Overland Journey Through Cambodia

The beginning of today’s Phnom Penh tour may be a little depressing, but it will let you resonate with Cambodians. You will be accompanied to visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields, where the Khmer Rouge once imprisoned and executed countless innocent people. Tuol Sleng, also called S-21 Prison, displays many valuable historical photos, preserved prisons and torture instruments. Your guide will narrate the exhaustive history with more details when visiting. You can photograph and talk with two survivors with the help of your guide if you are lucky to meet them. Choeung Ek witnessed more than 17,000 people’s deaths who were imprisoned in the S-21 Prison, and a pagoda here stores over 5,000 skulls now.

Leave behind the heavy history and follow your guide to the National Museum of Cambodia. The exhibition shows the changes of Khmer civilization in the way of art history. Your professional guide will introduce the Khmer history in detail during the visit. Taking pictures with a mobile phone is allowed but not with cameras. Then come to the neighboring Royal Palace, where the royal family lives. Beyond the iconic Thong Hall in white and yellow, the Silver Pagoda in the south is unmissable for its floor of over 5,000 silver bricks and a jadeite Buddha statue. Coinciding with the sunset time, we can enjoy a spellbinding sunset and see a more solemn and glorious golden-hued Royal Palace in the setting sun. We will send you back to the hotel; the free time at night is up to you.

► Nightlife Recommendation in Phnom Penh
How about a walking tour of Phnom Penh Night Market? It is on the bank of the Tonle Sap River, about a 5 to 10-minute Tuk-tuk ride. The market is buzzing with peddlers selling clothes, flowers, accessories, food, tiny carvings, bamboo products, and Khmer Buddhist statue decorations. You can taste traditional Cambodian snacks like Amok and watch street performances, including puppet shows, music, dance and dramatic performances. You can also buy some mosquito repellent here to prepare for the following scenic spots in the woods and on the island.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, we will leave Phnom Penh. After a 2.5-hour drive, first arrive at Kampong Cham, where you will visit Wat Nokor, an ancient temple complex, and two mountains - Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei - next to each other. Climb hundreds of stairs and reach the top of Phnom Pros, dotted with many elegant pagodas and statues in different poses, among which the must-see are a golden Reclining Buddha and a Four-Faced Buddha. Prevent your drinks, mobile phones or bags from being snatched by naughty monkeys, or you can buy some bananas to feed them and transfer their attention away from your belongings.

Then, we will drive another 3 hours to Kampong Thom to visit Phnom Santuk, with a stone path of over 800 steps leading to the hilltop, flanked by a continuous line of statues on both sides. Some young monks live in temples of various structures and sizes on the mountaintop, surrounded by many monkeys, Buddha statues and carvings, some of which are carved directly into the mountain. Finally, you will be escorted to the hotel. Have a good rest after a long car ride.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Sambor Prei Kuk, a valuable temple complex on the World Heritage List but often missed in other itineraries, is the focus of our visit today. As “Sambor Prei Kuk” in Khmer implies - the temple in the luxuriant forest - is located in a subtropical forest 30 km(19 mi) north of Kampong Thom, covering 25 km² (10 mi²). It contains several temples with unique pre-Angkorian style sandstone architectural decoration, including ten octagonal temples with unique features not found in similar Southeast Asian temples. Temples are mainly divided into three groups scattered in the jungle about 2 km (1.2 mi) long and 800m (875yd) wide; taking a long time to visit by foot, so we plan to spend 2 to 3 hours here for you to explore fully.

After lunch, we will drive 3 hours to Siem Reap and escort you to the hotel. You can relax in the hotel or embark on a walking tour downtown.

► What to Do in Free Time in Siem Reap
There are various temples downtown open to the public for free, with about a 15-minute walk from each other. Wat Bo, a large temple with miscellaneous buildings, is suitable for immersing in the Khmer culture in a tranquil environment. Wat Preah Prom Rath is a Buddhist temple complex with splendid pagodas and courtyards. Wat Damnak, next to the night market by the river near the Old Market Bridge, is better to be the last destination before sunset so that you can taste well-priced fried rice noodles, fried rice, barbecue and fruit shakes in the night market.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

★  Morning Sunrise View and Breakfast Picnic
Your driver and guide will pick you up before dawn and get to Angkor Wat, the best-preserved Angkor temple, for a sunrise view. Hindu temples usually face east to worship the East, but Angkor Wat faces west like a mausoleum, which was probably built as a mausoleum. This orientation lets us see the sun rising slowly behind Angkor Wat’s five pagodas. Your guide will choose an ideal day depending on the weather during your days in Siem Reap. After sunrise, we can transfer you back to the hotel for breakfast or bring it in advance to have a picnic in the Angkor Wat Archaeological Park.

