Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to incredible Kingdom of Cambodia - the charming yet confounding kingdom that casts a spell on visitors. In Cambodia, ancient and modern worlds collide to create an authentic adventure.

Arrive in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s busy capital, can’t help but conjure up an image of the exotic. The glimmering spires of the Royal Palace, the fluttering saffron of the monks’ robes & the luscious location on the banks of the mighty Mekong – this is the Asia many daydream about from afar.  

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Phnom Penh International Airport, subsequent to Customs & Immigration, you will be met by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in and provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Arrive at the hotel & Check-in & relax.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

A hub for both the Khmer Empire & French colonialists, Phnom Penh sits at the junction of the Mekong & Tonle Sap rivers & can be an assault on the senses.

Phnom Penh - the name can’t help but conjure up an image of the exotic & many consider it to be one of the friendliest capitals in Asia, as Cambodians have not yet become jaded by mass tourism. It is a bit unfortunate that one of the tourist industry's selling points for Phnom Penh has to do with wars that took place in the 1970's (i.e. Killing Fields, Toul Sleng), as visitors may associate the city with these historical events when in fact Cambodian culture, including its art & music is quite remarkable.

The Khmer temples & monuments found here are some of the most stunning examples of Buddhist architecture & art, and Phnom Penh has no shortage of these.

Once the ‘Pearl of Asia’, Phnom Penh’s shine was tarnished by the impact of war & revolution. But the city has since risen from the ashes to take its place among the hip capitals of the region, with an alluring cafe culture, bustling bars & a world-class food scene.

Despite being a bit rough on the edges, Phnom Penh retains its former charm as a leafy South East Asian capital with a nice riverside promenade & numerous beautiful Cambodian Buddhist wats, palaces, & other artifacts.

Tuk tuk & Motorbikes whiz through laneways without a thought for pedestrians; markets exude pungent scents; &d all the while the sounds of life - of commerce, of survival - reverberate through the streets. But this is all part of the attraction, watch the street life & absorb the local colour.

The beauty that made it a 'Paris of the East' before 1970 is hidden beneath the reality of modern day Cambodia, though there are a few French colonial buildings remaining. The wide boulevards & promenades envisaged by the French are mostly used as parking spaces & market stalls: pedestrians are not in favour.

The innermost part of the city, known as "riverside" is where most tourists will go, as it hosts cafes & restaurants aplenty. On its walkable riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants & bars are the ornate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda & the National Museum, displaying artifacts from around the country. At the city’s heart is the massive, art deco Central Market.

The city is slowly gaining high rise buildings, traffic lights & Western style shopping malls. It does not have the huge colonial British architectural heritage like Yangon in Myanmar, and is light years behind Bangkok.

Later in the afternoon, meet your Tour-guide in the lobby at 02.00 pm & proceed for a 4 hour sightseeing tour of some of the city’s most historically significant sites.

Visit a selection of carefully-chosen highlights, from the remarkable buildings featuring some of the most stunning architecture to be found anywhere.

Visit the Royal Palace, which to this day is still the royal residence. The Royal Palace is one of Phnom Penh’s most splendid architectural achievements. It is home to His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk and Her Majesty Preah. See the amazing royal collection & the beautiful architecture. The sculptures & sheer construction of the palace leaves even the most seasoned traveler in awe because of the stunning structure.

Head to the National Museum, predominantly constructed of sand-stone, where you will be taken around by a trained museum guide who will show you some wonderful pre - Angkorean pieces from the temples as well as a stunning collection of ancient Khmer art. The exhibits are complemented by more recent examples of Cambodian art. The museum is housed in a terra-cotta-roofed structure of traditional Cambodian design, which was built between 1917 & 1920.

Next will be the infamous Tuol Sleng High School to see the remnants of the S-21 prison camp & hear about how the horrors of the regime unfolded in this innocent location. Peruse the sensitive exhibitions within the high school, which now houses the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. The museum was one of hundreds of detention & interrogation centers created all over Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge who gave the former high school the sinisterly innocuous name S-21 where countless thousands of Cambodians were ruthlessly processed until they were dead. See the gallery that speaks eloquently of the brutality of the Khmer Rouge as you walk you through the different museum displays.

You might even get the chance to meet one of the survivors, who will enlighten you further on the sordid history of this once peaceful school. 

