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HIGHLIGHTS
- Discover the riches of Angkor away from the crowds.
- Venture to forgotten temples.
- Follow the evolution of the Khmer Empire.
- Explore Phnom Penh, the pearl of Asia.
- Travel through modern Khmer history.
Day 1: Hidden treasures and modern vestiges
Stops: Siem Reap
You will be welcomed by your guide and begin your Cambodian Adventure. Visit the town for an introduction to the local culture. You will travel through time, from the Hindu roots of Khmer culture to the modern life of the monks in Cambodia’s pagodas. At the end of the day, a visit to the national museum will give you a glimpse of the political and cultural developments that made the Khmer people the greatest in South-East Asia.
Guided day, meals at your own expense.
Accommodation : Night at the APSARA GREENLAND – Deluxe hotel (Angkor)
Day 2: The genesis of a heroic dynasty
Stops: Siem Reap
On this first day, you will follow in the footsteps of the founders of Angkor in the early 9th century. Stop along the way to discover how palm sugar is collected and made before reaching the carved river. You set off for a short hike in the shade of the tropical forest to reach the river where, depending on the season, the engravings will appear. This site will show you the importance of water and the gods who protect this precious resource during the 6 months of the dry season. In the afternoon, you will continue with a visit to Roluos, the last capital before the foundation of Angkor, just a few kilometres away. Immerse yourself once again in the local culture and meet a monk and the village elders during a blessing ceremony organised in your honour. You finish the day with a walk to a small temple lost in the forest and enjoy the sunset over the sugar palm trees.
Guided day, lunch and dinner at leisure.
Accommodation : Night at the APSARA GREENLAND – Deluxe hotel (Angkor)
Day 3: Temples and villages of Angkor
Stops: Siem Reap
You will first go to Phnom Bakheng hill to admire the sunrise over the jungle, away from the hordes of tourists. You will then have breakfast in a traditional village where you can meet the local people before visiting the famous Angkor Wat, a world-famous architectural feat, followed by visits to smaller sites such as Prasat Kravan and the mountain temple of Takeo to learn about technical developments and the organisation of temple construction. Return to your hotel in the middle of the afternoon to enjoy the swimming pool and relax.
Guided day, half-board, dinner on your own.
Accommodation : Night at the APSARA GREENLAND – Deluxe hotel (Angkor)
Day 4: Koh Ker and Beng Mealea Lost capital and forgotten temple
Stops: Siem Reap
You will drive to Beng Mealea, the temple made famous by Jean Jacques Annaud’s film ‘Two Brothers’. A chaos of sandstone blocks lying on the ground, the jungle is gradually reclaiming its rights here, the Indiana Jones temple par excellence. You will then continue on to Koh Ker, the former Angkorian capital, which was later totally abandoned and isolated, and only recently made accessible. You will discover a 7-storey pyramid offering a 360° panoramic view of the region.
Guided day, lunch, dinner on your own.
Accommodation : Night at the APSARA GREENLAND – Deluxe hotel (Angkor)
Lunch and dinner at leisure.
Day 5: Rice paddies and sacred reservoirs – Syncretism of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Stops: Siem Reap
At dawn, take a tuk-tuk to the 3 brick towers of Batchum before continuing on foot through the rice fields to reach the Srah Srang reservoir. Stop for breakfast at this ideal spot for photographers. You will then discover a small village surrounded by temples and little-known to travellers. Visit its colourful market before reaching the main Buddhist temples of Ta Prohm and Preah Khan. Picnic in a tree nursery and meeting with local people who will organise your pirogue trip. You reach the Neak Pean ponds in an unusual way, crossing the flooded forest inhabited by numerous species of birds. Continue on to the temple of Ta Som and then the Mebon to finish your day climbing the steps of the Pre Rup temple and enjoying the view of the rice fields at sunset.
Guided day, lunch and dinner at leisure.