We will continue to the symbol of Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple. It consists of 54 pagodas representing 54 states of the Angkor Dynasty, and 216 Jayavarman VII-like - the most famous ruler of the Angkor dynasty - smiling Buddha faces carved on such pagodas are praised as the “Khmer Smile”. On the surrounding walls, reliefs totaling about 1,200m (3,940ft) show scenes of ancient wars and people's lives. Then comes the Terrace of the Elephants, where the Angkor kings once inspected troops and held ceremonies, and the Terrace of Leper King, used to be a royal crematorium.

In the afternoon, we will visit Ta Keo Temple, where “Ta” means ancestor and “Keo” means crystal. It is an all-sandstone building in Khmer, but uncompleted - five lotus pagodas with a 12-meter-long (395-feet) and 100-meter-wide (330-feet) bottom platform and a 50-meter-high (165-feet) central pagoda - you can imagine how impressive it would be if completed. Today's last site is Ta Prohm Temple, widely known for the “Tomb Raider Tree”, where you can take photos from the same angle as in the movie. Under the shade of trees, giant tree roots tangling collapsed pagodas and walls will shock you with the astounding tenacious vitality of the jungle.

Now, it concludes Angkor Wat's Small Circuit tour, and we will drive you back to the hotel. Your tour tomorrow is worth expecting.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, we will first drive you to the most beautiful temple in Angkor Wat Outer Circuit, Banteay Srei. Unlike other Angkor temples, the gorgeous Banteay Srei was built with Khmer's unique hydrated red earth, which can be carved like wood but becomes extremely hard after air drying, lasting thousands of years. Reliefs almost completely cover the walls, columns, lintels and other architectural surfaces here. Pay attention to not hitting the relatively low lintels when lured by vivid carvings.

The next destination is another iconic Angkor temple, Preah Kahn, named after a sacred sword passed from King Jayavarman II to his heir. The temple's most famous Greek-style two-story building is said to have stored the sword once. Preah Kahn was the residence of Jayavarman VII when he rebuilt Angkor Thom, and it was highly valued by the Khmer people, where the most important festivals were held.

Take a short break during lunchtime, and we will get to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. You may not know that hundreds of thousands live a floating life here. Most of them are Vietnamese refugees who fled to Cambodia during wars in the 1970s; despite temporary safety, they have struggled to live in the hatred between the two countries. They are restricted from leaving the lake and can only fish for a living. Why is their residence called a floating village? Because their stilted houses look like floating on the lake during the rainy season. You will get more stories when closely in touch with them on a boat ride.

★ Off-the-beaten-track Sunset Viewing Spot
We will stop at Phnom Krom Mountain on returning to downtown Siem Reap. Climb a long flight of stairs, and you will meet the Phnom Krom Temple atop the mountain. The best place to view the sunset is behind the temple ruins in the southwest corner, where you can overlook the scenery of the Siem Reap countryside, extensive paddy fields and the sun's reflection on the Tonle Sap Lake, with few tourists to disturb. Be careful when going down the mountain. You will be finally escorted back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, we are going to Koh Ker, a 10th-century temple complex northeast of Siem Reap, about a 2.5-hour drive. Among over 30 temples scattered in the jungle, the most famous one is Prasat Thnom, a pyramid-shaped temple different from other Angkor temples. On the way from the entrance to Prasat Thnom, we will also explore Prasat Bram, a temple with five pagodas, and Prasat Krahom, a temple made of red stones, wrapped by giant tree roots and crisscrossed thick vines, nearly collapsed. Rarely visited and without any tourist facilities, it is a pristine place to quietly indulge in the serenity of the temple ruins and the jungle. Also, follow your guide closely, or you may get lost in the forest.

On returning to downtown Siem Reap, we will visit another site in Angkor Wat Outer Circuit, Beng Mealea - the most mysterious in Angkor ruins. Beyond this, a sign at the entrance saying “Minefield cleared by Germany” shows that it was one of the most extensive minefields in Cambodia. There are no plans to restore the jungle-covered temples, intending to preserve the original ruined appearance in harmony with nature. Therefore, visit along the wooden walkway to avoid accidental collapse. But this also makes it the most adventurous temple in Angkor sites, like a deserted palace garden. In the end, we will drive you back to the hotel.