The tour concludes & you are transferred back to the hotel by evening.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions for Optional activities & arrange).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide again at 08.00 am & proceed for another tour to delve into the moving history of Phnom Penh’s Killing Fields.

Listen as your knowledgeable Tour-guide describes the darkest period in Cambodia’s history & hear of the fateful day when the Khmer Rouge took Phnom Penh.

Uncover the soul-stirring stories of one of the 20^th century’s most horrific tragedies. Venture to Choeung Ek to feel emotionally moved at one of the Killing Field’s most well-known sites. Hear of how masses of people were murdered & see a sacred shrine filled with over 8,000 human skulls. 

Visit the Killing Fields and the poignant memorial at Choeung Ek Genocidal Center which represents one of the all too frequent dark periods in world history - one between 1975 to1979. During these four years of awful civil war an estimated 1.7 million people were massacred.

This place of incredible tragedy has today been sensitively converted into a peaceful Visitors’ Centre & the disturbing story is retold. Walk across the very ground where nearly 20,000 Cambodians were murdered. Even today, following periods of heavy rain, fragments of clothing & bones from victims will surface through the mud.

Next, head to Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh is such a phenomenal area in Cambodia filled with hundreds of years of history. The Pagoda is considered grand & magnificent because there is no other place in the world where you can see such significant spectacles of historical treasures.

Visit Wat Ounalom - the home to the Buddhist patriarch & is reputedly the oldest Buddhist foundation in the city.

Finally, head to Phsar Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market), the most popular market among tourists & expats and the best place to pick up souvenirs. The reason why it is called Russian market is because it was a popular market among the Russian expats during the 1980s when most of the western expats in Phnom Penh were Russian.

Return to the hotel. 

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions for Optional activities & arrange).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide again at 08.00 am & proceed for 5 hour an excursion to the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre to enjoy the Bear Care Tour.

The Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center is home to over 1200 animals of more than 100 species & is the biggest rescue center in Cambodia. The Alliance cares for & rehabilitates animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.

At this sanctuary for rescued animals, guests can see a vast array of Cambodia’s wildlife (which is usually very difficult to spot), ranging from the world’s largest captive collections of Malayan sun bears & pileated gibbons to rare animals like greater adjutant storks & Siamese crocodiles.

Rescued from poachers or abusive owners, all of the animals at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center - receive shelter & medical care as part of a sustainable breeding program. When possible, the center’s residents are released back into the wild once they’ve recovered & the center does its best to educate the public on issues of wildlife protection.

The variety of animals that you can see here is extensive, including an impressive tiger population. There is also a large population of elephants who enjoy painting as well as eating. The Center feels much like a zoo (which it is, to some extent) that’s also a safari park, or vice versa.

You will take an exclusive fun & fascinating behind the scenes tour of the Center & meet animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. But your tour will be at the Bear Section at one of the world’s biggest Sun bear sanctuary.

Find out what it takes to care for over 130 rescued Sun bears & Moon bears on the Bear Care Tour with the Free the Bears team. You will learn why the bears are threatened in Cambodia, while touring the world class facilities. Education Program, Research Program & what Free the Bears are doing to build a brighter future for bears in the wild. You will help the Bear Care Team to prepare food & special treats to keep the bears happy & healthy in their forest enclosures. 

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions for Optional activities & arrange).

Early morning, get ready to depart for Sen Monorom.

Arrive by afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

Sen Monorom is a small town with 7000 inhabitants, and is often compared to frontier towns in the old American west. A charming community set in the spot where the legendary hills meet. In the centre of town are two lakes, leading some dreamers to call it ‘the Switzerland of Cambodia’

The area around Sen Monorom is peppered with minority villages & picturesque waterfalls, making it the ideal place to spend some time. Many of the Bunong people from nearby villages come here to trade: the distinctive baskets they carry on their backs make them easy to distinguish from the immigrant lowlanders.

There is an impressive 40 metre Bousra Waterfall. You can walk up to both waterfalls & swim and even go behind them, depending on the season. There is also a path that goes around the waterfalls.  

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions).

Early morning, meet the Tour-guide depart for a 6 hour excursion to Mondulkiri Elephant Valley Project.

Reach the Hefalump Cafe, the meeting point for the Mondulkiri Elephant Valley Project in a protected forest area offering unique elephant encounters & jungle treks.

