Day 1: Arrival at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport and transfer to hotel

Siem Reap Angkor International Airport - Our professional tour guide and driver will be waiting to welcome you and transfer you to Siem Reap city before heading to the hotel for check-in. They will provide you with more information about the city and the daily life of its residents. Upon arrival at the hotel, you will have free time for leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Siem Reap - Hotel Accommodation options:

• Royal Crown Hotel & Spa, a 3-star hotel or similar
• Regency Angkor Hotel, a 4-star hotel or similar
• Angkor Paradise Hotel, a 5-star hotel or similar

Explore Highlights of Angkor Temples with Sunset at Phnom Bakheng, B

Angkor Thom South Gate - After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to visit the south gate of Angkor Thom, which is very popular with visitors as it has been fully restored and many of the heads remain in place. The gate is on the main road into Angkor Thom from Angkor Wat.

Bayon Temple - Built nearly 100 years after Angkor Wat, the Bayon temple’s basic structure and earliest parts are not well known. Located at the center of a royal city, it is believed that Bayon was originally a temple-mountain symbolizing Mount Meru. The temple was extended during its second phase of building, and the Bayon of today belongs to the third and final phase of its art style. The temple features more than 200 large faces carved on 54 towers, giving it a majestic character. The faces, with slightly curving lips and eyes in shadow, evoke a sense of mystery.

Baphuon Temple - Baphuon stands on a rectangular sandstone base with five levels of approximately the same size, rather than successively smaller levels. The first, second, and third levels are surrounded by sandstone galleries. Baphuon is the first structure to feature stone galleries with a central tower. Two cross-shaped libraries with four porches stand in the courtyard, originally connected by an elevated walkway supported by columns.

Phimeanakas - Situated near the center of the Royal Palace area, Phimeanakas temple was originally crowned with a golden pinnacle, described by Zhou Daguan as the Tower of Gold. Built of roughly hewn sandstone blocks, the temple has little decoration.

Terrace of the Elephants - The elephants, ridden by servants and princes, tread quietly as if on a promenade. The steps are even and the forest impenetrable to all but the smallest creatures and the largest animals, which create paths through the vegetation.

Terrace of the Leper King - This terrace continues the theme of grandeur from Jayavarman VII’s reign. It features dramatic bas-reliefs on both the interior and exterior. During clearing, a second wall with similar bas-reliefs was found, believed to be evidence of later rites. A false corridor has been created to allow visitors to inspect the reliefs on the first wall.

Ta Nei Temple - Located deep in the Cambodian jungle, about 200 meters west of the East Baray, Ta Nei is not a popular tourist destination. Its obscurity makes it rewarding for adventurous travelers, offering a charm similar to that experienced by early Angkor explorers. Built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, the temple is dedicated to Buddhism. It remains largely as it was, with tree roots splitting the stone and jungle flora sprawling across the grounds.

Ta Prohm Temple - Known as the capital of the kingdom of the Trees, Ta Prohm has been left largely untouched by archaeologists except for clearing paths for visitors and structural strengthening. The temple, shrouded in dense jungle, evokes the wonder of early explorers. Fig, banyan, and kapok trees spread their roots over stones, intertwining to form a roof over the structures. The temple’s haunted charm is inescapable.

Angkor Wat - The largest and best-preserved monument of the Angkor group, Angkor Wat is an architectural masterpiece. Its perfection in composition, balance, proportions, reliefs, and sculpture make it one of the finest monuments in the world. Generally accepted as a funerary temple for King Suryavarman II, it is oriented to the west to symbolize the setting sun and death. The bas-reliefs, designed for viewing from left to right in the order of Hindu funereal ritual, support this function.

Siem Reap - Hotel Accommodation options:

• Royal Crown Hotel & Spa, a 3-star hotel or similar
• Regency Angkor Hotel, a 4-star hotel or similar
• Angkor Paradise Hotel, a 5-star hotel or similar

Departure from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh with Sightseeing, B

Spean Praptos - Also known as the Dragon Bridge, Spean Praptos in Siem Reap province is over 1000 years old and is considered the oldest laterite bridge in Southeast Asia and Cambodia. It is worth a visit during your trip.

