Twelve days in Cambodia from Phnom Penh to Phnom Penh AR12D
Day 01
Phnom Penh L, D
Arrival at Phnom Penh international airport.
After immigration and customs clearance meet the assigned tour guide and transfer to the hotel.
Check in time is normally at 14:00, keys will be given as soon as the rooms become available.
Start to visit the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda before proceeding to the National Museum of fine arts.
Lunch at local restaurant.
During the afternoon see Toul Sleng or S21, the school that was transformed in a torture and extermination center during the regime of the Khmer Rouge.
Continue to the Russian Market and Independence Monument.
Dinner at local restaurant.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 02
Phnom Penh – Battambang B
Breakfast at hotel.
Departure to the second largest city in Cambodia and arrival after about three hours on excellent roads.
Possibility of stop in Pursat to see the sustainable farming project managed by a Colombian missionary.
Continue to Battabang and check in at hotel.
The city still has a very local, special provincial atmosphere characterized by an architecture which is both colonial and traditional.
See the bamboo train which is a unique form of local transportation, the Phnom Banan which is a mountain top Angkorian temple in a peaceful location with a nice view of the area and the Phnom Sampeou Mountain with a group of caves used as ‘killing caves’ by the Khmer Rouge,
Overnight at hotel.
Day 03
Battambang – Bantey Chmar – Sisophon B
Breakfast at hotel.
Early departure for Bantey Chmar, via Svay Sisophon for the visit of the temple.
The temple of Bantey Chmar is located at about 60 Km from Sisophon in Bantey Meanchey province, not far from the border with Thailand.
Bantey Chmar is a monastic complex which is not well known, rarely visited and not yet touched by any form of preservation.
Built between the end of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th centuries, it was dedicated to the son of the King Jayavarman VII, who died wile fighting against the Champa.
The bass relieves of the internal border wall describe scenes of the battles during that war.
Bantey means city and the complex is as wide as small city.
In the internal part the forest, bush and trees have been growing on and within the ruins.
The absence of tourist allows to live again the experience of the few colonial explorers.
Among the bass relieves an image of Awalokiteshwar , or Cenresi in Tibetan, a divinity who represents both compassion and the protecting god of Tibet, allows to consider relationships between so distant and similar cultures.
Overnight at Say Sisophon.
Day 04
Sisophon – Siem Reap B, D
Breakfast.
Departure to Siem Reap and arrival after about four hours.
Check in at hotel.
Rest of the day at leisure for invidual activities.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 05
Siem Reap B, L, D
Breakfast at hotel.
Visit the Rolous group of temples located at about 15 km from Siem Reap, they were the first ones to be built in Angkor area: Lolei, Prae Ko and Bakong.
Lunch at good local restaurant.
Departure for the visit of Angkor Thom, the holy city, the Bayon Temple with more than two hundred amazingly carved faces of Lokeshvara, Pimenekanas and the place where the Royal Palace was located, the Elephant and Leper King Terraces.
Dinner at good local restaurant.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 06
Siem Reap B, L, D
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning departure to visit the pink sandstone temple of Bantey Srey, or the citadel of the women, located at about 35 km from Siem Reap. Carvings in this temple are amazing.
On the way back to Siem Reap see Bantey Samre temple, which is related to the legend of the normal villager who became a King.
Lunch at good local restaurant.
In the afternoon see the grand circuit of Angkor, Prae Khan temple, or sacred sword, Neak Phean, a sort of purification place and the last temple to be seen will be the Tha Phrom, one of the most impressive, where nature seems to have preserved the area, with huge trees all among the ancient ruins, and left on purpose as it was found by French archeologists in the 1860.
Dinner at good local restaurant and overnight at hotel.
Day 07
Siem Reap B, L, D
Breakfast at hotel.
Whole morning to explore the wonders of Angkor Wat, the masterpiece of all Angkor era.
Lunch at good local restaurant.
During the afternoon see the largest lake in South East Asia, the Tonle Sap, and the interesting Vietnamese village located along the banks of the river that leads to the lake.
Then if time permits pay a visit to the local markets in Siem Reap town and to a lively pagoda.
Dinner at good local restaurant.
Overnight at hotel
Day 08
Siem Reap – Anlong Veng B
Breakfast at hotel.
Resto f the morning at leisure for individual activities.
Then at early afternoon departure for the remote province of Alon Veng.
Arrival and have a look around the small village.
Overnight.
Day 09
Anlong Veng – Pre Viher - Anlong Veng B
Breakfast and departure.
The territory on which stands the temple has been since long disputed between Thailand and Cambodia until when, in 1963, an International tribunal decided it belongs to Cambodia.
The temple is quite different than any other Khmer temples, this due to its location right on the top of the mountain from where the view over Cambodia and even Laos is simply breathtaking. Four levels form the complex of the temple, which includes five entrance gates or Gopura and a royal residence with two wings that most probably were used for the pilgrims.
Between two Gopura there are wide courtyards guarded by Nagas and beside one of them there is a huge water tank which served both the pilgrims and the inhabitants of the temple. The construction of the area lasted for over two hundred years, starting at the end of the 9th century, the period when the capital of the Khmer empire was Ko Ker ( 921-942 ).
The excursion to Prasat Pre Viher will be unique and unforgettable.
Return to Anlong Veng and overnight.
Day 10
Anlong Veng – Kampong Thom B
Breakfast.
Departure to Kampong Thom and arrival after about five or six hours.
Check in at Stung Sen Hotel, the best available, basic and safe.
Departure for the visit of the pre Angkorian temples of Sambhor Preikuk.
Roads are at the moment in bad conditions for about 30 KM each way.
Return at hotel and overnight.
Day 11
Kampong Thom – Kampong Cham B
Breakfast.
Just about twenty Km after Kampong Thom climb the 860 steps of Phnom Suntok.
There is a lively pagoda with many monks. They might want to show the unusual "floating stones".
Continue to Kampong Cham about Km 150 of good paved roads.
On the way visit rubber plantations, Wat Nokor and once arrived, the small colonial city on the Mekong River.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 12
Kampong Cham - Phnom Penh B
Breakfast.
Departure to Phnom Penh and arrival after about three hours on excellent roads.
Transfer to the airport.
End of services.
Accommodations in the provinces are very basic, normally the best available.
Included
Accommodation as per requested hotels.
Private air conditioned transportation as per program.
Cold water and fresh towels at disposal.
Entrance fees.
Meals as per program.
English speaking private local tour guides.
1 FOC in half twin every 15 fully paying .
Excluded
Air tickets to and from Cambodia.
Visa Fee (USD 20, 6 MONTHS PASSPORT VALIDITY, 1 PHOTO, 1 PAGE AVAILABLE)
Airport taxes: domestic USD 6 and international USD 25 per person.
Insurances.
Drinks at meals and extras in general.
Money transfers bank fees an what is not mentioned in included.