You can walk with, feed, swim with and wash elephants at a waterfall in the jungle. No elephant riding. This new community project employs local Bunong guides & plans to start Mondulkiri's first elephant breeding program.

After a brief induction, you will depart for the short journey to the Elephant Valley Project where you will be immersed in the simple yet amazing daily routine of the elephants & their mahouts. You will hike out to meet one group of elephants in the morning in their natural habitat.

“The Elephant Valley Project is a bit of an abstract experience, you walk off into the elephant’s natural habitat and watch them being elephants. There is no riding, no tricks, no shows, just elephants being elephants in their own natural space. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?”

It is here that you will be able to see how the local charity ELIE takes care or several herds of retired, former working elephants & rehabilitates them back into their natural habitat.

You cannot ride them but will however walk with them as they graze the forest & grasslands there. This is proving to be an increasingly popular destination with several copycat enterprises developing alternatives to adapt to the attraction.

Trekking into Seima Biodiversiy Conservation area is a good alternative to elephant trekking. Your money still goes into the local community while promoting wildlife conservation and providing guides w/ employment that doesn't rely on overworked elephants.

You will spend the day observing the elephants in their natural habitat while learning about their lives, personalities & amazing progress since their arrival at the Elephant Valley Project.

Return to the hotel by evening.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions).

Morning, depart for Kratie, enroute stopping at Bousra Waterfall.

Mondulkiri’s rolling green scenery marks it out as a special destination within Cambodia & the Bousra Waterfall is a hidden gem amongst the greenery.

Set in Bousra Eco Park, a beautiful protected forest that is home to diverse wildlife, the waterfall has dramatic upper & lower sections with spectacular views. Take a dip in the fresh cold water or simply enjoy the view! There are also market vendors selling local products, food & drinks.

After enjoying the scenery & Bousra Waterfall, drive on. Or if you want, you can try an exhilarating Zipline experience through the treetops, starting in the highest sections of forest & finishing with a dramatic zipline across the Bousra Waterfall - yes, a zipline across the waterfall!

Continue on your drive to Kratie.

Arrive by afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

A supremely mellow small riverside town of Kratie on the banks of the Mekong River, is the capital of Kratie Province in eastern Cambodia & it is the midpoint when travelling to any of 10,000 Islands area shared by southern Laos & Cambodia.

It has an expansive riverfront & some of the best Mekong sunsets in Cambodia and is dominated by a central marketplace surrounded by old, French colonial buildings, as it was spared the wartime bombing that destroyed so many other provincial centres. It is the most popular place in the country to see Irrawaddy dolphins, which live in the Mekong River in ever-diminishing numbers.

After arrival in Kratie, board a small boat that will take you to Koh Trong, an island in the middle of the Mekong River, where you will stay for the night. This island, a short ride away, is an excellent example of rural Cambodian life.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions).

You can enjoy the beach & a swim in the Mekong. Visit the Vietnamese Wat & see the floating village. Search out the rare Mekong Mud Turtle. Enjoy the sunset.

Morning, meet the Tour-guide & drive to the river location to embark on your Irrawaddy Dolphin cruise.

Listed as critically endangered in 2004, the Mekong Irrawaddy Dolphin is part of Cambodia’s national heritage & symbolizes the magnificence of the Mekong River and its biodiversity.

The Irrawaddy is a shy, small dolphin that is dark grey in color with a small rounded dorsal fin & a bluntly rounded head.

You will take a small boat out on the Mekong River and sit quietly as the boat rests amongst the Irrawaddy Dolphins; watching them feeding & playing in their natural habitat There are only around 85 dolphins in the Mekong, but there is a very good chance that you will see some.

If you just want to sit on the bank and watch the dolphins, you can.

As river dolphins, these animals don't generally approach boats show curiosity towards tourist boats like some marine dolphins do. There is no best time of day to see the dolphins as their activity patterns don't change much over the course of the day, though it can be pleasant with the setting sun late in the day, and fiercely hot in the early afternoon.

To protect the dolphins, the boatmen follow the dolphin watching guidelines provided & only use oars when near the dolphins. There's also a nice little shop which does benefit the community and helps encourage the villagers conserve the remaining dolphins

Return to town where the Tour-guide can assist in choosing a local restaurant for lunch or you can return to your hotel for lunch.

