Luxury Cambodia (05 nights/ 06 days)

Day 1: Arrive Phnom Penh

Welcome to Phnom Penh – the city retains its traditional Khmer and colonial styles with French villas and large tree-line sidewalk. Enjoy lunch and check in your hotel. Later, you will visit the impressive colorful Khmer-style royal palace complex built in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom. Nearby is Silver Pagoda (the Emerald Buddha temple), where you can see various Buddha Statues made of gold, diamond, gemstone and silver. Stop at Independence Monument and explore the National Museum; a beautiful Khmer architecture building contains more than 5000 art antiques made of bronze, wood, gold, silver, copper, sandstone and others. Pass through the river-front park where 4 rivers meet at a junction including the mystical Mekong. Walk up to the sacred hill Phnom Daun Penh to see from where the capital gets its name. Later, visit Central Market, a large market constructed in 1937 in the shape of a dome with four arms branching out into vast hallways with countless stalls of various goods. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 2: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap

This morning, visit Tuol Sleng prison which is now the Genocide Museum. It was the secret part of the Khmer Rouge regime which was called S-21 (abbreviated for Security Office 21), a Khmer Rouge’s premier security camp, specifically designed for the interrogation and extermination of anti-Angkor elements. Go shopping around Russian market, enjoy the bustling daily activities of the locals and later proceed to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 3: Siem Reap

After breakfast, proceed for a tour for Angkor. This fortified city covers an area of 10 square km. Enclosed by a wall and wide moats; the city includes many of Angkor’s most popular sights. Enter by the monumental south gate and continue to the terrace of the elephants and the terrace of the leper kings, former spaces for public cermonies, both adorned with dramatic bas reliefs. Visit the ruined Baphuon, Royal Enclosure and Phimeanakas before continuing to the mysterious Bayon Temple – where you will find giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down at you from every angle. Later in the evening, relax and sink in the atmosphere of this laid back town.  Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 4: Siem Reap

After breakfast, visit Small Circuit including Ta Prohm Temple, which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty. Giant trees have grown here for centuries and Prasat Kravan was originally constructed by noblemen rather than a king. Banteay Kdei was built in sandstone, which has deteriorated quite badly, however, there remain some very beautiful lintels and pediments. Srah Srang is a royal pool which was the King’s bathing pond. Takeo – King Suryavarman I commissioned this temple in the 10th Century, but it was never completed so has no elaborate decoration like its contemporaries. It is a pyramid on 5 levels and is dedicated to Shiva. Thommanon is a small attractive temple in very good condition, built at the same time as Angkor Wat and is dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. This afternoon, proceed to visit the highlights of the Grand Circuit including: Preah Khan – meaning The Sacred Sword. This is famous for its immensely long cruciform corridors and delicate carvings. Neak Pean – temple is a delicate highlight of Khmer art and is the perfect representation of the heaven on earth. Ta Som was a small classic Bayon style monastic complex consisting of a relatively flat enclosure. East Mebon temple was situated on a small island in the middle of the Oriental, or Eastern, Baray. Later visit Pre Rup which was built in the 10th Century by Rajendravarman and you can view the stunning sunset there. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 5: Siem Reap

This morning, visit Wat Thmei (The Killing Fields), unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died at a nearby battlefield. Come back to visit the “Les Artisans d’Angkor – Chantiers Ecole” the finest authentic Khmer arts and crafts center. In the afternoon, visit Floating Villages, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia and the largest in Asia. Here you will see plenty of examples of the Khmer way of life. Later, visit Wat Bo founded in the 18th century, a highly respected pagoda that contains very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana). Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 6: Depart Siem Reap

The morning is at leisure. Later, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home.