Tour type
Tour Level: Relaxed / Easy
Tour Comfort: Standard
Tour Period: 3 Days
French, Spanish, English, German
tour highlights
- Visit the largest fishermen's floating & stilted village
- Experience a spiritual cleansing
- Visit the main temples of the Angkor complex and remote Beng Mealea
- Discover Cambodia's talented artists of Phare Circus
- Learn about the revived arts & crafts
tour details
The province of Siem Reap is a study in contrasts from its ancient temples to its developed capital. We’ll start by exploring Prasat Kravan and its unique brick sculptures before heading to Preah Khan temple. In the afternoon, we’ll stop at a local village where palm sugar is produced and visit one of the most complete complexes at Angkor, Banteay Samre. The next day, we’ll head to the ancient capital of Angkor Thom and the Bayon temple, with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara. You’ll also explore Angkor Wat, a masterpiece of art and architecture, before a dinner and dance show at a local restaurant. On the last day, we’ll visit a floating village and ride a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake. We’ll also see some of the traditional handmade products and shops in the area.
Arrive at Siem Reap International Airport and transfer to the hotel (rooms may not be ready until the afternoon).
Lunch at local restaurant
14:00 hours
Travel 30 to 45min away from Siem Reap town, you can explore the remarkable stilted village of Kompong Phluk on the Tonle Sap Lake, where the houses are built a minimum of five meters above dry ground to account for the rise and fall of the lake's waters. This unique architecture has been nicknamed "bamboo skyscrapers".
This out-of-time village has 2 very different faces depending on the season. During the dry season (approx. February to July) you can drive to and walk through the village. During the rainy season (approx. August to December) the water has risen so high you cannot drive all the way to the village anymore and must start your boat ride earlier. During this rainy season also, the surrounding forest becomes flooded and instead of exploring the village by foot, you will explore the forest by pirogue.
Dinner not included
Lunch at local restaurant
14:00 hours
Travel 30 to 45min away from Siem Reap town, you can explore the remarkable stilted village of Kompong Phluk on the Tonle Sap Lake, where the houses are built a minimum of five meters above dry ground to account for the rise and fall of the lake's waters. This unique architecture has been nicknamed "bamboo skyscrapers".
This out-of-time village has 2 very different faces depending on the season. During the dry season (approx. February to July) you can drive to and walk through the village. During the rainy season (approx. August to December) the water has risen so high you cannot drive all the way to the village anymore and must start your boat ride earlier. During this rainy season also, the surrounding forest becomes flooded and instead of exploring the village by foot, you will explore the forest by pirogue.
Dinner not included
Breakfast at your hotel
08:00 hours
Your tour guide and Tuk Tuk's driver pick you up from hotel and take a part in a sacred Buddhist ritual when you travel to Cambodia and receive a spiritual cleansing ceremony performed by the monks. The ceremony begins with the monks chanting harmoniously as they wish you good luck, safe travel, and a long life. It is accompanied by a light sprinkling of water. At the end of the blessing, your wrist is adorned with special red ties that signify the blessing performed.
Then, start by visiting the last capital of the Khmer Empire: Angkor Thom, built in the 12th century and deserted most likely during the 16th century. Inside its walls, visit:
-the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk
-Bayon temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with 216 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara
-Baphuon, a pyramidal representation of Mount Meru
-the Terrace of the Elephants, used by Jayavarman VII to watch his victorious army return
-the Terrace of the Leper King, which's statue was formerly thought to represent a legendary "leper king", but is now considered to represent Yama - the Lord of the Dead and believed the terrace itself might have functioned as a royal cremation platform.
Continue towards famous Ta Prohm, beautiful jungle temple which nature seems to have taken over, has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery.
Stop and relax for a nice lunch at Sala Russey, local restaurant facing Srah Srang.
14:00 hours
Afternoon, continue the visit by Tuk Tuk to the most famous of all temples: Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious monument named UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992. The 12th century temple complex spreads over 81 hectares. It'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.
Return to your hotel.
18:30 hours
Transfer by Tuk Tuk for dinner before the show at Phare caf'e9
Performance by Phare, The Cambodian Circus.