After lunch, you will drive north of Kratie town to Sambor district to visit the Mekong Turtle Conservation Center, located at the beautiful and historic 100 Pillar Pagoda (Wat Sor Sor Muoy Roy).

The MTCC was opened by Conservation International to increase the wild population of the endangered Cantor’s Softshell Turtle (Pelochelys cantorii) in the nearby Mekong River, through head-starting turtle hatchlings from the community-led turtle nest program.

The facility has over forty indoor tanks containing juvenile turtles which are kept for a 10 month period before being released into their natural habitat. There are also many other Asian turtle species at the facility to see.

After your visit to the MTCC, you can wander the grounds of the magnificent 100 Pillar Pagoda - a priceless architectural structure built at the site of the old Royal Palace Temple of Sambor District.

As dusk approaches, you will drive to Phnom Sam Bok (Sam Bok Mountain) and climb the steps to the Phnom Sam Bok Pagoda to watch the beautiful sunset over the mighty Mekong River & surrounding countryside.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions).

Early morning, depart for Siem Reap, driving through countless Cambodian villages & rice fields.

Arrive by late afternoon in Siem Reap, the gateway to an ancient world capital city

Check-in at the hotel & relax.

Wrapped in rainforests, edged by golden sands, crowned by volcanoes, studded with ruins of lost civilisations: this is Southeast Asia as you’ve always imagined it. The life-support system & gateway for the temples of Angkor, Siem Reap was always destined for great things

Breathtaking Antiquity | Empire of Temples | Cambodian Spirit

Siem Reap, a once quaint laid-back & pleasant village, located on the shores of the Tonle Sap Lake, the greatest sweet water reserve in whole Southeast Asia, in northwestern Cambodia, is the gateway to the world famous temple ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9^th - 15^th centuries. The life - support system & gateway for the temples of Angkor, Siem Reap was always destined for great things. The name of the city literally means Siamese defeated, referring to the victory of the Khmer Empire over the army of the Thai kingdom in the 17^th century. 

Siem Reap has reinvented itself as the epicentre of chic Cambodia, with everything from backpacker party pads to hip hotels, world-class wining & dining across a range of cuisines, sumptuous spas, great shopping and a creative cultural scene that includes Cambodia's leading circus. The proximity of the Angkorian ruins has turned Siem Reap into a boomtown in less than half a decade.

Visitors come here to see the Temples, of course, but there is plenty to do in & around the city when you are templed out. Angkor is a place to be savoured, not rushed & this is the base from which to plan your adventures. Still think three days at the temples is enough? Think again with Siem Reap on the doorstep

Siem Reap, a once quaint laid-back & pleasant village, located on the shores of the Tonle Sap Lake, the greatest sweet water reserve in whole Southeast Asia, in northwestern Cambodia, is the gateway to the world famous temple ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9^th - 15^th centuries. The life - support system & gateway for the temples of Angkor, Siem Reap was always destined for great things. The name of the city literally means Siamese defeated, referring to the victory of the Khmer Empire over the army of the Thai kingdom in the 17^th century. 

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions for Optional activities & arrange).

And now comes the ‘raison d’etre’ of coming to Cambodia in the first place.

Wake up at dawn, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at 06.00 am & head to Angkor Wat for sunrise & a morning tour of the temple before the crowds arrive. .

Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise & sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones.

Welcome to heaven on earth.

Angkor’s vast complex of intricate stone buildings includes preserved Angkor Wat, the main temple, which is pictured on Cambodia’s flag.

Wat is the Khmer name for temple, which was probably added to "Angkor "when it became a Theravada Buddhist monument, most likely in the 16^th century. After 1432 when the capital moved to Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat was cared for by Buddhist monks

Angkor is the earthly representation of Mt Meru, the Mt Olympus of the Hindu faith & the abode of ancient gods. The temples are the perfect fusion of creative ambition & spiritual devotion. The Cambodian ‘god-kings’ of old each strove to better their ancestors in size, scale & symmetry, culminating in the world’s largest religious building, Angkor Wat.

Angkor’s vast complex of intricate stone buildings, in their beauty & state of preservation, is unrivaled & its mightiness, magnificence bespeak a pomp & a luxury surpassing that of a Pharaoh or a Shah Jahan, an impressiveness greater than that of the Pyramids, an artistic distinctiveness as fine as that of the Taj Mahal. The main temple is pictured on Cambodia’s flag.