Day 6: The great royal city – Grandeur and decadence of the Khmer Empire
Stops: Siem Reap
A day of alternating walks and tuk tuks in the great royal city of Angkor Thom. You begin your visit with the Baphuon mountain temple, whose restoration by France took almost 51 years. Walk around the Royal Palace grounds to discover the main monuments, Phimeanakas, the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and the rarely visited Preah Palilay. In the afternoon, you will leave the tourist trail to discover small, forgotten sites completely on your own. At the end of the afternoon, you will reach the Bayon and its towers, representing the ‘smile’ of Angkor, and finish the day with a pirogue trip on the Tonle Oum moat.
Guided day on half-board basis, dinner on your own.
Accommodation: Overnight at the APSARA GREENLAND – Deluxe hotel (Angkor)
Day 7: Strategic sites in the province – From the sacred hills to Tonle Sap Lake
Stops: Siem Reap
You will begin your morning by climbing Phnom Bok and visiting the sites on its summit. Then on to Banteay Samre, citadel of the Samrès ethnic group, to end the morning at the Chau Srei Vibol site with its collapsed stone blocks surrounded by forest. Picnic lunch on the site before heading towards the great Tonlé Sap Lake. From the heights of Phnom Krom you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the lake and its floating villages before descending to board a traditional wooden boat to discover the lakeside villages of the largest freshwater lake in South-East Asia.
Guided day, lunch and dinner at leisure.
Accommodation : Night at APSARA GREENLAND – Deluxe hotel (Angkor)
Day 8: The Cambodian plain – The Pre-Angkorian site of Sambor Prei Kuk
Stops: Phnom Penh
Drive to Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital and ancient pearl of Asia. On the way you will discover the ancient pre-Angkorian royal city of Sambor Prei Kuk, just listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A walk through the forest will allow you to discover the site with its alleys, pools and brick towers guarded by stone lions.
You arrive in Phnom Penh in the afternoon. Stroll along the quays before taking a cruise to admire the sunset at the intersection of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers, opposite the Royal Palace.
Day without guide. Lunch and dinner at leisure.
Accommodation: Overnight at HM Grand Central (Phnom Penh)
Day 9: Phnom Penh and its monuments
Stops: Phnom Penh
Your day will be devoted to visiting the city’s must-see monuments and sites, including the Royal Palace and its Silver Pagoda, where the floor is paved with silver blocks. You will then visit the National Museum, built by a French architect in the early 20th century in the Khmer style. It displays a rich collection of Khmer art, much of it from Angkor. In the afternoon, take a trip back in time on a cyclo pousse through the old French colonial quarter, with its infrastructure and period buildings. You end up in Wat Phnom park, not far from the central market, with its remarkable art-deco architecture. Farewell dinner on the banks of the river, accompanied by a traditional dance performance.
Guided day and free meals.
Accommodation: Night at the HM Grand Central hotel (Phnom Penh)
Day 10: End of the trip
Stops: Phnom Penh
Depending on your flight time, you can visit the Russian market, renowned for the diversity of its wares. Then transfer to Phnom Penh airport, where it’s time to say goodbye…
Guided day, meals on your own.
| DAY | ITINERARY |
| Day 1 | SIEM REAP |
| Day 2 | SIEM REAP |
| Day 3 | SIEM REAP |
| Day 4 | SIEM REAP |
| Day 5 | SIEM REAP |
| Day 6 | SIEM REAP |
| Day 7 | PHNOM PENH |
| Day 8 | PHNOM PENH |
| Day 9 | PHNOM PENH |
| Day 10 | PHNOM PENH |
Q&A
Official Language: Khmer
Capital: Phnom Penh
Surface: 181 035 Km2
Population: 16 204 486
Currency: Riel (KHR)
Telephone code: +855
The RIEL is the national currency. But the US Dollar is also accepted throughout the country and prices are generally displayed in Dollars. The exchange rate is relatively stable: 1USD=4000 Riels. Warning: banknotes printed before 1990 are not accepted in Cambodia and their value decreases if the banknote is torn or scratched or graffitied or folded. In the case of a payment in Dollar, the change will be returned to you in Riel. The Euro and other foreign currencies are easily exchangeable in airports and markets.
