From the Ancient Ruins to the Beach of Cambodia
This 9-day tour starts in Siem Reap with a city tour and visits to the famous Angkor temples, including Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat, and Phnom Bakheng Hill. You’ll explore Kulen Mountain and the floating village before heading to Phnom Penh for a full-day city tour. Next, travel to the coast and take a speed boat to the beautiful island of Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem. Enjoy two full days to relax on the beach.
Upon arrival at Siem Reap airport, our guide and driver will transfer you to the hotel for check-in.
Afternoon, visit Satcha Handicraft Center is the first Cambodian handicraft center that incubates local artisans, mixing traditional knowledge with contemporary design to showcase Cambodian talents to local and international visitors and to transmit this know-how over time while having a sustainable social, economic, and environmental impact. Then drive around the city or stop by Old Market, a lively outdoor market where you will find antiquities, silver and gold jewellery, gems, silk, kramas, stone and wood carvings, as well as T-shirts, CDs and other souvenirs. Then we continue to Wat Bo, a highly respected pagoda founded in the 18th century, containing very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana) that are said to be from the late 19th century. Preah Ang Check Preah Angkor Chorm Shrine is a religious shrine that worships the sacred statues of two Angkorian princesses. This is also the place where local people come to pray for good luck.
Meals: None
Stay overnight in Siem Reap
Morning, visit the jungle Ta Prohm Temple, embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers. The temple of Ta Prohm was once used as a location to film the famous Hollywood film Tomb Raider. Explore more of the Grand Tour Circuit, such as Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean and Preah Khan.
Afternoon, explore Angkor Wat, the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag, and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Last but not least, view a wonderful sunset from the top of Phnom Bakheng Hill.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay overnight in Siem Reap
Morning, we visit Kulen Mountain in Phnom Kulen National Park. It is an isolated mountain massif located in Svay Leu District and some 48 kilometers from Siem Reap. Its highest point is 487 meters. This is widely regarded as the birthplace of the ancient Khmer Empire. During the construction period of the ancient temples in the Ninth century, sandstones were brought from this sacred mountain to Angkor. It was here at Phnom Kulen that King Jayavarman II proclaimed independence from Java in 802 A.D. After exploring the surrounding nature, pay respect to the reclining Buddha statue. Picnic lunch near the waterfall at your own expense.
Then, explore the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Take a traditional wooden boat for a ride on the Tonle Sap Lake, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia, which flows into the Tonle Sap River, joining the Mekong in Phnom Penh. During your boat ride through Chong Khneas, you will see ordinary Cambodians going about their daily life in the floating village. Your boat will briefly enter the edge of the Great Lake of Tonle Sap Lake. We will see a fishermen's "floating village" with floating schools, a floating police station, etc. It is the same as a big village floating on the lake, and the "village" moves from place to place following water levels and currents.
After the tours, transfer back to Siem Reap and drop off at your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay overnight in Siem Reap
After breakfast, our guide & driver will pick you up at the hotel lobby, and transfer you to Phnom Penh, it is about 320 kilometers and takes about 5.5 hours to transfer.
Along the way, take a visit to Kampong Kdei Bridge (a grand ancient laterite bridge that was built in the 12th century) and rest in Skun village, well-known in the local language as "Spider Village" because it is famous among international visitors to Cambodia for its fried spiders.
Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel in Phnom Penh.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay overnight in Phnom Penh
Our guide will pick you up at your hotel and start a half-day city tour including the Victory Monument and the National Museum (known as Musee des Beaux-Arts). Next, you’ll visit a French archaeologist and painter, Georges Groslier, who designed it in Khmer style in 1917. The museum contains a collection of Khmer art - notably sculptures – from throughout the ages. You’ll also discover the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda, located within the grounds of the Royal Palace. The Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. The treasures found inside include a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90 kilograms, and a small 17th-century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha.
We continue to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21), followed by the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, which is approximately 15 kilometers from the city. You’ll witness Cambodia's horrible recent past. We will also visit the Russian market (Psah Tuol Thom Pong), a lively outdoor market where you will find antiquities, silver and gold jewellery, gems, silk, kramas, stone and wood carvings, as well as T-shirts, CDs, and other souvenirs. End of the day, back to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay overnight in Phnom Penh
After breakfast, we will leave Phnom Penh and transfer by private car to Sihanoukville. The total distance is 226 kilometers with an approximate 4-hour drive.
Arrive in Sihanoukville and transfer to Sihanoukville port, where you will board a speedboat to Koh Rong/ Koh Rong Sanloem Island.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay overnight on Koh Rong Sanloem/ Koh Rong Island
Free full day at the beach.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay overnight on Koh Rong Sanloem/ Koh Rong Island
Free full day at the beach.
Meals: Breakfast
Stay overnight on Koh Rong Sanloem/ Koh Rong Island
After breakfast, take the speedboat back to the mainland port of Sihanoukville and transfer by private car to Phnom Penh. The total distance is 226 kilometers, with approximately a 4-hour drive.
Arrive in Phnom Penh and continue the transfer to the airport to take a departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
- Accommodation in twin/double sharing room with daily breakfast
- Meals (B/L/D) as indicated in the program
- Services of a driver and private air-conditioned vehicle during all tours and transfers
- Experienced English-speaking guide during all tours and transfers
- Entrance fees for all visits as mentioned in the itinerary
- 02 bottles of mineral water per person per day on bus - on days of transfer and sightseeing only
- Early check-in or late check-out
- Beverage during meals
- International & Domestic flight tickets
- Meals (other than mentioned in the program)
- Personal expenses, like drink, laundry etc.
- Tips to guide and driver
- Visa - as per country requirements
- Other not mentioned
- Travel insurance (we highly recommend that you purchase adequate insurance)