The largest, best preserved & most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor Wat impresses visitors both by its sheer scale & beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. An architectural masterpiece, its perfection in composition, balance, proportions, relief's & sculpture make it one of the finest monuments in the world.

Breaking from the Shaiva tradition of previous kings, it was originally constructed in  the first half of the 12^th century as a Hindu temple  dedicated to Vishnu (Hindu god), in Yasodharapura (present-day Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, by King Suryavarman II. It was the state temple & his eventual mausoleum.  

It is generally accepted that Angkor Wat was a funerary temple for King Suryavarman & oriented to the west to conform to the symbolism between the setting sun & death. The bas-reliefs, designed for viewing from left to right in the order of Hindu funereal ritual, support this function. Angkor Wat is the earthly representation of Mt Meru, the Mt Olympus of the Hindu faith & the abode of ancient gods. The Cambodian god-kings of old each strove to better their ancestors’ structures in size, scale & symmetry, culminating in what is believed to be the world’s largest religious building.

It is the largest religious monument in the world, on a site measuring 162.6 hectares & is acclaimed as one of the most inspired monuments ever conceived by the human mind. It was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of his reign

As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation, was never abandoned to the elements & has been in virtually continuous use since it was built. It is considered the epicentre of Khmer civilisation & a source of fierce national pride.

.

The traveller's first glimpse of Angkor Wat, the ultimate expression of Khmer genius, is matched by only a few select spots on earth. Simply unique, it is a stunning blend of spirituality & symmetry, an enduring example of humanity’s devotion to its gods. Relish the very first approach, as that spine-tickling moment when you emerge on the inner causeway, will rarely be felt again.

To approach the temple, visitors first cross the vast moat, continuing along a broad causeway lined with naga balustrades. As you enter the main building, ascend through a series of galleries & courtyard before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway & across the surrounding countryside

The plan of Angkor Wat is difficult to grasp when walking through the monument because of the vastness. Its complexity & beauty both attract and distract one's attention. From a distance Angkor Wat appears to be a colossal mass of stone on one level with a long causeway leading to the center but close up it is a series of elevated towers, covered galleries, chambers, porches & courtyards on different levels linked by stairways.

The sandstone blocks from which Angkor Wat was built were quarried from the holy mountain of Phnom Kulen, more than 50 km away & floated down the Siem Reap River on rafts. The logistics of such an operation are mind blowing, consuming the labour of thousands. According to inscriptions, the construction of Angkor Wat involved 300,000 workers & 6000 elephants, yet it was still not fully completed.

Covered galleries with columns define the boundaries of the first & second levels. The third level supports five towers - four in the corners and one in the middle & these is the most prominent architectural feature of Angkor Wat. Graduated tiers, one rising above the other, give the towers a conical shape and, near the top, rows of lotuses taper to a point.

The height of Angkor Wat from the ground to the top of the central tower is greater than it might appear: 213 meters (699 feet), achieved with three rectangular or square levels (1-3). Each one is progressively smaller & higher than the one below starting from the outer limits of the temple.

Enjoy the intricate stone carvings that adorn nearly every surface of the outer gallery walls with some 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted into the walls. The temple is admired for the grandeur & harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs which narrate stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous Churning of the Ocean of Milk & for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.

Mid-morning head back to the hotel in time for breakfast before relaxing in the garden, by the pool, or in your own room through the heat of the day

Later in the afternoon, head to Angkor Thom, the famous walled city covering an area of 10 sq km.

Enter through the monumental South Gate over a causeway lined on either side by statues of demons & gods, each carrying a giant naga.

Continue to the Terrace pf the Elephants & the Terrace of the Leper King, former spaces for public cermonies, both adorned with dramatic bas reliefs. Visit

See the many temples within its borders, including the fascinating Bayon temple, one of the most popular & compelling in Angkor, explore the galleries of beautifully preserved bas reliefs & ascend narrow stairs to reach the central sanctuary, where you will find magnificent giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down at you from every angle.

Angkor Thom is undeniably an expression of the highest genius. It is, in three dimensions & on a scale worthy of an entire nation, the materialization of Buddhist cosmology, representing ideas that only great painters would dare to portray.

Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Empire, was a fortified city enclosing residences of priest, officials of the palace and military, as well as buildings for administering the kingdom.