Credit cards are now widely used in tourist cities (Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville) and you can withdraw Dollars. Cash withdrawals are possible in major cities in Laos, with a credit card (Visa or American Express). Payments are also possible in some hotels, luxury shops, or restaurants. But the cost of the levies (variables) remains quite high (3% commission). We recommend that you carry cash to cover your personal expenses throughout the trip.
No vaccination is required. However, it is recommended to protect yourself against hepatitis A and B (ask your doctor for advice). We advise you to bring your own:
of a broad-spectrum antibiotic;
of your usual medications if you are undergoing treatment;
an anti-diarrheal and an intestinal antiseptic (Intetrix, Immodium…);
a protective cream against mosquitoes;
moisturizing sunscreen, lip stick;
a healing ointment and a local antiseptic.
The Khmer kingdom of Cambodia reached its peak in the 12th century when great temples were erected, but the struggles between Hindus and Buddhists, Khmers, Mon and Cham tore the kingdom apart. The Siamese gradually established their political control over the Khmers while the Vietnamese also sought to dominate and colonize Cambodia. In 1863, France offered its protection to Cambodia, once again threatened by the Siamese (Thais). King Norodom I accepted the protectorate and Cambodia became a French colony. It was only after the Second World War that King Norodom Sihanouk negotiated with France the independence of Cambodia, which was granted on 9 November 1953.
After 15 years of reign, the king could not prevent the Khmer Communist Party from starting the armed struggle in 1968. In 1970, a military coup d’état precipitated Cambodia into a civil war that ended in April 1975 when the Khmer Rouge seized Phnom Penh. The brutality of Pol Pot’s troops served as a pretext for the Vietnamese to invade the country in December 1978.
They left the country following international pressure in September 1989. In May 1993, multi-party parliamentary elections were held. A new constitution was ratified and Norodom Sihanouk was once again proclaimed king. In 2004, he abdicated in favour of his younger son Norodom Sihamoni, currently in charge of the kingdom.
Khmer (sometimes called “Cambodian”) is the official language, with a clear majority; it is estimated to have 11.2 million speakers, or 83.6% of the population, according to 2012 figures, far ahead of Vietnamese (1 million speakers), Cham (475,000 speakers) and Chinese (438,000 speakers). It is mainly spoken in Cambodia and the neighbour regions of Thailand by the Surin Khmer (northern) and in Vietnam by the Khmer Krom.
MINI GLOSSARY
Hello : Sour Seday
Goodbye : Ly hai
Thank You : Orkoun
Can I have the bill? : Som kotleuy
How much does it cost ? : Klei ponman
I don’t understand : Ort yol
My name is : Kyom tchmo
Where are the toilets ? : Bantop teuk neuy na ?
I don’t understand khmer : Kyom atché pissa khmer
Do you speak english ? : Tah nyek neeyay preesah ahng-lay tay ?
Hotel : Santa Khear
On your way, you will often have the opportunity to meet local people. Wherever you are, be discreet and humble. The multiplicity of cultures and traditions means that certain attitudes are perceived differently in different countries. To avoid being disrespectful, take the time to understand the people you meet, take the time to make connections.
There too, listen to the advice of your guide! He knows better than anyone the behaviors to avoid or adopt. For example, if you want to take a picture of someone, always ask them for permission. The best way for acceptance is to have established a prior contact. Similarly, do not distribute gifts at all … This often encourages children to beg, to avoid this kind of drift, it is better to refer to the local structures competent (donate to school, hospital, village chief etc.). Finally, be careful not to wear too light clothing (short shorts, cleavage …) and avoid exuberant behavior.