Culture & Nature Discovery

★ Angkor Wat Sunrise: A Symphony of Light and Shadow

Nothing starts your Cambodia journey better than a breathtaking sunrise over Angkor Wat. Your guide will offer an early wake-up call and accompany you to the Angkor Wat together with a driver 20-30 minutes before sunrise, which is usually between 5:30 and 6:30 AM. As the rising sun acts like a natural spotlight, the temple gradually emerges from the darkness until every detail is bathed in the golden glow. We’ll surely not let you miss the perfect reflection of the five towers in the lotus pond. After admiring vivid bas-relief on the interior walls of the temple, we’ll escort you back to your hotel for breakfast. Alternatively, we can also pack a breakfast box so you can have a breakfast picnic while soaking in the morning twilight. 
► Tips：
1. Dressing in vibrant colors is easy for you to take stunning photos, but please ensure your shoulders and knees are covered out of respect of local religion and culture. 
2. Mosquito repellent is necessary for the early morning.
3. To guarantee the best sunrise view, your guide will adjust the sightseeing date according to the weather. 

Afterward, let’s continue to Ankor Thom, the last capital of Angkor Dynasty (9th-15th century), aka Khmer Empire. Wandering through the weathered brick-and-stone ruins, you’ll revive the glory of this fallen kingdom. The path will lead you to the Bayon Temple, built by King Jayavarman VII (1122-1218 AD). Once step inside the sanctuary, keep your eye glued to 216 giant stone smiling faces on the four sides of 54 Gothic towers, which are widely celebrated as the “Smile of Angkor.” Radiating a calm and compassionate aura, these countenances fuse the monarch’s own facial features with a divine figure, watching over the vast realm and proclaiming his divine authority in the past 800 years. 

Not far from the Bayon lies Baphuon Temple, a mountain-shaped sandstone monument constructed about 100 years earlier. Constructed during the heyday of Khmer Empire, this three-tier monument is grander in scale. Ascending to the top tier, you’ll gain a panoramic view of surroundings. The stairways are steep with a 60-degree angle, so please wear non-slip shoes for a safe climbing. In the past, this challenging climb was intentionally designed to compel worshippers to show their humility and reverence for the divine from the very first step. Then, we’ll continue to the Terrace of the Elephants to admire vivid 3D elephant carvings. 

Before dusk, your guide will accompany you to the Bakheng Temple on the hilltop for a romantic sunset. Please be aware that the sunset view is subject to weather during monsoon season from May to October, but the panoramic view of Angkor Wat will also make the climb worthwhile. 

★ Khmer-style Cuisine with Apsara Dance Show

After descending the hill, a Khmer-style dinner is waiting for you. Beyond savoring authentic local cuisine, an Apsara Dance show will feast your eyes. In Hindu mythology, Apsaras are celestial maidens who dance to entertain the gods. For careful ones, you may have noticed their figures in the bas-relief on temple walls we explored today. Performers wearing gold headdresses and colorful traditional Cambodian attires will bring these frozen fairies to life. Accompanied by folk music, try to decode complex emotions expressed through the dancers’ intricate hand gestures and graceful movements.

At the end of the day, your guide and driver will offer a comfortable car ride back to your hotel.  

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Apsara Dinner Show
Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars) or FCC Angkor by Avani (5 stars), Siem Reap

Not satisfied to be a dilettante of Angkorian architecture? Your guide and driver will accompany you on a further exploration to Preah Khan Temple after breakfast. As the largest religious complex of Khmer Empire, it is more than a spiritual sanctuary, but also served as a military and industrial nucleus, where King Jayavarman VII prepared for his restoration. Although time has weathered its walls, you can still figure out statues handling swords. At the center of the temple stands a stupa-like monument. With an opening on its top, it allows sunlight to filter through, looking like scattered diamonds. Your guide will show you the best photo spot and angle so that you can capture a picture as if holding a handful of sunlight.

