Budget holiday to Cambodia
| country: | Cambodia |
| location: | Angkor Wat |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 23 Aug, 20 Sep, 18 Oct, 15 Nov, 13 Dec 2009: 10 Jan, 7 Feb, 7 Mar, 4 Apr, 2 May, 30 May, 27 Jun, 25 Jul, 22 Aug, 19 Sep, 17 Oct, 14 Nov, 12 Dec |
| price: | From £499 (14 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $150. We can arrange flights from the UK |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
Like other countries in South East Asia, Cambodia has superb ancient sights, friendly locals, pristine jungle scenery, long white beaches and colourful, bustling markets.
Unlike other countries, most areas are completely untouched by tourism and offer incredible experiences for the more adventurous traveller.
Unlike other countries, most areas are completely untouched by tourism and offer incredible experiences for the more adventurous traveller.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Bangkok. |
| Day 2: | Bangkok - Battambang. An early start for an adventurous journey from Thailand into Cambodia. We travel by public bus and exciting pick-up trucks to the sleepy provincial town of Battambang. (B) |
| Day 3: | Battambang. Today we travel on the local “Bamboo Train”, a definite highlight unique to Battambang. |
| Day 4: | Siem Reap - Ankor Wat. Today we travel by boat to Siem Reap along the Sangker River and into Tonle Sap lake. |
| Day 5: | Angkor Wat. A spectacular day of exploration. We rise early for sunrise over Angkor Wat then enjoy a guided tour of the main complex. In the afternoon we visit Angkor Thom, Bayon, South Gate and the Terrace of the Leper King. (B) |
| Day 6: | Angkor Wat. A whole free day to further explore Angkor Wat or other surrounding sites. (B) |
| Day 7: | Siem Reap - Phnom Penh. Board a river boat and head to Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. Afternoon optional city tour. (B) |
| Day 8: | Phnom Penh. Today we get an insight into Pol Pot’s regime in Cambodia by visiting the torture centre of Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek. Both visits are optional and those who wish to omit them can spend the day exploring Phnom Penh. Free afternoon. |
| Day 9: | Sihanoukville. Morning bus journey to Cambodia’s southern coastal city of Sihanoukville. The rest of day is free to relax on the beach. |
| Day 10: | Mount Bokor. Travel to the deserted French hill-station on Mt Bokor, once the playground of the French colonialists and a King’s getaway. Overnight in the National Park dormitory. (B) |
| Day 11: | Sihanoukville. Today leaves plenty of time to further explore the surroundings of Mt Bokor before returning to the warmer climes of Sihanoukville. (B) |
| Day 12: | Sihanoukville. A free day to relax on any of the beautiful beaches that surround Sihanoukville. Alternatively you can take a day trip to Ream National Park for jungle hiking or possibly canoeing through the mangroves. (B) |
| Day 13: | Trat. We catch a boat along the coast to the Thai border. After leaving Cambodia, we take a songthaew (pick-up truck) to Trat. Overnight in Trat. (B) |
| Day 14: | Bangkok. Return to Bangkok. Tour ends. (B) |
travellers' tales
The temples at Angkor were simply stunning - although you can look at the images in a book or on a screen - nothing quite prepares you for the experience of actually being there. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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There is something missing in Cambodia….. when you look around the villages, rice paddies and towns there are all the usual sights and sounds. Traffic, kids playing, animals, dust or mud, chanting from temples or mosques. But if you look closer you will see that there is definitely something missing. A whole generation is missing, most of the faces you see are of the very young or the very old. It’s easy to look back at what happened in Cambodia almost thirty years ago and place in nicely into your memory as ‘history’. However when you see children on crutches missing a leg or two or with the sleeve of their shirt pinned up so that it doesn’t flap in the wind you could think how can they be victims of a conflict nearly thirty years old?
In Cambodia there are 20,000 people injured or killed every year by landmines left over from this period of time and nowhere is this suffering more evident than in the streets of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Our tour leaders and groups help provide major support for organizations such as Akira’s ‘Landmine Museum’ in Siem Reap or ‘Friends’ restaurant in Phnom Penh. Akira has ploughed his life and his collected donations back into not only trying to rid his country of this deadly crop but also to help educate and provide for the child victims right across the country. Friends has raised money and provided support and jobs for street kids and victims of landmines begging on Phnom Penh’s streets. Throughout this tour we stay in small family run hotels and eat in small restaurants, which send money straight back into local communities. |
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. |