Day 3: Battambang(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Drive along the picturesque Sangker River to Wat Slaket Pagoda, the
residence of the provincial Buddhist patriarch. Continue to visit
Wat Ek Phnom. Visit a market where Prahoc, the Cambodian fish paste,
is made.
Lunch at local restaurant.
Visit the Provincial Museum (closed on Saturdays / Sundays) and the
local market. Drive to Phnom Banon, with its five sandstone towers
on top of a hill and enjoy a magnificent view of the surrounding
plains until sunset. Dinner at local restaurant and accommodation at
TE.O Hotel (2-star, best available).
Day 4: Battambang / Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Option I (Mid July – Mid Feb)
Travel by private boat to Siem Reap along the Sangker River: Enjoy
unspoiled landscapes and traditional daily-life scenes. Stop at
Cheur Khmao Pagoda, “Black Wood Pagoda”, in Bak Prier floating
village and cross the floating village of Prek Tuol.
Picnic lunch on board. Continue by boat across the Tonle Sap Lake to
Chhong Kneas floating village. On arrival transfer to Siem Reap and
check-in at hotel.
Note: During the dry season from Mid Feb-July, the low level of the
Sangkar River does not allow navigation between Battambang and Siem
Reap.
Option II (Feb-Jul)
Depart from Battambang to Siem Reap via Sisophon by overland. Lunch
at local restaurant in Sisophon. Continue to Siem Reap. Arrive in
Siem Reap town and transfer to hotel. Dinner at accommodation at
hotel.
Day 5: Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Visit the Roluos Group. The monuments of Roluos, which served as the
capital of Indravarman I (reigned 877-89), are among the earliest
large, permanent temples built by the Khmers and mark the beginning
of Khmer classical art. Preah Ko erected by Indravarman I in the
late 9th century dedicated by the King to his ancestors in 880.
Bakong the largest and most interesting of the Roluos group temples,
with his active Buddhist monastery just to the north of the east
entrance. Lolei built on an islet in the center of a large reservoir
(now rice fields) by Yasovarman I, the founder to the first city at
Angkor.
Lunch at hotel.
In the afternoon, continue your temple tour. See the unique
interior brick sculptures Prasat Kravan, the Srah Srang reservoir
(known as “The Royal Baths” was once used for ritual bathing),
Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), Eastern Mebon
(guarded at its corner by stone figures of harnessed elephants, some
of which are still in a reasonable state of preservation) and the
mountain-temple of Pre Rup until sunset. Dinner at local restaurant
and accommodation at hotel.
Day 6: Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning, visit the most famous of all the temples on the
plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. 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. Angkor Wat’s
five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks - the enclosed wall
represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the
surrounding moat, the ocean beyond. Enjoy the sunset on Angkor Wat.
Visit the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning
of the ocean of milk), the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th
century), Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over
200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure,
Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper
King. Sunset at Angkor Wat. Dinner at local restaurant and
accommodation at hotel.
Day 7: Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Morning, transfer to Banteay Srei temple (10th c), regarded as the
jewel in the crown of Classical Khmer Art. Continue to Ta Prohm, one
of the area’s most beautiful temples. Ta Prohm has been relatively
untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery.
In the afternoon, you continue your temple visits to Preah Khan.
Built by the King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a
place of towered enclosures and shoulder hugging corridors. Unlike
Ta Prohm, however, the temple of Prea Khan is in a reasonable state
of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and
even improve this situation. Neak Pean, a fountain built in the
middle of a pool (representing the paradisiacal Himalayan
mountain-lake), Ta Som and Banteay Samre, built in the third quarter
of the 12th century. It consists of a central temple with four wings
preceded by a hall and accompanied by two libraries, the southern
example remarkably well preserved. Two concentric walls enclose the
ensemble. Dinner at local restaurant and accommodation at hotel.
Day 8: Siem Reap(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Silk Farm of Puok. Learn the different stages of the complex
process of producing handmade silk. Then continue to Wat Inkosei
built on the site of an ancient temple, which still remains and to
Wat Bo pagoda to view its well-preserved paintings. You will also
observe monks making the various moldings, which adorn the pagodas.
Visit to “Les Artisans d’Angkor - Chantiers Ecoles” of Siem Reap and
time at leisure at a local market. Dinner at local restaurant and
accommodation at hotel.
Day 9: Siem Reap -Kompong Thom(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart Siem Reap for Kampong Thom. En route, visit traditional
villages and stop at the ancient Naga Bridge (Spean Pratpo), located
40 Km from Siem Reap. Arrive at Kampong Thom and check-in at hotel.
Lunch at local restaurant.
Depart Kompong Thom for Sambor Prei Kuk, located 35km northeast of
Kompong Thom. Visit the ancient capital of Chenla with its 100
temples dating from the Pre-Angkorian period. Return to Kompong
Thom. Dinner at local restaurant and accommodation at Stung Sen
Hotel (best available).
Day 10: Kampong Thom-Phnom Penh(B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart Kompong Thom for Phnom Penh, en route visit Wat Kohear Nokor
(11th century). Arrive in Phnom Penh and check in at hotel.
Visit the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of
the old town, and the Silver Pagoda. Located within 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 90kilograms and a small
17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha. Then continue to
the notorious Tuol Sleng Museum (S 21 prison). This former school
was used as a prison by Pol Pot’s security forces and became the
largest center for detention and torture during the rule of the
Khmer Rouge. Time at leisure at the Russian Market (Psah Tuol Tom
Poung). Dinner and accommodation at hotel.
Day 11: Phnom Penh – Departure(B)
Breakfast at hotel.
Time at leisure until transfer to Phnom Penh International Airport
for departure flight to the next destination.
