei temple, the jewel of Khmer art, built in the 10th century and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. This red sandstone temple is one of Angkor’s most significant structures. In the late afternoon, return to your hotel in Siem Reap.
DAY 7 : SIEM REAP DEPARTURE (B/-/-)
On your last day enjoy free time until your departure transfer.