These structures were built of wood & have perished but the remaining stone monuments testify that Angkor Thom was indeed a "Great City" as its name implies. Temples inside the walls of the city are Bayon, Phimeanakas, Baphuon, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, Prah Palilay, Tep Pranam & Prasat Suor Prat.

The Royal Palace situated within the city of Angkor Thom is of an earlier date & belonged to kings of the 10^th - 11^th centuries. Although the foundations & an enclosing wall around the palace with entry towers have been identified, little evidence remains of the layout of the buildings inside the enclosure.

The French ascertained a general plan of the Royal Palace. It included the temple-mountain of Phimeanakas & surrounding pools together with residences & buildings for administering the capital, which were probably at the back of the enclosure. Jayavarman VII reconstructed the original site of the Royal Palace Palace to erect the city of Angkor Thom, which was centered around the Temple of Bayon & surrounded by a wall.

At the center of the Kingdom complex rise a Golden Tower flanked by more than twenty lesser towers & several hundred stone chambers. On the eastern side is a golden bridge guarded by two lions of gold, one on each side, with eight golden Buddhas spaced along the stone chambers. North of the Golden Tower of Bronze (Baphuon), higher even than the Golden tower. a truly astonishing spectacle.

A quarter of a mile further north is the residence of the King rising above his private apartments is another tower of gold, These are the monuments which have caused merchants from overseas to speak so often of "Cambodia the rich & noble "

Symbolically, Angkor Thom is a microcosm of the universe, divided into four parts by the main axes. The temple of the Bayon is situated at the exact center of the axes and stands as the symbolical link between heaven and earth. The wall enclosing the city of Angkor Thom represents the stonewall around the universe and the mountain ranges around Meru. The surrounding moat (now dry) symbolizes the cosmic ocean.

A long causeway leading to each entry tower is flanked by a row of 54 stone figures on each side - demons on the right & gods on the left-to make a total of 108 mythical beings guarding the city of Angkor Thom. The demons have a grimacing expression & wear a military headdress whereas the gods look serene with their almond-shaped eyes and wear a conical headdress. (Some of the heads on these figures are copies; the original ones have been removed and are at the Angkor Conservancy in Siem Reap).

There are several beautiful spots from which to watch the sunset & the Tour-guide would take you to a vantage point. Relax & enjoy a memorable end to your day at the temples.

The Tour finishes & you return to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions for Optional activities & arrange).

Early morning, meet the Tour-guide at 07.00 am depart & proceed for a full day 8 hour excursion to the Phnom Kulen National Park in the protected Cambodian jungle, driving through countless villages.

Phnom Kulen Park is located in the Phnom Kulen mountain is home to a community-protected area of mainly intact evergreen & boulder forest.

Kulen is considered by Khmers to be the most sacred mountain in Cambodia & it is a popular place for domestic visitors during weekends & festivals.

The hill is used as the ancient capital city II in AD 802 to declared himself as god king & announced independence from Java, then giving birth to present day Cambodia. On the hilltop there are 56 Angkorian temples made of bricks & volcanic stones, founded during the reign of King Jayavarman Only the base of the temple remains intact. The visible sites are Prasat krau Romeas, Rong Chen (the first mountain temple), Sra Damrei (Elephant pond). Thousands of phallic symbols carved a long liver bed & divided in three ports, used for baptistery, for the Hindu trinity gods. At the summit of the hill you can see Buddhist pagoda & a large reclining Buddha statue 8 meters length carved into a sandstone bock in 16^th century.

You will leave early in the morning for this forest that surrounds Preah Ang Thom, the largest community on the mountain. By including them in the tour development, locals are provided with an income & therefore an incentive to help stop deforestation & protect the wildlife

As you drive to the village, your Tour-guide will talk about how this conservation initiative involves local villagers who maintain the trails.

After arriving and walking through the village, the trail heads into the forest with the canopy high above providing shade even in Cambodia’s hottest months.

Hike along the cleared trails, while you keep your eyes open for the wildlife that inhabits the area - in addition to the flying squirrels & birds. Rare Silver Langurs were recently discovered in Kulen.

After passing over a boulder passageway & through an active bat cave, you will stop for lunch along the banks of the Kulen River before heading back to Preah Ang Thom to visit Cambodia’s largest statue of a reclining Buddha reaching nirvana, carved into a huge sandstone boulder. The 8 meter tall statue is the sacred & worshipping god for Phnom Kulen.

