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 & is light years behind Bangkok.

Later in the afternoon, meet your Tour-guide in the lobby at 03.00 pm & proceed for an orientation drive -around some of the city’s most historically significant sites.

However, there will be 1 stop at a sombre site indelibly linked forever to the history of Cambodia.

Visit 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.

Later in the evening, meet the Rep & transfer to one of Phnom Penh’s most celebrated restaurant - the Malis to enjoy a sumptuous Welcome dinner of authentic Khmer cuisine.

Return to the hotel.

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 09.00 am & ride the traditional ‘Cyclos’ to the beautiful, domed, deco Central Market, which offers a ‘kind’ of kaleidoscopic view of what is on offer in Cambodia, shopping wise.

Shopping in Phnom Penh is a major attraction for tourists who love to buy back some souvenirs from this exotic Asian land. The clean Central Market (Phsar Thmei) is one of those busy bazaars that are always filled with effervescent crowd from one end to the other. Whoever loves to browse endlessly through small yet enticing shops, with the widest range of products for sale, will find the Central Market an enchanting place. The present English name makes it popular to the tourists.

The Market stocks everything right from food items to clothes & silverworks. The jewelry & some of the gold ornament that you will find in the interior of the market are really unsurpassable in design & style.

Constructed in 1937 on a site which was previously a swamp that was used to accumulate runoff rainwaters, it was initially designed by Jean Desbois & the construction was supervised by French architects Louis Chauchon & Wladimir Kandaouroff.

The dark-yellow Art deco building is shaped in the form of a cross with a nice central dome with 4 wings branching out into vast hallways with countless shops selling gold & silver jewelry, antique coins, fake name-brand watches & other such items.

The market building is a beautiful one, a spectacular instance of Cambodian architecture. Central Market also sells electronic items & there is also plenty of second hand stuff that locals can buy here at an affordable rate. The gateway to the market is lined with hawkers who sell different kinds of tidbits. Around the main buildings are stalls offering Krama (the traditional checked scarves), stationery, household items, cloth for sarongs, flowers & second hand clothes, usually from Europe & the US.

For photographers, the fresh food section affords a lot of opportunities. There are a host of good value food stalls on the structure's western side, which faces Monivong Blvd.

From here, move on to another quaint shopping place - the vast Russian Market. This sweltering bazaar is the one market all visitors should come to at least once during a trip to Phnom Penh.

It is the place to shop for souvenirs & discounted name-brand clothing (we obviously can’t vouch for the authenticity of everything, but along with plenty of knock-offs you will find genuine articles stitched in local factories). You will pay less than one-third of the price back home for brands like Banana Republic, Billabong, Calvin Klein, Colombia, Gap & Next.

The Russian Market, so-called by foreigners because the predominantly Russian expat population shopped here in the 1980s, also has a large range of handicrafts & antiquities (many fake), including miniature Buddhas, woodcarvings, betel-nut boxes, silks, silver jewellery, musical instruments & so on. Bargain hard, as hundreds of tourists pass through here every day. There are some good food stalls in the Russian Market if you are feeling peckish.

Enjoy lunch in one of the nearby restaurants.

And now comes the ‘raison d’etre’ for this journey. Not to forget the iconic Angkor Wat Temple complex, of course.

After lunch, it is off to the races!

The Boat Race is part of the annual event Bon Om Touk (Water Festival), a huge 3 day celebration where more than 400 ornately-decorated longboats compete for the top title.

In contrast to Khmer New Year & Pchum Ben, Phnom Penh's riverside is where the action happens, with large swathes of the city pedestrianised with more than a million people flocking from the provinces to the capital to watch colourful boat races (so expect lengthy traffic jams, huge crowds of people and a lot of walking).

Bon Om Touk is one of the most important celebrations for the Cambodian people & millions of flock to attend & find an experience unlike any other.

The Cambodian Water Festival, is always celebrated either in end October or early November & marks the reversal of the flow of the Tonle Sap River. It is a celebration of the end of the rainy season on the full moon of the Buddhist month of Kadeuk. The full moon is considered to bring good luck that can lead to an abundant harvest.

First celebrated in the 12^th century, around the time of Angkorian King Jayavarman VII, when the King's Navy helped usher in the Cambodian fishing season. The festivities made the gods happy & secured good harvests of rice & fish in the upcoming year. Ancient Angkorian Kings also used the water festival to show off military might & prepare powerful navies for battle. It was the perfect time to check the training & fighting skills of their naval warriors.

During the Temple tours, you will see ancient carvings depicting boat races & naval battles. The boats that are currently used during the festival, still match the ones used hundreds of years ago!

