Culture & Nature Discovery

Welcome to Siem Reap! The Cambodia E-Arrival Card is the only way to declare entry now, which can be filled out by scanning the QR code after landing or on its APP within one week before arriving. After customs clearance, you will meet your guide in the arrival hall and be escorted to the hotel. It takes about 1 hour from the new airport east of Siem Reap to downtown, and our air-conditioned private car is superior to a 40-dollar taxi ride and airport coaches that run in very long intervals.

We have well-selected 5-star Anantara Angkor Resort and 4-star Tara Angkor Hotel for you to choose from. After check-in, you can rest well and prepare for the visit tomorrow.

► Money Tip in Cambodia
The US dollar is widely used in Cambodia, and only changes below $1 use Riel, the official currency of Cambodia, which means that you can get Riel by making changes instead of exchanging currency. Please keep your paper money intact since most sellers reject the broken ones.

► How to Take a Tuk-tuk in Cambodia
Tuk-tuk, an auto-rickshaw, is the most common transportation in Cambodia. You can call a Tuk-tuk on the Grab app without bargaining, and it can be paid by credit card or cash. PassApp is an alternative that takes orders quickly but requires a Cambodian mobile phone number and cash only.

► Where to Go in Free Time in Siem Reap: Old Market
It is the largest and oldest market in Siem Reap, taking a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride from the hotel. There are fresh fruit, tasty food, clothing and souvenirs, most of which cost $1 to $3. Have your change ready, and you can drive a hard bargain for what you want. Note that if you leave without buying after having a deal with the sellers, they will be deeply angry.

► Cambodian Delicacies Recommendation: Khmer Kitchen Restaurant
Ten minutes by taxi from the hotel, it is widely known to taste Cambodian cuisine, costing about $10 per person. Amok Fish, Khmer Fried Rice and Fried Spring Rolls are highly recommended. Amok is a traditional Cambodian dish that cooks fish, chicken, or beef with various spices and coconut milk, looking and tasting like curry. Khmer Fried Rice uses long-grain rice from Battambang Province, called the “Granary of the World,” and is also one of our later destinations. 150 meters east of the restaurant is Angkor Fruit Shake, a must-try drink shop; durian and avocado shakes are highly popular.

Accommodation: Anantara Angkor Resort (5 stars) or Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars)

★ Unique Service: Flexible Day to Watch Angkor Wat Sunrise & Breakfast Picnic
Your private Cambodia tour will start with the stunning sunrise view at Angkor Wat. Your guide and driver will pick you up and ensure you arrive at Angkor Wat half an hour before the best shooting time to seize an open position by the lake to the right of Angkor Wat entrance. The day to see sunrise can be flexibly adjusted throughout your days in Siem Reap according to the weather. Another surprise is that we can have a breakfast picnic in the Angkor Wat Archaeological Park if you don’t want to return to the hotel after viewing the sunrise.

Angkor Wat, the best-preserved temple complex of more than 160 hectares in Angkor remains, is considered the world's largest religious structure. Its grand architecture and detailed relief earn it the reputation of a national treasure, whose five-tower image is printed on the Cambodian flag. 
► Note: 
1. Please dress up with shoulder-covered clothes and bottoms reaching below the knee.
2. Photographing with mobile phones but not drones or 360-degree panoramic cameras is allowed.
3. Wear sunscreen clothes and hats, bring mosquito repellent and a handheld fan, and take a thermos bottle with ice water to prevent the water from getting warm quickly.

You will continue to visit other temples in Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring city of the Khmer Empire (802-1431). Accompanied by many monkeys at the entrance, you will get to Bayon Temple at the center of Angkor Thom, famous for the “Khmer Smile” of Buddha statues. Head northwest and you will see Baphuon Temple, which has an extremely complex design. Then comes the Terrace of the Elephants, engraved with many pachyderms such as elephants, rhinos and hippos.