Enjoy an amazing blend of traditional and modern theatre, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling and contortion, comedy and more, a beautifully choreographed and performed story about Cambodian lives and society. Go back with a memory filled with energy and emotions portrayed by the famous artists of Phare Ponleu Selpak Artistic and Social Center. PPS Association is a Cambodian non-profit, non-governmental association founded in 1994 by eight young Cambodians ex-refugees artists. Be part of non-profit organization efforts to build artists' careers and to bring Cambodian arts to the rest of the world.
08:00 hours
Your tour guide and Tuk Tuk's driver pick you up from hotel and take a part in a sacred Buddhist ritual when you travel to Cambodia and receive a spiritual cleansing ceremony performed by the monks. The ceremony begins with the monks chanting harmoniously as they wish you good luck, safe travel, and a long life. It is accompanied by a light sprinkling of water. At the end of the blessing, your wrist is adorned with special red ties that signify the blessing performed.
Then, start by visiting the last capital of the Khmer Empire: Angkor Thom, built in the 12th century and deserted most likely during the 16th century. Inside its walls, visit:
-the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk
-Bayon temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with 216 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara
-Baphuon, a pyramidal representation of Mount Meru
-the Terrace of the Elephants, used by Jayavarman VII to watch his victorious army return
-the Terrace of the Leper King, which's statue was formerly thought to represent a legendary "leper king", but is now considered to represent Yama - the Lord of the Dead and believed the terrace itself might have functioned as a royal cremation platform.
Continue towards famous Ta Prohm, beautiful jungle temple which nature seems to have taken over, has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery.
Stop and relax for a nice lunch at Sala Russey, local restaurant facing Srah Srang.
14:00 hours
Afternoon, continue the visit by Tuk Tuk to the most famous of all temples: Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious monument named UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992. The 12th century temple complex spreads over 81 hectares. It'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.
Return to your hotel.
18:30 hours
Transfer by Tuk Tuk for dinner before the show at Phare caf'e9
Performance by Phare, The Cambodian Circus.
Enjoy an amazing blend of traditional and modern theatre, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling and contortion, comedy and more, a beautifully choreographed and performed story about Cambodian lives and society. Go back with a memory filled with energy and emotions portrayed by the famous artists of Phare Ponleu Selpak Artistic and Social Center. PPS Association is a Cambodian non-profit, non-governmental association founded in 1994 by eight young Cambodians ex-refugees artists. Be part of non-profit organization efforts to build artists' careers and to bring Cambodian arts to the rest of the world.
Breakfast at your hotel
09:00 hours
This morning, visit "Les Artisans d'Angkor - Chantiers Ecoles". This centre is working with young artisans; the team creates, produce and market a unique collection of ornamental sculpture, lacquer ware, silk weaving and silk painting. The company promotes fair, sustainable development in order to provide benefits to the rural communities.
Continue to visit Phsar Chas, the old market in the French quarter, where you will have time for some last minute shopping before lunch in a local restaurant and heading to Siem Reap International Airport for departure flight to the next destination.
09:00 hours
This morning, visit "Les Artisans d'Angkor - Chantiers Ecoles". This centre is working with young artisans; the team creates, produce and market a unique collection of ornamental sculpture, lacquer ware, silk weaving and silk painting. The company promotes fair, sustainable development in order to provide benefits to the rural communities.
Continue to visit Phsar Chas, the old market in the French quarter, where you will have time for some last minute shopping before lunch in a local restaurant and heading to Siem Reap International Airport for departure flight to the next destination.
includes
- Meals as stated in the programme, D= dinner at local restaurant
- Transfers and tours with local English guides (guides in other languages are on request and may be subject to supplements) in private air-conditioned vehicles
- All entrance fees, boat fees and / or cyclo fees as mentioned in the programme
- Bottled water and cold towels available on the vehicles
excludes
- Accommodation and meals at the hotel
- Domestic airfare (quoted separately, if requested)
- International airfare to / from Cambodia (quoted separately, if requested)
- Optional tours
- Surcharges for other language guides
- Personal travel insurance
- Personal expenditure, such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry, camera fees, communications, postage, gratuities etc.
- Meals and services other than mentioned in the programme
- Drinks with meals
- Compulsory gala dinners during festive seasons and peak season surcharges which will be advised at the time of booking
- Visa fees
- Early check-in and late check-out at hotels, if not mentioned in the programme
notes
Ideally a tour to the Tonle Sap Lake is only done during the high-water-level months of July to possibly mid of February. When the water is low boats may get stuck and also the distances to the floating villages increase.
Tour code: REPDSCL3
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