The heavy monsoon rains cause the Mekong River to reverse course & backflow into the very large Tonle Sap Lake far upstream. This causes the lake to overflow its normal bounds, which provides plenty of water for Bon Om Touk’s main event, the annual Pirogue longboat race.

Once the Mekong & the Tonle Sap River, which connects the Mekong to Tonle Sap Lake, again start flowing toward the sea, you know it is almost time for Bon Om Touk. The receding of the waters also leaves rich sediments that aid local farmers in the year ahead. (However, be aware that, in low-water years, the annual boat race may be cancelled).

For 3 straight days, the celebrations continue, with people from all over Cambodia thronging into Phnom Penh to take part in the festivities. Khmer families will pick a spot, layout mats with food & drinks, and cheer for their favorite teams.

During both daylight & darkness, the “party” goes on. Activities include music concerts, traditional dancing & feasting on native foods. The regatta often includes as many as 400 racing boats, each decked out in bright colours and rowed by around 80 men & women & one leader, competing for the top prize. The leader is always at the head of the boat controlling the speed & rhythm of his crew. There are prizes for the winners, and on-board dancers & drummers keep the rowers in good rhythm.

This boat racing tradition goes back to the year 1177 A.D., when an enemy fleet moved upstream & across Tonle Sap Lake to sack the city of Angkor. Although they did sack it, the Cambodian king Jayavarman VII chased them down with his own navy & defeated them afterwards. Also, the tradition stems from the annual training exercises of the Cambodian navy on Tonle Sap Lake.

As one the largest & most popular festivals in the kingdom, most towns & villages seek to participate by building boats to race. Each boat has its own unique features, painted & decorated in the style of each village. Young men train incredibly hard to honorably represent their town at the events held in the capital or Siem Reap.

It is incredible to watch the strong, young men row with all their might to the beat of war drums.  There will generally be one boat on the water not participating in the races. Instead, those aboard play traditional music and beat drums to motivate the racers to row faster to victory!

Besides the Pirogue boat race, three other elements of the celebrations to enjoy are:

• Try the special rice treat of Bon Om Touk, Ak Ambok. The dish is made by first frying the rice in its natural husks, then beating it in a pestle till soft, and finally, mixing in banana and coconut meat for flavor. Ak Ambok is for sale everywhere you turn during the Bon Om Touk festival, so you will have not trouble locating it.
• Besides the boat race, there is another boat-related attraction at Bon Om Touk. When evening falls, the waters come alive with numerous illuminated boats, with colorful patterned neon lights, each one representing some branch of the Cambodian government. 
• Stay late into the night & you can see some impressive fireworks displays. There will be multiple colours, large, loud explosions, various shapes appearing in the sky, and crowds cheering & clapping as the show goes on.

In time (to be specified by the Tour-guide in co-ordination with you & other Group members), return to the hotel. If anyone wants to stay longer, they will have to reach the hotel on their own.

Morning, meet the Tour-guide again at 08.00 am & continue the full day sightseeing tour of Phnom Penh.

Visit a selection of carefully-chosen highlights, from the remarkable buildings featuring some of the most stunning architecture to be found anywhere. Despite its turbulent recent history, Cambodia’s bustling capital retains its colonial-era charm with its wide, tree-lined boulevards and mixture of Eastern & Western architectural styles.

You will discover colonial façades & buildings of the “New Khmer Architecture” movement built during the 1950s & 1960s. This movement gave extra care to melding international influences with local materials & traditions

Proceed on traditional ‘Cyclos’ to a local Market for another ‘walking’ tour & learn about Khmer cuisine.

Although Cambodia’s cuisine may not enjoy the international fame of some of its neighboring countries, its national and region dishes offer insights to the country’s heritage.

Step into some shops & wander through the aisles, tasting some local fruits along the way, with your guide explaining the different ingredients used in Khmer cuisine.

Enjoy Lunch at a local restaurant & learn about the ingredients in many of the dishes served. Try a tasty num pung, or French baguette & a nom bahn chok, a quintessential Khmer dish of rice noodles, green fish curry & fresh veggies.

Continue the guided sightseeing, riding on the ‘Cyclos’

First stop will be the Royal Palace, built in 1866 & which has been home to Cambodian monarchs ever since (with the exception of the reign of the Khmer Rouge) & is still the royal residence today for His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk & Her Majesty Preah.

Cambodia’s Royal Palace & adjacent Silver Pagoda is a complex of buildings which serves as the royal residence of the king of Cambodia, offering intriguing insight into Cambodia’s past & present. The Palace identified by the iconic high yellow walls that shelter the site, is one of Phnom Penh’s most splendid architectural achievements & one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.

