Heritage
UNESCO
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MEET AN EXPERT
Our co-founder Jay Tindall was amazed by his helicopter flight over Angkor Wat, as well as his visit to a live minefield with a mine clearance charity.
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Price is based on double or twin hotel room occupancy and includes accommodation, transfers, car/driver, English-speaking guide, activities and entrance fees, breakfasts and some casual lunches while touring. Flights and optional special activities will be quoted separately. Most personal expenses, including dinners, alcoholic beverages, spa treatments and gratuities can be paid on the spot while traveling. Prices may vary depending on season, choice of accommodation and other factors.
This 14-day tour highlights the beauty, history, culture and resilience of the Cambodian nation. From the mysterious jungle-tangled temples of Angkor to the mountain-hemmed white-sand beaches of the south, and all the rarely-visited villages of the North, this tour has something for every type of traveller. On your journey from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville and back again, stop at such mesmerizing sites as the Cheung Ek Killing Fields and ancient temples of the Angkor Kingdom.
A guide will welcome you upon your arrival in Phnom Penh and transfer you to the Rosewood Phnom Penh. Check in and freshen up before an afternoon of sightseeing. Visit the Royal Palace, and the Silver Pagoda, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Marvel at the nearly 200-pound Buddha made of solid gold, made in 1907. The pagoda is filled with fascinating artifacts, each providing a window to the past.
Today begins with a somber tone as you visit Toul Sleng Genocide Museum and the Cheung Ek Killing Fields. It is in this very space where thousands of civilians were killed and buried in mass graves. You are sure to be moved by the reminders of such atrocious crimes against humanity in this important space honoring the dead. Return to the city for a visit to the market or take a bike and pedal out to the countryside to Silk Island for a peaceful afternoon.
After breakfast, travel to Kampong Cham, with a stop or two along the way. Check in to your hotel before enjoying some sightseeing - visit the city’s male and female hills, Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei, respectively, and 12th-century temple, Nokor Bachey. Climb up Han Chey Mountain and take in a sunset view, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.
After checking out of your Kampong Cham hote, explore the rubber plantations, rubber being one of the region’s top exports. Transfer to Kratie and check in to your hotel before taking the unique opportunity to visit the Mekong dolphins on a boat excursion. These rare freshwater dolphins are most active in the early morning and late afternoon hours.
A morning drive will bring you to the province of Stung Treng. Take in the beautiful plateau landscapes along the way. Check in, rest and refresh before an afternoon of teaching English to monks and the local disadvantaged.
A scenic boat ride will bring you to the village of Preah Rumkel, where you will meet a homestay family. This is an eco-tourism site hemmed by Mekong River rapids, waterfalls and forested hills, providing a lush verdant vista. Interact and break bread with a local family who will welcome you to spend the night in their traditional wooden home.
Today you will explore the tropical forests of Preah Rumkel. By mountain bike and foot, make your way to the top of a hillside to fully appreciate the incredible panoramic views of the countryside below. Keep an eye out for wildlife in the RAMSAR flooded forests and conservation area. Enjoy a peaceful sunset over the Mekong and forest landscape, followed by a typical dinner and the region’s famous rice wine.
Enjoy a three-mile adventure walk with a local guide to breathtaking Sopheakmith waterfall. Take a motorbike transfer to Kompong Simi en route to Preah Vihear, where you will enjoy dinner and spend the night.
After breakfast, journey to the Thai border to visit the Preah Vihear temple. Climb to the top of Dangrek Mountain to take in the spectacular view of Thailand. Journey to the past on a history-based tour of this pre-Angkorian temple, a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site that is infamous for its border-straddling controversy. Travel to Siem Reap, and check into one of many luxury hotel options.
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before a tour of the area’s ancient temples. Visit the 12th-century sites of Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, and Bayon. Take in the sights of the South Gate with its massive statues depicting the churning of the Ocean of Milk. Continue on to the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, Elephant Terrace, and Ta Prohm, one of the region’s most incredible sights. Hop on an Angkor Gondola at Angkor Thom, and travel from the south gate to the west gate. Round off the day with a climb to the top of Bakheng Hill for a spectacular sunset view over the ancient city.
Today, visit Koh Ker temple, built by king Jayavarman IV, and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Next stop is Beng Melea Temple, which, covered in a thick layer of lush moss, resembles a blue sandstone façade. Take the time to observe the locals making joss sticks – traditional incense – and other everyday activities that can be seen along the roadways.
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before transferring to Sihanoukville. Relish in the beauty of the mountainous countryscape before checking into an island resort, whether Song Saa or Alila Koh Russey. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy.
The last few days of your tour should be spent relaxing on the beach and enjoying the sights and activities around the island and Sihanoukville. The area boasts fantastic and varied dive sites, with two shipwrecks. Sihanoukville is also known for its many architectural splendors; visit a number of pagodas, temples and cathedrals. Wat Chotyniec, located in the heart of the city, is a definite highlight.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before exploring Ream National Park. Just east of Sihanoukville, the park showcases Cambodia’s diverse wildlife. Featuring dolphins, monkeys, and mangrove forests teeming with diverse bird species, there is much to see. The choice is yours - either spend the rest of your day lounging by the pool or take in more of the area’s attractions.
On this, your last full day in the warm tropics of coastal Cambodia, enjoy free time.
by Financial Times 
by BAWS 
