Khmer homestay (2 days)

Experience a traditional Khmer Village Homestay at this unique community-based village capturing the essence of rural life in the heartland of Cambodia at Baray District. Whether you are just visiting for a day or you’re interested in staying in one of the traditional houses for a night, a visit to Khmer Homestay is more than just a holiday, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure you will never forget! You will be offered a wide range of activities, such as pony cart rides through the villages, participating in traditional Khmer noodle-making, seeing traditional Khmer dances performed by the local students, participating in a fishing expedition, or visiting the weaving and woodcarving workshop run by the local village women. Spanning a land size of ½ hectare, Khmer Village Homestay provides an enticing glimpse of Cambodian culture, offering its guests natural bamboo huts, palm leaf & wood houses, wooden bridges, a wooden dining hall and a veranda purpose built for traditional Khmer

Name	Khmer homestay
Duration	2 days / 1 night
Price from	- USD / pax (based on 2 pax)
Itinerary in short	Day 1 : Phnom Penh / Baray District Day 2 : Baray District / Phnom Penh

TRAVEL NOTES
• The best time to visit the family and do the homestay tour is during the wet season in between June to October. During this time they will be working in the rice fields, and you will have the chance of a real-life experience of working with them. Going to and from the fields by oxcart is a fun and unforgettable experience, especially for the kids. From December to February is another good time when the rice fields turn to gold and the harvest begins. This is also the time to go fishing or look for frogs in the rain at night. It can be fun!
• Khmer Village Homestay was set up to promote both tourism and local industries as a means of alleviating rural poverty. The many activities have been set up to assist and promote the learning and understanding by tourists of the culture and society of Cambodia, and as an insight into the daily lives of the people they encounter each day on their holiday. The communities of Baray District are fully involved in all the activities provided for Khmer Homestay. The staff and participants have benefited from the salaries received in their village as a result of tourism, with their children able to attend school, and nutrition standards improving. Local students are given opportunities to perform cultural dances for tourists, which has helped to boost their artistic sense and self-confidence and provided them with skills in teamwork

DAY 1 : PHNNOM PENH / BARAY (-/L/D)
Today you will be met at your hotel in Phnom Penh by an English Speaking guide for your journey out to Baray. Baray is a pristine 10km square area of captivating scenery that includes both vast stretches of green rice fields and a multitude of traditional village houses, all surrounded by ever present palm trees that dot the landscape of Cambodia. The fields of Baray are fed by the vast Tonle Sap Lake which dominates the landscape to the West of the district and through its vast array of intriguing estuaries, ensures a constant supply of water for the local environment and its inhabitants.

The driving distance is approximately 120km and you will arrive around lunch time. We’ll have lunch at SOLAR, a welcoming open-air restaurant, set back a little from the highway, and surrounded by rice fields. SOLAR (School Of Livelihood And Refuge) is the last sustainable project, 2km away from the village, to host lunch for groups of tourists travelling through. So far, the restaurant has created 16 jobs for the locals, and they are working on the creation of a cooking school for locals.

In the afternoon, you will be able to experience some of the activities the homestay has to offer

• Pony cart ride through villages : Hop on the back of a pony cart, the main form of transportation in this part of Cambodia. As well as being an ideal way to take in the scenery, the pony cart will ensure that you arrive in style at various locations around the village, such as the local market, school, church and a nearby livestock farm
• Ox cart ride at sunset : the sunset over the rice fields of Baray is not to be missed. With the help of an ox cart, you will be taken to one of the best spots for sunset view admidst palm trees. A great combination of a gentle ride and some magnificent views!
• Boat making& fishing (seasonal) : catch a unique glimpse of how local villagers sustain themselves, by watching them carefully carve their fishing boats from trees at nearby Phum Dong. Afterwards, you can see their handiwork in action, joining them on the nearby river in search of their evening meal.
• Weaving&woodcarving workshop : this provides a perfect opportunity for you to witness first-hand the remarkable skill of Cambodian artisans. Watch as they weave scarves, carve wood and print on fabric and then have a go yourself

In the evening, enjoy a cultural dance by the students from the community. Overnight at the Homestay. Baray District, Kompong Thom Province

DAY 2 : BARAY / PHNOM PENH (B/-/-)
This morning after breakfast you will be collected from the Homestay by your driver and guide. Visit the local market, before returning to your hotel in Phnom Penh.

ACCOMMODATION
Choose from our range of natural accommodation, including the following: Bamboo Chalets – crafted in the style of traditional Cambodian huts, our 4 bamboo huts each provide a comfortable yet natural home away from home, with a double or single thin mattress, mosquito net and battery operated fan.

Palm Leaf & Wooden Chalets – almost identical to the houses you will see in the surrounding , each of our 3 palm leaf & wooden houses provide you with a comfortable place to stay and include a single or double thin mattress, mosquito net and battery operated fan.

Deluxe Wooden house – the largest home within the Khmer Homestay, our deluxe wooden house is perfect for families, consisting of one master bedroom with en-suite bathroom as well as a living room/extra bedroom, dining room and kitchen. In case you thought we had forgotten something, Khmer Homestay also provides clean toilet and shower facilities for all our guests on-site.

This is a sample itinerary so the cost really depends on the number of people in your group and time of travel. Please send us your enquiry for availabilities & the most up dated price.

INCLUSION
• 1 night at the homestay, in basic conditions
• Meals: as indicated in above itinerary
• Transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle from and to Phnom Penh
• English- speaking guide
• All activities within the village
• 2 small bottles of mineral water per day
• 24/24h assistance from our company
• Service charges and government tax

EXCLUSION
• Travel insurance
• Visa
• Drink and beverage
• Personal expenses
• Camera fees (if any)
• Tips for guide & driver
• Surcharge in peak season (Christmas, New Year, local public holidays)
• Other items than mentioned in the program
• Any additional expenses caused by reasons beyond our control such as natural calamities (typhoon, floods), flight delays, rescheduling or cancellations, any accidents, medical evacuations, riots, strikes etc.