Sprinkled with history, the beautifully manicured grounds & ornate buildings also offer a reprieve from the hustle & bustle of surrounding capital life - making a trip to the Royal Place a must on every visitor’s itinerary. Locals like to bask in its beauty every day - flocking to the small patch of grass that sits in the shadows of the palace’s Moonlight Pavilion to feed the birds, enjoy snacks or place offerings.

The grounds of the Palace & Silver Pagoda are awash with regal structures, intimate temples, collections of gifts from foreign leaders & murals that paint a picture of the country’s past.

Large parts of the sprawling grounds & formal gardens are open to the public, featuring artistic topiary, fanned palmyra, colourful bougainvillaea & Parisian-inspired paths. However, as it still remains the official royal residence, the areas devoted to royal living are closed to visitors.

There are several entrances to the palace, with the eastern Victory Gate reserved for royalty & VIPs, granting direct access to the Throne Hall. The northern gate, or funeral gate, is only opened after the death of a monarch. In February 2013, the late King Norodom Sihanouk’s body was brought out of this gate to begin the 6 km procession through the capital. Cambodians flocked from across the country to pay their respects to the much-revered king. The capital’s streets were lined with mourners dressed in black & white.

The western gate is referred to as the executing gate & was used to bring prisoners out of the palace to be killed in front of the palace. The southern gate is the ‘commoners’ entrance’, & is how the public reaches the Silver Pagoda.

Buildings that are open to the public include the golden-spired Throne Hall, which is painted yellow to symbolise Buddhism - the main religion in Cambodia - and white to represent Hinduism, the dominant religion during Angkorian times. There are 5 doors to the front of the hall, with the central one reserved for royalty.

The grand golden thrones that sit inside are only used for coronations. The front throne is reserved for the king, with the queen sitting on the rear seat. Hers is taller & built on a golden stage with three stairways - one for the queen herself & the other two for the Brahmin priests who oversee the queen during the ceremony.

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.

The Silver Pagoda is an impressively ornate structure that is also known as Wat Preah Keo, or ‘Temple of the Emerald Buddha’. Originally built as a wooden construction in 1892 under King Norodom, it was rebuilt in its current state in 1962, dripping with silver & jewels, it is one of Cambodia’s only temples to survive under the Khmer Rouge. However, half of its contents were pillaged or destroyed during the Vietnamese invasion & years of turmoil that followed.

Despite this dark chapter in the country’s history, the Pagoda’s extravagance still nestles in every nook & cranny. The floor is covered with 5 tonnes of silver spread across, more than 5,000 tiles. The staircase leading to the pagoda is made of Italian marble, with the temple home to a life-sized gold Buddha dripping with 2,086 diamonds. The largest is said to weigh a hefty 25 carats.

Nods to Cambodia’s rich culture can be found inside the pagoda. The walls are lined with golden Buddhas, ancient art & traditional masks used in many classical dances. Gifts from various heads of states, such as statues, can also be found inside the building.

Continue on to the adjacent National Museum, predominantly constructed in the traditional Khmer style with 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.

Containing the world’s largest collection of Khmer art (housing roughly 5,000 Khmer artifacts dating back from 4^th - 13^th centuries), 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. The roof of the museum is also home to one of Cambodia’s largest bat colonies!

The tour concludes & you will proceed for a sumptuous dinner at the famous Foreign Correspondents’ Club located along the riverside promenade. The iconic colonial building is one of Phnom Penh’s architectural gems with great views over the river. 

Return back to the hotel.

Early morning, depart for Kampong Thom, driving through picturesque rural landscapes.

Enroute, stop at the sleepy peaceful provincial capital - Kampong Cham, spread along the banks of the Mekong.

Known for its French colonial buildings, the relatively small city Kampong Cham isn't a city chock full of tourist attractions, but its colonial charm & atmosphere will endear itself to you. The town offers an accessible slice of the real Cambodia: a land of picturesque villages, pretty wats & fishing communities.

Kompong Cham used to be the most heavily populated province in Cambodia, but was divided in two, giving birth to Tbong Khmum Province. However, Kompong Cham remains a travel hub & acts as the stepping stone to eastern Cambodia.

Long considered Cambodia’s 3^rd city after Phnom Penh & Battambang, Kompong Cham has lately been somewhat left in the dust by the fast-growing tourist towns of Siem Reap & Sihanoukville. It was an important trading post during the French period, the legacy of which is evident as you wander through the streets of crumbling yet classic buildings.

There are a few temples to see in the area, including one of the country's mass graves. Nearby attractions include several Angkorian temples, as well as some atmospheric riverbank rides for cyclists & motor bikers.

