Cambodia Tour 12 Days: An Alluring Country
Overview
Welcome to our Cambodia Tour 12 Days: An Alluring Country!
The Cambodia Tour 12 Days: An Alluring Country is a 12-day adventure through the stunning landscape and rich history of Cambodia. Starting in Siem Reap, visitors will explore the ancient Angkor Thom, including the famous Bayon temple, Baphuon Temple, Terrace of Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King, and the world-famous Angkor Wat temple, an architectural masterpiece and the largest religious monument in the world. Guests will also enjoy a sunset with a bottle of champagne in the rice paddies and a dinner in the Crystal restaurant with Apsara Performance.
After experiencing the bustling city, the tour takes visitors on an escape through the countryside, with a 30-minute old ox-cart ride through the rice paddies to see local family activities and participate in a family lunch. In Mechrey village, guests can kayak through houses, schools, and even shops that sit bobbing on the water.
The tour also includes a visit to the capital Phnom Penh, where visitors can learn more about the country's history and culture by visiting the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum, and Tuol Sleng Museum. Travelers will also walk through local villages along the southern coastline to see morning activities, enjoy a boat ride in Ream National Park, and relax on the natural Sihanoukville beach.
This tour offers an excellent opportunity to experience the unique culture and history of Cambodia, while also providing relaxation and adventure. With its diverse itinerary, this tour caters to all types of travelers, from history buffs to beach lovers.
Highlights
- Explore ancient Angkor Thom (the Great City) including the South Gate; famous Bayon temple,Baphuon Temple,Terrace of Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King; Phimeanakas Temple means “Celestial Palace”.
- Discover the wonderful Angkor Wat temple, a World Heritage Site, the largest religious monuments in the world and also an architectural masterpiece.
- Enjoy sunset with a bottle of champagne in the rice paddies & a dinner in Crystal restaurant with Apsara Performance.
- Escape from the bustling city, take 30-minute old mean vehicle ox-cart ride through the rice paddies to see the local family’s activities & take part in family lunch to know more about the village life
- From Oct to Feb, get to know the Mechrey village by our special activity – Kayaking through houses, schools and even shops all sit bobbing on the water
- Learn more about the culture & historic of the capital Phnom Penh by visiting the most famous sites Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Musem, Tuol Sleng Museum
- Get to know more about the local life of Cambodia people living along the southern coastline by walking through the village and see all of their morning activities
- Take an excursion to Rabbit Island for relaxation and enjoy the BBQ fresh seafood in Rabbit island
- Join a boat ride in Ream National Park, view the mangrove forest
- Relax at the natural Sihanouville beach - situated in the center of a small peninsula on the Gulf of Thailand
Itinerary
Upon arrival, you will be warmly welcomed by our guide outside the terminal and transferred to the hotel for check-in or luggage drop off if the room is yet to be ready for you. During the transfer, our guide will give you the introduction of Siem Reap City and general information about traffic, currency, shopping area and more. We will drive you around the city through Sivutha Street, Old Market/Pub Street and Wat Damnak bridge before going to your hotel so that you will have a good idea on where to spend at your own leisure time. Free time at your own leisure at the hotel
Beat the crowd early morning by 7am, visit the picturesque Ta Prohm that had nearly disappeared into the jungle and remains overgrown, an oddly haunting and exotic scene. The magnificent roots of a tree, pushing between the huge stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, evoke feelings that you may remember forever. And continue to visit the intricately carved Khmer ruins at Angkor Wat - one of the world’s most impressive ruins. The temple still owns fine Apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. Lunch is own account.
Afternoon, explore the mysterious Royal city Angkor Thom. City & Bayon Its 54-tower temple is an awesome sight. At first glance it seems a shapeless mass of stone, but further scrutiny reveals a face, and then another and another until suddenly you are engulfed by the silent, heavy, enigmatic and silent gaze through half-closed eyes, staring out from a primitive and remote time. Further, visit to the surroundings of the complex including the Baphou, Elephant Terraces, Lepper King Terrace and Royal Place area and visit one more ruin in Angkor Area of Preah Khan temple, built in 12th century by King Jayavarman VII and it is the same style to Ta Prom Temple.
7am, drive to the rural outskirt 35km from Angkor area to visit the smallest, but magnificent, Banteay Srei built in the 10th Century and dedicated to Shiva. The temple was the birthplace of Khmer classical style architecture and the bas-relief work is the best example of Khmer classical art remaining. The pink sandstone structure bears a series of striking and beautiful sculptures, lintels, pediments and friezes. Khmers say the temple must have been carved by women for the details are too fine for the hands of a man. Drive on to Chau Srei Vibol which is a small charming temple on top of a hill which hardly sees any visitors - very few non-locals have heard of it, and it is set just far enough away from the main tourist routes.
Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant (Own account)
Continue to the ancient Khmer civilization site of Hariharalaya which flourished in the late 9th and earlier 10th centuries. These are the earliest temples in the Angkor area and are referred to the Rolous group we visit the main one called Bakhong temple.
Optional for sunset champagne (USD30/pax):
Enjoy sunset with a bottle of champagne in the rice paddies (Place to set up the table is flexible depend on season and suggestion from guide).
Morning transfer out of the Siem Reap town to a beautiful village in the countryside, you will start to walk through the village houses, witness with very nice and different activities from the locals for their daily life. Just as some examples: how the locals wash vehicles, selling gasoline in whiskey bottles or the small shops where the locals sell food on the side of small streets.
