EXPLORE SOUTHERN CAMBODIA IN 14 DAYS

Upon arrival at Siem Reap Int’s Airport, process immigration procedure (visa on arrival is available or obtain in advance via www.evisa.gov.kh), then get your luggage and walk straight to the Exit Gate where our representative is waiting. After self-introduced, you’ll transfer directly around 60 minutes to the hotel in the city for check in (check in time is 2pm). Time to fresh-up and relax at hotel.

Overnight at a hotel in Siem Reap.

We start very early in the morning so we can capture the iconic picture of the pre-dawn facing Angkor Wat temple. Sunrise at Angkor Wat can be a busy venue especially during the months of December, January, February and March.

After sunrise, we will explore the vast and rich of Angkor Wat temple, taking pictures at different angles, playing with light and shadows and capturing the most beautiful devatas carved in sandstone.

Next destination will be the Ta Prohm Temple, famous for its giant trees where the most impressive scenes of the Tomb Raider movie were filmed. We will continue by veering you away from the crowd to a remote temple in the jungle. We will also visit places out of the beaten path where you will capture unique pictures.

We will get lost in the magnificent Preah Khan temple, one of the best temples to learn photography.

Next, at the Golden Hour, will be the impressive Bayon temple with its 54 towers and 216 faces overlooking the defunct city of Angkor Thom. The final stop will be at one of gate of Angkor Thom to capture sunset over the moat.

Overnight at a hotel in Siem Reap.

• 5.30am pick up from your hotel by CBGA English-speaking bird guide, with our A/C vehicle, transfer Mechrey Pier for the boat trip to Prek Toal village.
• 7 am half-way on the tonle sap lake, enjoy packed breakfast on the boat.
• 7.30am arrive at the Prek Toal floating village,
• 7.45am transfer into smaller local community boats and explore the biosophere reserve.
• 8 am enjoy birding along the way one hour through the core reserve.
• 9 arrive at the observation platform, climb the tree top to enjoy the wider views of the bird colonies.
• 10 am return back to Prek Toal village for lunch at Saray Community Restaurant.
• 1 pm after lunch, visit the Water Hyacinth Handicraft Workshop located next to the restaurant.
• 1.30pm we will take you on paddled boats around the floating village, observing how locals adapt their floating environment, visiting the crocodile farms, fish farms, floating school, floating gardens, etc.
• 2.15pm travel back to Siem Reap
• 4 pm arrive back at your Siem Reap hotel.

Overnight at a hotel in Siem Reap.

Start early this morning at 7am to leave your hotel for Phnom Kulen, considered the holiest mountain in Cambodia. Arrive at Kulen Mountain near the Preah Ang Thom Pagoda. First on the agenda is a wander around the mountain-top pagoda which is home to relics, statues and a large reclining Buddha.

Meet your Motordup (motorbike) driver who will take you for the next few hours up the mountain. The first stop is at Poeng Tbal, where a riverbed reveals a well-preserved stone with details of Shiva and Vishnu and the rock carvings of Ganesh and sages. A short trip leads to one of Cambodia’s most important sites: a small pedestal that sits on top of three step pyramids called Prasat Rong Chen. Head through more paths to a modern temple with colorful statues and a panoramic view. Enjoy a simple picnic lunch in the temple dining room. Continue after a short break to a bat cave that, with the help of torches, you can enter for a few hundred meters and see a modern sanctuary. Both the cave and the temple attract many pilgrims to the area. A short distance away is Srah Damrei (or Elephant Pond). Head back to the starting point with a few more stone carvings to see at Damrei Khrap (Kneeling Elephant). The Motordup adventure ends at Preah Ang Thom.

Two more stops are made before your return, the first is a short visit to see the Thousand Lingas River, hundreds of Lingas carvings can be seen in a section of the river. After visiting the Kulen waterfall, where you can take a refreshing bath. Return to Siem Reap and accommodation.

Overnight at a hotel in Siem Reap.

Travel by road from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh with our English guide. On route you will witness the everyday lives of Cambodians as you pass through interesting provincial towns, bucolic villages, and delightful scenery. This is no ‘freeway dash’ as you will often slow down to let cows and water buffalo wander across the road, pass horse drawn carriages, and school kids walking and cycling to/from school. You may wish to stop off in Kompong Kdei, to look at Spean Pratos – an ancient Angkorian bridge.

We will enjoy a boat ride on the Tonle Sap Lake. This is the largest permanent fresh-water lake in Southeast Asia and flows into Tonle Sap River, joining the Mekong in Phnom Penh. We will see a fishermen’s “floating village” with floating schools, floating police station, etc. It is same as a big village floating on the lake, and the “village” move from place-to-place following water levels and current.

Arrive in Kampong Thom, we visit Sambor Prei Kuk, which is dotted with hundred Pre-Angkor styled temples. The site, part of the Chenla Kingdom, includes an area of nearly 1000 acres enclosed by double walls, and hundreds of temples and towers; its construction predates Angkor Wat by several centuries. The road conditions are very poor, but the spectacular scenery, with a mixture of temples and forest makes the hardship all worthwhile.

Upon arrival in Phnom Penh you will check-in to your hotel.

