Cambodia Uncovered

Welcome to Siem Reap, the provincial capital and gateway to the ancient Angkor Temples. Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Angkor Archaeological Park encompasses dozens of temple ruins, including Bayon, Banteay Srei, and the legendary Angkor Wat. 

At the airport, the guide and driver greet guests and transfer them to the hotel for check-in. In the afternoon, they head out of town and embark on a short cruise along Tonle Sap Lake and visit the local floating villages. Enjoy the sunset on the lake before going back to the town in the evening. 

Meals: N/A.
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap.

Wake before dawn and take a “tuk-tuk” ride to visit the jungle-entwined temple, Ta Prohm. Sunrise is one of the most beautiful and haunting times to visit the temples, whose ancient sandstone blocks are gilded gold by the early morning rays.  

After returning to the hotel for breakfast, guests have a full-day temple tour. Starting with the magnificent Angkor Wat, the largest Khmer temple and finest example of Angkorian art and architecture, they proceed to Angkor Thom’s imposing South Gate, topped with the four serenely smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara. Next, visit Bayon Temple, the Elephant Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King. 

Back to the hotel in Siem Reap.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, the driver meets guests at the hotel and takes them on the 6-hour drive from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. The road passes through villages and farmland, giving a glimpse of daily rural life in Cambodia. Stop along the way and visit a market, where vendors sell a variety of local snacks, including the Cambodian delicacy of fried spiders.

Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, they check into a centrally located hotel and later take a half-day city tour to see some of the major sights of Phnom Penh. Visit the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and the notorious ‘Killing Fields’ of Choeung Ek. A visit to these sights provides a deep and sobering understanding of the country’s past under the Khmer Rouge. 

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh.

After breakfast, guests head to the Mekong Islands, about 20km from Phnom Penh to the north by crossing the Tonle Sap River and the Mekong River by ferry.  Then, enjoy a leisurely bike ride through the countryside of a Khmer community to visit the villages and meet with the local community at their farm.

In the afternoon, guests explore the Royal Palace, built in 1866 by King Norodom, which remains one of the most iconic landmarks in Phnom Penh. Inside the compound, they visit the Silver Pagoda, named for its floor of 5,000 silver tiles.

Meals: Breakfast. 
Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh.

Have breakfast at the hotel, then drive to the seaside resort, Kep-sur-Mer, a favorite getaway of the French in the early 1900s. The first stop is Phnom Chisor Temple, an 11th-century site. Climb the 500-step path to the top of the hill to enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Continue to the quiet town of Takeo before taking a short cruise to Angkor Borei, located just a few kilometers from the Vietnamese border. Here, they visit a small museum displaying several reproductions of sculptures from the nearby ruins and a selection of artifacts dating as far back as the 4th century. After visiting the museum, they embark on our boat for a trip to visit the pre-Angkorian temple, Phnom Da, and a nearby temple, Asram Maharosei. Arriving in Kep by evening, guests check into their hotel

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Kep City.

Today, guests will go on a drive to the cave of Phnom Chhnork. On the way, they can feel the delightful scenery of rice paddies, sugar palm trees, traditional wooden houses, and karst limestone outcrops. 

At Phnom Chhnork cave, they will discover the remains of a 7th-century brick temple. They continue to Phnom Sla’an cave, where an adventurous climb reveals wide views of farmland, coastline, and scattered islands in the Gulf of Thailand. 

Next, stop at a Kampot pepper plantation, which provides an insight into the cultivation of one of the world’s most sought-after spices. In the afternoon, a boat takes them to Rabbit Island, where they spend time relaxing on the beach and swimming in the clear water before returning to the hotel in Kep.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Kep City

Guests have breakfast at the hotel, then travel by car to Phnom Penh. Upon arrival, they transfer directly to the airport for their departure.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: N/A.