Today’s last spot is Bakheng Temple atop Bakheng Mountain, where you can enjoy the amazing sunset view. Climbing the mountain takes half an hour, and wearing dark-colored shoes that cloak dirt is advisable. Sunset is hardly seen during the rainy season from May to October, but don't be disappointed; the panoramic view of Angkor City from the top of the mountain is also very impressive. We arrange a Khmer dishes buffet with Apsara Show as the dinner; enjoy a happy night before rest in the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with Apsara Show

Accommodation: Anantara Angkor Resort (5 stars) or Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars)

Today, we will visit iconic temples in Angkor Wat grand and outer circuits. They are a little far away from each other, and you may walk more than yesterday, so wear sunscreen or sun-protective clothing, and take a handheld electric fan and an insulated bottle to keep the icy water cold.

You will first be guided to Preah Kahn, whose name originates from the legend that Khmer prince Jayavarman II gave his successor a sword. The two-layer building said to store the sword is a must-see site in the temple since it has an uncommonly-seen Mediterranean architecture in Angkor temples. A monument filled with various spiral structures stands in the center of the temple. A hole on the monument introduces light as if diamonds are falling off the sky, and your guide will tell you how to photograph like you are holding the diamonds.

Next, we will drive 40 minutes to Banteay Srei, honored as the “Diamond of Angkor” because of its delicate carvings. Unlike other Angkor temples, Banteay Srei was built in red sandstones, and no one could fail to be shocked at first sight by its surpassingly vivid color. Despite its small area, its lifelike carvings deliver interesting Hindu myths on almost every stone, attracting you to linger.

Have lunch and then let’s continue to explore Ta Som, manifesting in an unrestored original appearance. The scene of a tree root penetrating the porch and reaching into the ground has become the favorite of tourists' photos. Pre Rup is the end of our Angkor Wat visit, a three-story pyramid-shaped temple with five lotus pagodas on the top. “Pre Rup” means rotating bodies, a traditional cremation way, so the temple is presumed to be a royal crematorium.

Drive for 1 hour and come to the last highlight of today - a boat ride around a floating village on Tonle Sap Lake. You will see people fishing in the lake, children swimming, and their school, hospital and church on the lake. They lived on the lake for generations and must do so. How did they start to live here? Why are they restricted to living on the lake? Your guide will account for their stories to you. The rest station in the lake's center, where you can see farmed crocodiles, is available for drinks, food and souvenirs, and we arrive just in time to appreciate the sunset.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:  Anantara Angkor Resort (5 stars) or Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars)

Say goodbye to Siem Reap, and we will leave for Battambang today. After a 3.5 to 4-hour drive, you will be transferred to the hotel for lunch and a short break. Battambang has Cambodia's most-preserved French colonial buildings, so we plan a walking tour to meet them, with the governor’s residence - a mansion house built in French colonial times - as the most quintessential, and many nearby colonial buildings are used as stores or galleries.

You must have taken a train, but have you ever taken a bamboo train? A thick bamboo board, barbell-like iron wheels, and an engine compose a bamboo train with the highest speed of 25 miles per hour. You will be astonished by the wisdom of the Cambodian people when passing by rice fields and thickets on the bamboo train.

At the end of today’s itinerary, we will climb up the Phnom Sampeau of over 700 stairs. Wat Phnom Sampeau atop it features a unique Khmer rooftop and detailed murals. From the top, you can view the vast paddy fields, the "Chicken Mountain" and "Duck Mountain" in the northwest, and many other hills named after animals. On the mountainside are Killing Caves used by the Khmer Rouge to execute “prisoners”, as their name suggests. Our later itinerary in Phnom Penh will provide more chances to know about the Khmer Rouge. We will go down to the foot before sunset to watch another stunning scene - millions of bats flying out of caves, forming a black whirlwind lasting over 30 minutes. Places under the bats’ route smell bad and might have falling objects, so please keep your hat on.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Maisons Watkor Hotel (4 stars) or Bambu Battambang Hotel (3 stars)

To ease the fatigue of the 5-hour drive to Phnom Penh, we'll plan scenic breaks at Kampong Chhnang and Oudong Mountain to add a touch of excitement to our long road trip. It is a 3-hour ride to Kampong Chhnang first, meaning the “Port of Pottery”, so you will be escorted to watch pottery-making, as well as rice wine-making. However, it is advisable not to taste or buy rice wine since adulterated rice wine is ubiquitous.

