Legacy Of Khmer History

Arrival Phnom Penh around noon – Visa processing – picked up by your private guide for transfer to hotel.

Afternoon start a half day city tour including the Victory Monument, and the National Museum (called as Musee des Beaux-Arts). Next, you’ll visit a French archaeologist and painter, Georges Groslier, designed it in Khmer style in 1917. The museum contains a collection of Khmer art - notably sculptures – from throughout the ages. You’ll also discover the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda, located within the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. The treasures found inside includes a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90 kilograms and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha. End of day stop at the Central market and in right time to views over the tree-lined avenues of the city during sunset

Morning, we continue to visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S 21), followed the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek it is approximately 15Km from the city. You’ll witness Cambodias horrible recent past.

Afternoon, continue to visit Phnom Penh Municipality Hall, National Library, National Bank. End tour, stroll around Russian market (Psah Tuol Thom Pong), a lively outdoor market where you will find antiquities, silver and gold jewelry, gems, silk, kramas, stone and wood carvings, as well as T-Shirts, CDs and other souvenirs. Back to the hotel

Morning, start an excursion to Takeo Province.  Upon arrival, take a boat cruise to Angkor Borei (Funan city-built in early 400 years BC), you’ll visit the magnificent Phnom Da Temple on the top of Phnom Da Mount, the first work of pre-Angkorian period and Museum. Drive to Phnom Chiso then stop at  Ta Prohm temple and Yeah Pouv  on the way back hotel. 

Morning, transfer to Phnom Penh Airport and departure to Siem Reap

Upon arrival, meet our guide and transfer to the hotel for check in.

Today we begin to visit Prasat Kravan with its unique brick sculptures and Ta Prohm.  One of the area's most remarkable temples, Ta Prohm had been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. It reveals the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was abandoned and swallowed by the jungle, similar the ways most of the Angkor temples appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them. Walk around to visit as well Takeo, Chau SayTevoda and Thommanon.  You will also visit Preah Khan temple, built by the King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulders-hanging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation.  If time permit, you visit Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool and representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake and visit the temple of Ta Som as well as Srah Srang ("The Royal Baths"), undoubtedly used in the past for ritual bathing before return to hotel. 

Today, visit to the antique capital of Angkor Thom, built in the 12th century: the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

After a short your rest, you will visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag. This masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks - the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond. End of day take a relaxing stopover at Prasat Chrung visiting Tadev Hole and temple with the best Sunset. Return to your hotel and end of the tour

Morning, a full day tour to Holy mountain of Phnom Kulen; visit Liga carving, a legacy of the God-kings who ruled Cambodia in the ninth century, One of the eight water sources, Sleeping Buddha, and the Waterfall of Phnom Kulen. On the way back stop at Banteay Srei (Citadel of the women) and Banteay Samre. 

Morning visit Beng Mealea - very old temple built in the 12 cetury, the layout and style of Beng Mealea is very similar to Angkor Wat. This ancient capital of Kmer Empire of Rolouse group such as Lolei, Bakong and Preah Ko. You need to climb up to approach the temple in the jungle. Lunch at local restaurant

Afternoon, your guide & driver transfer you to Tonle Sap Lake - the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia and is the heart of the Cambodian fishing industry and the lifeblood for millions of Khmers living on and around it. You will embark a comfortable boat to see the true way of life in one of the floating villages of the Tonle Sap. Here you can see how Khmers and Vietnamese live and work side by side years later.

Morning, explore War Museum and Les Artisans d’Angkor - Chantiers Ecole where you can observe students learning traditional carving and finishing techniques and shopping at local market.

Afternoon free for your own pace

Free at leisure until transfer for flight departure