Leaving Preah Khan Temple, we’ll continue to Banteay Srei, a Hindu temple revered as “Diamond of Angkor Art” for its delicate carvings. Chiseled from pink sandstone, it serves as stone story book, with nearly every lintel and pediment depicting tales from Hindu mythology. Just let your imagination fly and try to decode the spiritual world of ancient Cambodians.

Then, head to Ta Prohm Temple, the iconic filming location for Hollywood’s movie “Tomb Raider”. Here, the ancient stone walls are held in the colossal, vice-like grip of giant silk-cotton tree roots, showcasing a dramatic battle between nature and human architecture. Thanks to the dense canopy, you can sink in a cinematic and mysterious atmosphere while walking on the plank spotted by skylight piercing through the leaves.

★ Tonle Sap Lake Cruise to Floating Villages

About 1-hour drive from the temple, we’ll arrive at the Tonle Sap Lake. Let’s switch to a small boat and drift to the floating villages. The lake sustains thousands of residents who have lived on the water for generations. Most of villagers are descendants of Vietnamese refugees who are not accepted by both Cambodia and their home country. Since they are not allowed to go ashore, they build schools, churches, and community spaces on the water. To support the family, some raise crocodiles charging for taking photos, while others open movable stores selling souvenirs to visitors. We’ll have a rest on the floating platform to admire the stunning sunset over the lake. As the sun dips below the horizon, the vast water surface will be tinted in a brilliant golden hue, bringing a serene finale to your sightseeing. 

After disembarking, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars) or FCC Angkor by Avani (5 stars), Siem Reap

Bidding farewell to Siem Reap this morning, we’ll drive for 3-3.5 hours to Battambang. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will assist you with check-in. After a lunch break, our Battambang exploration will begin with a leisure walk to discover French colonial buildings scattered in the city. Along the street, you’ll find that many of these historical buildings have been converted into boutique hotels, handicraft stores, and galleries.

Then, let’s experience Battambang’s traditional transportation – bamboo train. Without a steel carriage, it only has a bamboo platform mounted on iron wheels. Powered by a small petrol engine, it will clatter along the old rail through vast rice paddies and local villages. Since it runs on a single track, you’ll have chance to witness its “give-way protocol”: when two trains meet head-on, one driver will lift the train off the rail and let the other pass. 

After getting off the train, we’ll head south to Phnom Sampeau Mountain. Halfway up the summit, stop at the Killing Caves, to mourn for the victims who were executed during Khmer Rouge (1975 – 1979 AD), the darkest time in Cambodian history. It is a preamble of your Phnom Penh exploration on the 6th day, where you’ll gain more details about this period. After ascending 700 stairs, you’ll stand in front of Wat Phnom Sampeau Temple atop, featuring a finely crafted Khmer-style roof and exquisite murals telling the life story of Buddha. From this vantage point, you can take in vast emerald rice fields stretching to the horizon, dotted with hills whose silhouettes resembling animals, such as chicken and duck. 

As dusk falls, we’ll descend to the mountain foot and stop near the Bat Cave. Around 17:30 to 18:00, millions of bats stream out of caves. They swirl across the sky, forming a black river and squeaking. What you need to be aware of is that bats’ dropping may occasionally make a mass and the smell may be pungent, so we highly recommend wearing a hat and face mask.  

Finally, your guide and driver will seamlessly escort you back to your hotel. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Bambu Battambang Hotel (4 stars) or Maisons Wat Kor (4 stars), Battambang

After checking out, your guide and driver will offer a 3-hour comfortable car ride to Kampong Chhnang, a city nicknamed the “Port of Pottery.” Stepping into a local workshop, you can witness how clay turns into traditional earthen wares under the fingers of local artisans. Moreover, the city is also famous for its rice wine, where you can see the entire lifecycle of a grain of rice - from harvesting to fermentation and finally distillation. However, it is not advisable to taste or buy rice wine here, since some workshops are unlicensed and sampling unregulated alcohol may pose health risks.

