Cambodia Highlights: Culture, Beaches & Nature

Welcome to Siem Reap!

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met by our local English-speaking tour guide and transferred to your accommodation in the heart of the city, near the Old Market, Riverside, and the French Quarter with its famous French colonial architecture.

Siem Reap, the gateway to the temples of Angkor, has a lot to offer. Depending on your arrival time, we can schedule a visit to Angkor Wat for sunset, visit the Old Market, or learn about traditional Cambodian arts from a local artisan. Spend your first night relaxing at the hotel before heading to the temples first thing in the morning!

Temples of Angkor

Spend the day on a tuk-tuk tour through the amazing temples of the Angkor complex, a little way outside of Siem Reap. Angkor Wat -derived from the Sanskrit words for City and Temple- was the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire for over 500 years.

Our itinerary begins at Angkor Wat. This 12th century temple was built by Suryavarman II and is the largest religious monument in the world. With more than 3,000 individual Aspara or celestial maidens carved into the stone bas-reliefs, the attention to detail here is exquisite, rivalling the Taj Mahal in grandeur and pyramids in scale.

After that, we will head to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, the last and oldest capital of the Khmer Empire, which was built by King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century. Surrounded by high walls, five huge stone gates give access to this historic city that is home to the famous Bayon, the Temple of the Faces, along with the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King.

At noon, take a break at the former Royal Pool of Sra Srang. Enjoy Khmer food at a local restaurant, before completing the day with a visit to Ta Prohm. Also known as the Tombraider Temple, here the ruins of the ancient stone structure have been reclaimed by the jungle, with creepers and towering banyan trees slowly encroaching on the intricate carved stone blocks.

The tour ends here for today, we can go to our favourite place for sunset, or return to the hotel, where you can spend the night resting for the adventures that await you the next day.

Countryside Cultural Tour

After breakfast, we will depart for the countryside around Siem Reap. Starting our cultural tour with a visit to Banteay Srei, the Citadel of Women, a beautiful temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva dating from 967 CE. This red sandstone temple features some of the most beautiful and intricate carvings and examples of skilled Angkorian craftsmanship.

On the way to the temple, we will make a quick stop along the road to see the local sugar palm industries. Then we will head to the Apopo Visitor Center to learn how these famous rodents are saving lives. After three decades of war, leftover landmines remain a huge problem for farmers and local people in the Cambodian countryside. While the use of humans with metal detectors and mine detection dogs has had a huge impact, there is still a lot to do. Fortunately, there is a solution, the giant 'hero rats'.

Used in Angola and Mozambique, these rats have been sniffing out landmines in Cambodia since 2015. They do not weigh enough to activate a landmine when they walk on it, the rats are smart enough to smell the explosive and give a warning note. to its handler. The mines can then be isolated and disposed of.

In the afternoon, we will head to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. The lake and its waters are the lifeblood of the country and millions of people depend on it. Officially a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, observing life on the lake makes for an interesting half-day visit.

Climb aboard a traditional wooden boat to visit the stilt village of Kompong Phluck, one of the most interesting villages on the lake. When water levels are high, villagers' life revolves around fishing, and during the dry season when water levels drop, locals take the opportunity to plant seasonal crops and ferment fish. Follow the river to the point where it reaches the large lake, where we will change to a smaller wooden boat and the ladies of the village will row us through a seasonally flooded freshwater swamp forest. Float through the maze of logs and branches and look up to see the sky peeking through the canopy. This visit to Kompong Phluck is usually possible from June to October when there is enough water for a boat trip. This can vary depending on the annual rains.

Cooking class in Siem Reap, visit to the circus

This morning, we will pick you up and take you to the Old Market in the centre of the old town for a food tour with a local chef. Learn all about the different vegetables, herbs, spices, and ingredients and how they are used in traditional Cambodian cuisine.

From the market, we will head to a micro farm a few miles outside of town where we will collect our own fresh ingredients from the garden and use them in a cooking class, where we will learn how to prepare a four-course lunch, before sitting down to enjoy the fruits of our labour.

Spend the afternoon relaxing at the hotel before heading out for the evening to see an incredible performance by Phare, the Cambodian circus, by professional performers from the Cambodian NGO, Phare Ponleu Selpak. Established by Cambodians raised in refugee camps as a way to encourage young people to express themselves through art, Phare is a great example of how successful community projects and responsible tourism can be.

