PHNOM PENH – KOMPONG CHAM- KOMPONG THOM – KAMPOT – SIHANOUKVILLE – BATTAMBANG – SIEMREAP

Itinerary

ITINERARY IN DETAILS:

DAY 1: PHNOM PENH – ARRIVAL        
Transfer from Phnom Penh International airport to the hotel (rooms may not ready until the afternoon). Afternoon, visit the Independence Monument, and the National Museum, also called Musee des Beaux-Arts. A French archaeologist and painter, Georges Groslier, designed it in Khmer style in 1917. The museum contains a collection of Khmer art - notably sculptures - throughout the ages. Visit 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 include a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90kilos and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha. End your afternoon with the visit of the Wat Phnom Temple, Phnom Penh’s namesake. Overnight in Phnompenh.

DAY 2: PHNOM PENH - KOMPONG CHAM - KOMPONG THOM  (B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart Phnom Penh for Kompong Cham. Visit Wat Nokor Pagoda with its ancient temple and modern style pagoda (12th century). Brief tour of Kompong Cham to view examples of colonial architecture.
Lunch at a local restaurant in Kampong Cham.
Depart by car to Kompong Thom. En route, visit of the Wat Kohear Nokor temple (11th century). You will also visit the nearby village and its pagoda where you can observe the daily life of the monks. Continue to Phum Prasat with its single ancient temple and the nearby modern pagoda. Arrive in Kompong Thom and check in at the hotel. Dinner at local restaurant and accommodation at Stung Sen Hotel (2-star, best available).

 
DAY 3: KOMPONG THOM - PHNOM PENH   (B,L)
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart from Kampong Thom for Sambor Prei Kuk. Enjoy traditional daily life scenes of rural Cambodia. Visit the ancient capital of Chenla with its 100 temples dating back from the pre-Angkorian period.
Return to Kampong Thom for lunch at a local restaurant.
Drive back to Phnom Penh. Arrive in Phnom Penh and transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Phnompenh.
 

DAY 4: PHNOM PENH – KAMPOT   (B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart from Phnom Penh for Kampot. En route, stop at Tonle Bati and visit Ta Prohm temple (12-13th century) and Yeay Peau temple (12th century). Visit the Prasat Neang Khmao, the temple of the Black Virgin (10th century). Visit a silk weaving village before proceeding to Takeo.
Lunch at local restaurant
Take a boat from Takeo to Phnom Da (please note that the speedboat does not have a cover or any shade – hat and sun tan cream essential). Visit Phnom Da temple, a pre-Angkorian laterite tower (6th century) and Asram Maharoseil (6th century), an Indian-style sandstone temple constructed in a style unlike any other temple in Cambodia (the climb up is easy as this particular Phnom (hill) is not very high. The path up to the temple is steep, over some big rocks). Return to Takeo by boat and continue to Kampot. Panoramic tour of the town check-in at hotel. Dinner at local restaurant and accommodation at hotel.

 
DAY 5:KAMPOT – KEP - SIHANOUKVILLE(B,L)
Breakfast at hotel.
Drive to Kep, formerly known as Kep-sur-Mer. This beautiful coastal area was once the favorite holiday spot for Cambodia’s French-influenced elite. Boat trip to Rabbit Island. Return to Kamport for lunch at local restaurant.
Drive along the coats and the Damrei (Elephant) Mountains to Kompong Som (Sihanoukville) (96 km. 2 hours drive). Overnight in Sihanoukville.

DAY 6: SIHANOUKVILLE (B)
Breakfast at hotel.
Day at leisure to enjoy the beach (vehicle and guide at disposal).Overnight inSihanoukville.

DAY 7: SIHANOUKVILLE – PHNOM PENH (B)
Breakfast at hotel.
Free at leisure to enjoy the beach (vehicle and guide at disposal). Lunch not included. Return to Phnom Penh in the afternoon. Overnight in Phnompenh.

 
DAY 8: PHNOM PENH – BATTAMBANG (B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart Phnom Penh for Battambang by overland. Stop at the Silversmith village, see the pottery manufactories in Kompong Chhnang and have a last stop to see a fish market.
Arrive in Battambang, and check-in at the hotel. Orientation tour of Battambang town if time permits. Dinner at local restaurant. Accommodation at TE.O Hotel.

 
DAY 9:BATTAMBANG  B/L/D)
Visit the Provincial Museum then drive along the picturesque Sangker River to visit Wat Ek Phnom (11th century – Suryavarman I).
Lunch at local restaurant.
Afternoon, visit Phnom Banon, with its five sandstone towers on top of a hill and enjoy a magnificent view of the surrounding plains. Return to Battambang for a walk through the town to discover its beautiful colonial architecture and the local market. Dinner at local restaurant and accommodation at TE.O Hotel.
 

DAY 10: BATTAMBANG - SIEM REAP (BY BOAT) (B,L)
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.

Option II (Feb-Jul)
Depart from Battambang to Siem Reap via Sisophon by overland transfer. Lunch at local restaurant in Sisophon. Continue to Siem Reap. Arrive in Siem Reap and transfer to hotel
Overnight in Siem Reap.

DAY 11: SIEM REAP    (B)
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.
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. Overnight in Siem Reap.

DAY 12: SIEM REAP(B)
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.
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. Overnight in Siem Reap.

 DAY 13:SIEM REAP  (B)
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning, transfer to Banteay Srei temple (10th century), 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.Overnight in Siem Reap.

 DAY 14:SIEM REAP - DEPARTURE(B)
Breakfast at hotel.
Visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap.  Visit the village and take an excursion in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia.
Note: From Feb-July, the visit to the Tonle Sap lake is not recommended because of the low water level. The below the visits will be provided instead:
Visit to the Dance school of Aspeca where you can watch young children learn the ancient traditional Khmer dances,
Or
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 (if time permits). Transfer to Siem Reap International Airport for departure flight to the next destination.