Cambodia

Upon your arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport, you will be welcomed by a Rahhalah representative, and you will be transferred to the hotel.

In the afternoon, you will explore some of the most iconic landmarks of the city: the Royal Palace (where His Majesty, the King of Cambodia, and the royal families live); the Silver Pagoda (which is mainly a repository for cultural treasures such as a 90-kg golden Buddha encrusted with 2086 diamonds); and the Wat Phnom Temple, one of the most important pagodas in Phnom Penh, built in 1373 by the wealthy widow Daun Chi Penh.

Later, you will enjoy a one-hour cyclo ride through Wat Phnom and Mekong Riverfront, and you will end the day with a dinner at the Bopha Phnom Penh restaurant with beautiful sunset views of the river.

Accommodation in Phnom Penh: Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh (standard room) or similar.

After breakfast, you will visit the genocide area that represents one of the darkest pages in the country’s history. You will start with the Tuol Sleng Museum, a former school that was used as a prison (S-21 prison) by Pol Pot’s security forces, and you will continue to the “Killing Fields” of Choeng Ek (15 km south of Phnom Penh). Between 1975 and 1978, about 17,000 men, women, children and infants (including nine westerners) were detained and tortured at the S-21 prison and then transported to the extermination camp of Choeng Ek.

The rest of the day will unfold in a lighter mood, visiting the Russian Market (ToulTumpong) that is now famous for its large variety of cheap clothes, Buddha images and woodcarvings, betel-nut boxes, silk, silver jewelry, and traditional musical instruments.

Accommodation in Phnom Penh: Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh (standard room) or similar.

After breakfast, you will head to Siem Reap (an approx. 5-6 hour-drive via Kampong Thom). On the way, you will stop at the famous “Naga Bridge” at Kompong Kdei, built in the 12th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. It used to be the longest corbeled stone-arch bridge in the world, with more than twenty narrow arches spanning along 87m and remains to this day one of the few, still-standing Khmer-empire bridges.

You will continue towards the outskirts of Kampong Thom to visit the archeological site of Sambor PreiKuk: perhaps the most important cluster of pre-Angkorian monuments in Cambodia, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Before the rise of the Angkor, in the 6th century, this city was the capital of Chenla, known as Isanapura. Today the ruins of over 100 small temple rest peacefully amidst the forest.

You will arrive at Siem Reap late in the afternoon to relax and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation in Siem Reap: Anantara Angkor Resort (Suite Room) or similar.

After breakfast, you will embark on a thrilling adventure: the Flight of the Gibbon tour, is a zipline eco-adventure at the Angkor Archeological Park. With 15 ziplines placed in different heights, suspended sky bridges, and a chance to abseil from a tree, this activity promises to boost your adrenaline levels as you soar over the jungle canopy like a gibbon!

Special notes: Maximum weight 125 kg; not suitable for children under 5-year old or 1 m height; no sandals permitted.

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon exploring Siem Reap at your own pace.

Accommodation in Siem Reap: Anantara Angkor Resort (Suite Room) or similar.

Today, you will explore some of Angkor’s most beautiful temples, including the Angkor Thom City. You will start at the South Gate and the centerpiece of the ancient city: the Bayon, with its 54 towers decorated with more than 200 enigmatic smiling faces. You will then move towards the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of Leper Kings, and the Ta Prohm Temple.

In the afternoon, you will enter Angkor Wat to admire its amazing architecture and history. Angkor Wat possesses some of the most extended and intricate stone carvings. This complex is four times the size of the Vatican City and, thus, the largest religious site in the world. Spend the rest of the day exploring its numerous passages, levels, and chambers that once housed many treasures of the ancient world. You will finish the day at Pre Rup for a magnificent sunset.

Accommodation in Siem Reap: Anantara Angkor Resort (Suite Room) or similar.

After breakfast, you will head towards Srah Srong to visit the Ta Prohm Temple: one of Angkor’s jewels, a structure overgrown with fig trees, emanating a haunting yet exotic ambience. The roots of the trees have merged over the centuries with the temple’s huge stone blocks, emanating a ‘forgotten city’ feeling. The temple was built by King Jayavarman VII to commemorate his mother. From there, you will trek into the jungle to the Preah Khan Temple.

Trekking distance: 6 km.
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate.

In the afternoon, you will take a wooden boat ride on Tonle Sap Lake towards Chong Kneas to visit a floating village that is not a mere cluster of houses but includes schools, hospitals, restaurants, shops and a floating crocodile farm. Your exploration will end in the local Market of Siem Reap.

Accommodation in Siem Reap: Anantara Angkor Resort (Suite Room) or similar.

After breakfast, you will drive towards a small village outside Siem Reap. On the way, you will stop at the headquarters of a local non-profit organization that employs village women who specialize in the traditional craft of mat weaving. The mats are sold in the markets to provide an income for the women. (Note: the mat-weaving workshop is closed on Sundays and public holidays).

You will then stop outside the village and hop onboard an ox cart for a fun ride through the fields, towards the home of a Khmer family who specializes in broom making. Watch how they make brooms from natural materials, and, if you like, give it a go yourselves! You will finally enjoy a guided walking tour around the village where you can participate in fishing, farming, or animal husbandry activities, depending on the season. Enjoy a simple Khmer lunch followed by more activities, or just spend time chatting with the locals. Funds from your tour go directly to the community to improve the lives of the people. On the way back to Siem Reap, you will stop at a Buddhist temple to receive a blessing from the monks.

Late in the afternoon, you will be transferred to the Siem Reap airport for your flights back home.