• Siem Reap to Phnom Penh: 320km / 6hour.

Overnight at a hotel in Phnom Penh.

After breakfast, we meet our guide and hop on Cyclo, an original means of transport from Phnom Penh and a fun way to explore this vibrant city. First visit Wat Phnom is a Buddhist temple located in center of Phnom Penh City. It was built in 1373 and stands 27 meters above the ground. Next, we visit to the Royal Palace compound build in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom, is the most conspicuous feature and one of impressive colorful Khmer-style Palaces. Nearside the Royal Palace is Silver Pagoda (The Emerald Buddha temple), display plenty of Buddha Statues that were decorated and made by diamond, emerald, gold and silver, continuing visit to National Museum, the distinctive red building with a beautiful Khmer architecture was built since 1917 and contains more than 5000 art objects made of sandstone, bronze, silver, copper, wood and others. Travelers will proceed to visit Independence Monument, which was constructed in 1954 after Cambodian took their country back from French colony.

We will stop at Central Market in the heart of the Phnom Penh. The Khmer name of the market is Phsar Thmei, which translates to “new market”. The Central Market was built in 1937 during the French colonial period, in Art Deco style, and is painted bright ochre.

We will enjoy a cruise for view sunset on the Mekong and Tonle Sap River (1 hour). Situated at the “Four Arms” where the Mekong meets the Tonle Sap River before splitting into two branches, Phnom Penh offers the ideal location to discover the mighty Mekong.

Overnight at a hotel in Phnom Penh.

This morning, we leave Phnom Penh and head south initially visiting Tonle Bati where you can explore the small yet picturesque Angkorian temple of Ta Prohm. On the banks of the nearby river are a line of bamboo shacks with hammocks, a great place for a relaxing drink. We get on our car to the quiet town of Takeo before taking a short cruise to Angkor Borei town, located just a few kilometers navigation from the Vietnam border. There is a small museum, which displays several reproductions of sculptures from the nearby ruins and few artifacts dating as far back as the 4th century. After seeing this pleasant place, we continue our boat trip to visit a pre-Angkorian style temple of Phnom Da and a nearby temple of Asram Maharosei. The steep path over some big rocks makes Asram Maharosei different from other temples in Cambodia.

We then continue south following the picturesque drive to Kep / Kampot. The southern coast of Cambodia, edging the border with Vietnam, once served as a glamorous seaside resort for the French in the early 1900s. Evocative of the French Riviera towns along the Mediterranean coast; the towns of Kep, Sihanoukville and Kampot have tree-lined, wide roads fringing the ocean, large statues, luxury villas, casinos and even a palace overlooking the Gulf of Thailand.

Overnight at a hotel in Kampot.

After breakfast, we stop at Crab Market to sample some of the delicious fresh crab that Kep is famed for is also a must. We continue to Pepper farm and salt farm.

Visit Kep National Park and doing the Sunset Rock hike to observe the sun setting over the Gulf of Thailand (walking shoes, a map and flashlight necessary). Alternatively, a short walk or cycle around the tiny town will take you past crumbling colonial villas, an assortment of statues (including one of a giant crab) and the lovely little beach.

We continue to Trapeang Sangkae Conservation Project. Here you will learn more about their efforts to preserve and develop the mangrove which acts as an important projectiong against coasstal erosion anda lso serves as a natural habitat for an entire ecosystem. We hop on a small boat to go and make our contribution to the global effort by planting some mangrove tree.

If you like, we join sunset cruise like a local with drink along the Kampot River.

Overnight at a hotel in Kampot.

Today, drive to Ta Tai, Koh Kong. Away from the tourist trail to ancient civilizations there is another country, a land of unspoilt virgin forest, rare orchids and fragrant frangipani, the startling colors and calls of birds of paradise, secretive jungle creatures and a perfumed air of peace and solitude. This ecological miracle deserves an environmentally friendly resort that captures the imagination while offering.

Overnight at a hotel in Ta Tai-Koh Kong.

We take boat trip to visit Tatai Waterfall.

Back to the hotel in the afternoon, free for your own time. You can swim, kayaking or at night watch firefly.

Overnight at a hotel in Ta Tai, Koh Kong.

Meet your driver (no guide) and continue to Sihanouk Ville, which has long been a place of relaxation for Cambodians. Arrive in Sihanouk Ville we take fast boat to Koh Rong “Paradise Island”.

• Tatai, Koh Kong to Sihanouk Ville port: 200km / 3.30hour.
• Boat from Sihanouk Ville to Koh Rong or Koh Rong Saloem: 60 minutes.

Overnight at a hotel in Koh Rong.

Enjoy a full day of sun or swimming in the warm coastal waters. This is the moment when the dream of going on vacation to an exotic land becomes reality.

Overnight at a hotel in Koh Rong.

We farewell island and take express boat back to Sihanouk Ville. Upon arrival at Sihanouk Ville port, meet your driver (without guide) and drive back to Phnom Penh.

Arrive in Phnom Penh, transfer to airport for departure to next destination. It’s time to say goodbye, we thank you for traveling with us and warmly welcome you to come again.

*** Note: To have enough time, please book departure flight from Phnom Penh not early than 4 pm.