► Dinner Recommendation in Siem Reap: Madam Moch Khmer Restaurant
About a 5 to 10-minute Tuk-tuk ride from your hotel, it is a good place to eat local delicacies, costing $5 to $10 per person. The quiet dining environment, friendly staff and well-priced dishes are all highly praised. Classic Cambodian cuisines like Amok and Lok Lak, banana passion dessert and 1-dollar fresh coconut are recommended.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Say goodbye to Siem Reap, and we will drive 3.5 hours to Battambang. After a short break in the hotel, you will have a walking tour of French colonial buildings. Battambang is the city with Cambodia's most concentrated and best-preserved French architecture, with over 800 French buildings of more than 100 years of history along the Sangker River. Some have been converted into coffee shops, bars, restaurants, government offices, etc., where you can see the integration of historical legacy and trendy style.

Taking a bamboo train is a must-do thing in Battambang. An engine-driven bamboo board on the deactivated train tracks is called the bamboo train, a widely used village transportation in the past and now an experiential item for tourists. Despite being simple, it is stable with the train tracks; it is a little bumpy but does not roll over. Hold on to the bamboo board and keep your belongings; since there is almost no shelter in the 40-minute duration, remember to do sun protection in advance.

Then, we will visit several spots on the mountain, Phnom Sampeau. Walk about 20 minutes along the road, and you will first arrive at the Killing Caves, a Khmer Rouge execution place unearthed with many skulls. Out of the caves, continue to the mountaintop, where you can see the Wat Phnom Sampeau and overlook the countryside scenery. We will go down to the foot before 6:00 pm, waiting for a stunning bat-flying scene - countless bats flying out of the caves to feed on nearby farmlands, lasting over half an hour. Today’s tour comes to an end, and your guide will escort you back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

★ A Floating Village Different from Those by the Tonle Sap Lake
Before returning to Phnom Penh, we will get to Kampong Chhnang after a 2-hour drive to explore Kompong Luong Floating Village. Unlike stilted buildings in other floating villages, it consists of hundreds of clusters with 6 to 8 boats tied together and fixed in place, usually having a public deck. Boats range from simple canoes covered with tarps to sophisticated ones with solar panels and satellite dishes. When riding the boat, you can see villagers going about their daily lives, cooking, washing clothes, repairing boats, and playing with children. After lunch, we will drive another 2.5 hours to transfer you to the hotel in Phnom Penh.

► Free Time Suggestion:
About a 5 to 10-minute tuk-tuk ride from your hotel, Central Market is popular for its superior location, impressive appearance and majestic dome. The most prominent feature of the market is the bedazzlement of jewelry and jade. Still, it is difficult to distinguish real from fake, so be careful when shopping, and bargaining is necessary since it is a little expensive. Besides, cooking Cambodian snacks on-site in the particular area is unmissable.

► Distinctive Restaurant Worth Trying in Phnom Penh: Eleven One Kitchen
It is about 2 km (1.3 mi) from your hotel, taking 10 minutes by Tuk-tuk. The restaurant has outdoor seating in the garden, surrounded by greenery as if you were dining in a tropical forest. It uses only biodegradable packaging and cooks with organic vegetables planted on its roof. It features Khmer and Western cuisine, is also suitable for vegetarians, and offers gluten-free cuisine, costing $10 to $15 per person. Fish Amok, Fresh Avocado Spring Rolls and Crispy Shrimp in Taro Nest are recommended.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, we will leave for Kep and relax at two destinations on the way. You will first get to Chisor Mountain Temple after a 1.5-hour drive. Located on the top of Chisor Mountain, the over 1,000-year-old temple is a beautiful temple from the ancient Khmer. You can overlook the landscape of the whole Takeo Province.

Our next destination is Angkor Borei Town in Takeo, once the capital of the Kingdom of Funan, an empire in the pre-Angkor era and regarded as “the Cradle of Khmer Civilization.” You will visit two ancient temples, Prasat Phnom Da and Ashram Maha Rosei, dating back to the 6th century; both are important archaeological sites of Funan’s history. Besides, Takeo’s big-head shrimp is popular with locals and tourists, attracting many people from neighboring cities who drive an hour to eat the shrimp.

Drive another 2 hours, and we will arrive in Kep. You will be escorted to our handpicked hotel on the mountainside near the National Park of Kep, overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, Phu Quoc Island (Vietnam) and Mount Bokor. The resort has restaurants, bars, SPA, and the biggest saltwater pool in Kep, surrounded by the exuberance of tropical fruit trees. You can fully enjoy the nightlife in the resort and don’t worry about getting up since tomorrow is all day free.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You may be a little tired after a 10-day journey through Cambodia, so we plan a leisure day in Kep to enjoy beaches and seafood freely. Here are some choices for you to spend your leisure time.

