The heart of Cambodia
Siem Reap - Angkor - Preah Vihear - Kratie - Phnom Penh - The islands
Duration: 12 days
Ref: CCR12J-RPPVKTPNKRîLES
DAY 1
Siem Reap - Welcome
With English-speaking guide for days 1, 2, and 3 This morning, you'll be met at the airport by our English-speaking guide and private vehicle driver. If your flight arrives the day before, meet your guide at 8:00 a.m. at the hotel reception. This morning, you'll depart by private car to discover the magnificent Tonlé Sap Lake, located 30 km from the city center. You'll take a private boat tour to observe the unique and fascinating fishing villages of Kampong Pluk. On the return journey, enjoy a pleasant boat trip through the flooded forest, home to a vast mangrove swamp of exceptional ecological richness. This natural treasure is only accessible from July to November during the rainy season. During the dry season, indulge in a stroll through the land-based village, where you can admire the traditional and captivating activities of daily life. In the afternoon, you'll continue exploring the city of Siem Reap. A short tour of the city: discover the artisans of Angkor and the Satcha Craft Center, the main market Psar Chas, a very lively area in the evening. Restaurants, massage parlors, and Khmer craft shops are all there. Check-in and free time at your booked hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap
DAY 2
Siem Reap - Discovery of the small circuit (Dinner show)
In the morning, meet our guide at the hotel and 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 can also visit Prasat Thommanon and Prasat Chao Say Tevada. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon, continue your visit to the famous Angkor Wat. Then, head to Phnom Bakheng to watch the sunset. In the evening, you will attend an "Apsara" dinner show with your guide at the Amazon Angkor restaurant. Return to the hotel by car! Overnight in Siem Reap
DAY 3
Siem Reap - Discover Angkor Thom
You will meet your guide at the hotel. The day's schedule is packed, but manageable (quickly or leisurely!). You can skip the smaller temples if you wish. See them on site with your guide! This morning, explore the temples of Angkor Thom, including: 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 your leisure. Depending on time and your pace, continue your visit to Prasat Preah Khan and Prasat Neak Poan. In the afternoon, head to the Banteay Srei Temple, also known as the Citadel of Women, built in the 11th century. This unique temple, made of fragile pink sandstone, features magnificent carved motifs, representing precious Khmer art and attracting the attention of André Malraux in 1923. On the way back, you'll visit Prasat Banteay Samre, which was built in the mid-12th century. This slightly off-the-beaten-path monument, which displays magnificent carvings, is well worth a visit. Return to your hotel and free time. Overnight in Siem Reap.
DAY 4
Siem Reap - Preah Vihear via Boeng Mealea and Koh Ker
Without a guide Departure by road to Preah Vihear. En route, you will visit: Beng Mealea Temple, a garland of flowers. Prasat Boeng Mealea is located about 60km from Siem Reap. It is a model of Angkor Wat, meaning it was built 30 years before Angkor Wat. A mysterious temple is overgrown by the Angkor jungle. A French film by Jean-Jaques Annead, "Two Brothers," was filmed there in 2004. The temple's architecture and decoration will amaze you, even though nature and man have left it in ruins. You will continue your journey to Prasat Koh Ker, an isolated site abandoned in the Cambodian jungle during years of civil war. It is located 120km from Siem Reap. This Prasat was built in the 10th century and is the former capital of King Jayavaraman IV. This immense site now houses around a hundred temples built of sandstone and brick. Prasat Koh Ker now reflects the great evolution in Khmer architecture. Lunch at leisure. There are local restaurants on site. Head to Sra'em, 100 km. Check-in at the hotel you booked. Overnight in Sra'em / Preah Vihear Site
DAY 5
Preah Vihear - Kratie via Stung Treng
English-speaking local guide. This morning, depart to visit the magnificent Preah Vihear Temple, perched atop the Dangrek Mountains, at an altitude of approximately 750 meters. This ancient Hindu temple, built over more than three centuries (from the 10th to the 12th century) by Khmer kings, was once a nerve center of the Khmer empire. From the hotel, you'll drive 30 km to the temple. Once you reach the mountain, you'll change vehicles for a 4x4 ascent, one of the only means of transport to access the site. You'll continue exploring the temple on foot. At the summit, you'll be rewarded with a superb panoramic view of Thailand and Cambodia. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon, drive to Kratie, 390 km away, approximately a 4-hour drive with breaks. Your journey will take you through primeval forests and remote villages. Before reaching Stung Treng, you'll cross the Mekong River where it joins the Tonle Sekong. A stop on the bridge will allow you to enjoy a breathtaking view of the river. In the past, locals had to cross the Mekong by ferry to reach the city center. Arrival in Kratie in the late afternoon. Check-in at your pre-booked hotel. Overnight in Kratie.
