The great tour of the lake
Siem Reap - Angkor - Battambang via the lake - Phnom Penh
Duration: 10 days
Ref: CCR10J-RBP
DAY 1
Siem Reap - Welcome
You will be met at the airport by our private driver. Transfer and free time at your chosen hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap.
DAY 2
Siem Reap - Discover the famous Tonlé Sap Lake
Our temple-specialized guide will greet you at the hotel reception. This morning, you'll depart by private car to discover the magnificent Tonlé Sap Lake, located 20 km from the city center. You'll take a private boat tour to see the unique and fascinating fishing villages of Kampong Pluk. On the way back, enjoy a short rowboat excursion through the flooded forest of Kompong Phluk, home to a vast mangrove forest. On the way back, you'll discover the Rolous group, which includes Prasat Preah Ko, Prasat Lolei, Prasat Bakong, and Prasat Prei Monti. Lunch at your leisure. In the afternoon, you'll continue exploring the city of Siem Reap. A short city tour will take you to discover the Angkor artisans and the Satcha Craft Center, as well as the main market, Psar Chas, a lively area in the evening. Restaurants, massage parlors, and Khmer handicraft shops are all nearby. Free time and overnight stay in Siem Reap
DAY 3
Siem Reap - Angkor Temples (Dinner Show)
Meet your guide at your 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 can also visit Prasat Thommanon and Prasat Chao Say Tevada. Lunch at your leisure. 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 4
Siem Reap - Discover Angkor Thom
You will meet your guide at the hotel. The day's schedule is packed, but manageable (quick or leisurely!). You can skip the smaller temples if you wish. This can be decided upon 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. Depending on time and your pace, continue your visit to Prasat Preah Khan and Prasat Neak Poan. Lunch at leisure. 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. Optional visit, depending on time: On the return journey, you will visit Prasat Banteay Samre, which was built in the mid-12th century. It's well worth a visit to this slightly off-the-beaten-path monument, which displays magnificent carvings. Overnight in Siem Reap.
DAY 5
Siem Reap - Battambang via the lake
Without a guide As planned in 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 on the 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. FROM SIEM REAP TO BATTAMBANG Only you on the boat. 7:30 a.m.: The private driver will transfer you to the pier, then you'll depart with your guide by private boat to Battambang, crossing Tonlé Sap Lake, the Prek Toal floating village, the bird sanctuary, and the flooded forests. You'll be aboard a clean and comfortable local boat, equipped with hammocks, chairs, and toilets. The trip lasts between 6 and 8 hours depending on the season. Good to know: Bring ear protection! During this trip, you'll discover magnificent picturesque landscapes along the Upper and Lower Sangker Rivers, on Tonlé Sap Lake, floating villages, transport by rustic boats, scenes of daily life, and especially fishing activities. It's best to make the most of the important stops along your journey: Prek Toal Village: known for its water hyacinth weaving workshop, a project supported by OSMOSE. And Wat Chhoeu Khmao: This is a black wood pagoda built in the 19th century by a Buddhist monk. Under Pol Pot's regime, the building was used by the Khmer Rouge as a strategic point. Arrive in Battambang in the mid-afternoon. Transfer by vehicle and check-in at the hotel. Overnight in Battambang.
DAY 6
Battambang - City of charm
Morning tuk-tuk ride to discover the city of Battambang and its surroundings. Departure with the 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 7
Departure for 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 Treasure Mountain. Arrival in Phnom Penh at the end of the day. Book your hotel. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
DAY 8
Phnom Penh (Lunch included)
With a French-speaking guide. Discover the capital, 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 visits. 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 Dach (Silk Island) - Genocide Museum
Accompanied by your English-speaking guide, embark on a local ferry crossing the Mekong River to Silk Island, known in Khmer as Koh Dach. Immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere of this traditional village where you can watch artisans weave magnificent silk fabrics, visit stilt houses, and learn about the daily lives of the locals. Lunch at your leisure. Back in Phnom Penh, explore the bustling Russian Market, a true paradise for lovers of souvenirs and local crafts. Then, delve into Cambodia's tragic history with a visit to the S-21 Genocide Museum, a former high school converted into a detention and torture center during the Khmer Rouge regime. Transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule. End of the trip.
DAY 10
Back
Free time. Meet our driver at the hotel. Transfer to the airport depending on your flight departure time. End of the trip.