► Explore Kep Crab Market
Seafood is fresher in the morning and much cheaper than that in Phnom Penh. Sellers can cook the seafood for you on the spot with a processing charge of 2 dollars. Famous fried blue crabs and fried Kuruma prawns cooked with fresh pepper and local black pepper are not to be missed, and grilled squid, octopus and cuttlefish are also tasty.

► Play on Kep Beach
The blue crab statue on the sea is a must-see landmark in Kep. You can try snorkeling, fishing and many other activities, particularly the beach motorcycle, which will thrill you with the exhilaration of riding along the coastline. Remember to do sun protection and bring extra clothes since you need to change clothes after riding a beach motorcycle.

► Overlook Kep from Led Zep Café
A walkway from the entrance of Kep National Park near the hotel leads you to the Led Zep Café, where you can enjoy leisure time in a hammock, overlook Kep's panoramic scenery, and watch the sunset at the viewing point.

► Dine in Holy Crab Restaurant
The must-try seafood in Kep is the blue crab, and Holy Crab, south of the Kep Crab Market, is available for blue crabs cooked in various ways, even if not on the menu. Terrace seating allows you to dine while listening to the sound of the waves and watching the sunset. Meals on holidays may require a long wait, or you can preorder the night before.

Meals: Breakfast

This morning, we will drive to Kampot, a city rich in pepper, to visit a pepper farm. During the 40-minute guided visit, you will observe pepper trees closely, taste the fresh peppers off the tree, and watch the planting on site. After learning more about peppers, you will taste 10 kinds of pepper in the rest shed and give scores. Our lunch at the restaurant on the farm will be specialties cooked with their self-planted pepper, among which pepper iced Americano and pepper ice cream are novel to try.

After a 2.5-hour drive in the afternoon, we will arrive in Sihanoukville, a port city in southwestern Cambodia. Since Sihanoukville is less secure than other cities, follow your guide and driver closely and take care of your belongings. Nevertheless it is only a transit port in our itinerary, so don’t worry too much. From the port, let’s take a 45-minute speedboat to Koh Rong Island, and you will be escorted to our well-selected hotel with a private beach for its guests on Pagoda Beach, which has the slightest wind and waves, clear water and fine white sand, ideal for sunrise viewing. After check-in, you can rest on the beach and have a delicious dinner in the hotel. It is advisable not to go to remote beaches or woods alone at night for your safety.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You will spend a whole day freely on the island, and various entertainments await you. Please be careful when having fun with some thrilling items.

► Motorcycling around the Island
Many stores offer rental motorcycles with a charge of $10 for half a day and $15 for a whole day. There is only one main road to travel around the island, uncrowded to ride on. A proposal is to avoid the northernmost Lonely Beach, which is not fully developed, with difficult road conditions of about 4 km (2.5 mi).

► Playing on a Ship Sailing on the Sea
You can join a group or charter a private ship, taking $25 per person or $90 a day, of which the chartering plan is suitable for over 3 fellow travelers. On the sea, you can fish, snorkel, view the sunset, and observe luminous plankton, also described as “blue tears,” at night. Boatmen will provide drinks and fruits and help with a barbecue on the ship.

► Inshore Activities
Kayaking in the neritic area, boating through mangroves, and riding a horse on the beach are all interesting activities in your free time. Be careful not to get hurt while playing any sport.

Meals: Breakfast

We will return to Phnom Penh this afternoon, and you can spend the last morning on the beach, sunbathing or paddle boarding near the hotel. Around noon, take a 45-minute speedboat to Sihanoukville and arrive in Phnom Penh after a 4-hour private car ride.

► Free Time Recommendation in Phnom Penh
On your last day in Cambodia, exploring the Russian Market is suggested. It is suitable for buying handcrafted souvenirs as gifts, and the sugarcane juice is worth trying. When roaming in the crowded market, keep your belongings well.

* Note: If you want to stay longer on Koh Rong Island or take a boat to Koh Rong Sanloem Island, we can adjust the itinerary to meet your needs.

Meals: Breakfast

It’s time to farewell, and you will be escorted to the airport on time, depending on your flight schedule. If your mobile phone lacks traffic for the internet, you can connect to the free WIFI at the airport with your valid email address.

If you are happy with our Cambodia tour packages and want more trips to other Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, please contact our travel consultants for more customized itineraries. Wish you a good journey!

Meals: Breakfast