If you want to, you can enjoy the beauty of the Kulen Waterfall, split in two spots. The water here is considered holy & Khmers like to bottle it to take home with them. The source of water eventually flows in to Tonle Sap Lake & is thought to bless the water ways of Cambodia.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions for Optional activities & arrange).

Early morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am depart & proceed for a full day 8 hour tour of the other temples.

Banteay Srei is a 10^th century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, located in the same area of Angkor, north-east of the main group.

First discovered, it was assumed to be from the 13^th or 14^th centuries, as it was thought that the refined carving must have come at the end of the Angkor period. It was later dated to AD 967, from inscriptions found at the site. It is one of the smallest sites at Angkor, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in stature.The art gallery of Angkor, Banteay Srei, a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, is wonderfully well preserved & many of its carvings are three-dimensional.

Considered by many to be the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art, Banteay Srei is cut from stone of a pinkish hue & includes some of the finest stone carving anywhere on earth. Banteay Srei means ‘Citadel of the Women’ and it is said that it must have been built by a woman, as the elaborate carvings are supposedly too fine for the hand of a man.

Banteay Srei is one of the few temples around Angkor to be commissioned not by a king but by a brahman, who may have been a tutor to Jayavarman V.

The temple is square & has entrances at the east & west, with the east approached by a causeway. Of interest are the lavishly decorated libraries & the three central towers, which are decorated with male & female divinities and beautiful filigree relief work.

Classic carvings at Banteay Srei include delicate women with lotus flowers in hand and traditional skirts clearly visible, as well as breathtaking re-creations of scenes from the epic Ramayana adorning the library pediments (carved inlays above a lintel). However, the sum of the parts is no greater than the whole – almost every inch of these interior buildings is covered in decoration. Standing watch over such perfect creations are the mythical guardians, all of which are copies of originals stored in the National Museum.

You can eat at one of several small restaurants, complete with ornate wood furnishings cut from Cambodia’s forests, near the entrance to the temple.

Then, continue on to visit the Cambodian Land Mine Museum, a rather humble look at the land mine problem, past & present.

The Museum & Relief Facility is located near the Banteay Srey Temple complex & has eye-opening displays on the curse of land mines in Cambodia. The impressive collection includes mines, mortars, guns & weaponry, and there is a mock minefield where visitors can attempt to locate the deactivated mines. What is even more impressive is the story of one Khmer man, Aki Ra, who disarmed the majority of these landmines alone & established the museum.

Proceeds from the museum are ploughed into mine-awareness campaigns & the museum strives to educate the visitors of the importance of clearing landmines in Cambodia. With potentially 5,000,000 still in the ground, landmines have immensely impacted the history & culture of this amazing society. They also educate & support over two dozen at-risk Khmer children who otherwise would never have had this bright of a future. The Relief Center where they & staff, live is located on the museum property.

You can eat in the temple complex overlooking Sra Srang at one of several small restaurants, complete with ornate wood furnishings cut from Cambodia’s forests, near the entrance to the temple.

Then, proceed to the 12^th century Banteay Kdei, a massive Buddhist monastery from the latter part of, is surrounded by four concentric walls. Banteay Kdei, meaning "A Citadel of Chambers", also known as "Citadel of Monks' cells", is a Buddhist temple in Angkor. Each of its four entrances is decorated with garudas, which hold aloft one of Jayavarman VII’s favourite themes: the four faces of Avalokiteshvara. The outer wall of Banteay Kdei measures 500m by 700m. The inside of the central tower was never finished & much of the temple is in a ruinous state due to hasty construction.

Continue on to the ultimate Indiana Jones fantasy, Ta Prohm is cloaked in dappled shadow, its crumbling towers & walls locked in the slow muscular embrace of vast root systems. Undoubtedly the most atmospheric ruin at Angkor, Ta Prohm should be high on the hit list of every visitor. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it has been swallowed by the jungle & looks very much the way most of the monuments of Angkor appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions for Optional activities & arrange).

Morning after an early breakfast, meet the Tour-guide & leave the hustle & bustle of the city for the life floating village of Prek Toal via Meychrey, driving through villages, rice paddies & watching Cambodians going about their daily routine of farming & fishing.

Reach the traditional village of Meychrey located on the northern part of Tonle Sap Lake, where you will see the everyday village life on the lake as well as an opportunity to explore the nearby flooded forest.

