Cambodia holidays
| country: | Cambodia |
| location: | Angkor Wat |
| departures: | This trip can be tailormade throughout the year to suit your requirements |
| price: | From US $760 - US $860 (9 days) excluding flights. Price depends on number of people |
the amazing things you'll be doing
One of Asia's gems! A land of beauty and power where a smiling, resiliant people strive to reconcile the discordant legacies of their remote and recent past.
Without doubt Cambodia's most powerful lure is the incredible temple complex of Angkor. Unforgettable are the enigmatic faces of the Bayon; the towers of Angkor Wat - zenith of Khmer architecture and Ta Prohm, where giant trees reclaim the temple for the jungle.
You will discover colonial Battambang, riverside Phnom Penh with its colorful markets and temples, wonderful people, the tragedy of the recent past, and the hopes for the future.
Without doubt Cambodia's most powerful lure is the incredible temple complex of Angkor. Unforgettable are the enigmatic faces of the Bayon; the towers of Angkor Wat - zenith of Khmer architecture and Ta Prohm, where giant trees reclaim the temple for the jungle.
You will discover colonial Battambang, riverside Phnom Penh with its colorful markets and temples, wonderful people, the tragedy of the recent past, and the hopes for the future.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Bangkok. You will be met on arrival and transferred to your centrally located hotel. You have the rest of the day free to relax and adjust to the frenetic pace and humid heat of Bangkok. |
| Day 2: | Overland to Battambang. Early morning transfer to Hua Lampong Railway Station to board the train to Aranya Prathet, on the Thai-Cambodian border. There are no real points of interest other than gambling, so you are on the way to Battambang. |
| Day 3: | Battambang. Explore the beautiful countryside around Battambang, visiting Wat Ek Phnom and Wat Banan. Wat Banan, located on top of a solitary hill, offers a great view over the area. Another highlight is a ride on the so-called "bamboo train", an ingenious local handmade railway carriage that is used to transport goods and people over the otherwise scarcely used rail tracks. |
| Day 4: | Siem Riep. This morning board the public boat to Siem Reap. The boat follows the Sangker river to the Tongle Sap, a designated UNESCO biosphere - one of the most productive inland fisheries in the world and extremely important for the Cambodian economy. After arrival in Siem Reap head to Phnom Bakheng, the sunset view of Angkor Wat from this vantage point is legendary. |
| Day 5-6: | Angkor. Angkor, the former capital of the Khmer kingdom, is one of the wonders of the archeological world. Over two days you will visit some of the highlights of this ancient capital including the main temple of Angkor Wat, the Bayon, the walled city Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and Banteay Srei. One evening dinner with a Cambodian traditional dance performance is included. |
| Day 7: | Phnom Penh. From the port of Chong Kneas board an express riverboat, which will take you on a journey over the great Tongle Sap to Phnom Penh, a trip of about 5 hours depending on the water level. An afternoon walk up to Wat Phnom, where the sanctuary for which the city is named once stood, is a rewarding experience. If souvenirs are what you are looking for – the Russian Market is the place. A drink in one of the many riverside café’s watching the sunset is a fitting finale to the day. |
| Day 8: | Phnom Penh. Explore Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, beginning with the National Museum and adjacent complex of the Silver Pagoda and Royal Palace. Lunch is at Mith Samlanh a small restaurant training and employing street children, which also serves superb food. After 1975, when Pol Pot and his henchmen grabbed power, Cambodia was thrown into an abyss of unspeakable violence and mass-murder. Millions of Cambodians perished during this time. Witness to this genocide are the Killing fields of Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng prison. |
| Day 9: | Depart. |
how this holiday makes a difference
|
Traveling in Cambodia cannot help but raise awareness of the damage, physical and mental, inflicted by land mines and genocide. Your guides will help you understand Cambodia’s recent past and how to assist those in need (beggars, cripples & street children) whilst retaining their self-esteem and your comfort.
All groups visit Mith Samlanh Restaurant for lunch whilst in Phnom Penh. This excellent restaurant is a training center for street children who also receive counseling and education here. If you are in Siem Reap on a Saturday evening we highly recommend the Beatocello concert which raises money for the Children's hospital. If you are not able to make the concert blood donations are always gratefully received - just ask your guide. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |