Heritage and seaside resorts
Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Battambang - Phnom Penh - Kep
Duration: 12 days
Ref: CCR12J-PRBKêP
DAY 1
Phnom Penh - Home
Welcome at the airport by our private driver. Transfer to the hotel and free time! Check-in at the hotel of your choice. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
DAY 2
Discovery of the capital of Phnom Penh (Lunch)
Meet our English-speaking guide. Departure by vehicle to discover the capital city of Phnom Penh. This morning, you'll visit the Royal Palace. It was originally located in Oudong and was soon moved to present-day Phnom Penh in 1863. Then, visit the Silver Pagoda, which houses more than 5,000 silver tiles paved on the floor, and the Emerald Buddha statue encrusted with approximately 2,000 diamonds, including one weighing 25 carats. It represents the future Buddha, nicknamed Maitreya, in 90 kg of gold. Continue strolling through the Central Market, renovated thanks to a donation from France. A magnificent art deco-style building built by the French in the 1950s. Lunch is provided at the restaurant on the banks of the Mekong River; it's time to freshen up before resuming your sightseeing activities. Continue your visit to the National Museum of Fine Arts, formerly known as the Albert Sarraut Museum, whose Khmer artifacts, statues, and art pieces come from all over Cambodia. Next door, you'll continue with a visit to the Ounalom Pagoda, built in 1443 and the largest pagoda in Phnom Penh. Pass through the Colonial Quarter: the Grand Hotel, the Post Office, the Bank of Indochina, the Police Station, the Superior Residence, the Treasury Bridge, the Chamber of Commerce, the Library, and the Railway Station. Next, visit Wat Phnom, a false pagoda built on the hill, approximately 27 meters high. This pagoda was renovated in 1926. At the foot of the hill is a bas-relief honoring the Franco-Siamese treaty, sculpted by Théodore Rivière. Around 5:00 p.m., enjoy a short cruise on a private boat along the quays, passing by the confluence of the Mekong River. Depending on the season, weather, and time of day, you'll be treated to a beautiful sunset over the Royal Palace and the capital. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
DAY 3
Heading to Siem Reap via Skun
Meet your private driver at your hotel reception. Departure by private car for Siem Reap, a 320 km drive. En route, restroom break in Skun, a village famous for its spiders and their culinary creations. Feel free to taste and handle them. 60 km before arriving in Siem Reap, cross an ancient Naga bridge, built during the Angkorian era in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. Lunch at your leisure. In the mid-afternoon, you will leave the main road to discover the magnificent Tonlé Sap Lake, located 50 km from Siem Reap town. You will embark on a private boat tour to observe the unique and fascinating floating fishing villages of Kampong Kleang. Arrival in Siem Reap at the end of the day. Check-in at your booked hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap.
DAY 4
Siem Reap - Visit Kbal Spean and Banteay Srei temple
With a qualified English-speaking guide for days 4, 5, and 6 This morning, accompanied by an experienced English-speaking guide, set off by private car to explore the sacred site of Kbal Spean, also known as the River of a Thousand Lingas. After a hike of approximately 1.5 hours through the heart of the jungle, marvel at the linga and yoni sculptures adorning the riverbed. Lunch at your leisure. Continue your journey to the magnificent Banteay Srei Temple, the Citadel of Women, famous for its exceptionally fine pink sandstone sculptures. If time permits, you can also explore Banteay Samre Temple, a lesser-known architectural gem. Overnight in Siem Reap.
DAY 5
Angkor - Discovery of the small circuit (Dinner show)
You'll meet your guide at the hotel. In the morning, depart by private car to visit the magnificent Khmer temples on the short circuit: Prasat Kravan, Prasat Banteay Kdei, Prasat Ta Prohm, and Prasat Takéo. If time permits, you may also visit Prasat Thommanon and Prasat Chao Say Tevada. In the afternoon, continue your visit to the famous Angkor Wat. Then, head to Phnom Bakheng to watch the sunset. In the evening, you'll head out to attend an "Apsara" dinner show with your guide at the Amazon Angkor restaurant. Optionally, for a small additional fee, if you don't like crowds and prefer a higher-quality show, enjoy the Apsara Theatre restaurant: Please let us know! • Tapas Menu: $26 per person • Traditional Menu: $28 per person • Vegetarian Menu: $26 per person Return to the hotel by car! Nights in Siem Reap
DAY 6
Angkor - Discovery of the Grand Circuit
Continue exploring the temples of Angkor by tuk-tuk. In the morning, meet your guide at the hotel reception. This day is reserved for visiting the ancient capital of Angkor Thom! The temples of Angkor Thom include: South Gate, Prasat Bayon, Prasat Baphuon, Terrace of the Elephants, the former Royal Palace, Terrace of the Leper King, Prasat Phimeanakas, and Prasat Preah Palilay. Lunch at leisure. Continue visiting Prasat Preah Khan and Prasat Neak Poan. Overnight in Siem Reap.
DAY 7
Heading to Battambang via the big lake
Without a guide As planned for the tour, you will depart by private boat from Siem Reap to Battambang this day. It's just you on the boat. OPTION: If you don't want to spend the day by boat, you can depart by road for Battambang: 170 km, approximately 3 hours of travel with a break included. Arrival in Battambang in the afternoon. Discover the colonial quarter, the main market (Psar Chas), Wat Damrei Sor (White Elephant Pagoda), the governor's house, and a traditional Khmer house. Transfer to the hotel of your choice and free time. Overnight in Battambang.
DAY 8
Battambang - Charming City
Morning tuk-tuk ride to discover the city of Battambang and its surroundings. Departure with our tuktuk driver towards the north of the city along the Sangker River. You will pass through colorful markets, then visit Wat Samrong Knong, where a temple was built in the early 18th century. Between 1975 and 1979, this temple was converted into a prison by the Khmer Rouge. Nearby, there is a mass grave where thousands of people were massacred. En route, stop at the Prahok Market (fish market), where fermented and salted fish, smoked fish, and dried fish are sold. This is a Cambodian specialty. Continue exploring daily life activities: making rice cakes, preparing krolann (sticky rice prepared in bamboo tubes), distilling rice wine, and more. Before returning to the city, visit an ancient Hindu temple built during the Angkorian era, Ek Phnom Temple. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon, continue your tour by car. An optional ride on the Bamboo Train, Cambodia's high-speed train (TGV). You'll continue south of Battambang to the Banan Temple, built at the top of the hill, up 350 steps. The driver will then take you to Phnom Sam Pov, located about 10 km from the city. The driver will drop you off at the foot of the hill, and you'll continue on foot to the top of the hill, where a colorful pagoda stands. You'll have a beautiful view of the plain. Before nightfall, you'll observe the bats emerging from the hill. Overnight in Battambang.
DAY 9
Battambang - Phnom Penh via Pursat and Kg. Chhnang
Departure from Battambang to Phnom Penh via Pursat and Kampong Chhnang provinces, a distance of 293 km. On the way, you'll make your first stop in the town of Pursat to see the diverse marble sculptures locally called soapstone. Next, you'll pass through the main town of Kror Ko, where you'll board a small, rustic private boat to visit Kampong Loung, a floating village. This is one of the floating villages on Tonlé Sap Lake, home to over a thousand families. All daily activities, including restaurants, schools, clinics, and pagodas, are concentrated here. Impressive! Free lunch en route. Continue your journey to Phnom Penh via Kampong Chhnang province, famous for its floating villages and pottery. About thirty kilometers before arriving in Phnom Penh, you will visit Oudong, a former Khmer capital in the 17th century. The palace, dwellings, and pagodas are located at the foot of the hill known as Phnom Preah Jartroip, or Royal Treasury. Arrive in Phnom Penh at the end of the day. Check-in at your pre-booked hotel. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
DAY 10
Phnom Penh - Kep
Meet the driver at the hotel, and depart by private vehicle for Kep. The 176-km drive takes approximately 3.5 hours. En route, discover the splendid mountain temple of Phnom Chisor, built in the 11th century for Mahayana Buddhism. This promontory rises to an altitude of 133 meters and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding plain. Lunch at your leisure. About twenty kilometers further, just before arriving in Kep, stop along the road to explore the limestone caves of Kampong Trach. Meet the locals… The local children offer you a flashlight for the entrance to the caves. Check-in at the hotel you booked and free time at the hotel! Overnight in Kep.
DAY 11
Kep sur mer - Rabbit Island
The driver will be waiting for you at the hotel reception to continue exploring Kep and its surroundings. A quick tour of the crab market, Psar Kdam in Khmer. A vibrant and lively market, it's a meeting place for fishermen. This vibrant market offers an authentic experience. Transfer to Rabbit Island, or Koh Tonsay in Khmer, where you'll find some delicious local restaurants. Lunch at your leisure. Then relax on Kep's most beautiful beach. On your way back, continue your visit to the pepper fields. Kampot peppers are world-renowned. Free time and overnight stay at the hotel. Overnight in Kep.
DAY 12
Back
Free morning in Kêp. Transfer to Phnom Penh airport according to your flight schedule. End of the trip.