On the way, you can take some fruits from the plants, enjoy a view of this wonderful area and interact with very kindly people in the village, a 30-minute old mean vehicle ox-cart ride through the rice paddies to reach at one big local house to see how this family doing daily work such as making rice wine and handicraft works meanwhile the member of the family will offer you of fresh coconut and some manmade rice wine to taste. Lunch is served at this clean and basic hygiene village house while chatting with the family to get in-depth understanding of the village life. Hop in your van for driving onward to the next destination, a floating community, Mechrey village where you take Kayak through houses, schools and even shops all sit bobbing on the water — though not in the dry season — as locals paddle around in traditional wooden boats. (Recommended from October – February).
Breakfast at hotel then transfer to the airport for morning flight to Phnom Penh. Arrival in Phnom Penh, welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in or luggage dropoff. Set out on city tour. Visit to Royal Place built in 1866 by King Norodom; Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5,000 silver tiles and located within the Royal Palace compound. Next, we will explore one of the most popular markets in Phnom Penh, Phsar Tuol Toum Poung which all called Russian Market. Here, you will find varieties of items on sales such as clothes, electronic devices, souvenir stuffs and many more. Then we will experience a 1-hour Cyclo ride along the Mekong River to get fresh air. Cyclo is the iconic vehicle, first introduced in 1936, remain one of the best and most economical ways to see the city. Cyclo drivers, however, are among the poorest of the urban poor in Cambodia. Return to hotel for overnight.
Breakfast at hotel. then visit to the peaceful stretch of green fields of Cheung Ek, may not indicate what kinds of horrors have taken place there. Situated 17km from Phnom Penh town, Cheung Ek was made famous by the movie “The Killing Fields”. Nowadays, a large memorial has been built to commemorate the 17,000 victims who died here under the reign of Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot. The remnants inside the memorial and the mass graves that dot the area remind you of the suffering of the victims. This journey into Cambodia’s past will provide you with a background on the cruelty
of the Khmer Rouge regime. It will also give you an appreciation of the struggle that Cambodian people have faced and their tremendous courage to move on and rebuild their nation. Back to the city for your own lunch. Afternoon, visit to Toul Sleng was a high school prior to 1975, an interrogation prison known as S-21 during the Khmer Rouge era and today it as a genocide museum. It tells the sad story of the thousands of innocent Cambodian people who were tortured on its grounds. Walking through the narrow corridors and former classrooms of the buildings will give you an eerie feeling of
being part of Cambodia’s turbulent past. The stories of the victims are documented and some torture devices are on display for visitors to learn about the suffering the people endured. Photographs were taken of each prisoner passing through the prison and hundreds of the haunting black and white photos are now on display in the museum. While this experience may be depressing, it is recommended to visit in order to truly understand the cruel methods of control the Khmer Rouge implemented over the country. Visit the Wat Phnom Temple, Phnom Penh’s namesake, from where you
can enjoy views over the tree-lined avenues of Phnom Penh
Pickup from your hotel in Phnom Penh, Heading out of town we visit the Tonle Bati with Ta Prohm and Prasat Yeay Pov Temple and will stop for lunch at Meas Family Home which is in Ta Keo province. After lunch we visit the local houses and learning about the particular culture from this village then we will continue to visit the Phnom Da & Angkor Borei and continue to Kep with another 1 hour driving.
Before breakfast, today at 06:00am we will go deeper to learn more about the life of Cambodian people living along the southern coastline which is based on agriculture mainly. Walking through one of the villages and see the early morning activities of the local people trading in small market and activities in the rice field. By then the arm giving to Buddhist Monk will be arranged in one of the local family. 08:30 you will be returned to hotel for breakfast and then we do an excursion to Rabbit Island for relaxation until late afternoon we return to hotel in Kep.
Breakfast at hotel, visit to the pepper plantation, rice field, and ancient cave in Phnom Chngouk, lunch will be provided at local restaurant in Kampot province. We continue to Sihanouk Ville and stop to take the boat ride in Ream National Park, view the mangrove forest. Drop off at hotels in Sihanouk Ville. And remainder of the day is free at leisure for swimming and relaxation on the beach.
Two full days are your leisure to enjoy Sihanoukville. Relax with a massage on the beach, head to one of the nearby islands for some snorkeling. Overnight in Sihanoukville
Two full days are your leisure to enjoy Sihanoukville. Relax with a massage on the beach, head to one of the nearby islands for some snorkeling. Overnight in Sihanoukville
Today is at your leisure before checking out and transferring back to Phnom Penh midday or transfer to Phnom Penh airport for your flight home. End of our service
Trip notes
Tour includes:
- Accommodation in a double or twin share room with daily breakfast
- Private air-conditioned vehicle during all tours and transfers.
- Entrance fees for all visits as mentioned in the itinerary
- Experienced English speaking guide during all tours and transfers
- Meals as specified in the itinerary
- Ox-Cart ride
- Local private boat, Kayak
- Water & cool towels
- Government taxes & service charge
Tour excludes:
- Cambodia Visa stamp fee: USD 30/ person
- International airfare and departure taxes
- Meals, if not specified in the itinerary
- Early check in/ late check out
- Domestic flights and domestic airport taxes
- Gala dinner on 24th and 31st December if any
- Surcharge for Peak season: USD80 per room per night from 27 Dec 2018 – 04 Jan 2019 & 04 – 09 Feb 2019 in Angkor Palace Resort; USD15 per room per night from 19 Dec 2018-08 Jan 2019 & 13-17 Feb 2019 in Rainsey Bungalow; USD40 per room per night from 21 Dec 2018 – 05 Jan 2019 in Knai Bang Chatt; USD55 per room per night from 20 Dec 2018 – 05 Jan 2019 & 01-10 Feb 2019 in Sokha Beach Hotel
- Drinks and meal not mentioned
- Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone, drinks … etc.
- Personal travel insurance (we highly recommend that you purchase adequate insurance).
- Gratuities/ Tipping
- All other services not specified in the itinerary
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