After another 1-hour drive, you will get to Oudong Mountain, which has a village fair at its foot, crowded with peddlers selling local specialties, a straw shed canteen on its mountainside cooking Cambodian cuisine, and a stupa on its top. You need to reach the stupa barefoot, so wear shoes that are easy to take on and off if you want to have a close visit.

Finally, you will be transferred to the well-selected hotel in Phnom Penh. The 5-star hotel we provide is opposite the National Museum and 300 meters west of Bodia Spa, where you can have a massage to relieve fatigue from such a long travel.

► Dinner Recommendation in Phnom Penh: Pizza 4P's 313 Quayside
The restaurant and Bodia Spa are 200 meters away in one direction, and it takes about 10 minutes to walk directly from the 5-star hotel. It serves mainly pizza and pasta, featuring flavors highlighted by Burrata cheese from its own cheese line. Two-topping pizzas-Soy Garlic Beef and Salmon Miso Cream- and the specialty dish Crab Cream Pasta are recommended. It costs $20 to $30 per person.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh (5 stars) or Sunway Hotel (4 stars)

Today, you will have a full-day tour of Phnom Penh to delve into Cambodia’s glory and dark. The first destination is the Royal Palace, whose oldest buildings date back to the 19th century under the assistance of France; that’s why the architectural complex manifests both Khmer style and European style. There are many pigeons on the plaza suitable for photos, and you can buy three packs of feed for $1 to feed them. You may also catch the king going out or meet the prince walking with his kids, and they will greet you kindly.

Next, follow the guide to explore the National Museum of Cambodia, just north of the Royal Palace. Admire its striking red-clay architecture and step inside to discover a vast collection of more than 14,000 artifacts. Observe exhibits ranging from the pre-Angkor era to modern times, and don't miss the wealth of informative videos.

Do you remember the Killing Cave in Battambang? Now, you will learn more about the brutal regime - the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979), by visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Genocidal Center. Tuol Sleng was used to interrogate “prisoners” suspected of treason, among which nearly 20,000 were executed and only 12 survived. Your guide will narrate a more detailed history of that dark period during your visit. Two of the 12 survivors occasionally come here and share their stories; if so, you can take a photo with them, and your guide can help you talk with them. Before leaving, you can write your strong feelings in the comments book with words from worldwide visitors. Choeung Ek Killing Fields, where people imprisoned in Tuol Sleng were executed, has become a memorial place with a pagoda. One side of the pagoda is made of resin glass and contains over 5,000 skulls, appalling everyone who faces them.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh (5 stars) or Sunway Hotel (4 stars)

It is time to say goodbye to Cambodia. Your driver and guide will pick you up from the hotel, taking 30 to 40 minutes to Phnom Penh International Airport. The airport is not large, so don’t worry about clearance time. Wish you a delightful journey!

► Suggested Site for Your Free Time: Wat Phnom
Wat Phnom in the downtown is worth visiting if your flight schedule permits. It is next to the 4-star hotel we provide and a 5-minute tuk-tuk ride from the 5-star hotel. Wat Phnom is one of the oldest temples in Phnom Penh and the city's birthplace, standing on a mountain of nearly one hundred meters, from which you can overlook the city. Step inside the hall with your shoes and hat off, and you can see monks performing Buddhist music, surrounded by many Buddha statues. Unlike what we usually know, you can put makeup on a specialized Buddha statue, which is said to bless the good fortune of marriage.

Meals: Breakfast