Then, board a boat that will take you through the village & areas where houses, shops & schools all sit floating on the water. Cruise along on the lake as you head to a suitable location to launch the kayaks. Enjoy lunch on board.

Stop at the launching point & transfer to Kayaks. You will paddle the kayak through the seasonally flooded forests to the floating village of Prek Toal to reach to your homestay - a floating house.

Tonle Sap Lake is the largest body of fresh water in Southeast Asia & has been key to the area's civilisations' prosperity & demise over millennium. Life on the Tonle Sap has adapted to the rise & fall of water caused by the phenomenal back-flow from the Mekong River which feeds the lake during the monsoon & drains it during the dry season.

The Tonle Sap Great Lake floods the flat-lands around the floating village of Prek Toal creating a myriad of waterways populated by birds & fishermen.

To truly experience this incredible ecosystem, paddle along the edges of the flooded forests down quiet channels & through the floating village of Kampong Prahoc. From here it is a couple of kilometers downstream to Prek Toal.

After you have met your homestay family, settle in.

Later in the afternoon, get to know the village, visiting a family house, the floating fish cages, the crocodile pens &  floating gardens... even a pool hall. Accompanied by the Tour-guide, go to the Saray Platform, a community social enterprise initiative that gives the poorest women in the village employment  by having them weave the stems of invasive Water Hyacinth into beautiful handicrafts.

The main attractions in the area are the stilted & floating homes & the daily life that take place around them

The Tour-guide will tell you about its people, industries & the history while you cruise along. You will see the only non-floating building, the local Pagoda. As this area is visited by less people, unlike the busier Chong Khneas, it will give you a unique, more peaceful & immersive experience in the everyday life on the lake in Cambodia.  Row your kayak through the nearby flooded forest.

This is where you will enjoy a wonderful local dinner, before returning to your homestay.

Enjoy leisure time, and an early night, before rising early for the birding spectacle in the morning.

Today, rise up early to meet the Tour-guide at 06.00 am & grab a quick breakfast or local coffee if you need a caffeine buzz & proceed on a full day visit to the Core Bird Reserve. Best time to see birds is early morning or late afternoon & this means a very early start.

Transfer to Chong Kneas Pier to board your Motor Boat for a 90 minute ride to reach the stunning Sanctuary.

Arrive at the Prek Toal Environmental Research Station & browse the Information Racks showcasing the   area's flora & fauna before venturing out to catch the incredible spectacle. Part of your Entrance Fee to the Sanctuary goes towards educating children & villagers about the importance of the birds & the unique flooded-forest environment.

From here, get up on another small boat with an official Park Guide which will take you further into the actual sanctuary area, about 1 hour beyond. The Park Tour-guides are equipped with booklets with the bird names in English, but they speak little English themselves (but you have your accompanying Tour-guide anyway)

It’s an ornithologist’s fantasy, with a significant number of rare breeds gathered in one small area. Even the uninitiated will be impressed, as these birds have a huge wingspan and build enormous nests.

The 'bird sanctuary' at the Prek Toal core area of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve has been called "the single most important breeding ground in Southeast Asia for globally threatened large water birds

making it South East Asia’s largest fresh water bird colony. 

The Biosphere covers 31,282 hectares at the northwest tip of the Tonle Sap Lake & plays host to approximately 200 species including Greater & Lesser Adjuncts, Black-headed Ibis, Painted Stork, Milky Stork, Spot-billed Pelican, Grey-Headed Fish Eagle & many more. Of the three Biosphere core areas on the Tonle Sap Lake, Prek Toal is the most popular with birdwatchers. The best time to explore is the dry season between December to May when flocks of migratory birds congregate at Prek Toal. When the dry season progresses & the water recedes, the number of birds increase, but the access to viewing areas becomes slightly more difficult.

Return back to Prek Toal Floating Village in the late afternoon.

On arrival, board the vehicle for the drive back to Siem Reap.

Check-in at the hotel & relax.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or explore independently (we shall be happy to offer suggestions for Optional activities & arrange).

Finally, the mystical experience comes to an end and it is time to say good-bye.

Check-out of the hotel by 12:00 noon (if the departure time is later in the evening, we will request the hotel to allow the  use of facilities & to leave the luggage at the Bell Desk). 

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? -  Siem Reap International Airport for the flight back home.  B

 .

 . 

***        End of Services      ***