Essential of Siem Reap

Your guide will meet you at Siem Reap International Airport and accompany you to your hotel. Siem Reap is a small, charming city and the gateway to the majestic temples of Angkor. Take a tour of the Angkor National Museum as an introduction to the world-class heritage of Angkor’s civilization. An extensive collection of priceless artifacts and a state-of-the-art multimedia exhibition display the awe-inspiring cultural heritage of the Golden Era of the Khmer Kingdom.

After the museum, enjoy a sightseeing walk around Siem Reap, including a visit to the Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chom shrine, the place of worship for local people on Buddhist festivals, next to the royal residence. Continue to one of the city’s lively open markets, Psar Chars, also called the Old Market, surrounded by elegant French Colonial colonnades, then onto Wat Bo, a large and highly regarded pagoda, built in the 18th century. Round off the tour with a refreshing drink at a café.

Drive to Angkor Wat for a mystical sunrise and explore this architectural wonder and its world-class bas-reliefs at dawn, when it is quietest. Angkor Wat, one of the wonders of the ancient world, was completed by 1150 AD. The temple complex is one of the most intricate and dramatic religious structures ever conceived. Its friezes in bas-relief form a visual guide to Hindu mythology. Explore the stone galleries, terraces and grounds before returning to the hotel for breakfast.

Next, visit the mysterious and much-photographed Ta Prohm, the jungle temple, where huge trees grow among the ancient stones, then continue to the fortified city of Angkor Thom, the last great capital of the Khmer empire. From the South Gate of Angkor Thom, visit the impressive Bayon temple with its 216 monumental, enigmatically smiling faces, and learn about the fascinating myths and legends behind the Elephant Terrace and Leper King Terrace. Return to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Your guide will meet you at the hotel, from where you will be driven through the Cambodian countryside to the photogenic village of Kompong Khleang – one of the largest Tonle Sap communities, though not well-known by tourists – to learn about the daily life of a subsistence fishing family. Take a boat tour to see the stilt houses and the daily work of the floating community from the water.

After visiting the village, continue to the lost temple of Beng Mealea. This sprawling, atmospheric complex is embedded in the jungle. It extends over a square kilometer and, like the busier Ta Prohm temple, is overgrown by tropical vegetation, perfect for an afternoon photography session.

Please note: During the flood season (August to February), Kompong Khleang village can only be reached by boat. At other times it is accessible by road.

Depending on your departure time, you may explore the beautiful surroundings at your leisure. You will be driven to Siem Reap International Airport for your onward flight.