Hotel of Cambodia Adventure Guide

Cambodia’s rich history can be seen everywhere, starting with the golden era of the very famous Angkorian architectural period. Over time, trees and other vegetation have grown over the temples, ruining the ancient buildings. The French launched their architectural style throughout much of the country during the French Colonial Period (1863-1953). The Khmer Rouge regime started in the 1970s, and is where much of Cambodia’s emotional history is to be learnt. For a unique cultural experience, a visit to Riding on Norry (translation “Bamboo Train”) in Battambang is a must, where you can see the daily life of people in the villages and countryside. Travelling in a small group creates a more personal adventure.â€‹

Why will you love this tour?â€‹

You will be travelling in a small group of up to 15 new friends. Allow at least a little over a week to see most parts of Cambodia.
On this tour you will be staying at standard quality hotels, with local cuisine,plus dinner at Friend Charity Restaurant in Phnom Penh all included.
You will tour the countryside to see floating salt fields, rice paddies, the ancient temple cave, a pepper farm and Kep Beach as well as the small French Colonial Town of Kampot, capital of Kampot Province.
In Battambang Province, you will see small family owned factories manufacturing items such as rice paper wrap, Banana Chips, Rice wine and fish paste. You will also visit a Khmer Traditional house, Somrong Knong monastery, the former of torture and interrogation room as well as prison during Khmer Rouge regime.
You will travel by boat along the Sangke River down to Tonle Sap Lake from Battambang to Siem Reap for a truly wonderful experience. You’ll have a 3 days of Angkor Wat pass included.

Does this trip sound good to you?

You will also discover the Cambodian history of the Khmer Rouge regime at S21 and The Killing Fields in Phnom Penh, something many travellers find important.
The trip can sometimes be slow due to poor roads, traffic and weather. But this is all just part of the experience.

Itinerary

Day 1 Phnom Penh
Welcome to Phnom Penh!
Your airport transfer is included. Today is the first day of your trip! There will be a welcome meeting at 6:00pm followed by an included dinner at Friends Charity Restaurant.

Should you arrive early today and have free time, you could go for a sight-seeing walk along the riverfront. It is lined with chic pubs and bistros. Smart little silk boutiques and galleries dot the side streets. Phnom Penh is developing architecturally with many new modern skyscrapers. You can experience true Cambodian hospitality in this city of more than two million people. They are by nature cordial and friendly.

Note: Your airport transfer is only valid on day 1. If you have booked accommodation for before this trip commences, please provide your flight details when you book with us so we can make other arrangements for you.

Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Airport Arrival Transfer
Meals Included
Dinner

Day 2: Kampot
This morning we will head to Kampot Province. Kampot has become famous for international and domestic travelers and there are many attractions to satisfy tourists. It is a city built along a riverfront, with beautiful scenery, shielded by the hill of Khem Chey. Kampot’s center is largely made up of 19th century French colonial architecture, and, because of the past French interest in this province, also has many houses, shops, cinemas, schools, hospitals,etc. Next,we will pass through Takeo province, homeland of the Khmer civilization and a former Funan kingdom whose history dates back to the Funanese and the Chenla eras. The ancient temples here were built before the Angkor period, between the 5th and 8th centuries.

Accommodation
Hotel(1 night)
Optional Activities
Phnom Chiso Temple and TaProhm Temple
Meals Included
Breakfast

Day 3: Kampot
In the morning we will tour the countryside to visit the Kampot Salt Field, the only one in Cambodia. We will then continue to visit the ruins of the Phnom Chhnork Temple, built in a limestone cave in the 7th century. On the way you will be able to see the daily life of the people in the villages and enjoy the magnificent countryside. We will then continue to visit the pepper plantation of Kampot, recognized by international chefs as producing the world’s best pepper. After learning of the extraordinary quality of Kampot pepper, we will then head to the Fresh Crab Market for a scrumptious lunch and to stretch your legs. You may also enjoy a walk along popular Kep Beach before returning to Kampot for a sunset boat cruise on the river.

Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Include dActivities
Countryside tou
Phnom Chhnork Temple
Optional Activities
Sunset boat cruise
Meals Included
Breakfast

Day 4: Phnom Penh
Return to Phnom Penh where you will visit Tuol Sleng Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields in the evening. These are a sad reminder of the Khmer Rouge’s brutal rule. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is a memorial of the events that occurred in the former “Security Prison 21 or S-21″ during the time of the Democratic Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge). S-21 was a major center of the Khmer Rouge prison system in Cambodia, and was also a secret location for the detention, interrogation, torture and destruction of those who were considered”political prisoners” of the regime. The Khmer Rouge arrested anyone suspected of having been involved with the previous government or were pro-foreign governments, as well as any professionals or intellectuals.Christians, Islamist and Buddhist monks were also targeted. In the end, few were exempt. As well as any Cambodian who had an education, ambassadors,foreigners, farmers and even women and children were executed in Boeung Choeung Ek Killing Fields.
Accommodation
Hotel(1 night)
IncludedActivities
Phnom Penh – Choeung Ek (Killing Fields)
Phnom Penh – Tuol Sleng Prison Museum (S21)
Meals Included
Breakfast

Day 5: Battambang
Battambang is the third most populous province of Cambodia, and the fifth largest. It has a wealth of natural treasures and an ancient cultural heritage. It is set on fertile alluvial soil which produces high quality rice,earning the title of “the rice bowl of Cambodia”. While 75% of the province consists of mountains and jungle, Battambang city still retains its colonial charm, which is one of the prime reasons to visit . Surrounding the market are the faded yellow and peeling blue of the colonial houses that give Battambang so much of its character.
Accommodation
Hotel(1 night)
Optional Activities
BambooTrain
Meals Included
Breakfast

Day 6: Battambang
Hop on a Tuk Tuk today and travel through the beautiful surrounding countryside to visit the ancient wooden house at Wat Kor village. In the house there still remains antiques, agricultural tools, and portraits from the early 1900s. Next,you will visit small family owned factories manufacturing items such as ricepaper wrap, Banana Chips, Rice wine. Afterwards, visit Somrong Knong monastery, a former place of torture and interrogation as well as a prison during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Countryside Tour
Meals Included
Breakfast

Day 7: Siem Reap
It is finally time to go to Siem Reap, the most popular destination in the country. Worldwide, it is known for its mesmerizing temple ruins of Angkor Wat. Travel by private boat through small beautiful rural villages and rice fields towards the Great Lake, Tonle Sap. Depending on the time of year and the current water levels we will go as far as we can along Sangker River. You will have the opportunity to see amazing landscapes and pass through fascinating floating villages on your way.

Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Orientation Walk
Optional Activities
Cambodian Cultural Show with Dinner
Meals Included
Breakfast

Day 8: Siem Reap
Full day tour to visit the most important and popular Angkor temples. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world and was originally created as a Hindu temple for the Khmer empire. Angkor Wat has since become a symbol of Cambodia and even appears on Cambodia’s national flag!
After spending a couple of hours at Angkor Wat, you will head over to Angkor Thom, which is another temple in the Angkor complex and was the last city of the Khmer empire. You will focus on Bayon temple, one of the most famous, popular and beautiful of the structures in the Angkor Wat Archaeological Park. It is best known for its many towers with gently smiling faces on each side. It is rich in decoration, and the bas-reliefs on the exterior walls of the lower and upper levels are outstanding. After Bayon, you will head off to see more Temples inside of Angkor Complex.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Angkor Temples Tour
Meals Included
Breakfast

Day 9: Siem Reap

Get up early to see Sunrise at Angkor Wat. It is a wonderful oppotunity ot se amazing colorful skies with the Angkor Wat monument reflected in the pool. Here you can see the temple's stunning silhouette mirrored in the still waters. It is a spiritual experience! After sunrise you will head off to visit Ta Prohm Temple (Jungle Temple), considered to be the most attractive to tourists in the world. The combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings make Ta Prohm Temple incredibly photogenic. In fact, Ta Prohm temple was the location chosen for a major scene in the popular movie “Tomb Raider” starring Angelina Jolie, which screened in many countries, making Ta Prohm temple even more well-known to the world. You will also see Banteay Srey Temple, built largely of red and pink sandstone, a medium which lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction.

Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Angkor Temples Tour
Optional Activities
Cambodian Acrobat Circus Show
Meals Include
Breakfast

Day 10: Siem Reap

Today is your departure day and no activities have been planned. If you have time available, you could explore more of Angkor Archaeological Park on your own,or, if you are “templed-out”, you could experience with Tuk Tuk ride. Just ask your guide to arrange it for you. Otherwise, could do some sightseeing in the Siem Reap town.

Meals Included
Breakfast