Then, after another 1-hour drive, we’ll stop at the foot of Phnom Oudong Mountain, Cambodia’s ancient royal capital from 17th to 19th century. At the foot of the mountain, you can find stalls at a rustic market, some sizzling with local specialties while others piled with colorful local vegetables and fruits. Your guide will accompany you to make a pilgrimage to the remnant of Sanchak Mony Chedei, a giant white stupa perched on the summit. Here, you can show your respect to the remains of ancient kings and gain a panoramic view of the surroundings. Please note that you need to take off your shoes before entering the stupa.

Arriving in Phnom Penh after a 1.5-hour drive in the late afternoon, your guide and driver will escort you to the hotel we handpicked for you. Both of our 4-star and 5-star hotels have the best locations in the city center, very close to the National Museum and the Royal Palace. To find a perfect antidote to fatigue after a long day on the road, you can head to BODIA SPA Riverside on your own for a Cambodian cocoon massage, which is a 5-minute tuk-tuk from our 4-star hotel and a 5-minute walk from the 5-star hotel. After relaxing your body, please return to your hotel independently. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Chaiya Palace Hotel (4 stars) or Hyatt Regency (5 stars), Phnom Penh

Today, we’ll explore essences of Phnom Penh to read both the grandeur and sobering chapters of Cambodia. We’ll begin at the Royal Palace, an architectural marvel built in 1866 AD, which is still served as the official residence of the reigning monarch nowadays. If you see a blue royal flag flying at the palace gate, it means that His Majesty is in residence currently. While the private quarters remain strictly closed to the public, you can stroll through its gardens and marvel at its golden spires. On the square in front of the gate, you’ll be surrounded by flock of pigeons, offering an ideal photo spot. If you’re interested, you can also buy three packs of feed for USD 1 to feed them. 

A few steps from the palace, we’ll arrive at the National Museum of Cambodia, where we’ll gain a general summary of the country’s history through examining pre-historic relics, ancient bronzes, and Angkorian sandstone sculptures.

Do you remember the Killing Cave we visited in Battambang? Leaving the museum, we’ll proceed to the Tuol Sleng (S-21 Prison) to probe deeper about that tragic era of the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979 AD). Originally a peaceful high school, Tuol Sleng was converted into a notorious interrogation and detention center. Of the thousands of citizens imprisoned here, only 12 of them survived. It was that extremely cruel massacre that caused the modern trauma of this country. Viewing the punishment instruments and paintings recreating the scenes of torturing while listening to the instruction of your guide, you’ll be instantly transferred back to that period and sink in deep sadness. Here, you may also have the chance to have a face-to-face conversation with the only living survivor or browse the guestbook to read and share your feelings with other visitors.

Finally, let’s head to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields, the primary execution site of Tuol Sleng and now is a monument of remembrance. Stepping inside, you’ll be shocked by a stupa standing at the heart of the grounds housing thousands of human skulls behind its glass panels. The pathways will lead you past mass graves where these skulls were once buried and some human remains are still scattered in the bottom. Out of respect to the victims, we highly recommend dressing modestly and maintain a respectful silence throughout the visit.

At the end of the day, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Chaiya Palace Hotel (4 stars) or Hyatt Regency (5 stars), Phnom Penh

Today, it’s time to say goodbye to Cambodia. After check-out, your guide and driver will offer you a 1-hour private car ride to Phnom Penh International Airport and help you for check-in. Hope you a pleasant journey home!

► Free Time Inspiration (at your own expense): Wat Phnom Temple
If your flight leaves in the late afternoon, you can head to Wat Phnom Temple on your own. A tuk-tuk ride takes only 10 minutes from the 4-star hotel and 5 minutes from the 5-star hotel. It is said that the sanctuary is especially powerful for women who pray for good love and blissful marriage. After your self-exploration, please return to the hotel independently and meet with your guide and driver for a smooth escort to the airport.
● Tip: To avoid congestion, we recommend departing from the hotel at least 3.5 hours in advance. Please schedule your itinerary accordingly.

Meals: Breakfast