Siem Reap - Koh Kong

Today, we will fly from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville, where we will then head to the port to board the shared speedboat to Koh Rong island. After a 45-minute journey, we will arrive at the resort where we will be spending the next few days.

Spend the afternoon relaxing in the resort and enjoying the beautiful white sand beaches of this tropical island paradise. Take a dip, relax by the pool, or sit in a hammock sipping on a cocktail before enjoying a beautiful sunset over the ocean.

Enjoy Koh Rong

The next 3 days will be for you to feel as close to paradise as possible while enjoying the wonderful beaches of the island of Koh Rong, in the Gulf of Thailand.

Go to the ocean, swim in the pool, enjoy the beautiful beaches, take a walk through the lush jungle, snorkel in the crystal-clear waters or organize activities such as boat trips to floating villages through your hotel. Do not miss the opportunity to swim with bioluminescent plankton. Take a night-time dip in the ocean and watch sparkling plankton light up the waves below you as you take in the beautiful dark, starry sky.

Take time to relax in a hammock, enjoy delicious dishes and cocktails at your resort, take a jungle walk to the waterfall or town, explore the island, or talk to the resort about organizing optional activities.

Botum Sakor National Park

After breakfast, leave the sandy shores of Koh Rong on a shared speedboat transfer back to the mainland outside of Sihanoukville. At the port, your driver will meet you and take you to the starting point of your adventure in Botum Sakor National Park. The trip should take around 3.5 hours by road, and then another hour on a shared boat trip down the Preak Tachan River to your luxurious jungle safari-style accommodation.

Botum Sakor National Park

After an early breakfast with beautiful jungle views, we will meet Wildlife Alliance rangers and an English-speaking guide and embark on a patrol over a network of abandoned poaching and logging trails through dense forest. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife like macaques, gibbons, and hornbills. Choose to kayak along the river or hike through the jungle to camp.

Spend the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the beautiful views over the river and watching the animals from your balcony before dinner.

Botum Sakor National Park

Enjoy one last morning in the lush jungle before heading back to civilization. If you are an early riser, you can choose to go on a self-guided hike on the trails through the campground or join one of our other activities, such as the early morning boat ride before having a leisurely breakfast and boarding the shared boat back to Trapeang Rung.

We will return to Phnom Penh by road. The trip to the capital should take about five hours, including a short break. When we arrive in town, check in to your hotel, explore the neighbourhood, or just relax.

Phnom Penh Tour

Once known as the "Pearl of Asia", the capital of Cambodia is a unique and interesting city. Until the early 1970s, Phnom Penh was a vibrant and bustling metropolis, yet during the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, the capital was evacuated, and the population was forced to relocate to the countryside. In recent times, the city has developed rapidly, but it is still decades behind neighbouring Vietnam and Thailand, although this only adds to its charm.

We will begin our Phnom Penh tour with a visit to the Royal Palace. Built in 1866, the palace is home to King Norodom Sihamoni who has ruled Cambodia since October 2004. Our guided visit includes a trip to the Silver Pagoda, with its shiny silver floor and huge collection of Buddha statues including one which is decorated with 9.584 diamonds.

After exploring the royal complex, we will head to one of the most beautiful buildings in Cambodia, if not Asia. The iconic Central Market of Phnom Penh or Psar Thmei was originally built in 1937 following the plans of the French architect Louis Chauchon. There is something here for everyone, including souvenirs, clothing, and food.

In the late afternoon, we will return to the city to enjoy a food safari. When the sun goes down, the city comes alive, with food stalls on every corner and all the locals coming out to eat. Your guide will explain the different snacks on offer including yellow bean cake and Khmer rice cake and will also take you on a tour through the food stalls of the Old Market (Phsar Chas) where you will learn about the different traditional ingredients and spices that are used in cooking and medicines.

As dark descends upon the city, we will make our way to Independence Monument which is nicely lit in the evenings and a popular place for locals to hang out before going for dinner in a local restaurant rarely visited by tourists. Opt to visit a bar for drinks or return to the hotel after a fun night-time exploration of vibrant Phnom Penh.

Goodbye Cambodia

Depending on your flight time, you may want to go buy some last-minute gifts and souvenirs, explore the city, or just relax by the pool before we drop you off at the airport ready for your departure from the Kingdom of Wonders.