Cambodia Essentials
Trip code: CE05
Grade: Easy
Best season: Year around
Private departure from Siem Riep

Day 1: Siem Riep arrival
Upon arrival, we will welcome you at the airport then transfer to your hotel in Siem Riep which is very famous for Angkor Temple Complex. From your hotel, we will commence the tour around Angkor Temple Complex which was built by King Suryavarman II and devoted to Vishnu, the Hindu god of preservation; although some people believe it is actually dedicated to the king himself as the temple faces west, representing death. From here we proceed to the hilltop temple of Phnom Bakheng, and as the end of the day approaches, we climb the imposing remains for a truly memorable sunset.
(D)

Day 2: Angkor Wat
Following your breakfast at your hotel, we will visit the majestic Angkor Temple Complex including Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm Temple. Angkor Thom was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late twelfth century by king Jayavarman VII. It covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north. Ta Prohm is the modern name of a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara. Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray near Tonle Bati, it was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors.
(B/L)

Day 3: Angkor Wat
Continue discovering Angkor Complex with the visit to Prasat Bakong, Preah Ko, and Lo Lei.  These three temples formulate the Roulos Group. The Roulos Group are the oldest temples in the complex, dating from 879-893. The most impressive of the three remaining temples is Prasat Bakong, a five-stepped pyramid temple dedicated to King Indravarman. The corners of the pyramid have statues of elephants and crouching lions guard the steps. In the afternoon there will be visits to Neak Prean, Preah Khan, Ta Som, Pre Rup, and Mebon. Neak Prean, as well as being a temple, is also a fountain, built in the middle of a pool representing the mountain-lake Anaavatapta in Hindu mythology.
(B)

Day 4: Siem Riep to Phnompenh
Today, we will enjoy the 5 hour hydrofoils from Siem Riep to Phnompenh to further understand the life of the local people on Mekong River. Upon arrival, we will pick you up then transfer to your hotel. Free time to explore the city in the evening.
(B)
 
Day 5: Phnompenh city tours
Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia which was known as a bustling commercial hub during French colonial days and today it has developed as the political and financial center of the country. The most interesting sites are as the National Museum and the Silver Pagoda which you will visit in the first part of this tour. After a tasty lunch, take a sobering look at Cambodia's disturbing past with a visit to the Tuol Sleng Museum, a testament to Cambodia's recent bloody past under the Khmer Rouge regime.
(B/L)

Day 6: Phnompen departure  
Free at your leisure then transfer for your flight out.
(B)