Prasat Kuha Nokor - Located in the village of Trodork Poung in Kampong Thom province, Prasat Kuha Nokor is built on a flat square terrace of sandstone and laterite. Despite being in ruins, visitors can see a sandstone throne decorated with lotus flowers and diamond shapes, as well as several statues. The temple also features two ponds, rich in design and architecture, and is said to have been at the heart of a rivalry between two 11th-century kings.

Skun Spider Sanctuary - The town of Skun hosts one of the most unusual markets in the world, famous for its fried spider snacks. Among the fruit and vegetable stands, women carry trays of fried and spiced spiders, some as large as a grown man’s palm.

Phnom Penh - Hotel Accommodation options:

• King Grand Boutique Hotel, a 3-star hotel or similar
• Sun & Moon Urban Hotel, a 4-star hotel or similar
• Sun & Moon Riverside, a 5-star hotel or similar

Discover all Highlights of the capital city Phnom Penh, B

Phnom Penh - Cambodia’s busy capital sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers. It was a hub for the Khmer Empire and French colonialists. The walkable riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants, and bars, features the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum. At the city’s heart is the massive, art deco Central Market.

Royal Palace - One of Phnom Penh’s most iconic landmarks, the Royal Palace was constructed beginning in 1886 and completed before World War I. It is the primary residence of the King of Cambodia. Parts of the palace, such as the Throne Hall and the Chan Chaya Pavilion, are open to visitors.

Silver Pagoda - Located next to the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda features a beautiful garden and a floor covered with handcrafted silver tiles. It houses the Emerald Buddha and a golden life-sized Buddha Maitreya adorned with diamonds. Visitors can also see a bronze statue of the late King Norodom on horseback.

Wat Phnom - Set on a 27m high tree-covered knoll, Wat Phnom is the only hill in town. According to legend, the first pagoda on this site was erected in 1373 to house four Buddha statues discovered by a woman named Penh. The main entrance is via a grand eastern staircase guarded by lions and naga balustrades.

Independence Monument - Built in 1958 to commemorate Cambodia’s independence from France, the Independence Monument stands at the intersection of Norodom and Sihanouk Boulevards. Designed by architect Vann Molyvann, it stands 37 meters tall and is the center of activity during national celebrations.

Wat Ounalom - One of Phnom Penh’s five original monasteries, Wat Ounalom houses the Institute Bouddhique and library. Located near the Royal Palace, it serves as the headquarters for one of Cambodia’s most revered Buddhist patriarchs and is a major tourist attraction.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - This museum chronicles the Cambodian genocide and is located at a former secondary school used as Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime. An estimated 20,000 people were imprisoned here between 1976 and 1979. The museum serves as a stark reminder of the atrocities committed during this period.

Choeung Ek Genocidal Center - Located about 17 kilometers south of Phnom Penh, Choeung Ek is the best-known of the Killing Fields where the Khmer Rouge executed over one million people. Today, it is a memorial marked by a Buddhist stupa filled with more than 5,000 human skulls.

Statue of King Father Norodom Sihanouk - The Norodom Sihanouk Memorial, also known as the Statue of King Father Norodom Sihanouk, is a monument commemorating the former King. The bronze statue is 4.5 meters tall and housed under a 27-meter high stupa in the park east of the Independence Monument.

Phnom Penh - Hotel Accommodation options:

• King Grand Boutique Hotel, a 3-star hotel or similar
• Sun & Moon Urban Hotel, a 4-star hotel or similar
• Sun & Moon Riverside, a 5-star hotel or similar

Private transfer from Hotel to Phnom Penh International Airport, B

Phnom Penh International Airport - After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy free time until your transfer (without guide) from the hotel to Phnom Penh International Airport. Say goodbye to Cambodia.

• Professional English speaking licensed tour guide
• Hotel with daily breakfast (Double, Twin, or Triple sharing)
• Transport, all entrance fees, drinking water, and fresh tissues

• An other account are not mentioned in itinerary
• Tip for guide and driver