DAY 6
Kratie - Short cruise on the Mekong
This morning, a short cruise on the Mekong River: you'll set off by car to meet the Irrawaddy river dolphins. The Irrawaddy dolphin, or bottlenose dolphin, was first described by Owen in 1866. Long considered a single species, recent studies have distinguished two species: the Irrawaddy dolphin and the Australian snub-finned dolphin. Similar in appearance to the beluga whale, it is genetically close to the killer whale. Its specific name, "brevirostre," comes from the Latin "brevis," meaning short. Lunch at leisure. Then, you'll continue your journey to visit the magnificent Wat Sorsor 100 (Pagoda of 100 Wooden Columns). Not far from there, you can discover Wat Vihear Kaok, a centuries-old temple whose columns are made of solid wooden trunks. On the way back, if your fitness allows, you can climb Phnom Sambok to enjoy breathtaking views of the Mekong. Around 5:00 p.m., depending on the season, you'll witness a magnificent sunset over the river. Overnight in Kratie.
DAY 7
Kratie - Phnom Penh via Kg. Cham
A 255 km route. Along the way, you'll pass through rubber and cashew nut plantations and cassava fields. Photo stops are available; don't hesitate to ask your driver! Next, you'll visit Wat Nokor Bachey, an ancient Buddhist temple built by a great Khmer king in the 12th century. Lunch at your leisure. Before continuing on to Phnom Penh, you'll visit the hills of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei. Phnom Srei offers an exceptional panorama of the city of Kampong Cham. Your last stop is Skun, famous for its spiders and tarantulas. Eating tarantulas is very popular in Cambodia, so don't hesitate to try them! These animals are also used in traditional medicine. Arrival in Phnom Penh in the late afternoon. Check into your hotel. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
DAY 8
Phnom Penh (Lunch offered in a restaurant on the Mekong)
With a French-speaking guide Discover the capital city of Phnom Penh. This morning, discover the Royal Palace, originally located in Oudong and moved to Phnom Penh in 1863. Next, visit the Silver Pagoda, famous for its more than 5,000 silver tiles and its emerald Buddha statue encrusted with 2,000 diamonds, including one of 25 carats. This statue represents the future Buddha, Maitreya, in 90 kg of gold. Continue with a stroll through the Central Market, renovated thanks to a donation from France. This magnificent art deco building was built by the French in the 1950s. Around noon, we invite you to lunch at a restaurant on the banks of the Mekong to refresh yourself before resuming your tours. Continue with the National Museum, formerly the Albert Sarraut Museum, where Khmer objects, statues, and works of art from all over Cambodia are exhibited. Nearby, visit the Ounalom Pagoda, built in 1443, the most important in Phnom Penh. Finish with a visit to Wat Phnom, a pagoda built on a 27-meter-high hill and renovated in 1926. At the foot of the hill, a bas-relief sculpted by Théodore Rivière honors the Franco-Siamese treaty. In the evening, 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 can enjoy a beautiful sunset over the Royal Palace and the capital. Overnight in Phnom Penh
DAY 9
Phnom Penh - Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem
Meet our driver in a private vehicle at the hotel. Departure to the islands of Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem, depending on your choice (220 km, approximately 3.5 hours). Pick-up for the speedboat crossing, pre-booked by our team. Option to take a quick tour of Sihanoukville before boarding. Upon arrival on the island, you will be greeted by the hotel staff. Check-in to your accommodation and free time to enjoy the surroundings. Overnight stay on the island. Check-in to the hotel of your choice.
DAY 10
Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem
Free time without services. Overnight on the islands
DAY 11
Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem
Free time without services. Overnight on the islands
DAY 12
Back
Our hotel partner will arrange your transfer to the pier for your return by speedboat to Sihanoukville. Upon arrival on the mainland, our private driver will be waiting to take you directly to Phnom Penh airport. Your return boat ticket will be booked according to your flight schedule. This concludes our services.