To the south, Koh Pen Island is reached via a long bamboo bridge. Just beyond town is Wat Nokor Bachey, where a modern pagoda is built on the site of an Angkorian temple. The hills of Phnom Pros & Phnom Srei have temples at the top. Farther north, Prasat Hanchey has pagodas & Mekong River views.

There is also a French lookout tower on the other side of the river, once used for monitoring river traffic. It is still standing but in a decaying state. You can climb the stairs inside the tower & have a good view on the bridge, the Mekong & the small village next to the tower. The stairs are difficult & dangerous to climb, however.

Most travellers who do find themselves in Kampong Cham are in transit to elsewhere in the country, but those that choose to spend at least a couple of days in the provincial capital will enjoy the laid back atmosphere & quaint charm, where time seems to stand still, away from major construction sites, bustling cities & big crowds. Kampong Cham’s unspoilt countryside & idyllic rural landscape is best explored by bicycle.

Most people in Kampong Cham are of course ethnic Khmer, but there is a sizeable Cham minority in the province's towns, including a disproportionately high number of Muslims & Christians and those of Chinese origin. Most make their living from rubber tapping, cashew nut plantation, fishing, rice farming & from fruit orchards. Off the beaten track, there are quaint little temples in & around the capital city.

Walk around the town & through the local market before driving further to visit a couple of famous landmarks in the countryside.

Visit the mountains Phnom Pros (Man Hill) & Phnom Srei. (Woman Hill). 

But on the way, you will also stop at the tiny crossroads town of Skoun & see the Spider Market famous for an unusual delicacy. Here, spider merchants sell different varieties of large, furry arachnids for locals & adventurous tourists to snack on.

Continue on to Pros & Srei Mountains, praised in every tourist guide.

However, actually nowadays they are only two 'brand new' concrete buildings on the top of some small hills. According to local tradition, two teams of men and women competed to build a stupa on the summit of each hill before dawn. After being tricked into thinking that daybreak had already come, the men lost the competition & as a result, forever after had to be the ones to approach the women for their hands in marriage.

Depending on the time, you may also stop at Phnom Hanchey, another temple on a hilltop in the area. The view of the beautiful Cambodian landscape that you get when you go there however is certainly worth it!  For people who are able to reach there at dawn, they will see a gorgeous sunrise over the Mekong that will be on your right side all through the way

Continue to Wat Nokor Bayon, a thriving modern‐day monastery founded on an 11^th century Angkorian Mahayana Buddhist shrine, containing a standard assortment of Angkor architecture.

Some of the mausoleums are open to tourists and contain piles of bones & skulls from the Khmer Rouge's genocidal reign.  Inside one of the buildings is a very elaborate series of wall paintings, depicting torture & executions (of a religious nature), followed by scenes of heaven & the afterlife.

This is not always an accessible building, as a Monk has to unlock it for you to enter. Sunset in the old Angkorian ruins is a beautiful sight.

For people interested (& have the time) in Apsara dances (traditional Cambodian dances), there are occasional performances in the evenings (mainly weekends & holidays) behind  the Wat Nokor, by the children & teenagers looked after & educated by BSDA, a NGO located at the temple site and managed by the monks. Children & teenagers will be very happy to show off their talents. Entrance is free but donations are certainly welcome.

Continue on to Kampong Thom (Kampong Pos Thom was the original name).

Arrive by evening & Check-in at the hotel.

The friendly, picturesque bustling commercial town of Kompong Thom is situated along the NH6 Highway with the lazy curves of the Stung Saen River winding through the centre, about half-way between Phnom Penh & Siem Reap. 

The town itself may be sparse on attractions, but it is a prime launching pad for those, who would like to dive deeper into the Cambodian culture & way of life in the countryside.

Kompong Thom was a very powerful capital in Southeast Asia during the Funan period. Later on, during the French rule, the province was home to a large group named the Stieng, but they have long been assimilated into Khmer society. During their rule, the French divided Cambodian territory into provinces, & named them according to the spoken words of the people from those specific Provinces.

Because originally long time ago, at the dock of the Sen River next to a big natural lake, there was a big cave with a pair of big snakes inside. The people living around this area usually saw these big snakes every Buddhist Holiday. In time, the snakes disappeared, and the people of that area called it Kampong Pos Thom.

Off the beaten path, tourists may not only participate in the daily life of the locals but will also have the opportunity to visit some hidden gems of Cambodia’s glorious past. Like the serene, tree-entwined temples of UNESCO World Heritage listed temples of Sambor Prei Kuk & the colourful wats of Phnom Santuk.

The grasslands & rice-fields surrounding Kompong Thom are of an extreme importance for wildlife conservation as these areas hold the largest global population of the endangered Bustard the Bengal Florican as well as occasional large waterbirds from the Tonle Sap floodplain (Adjutants, Pelican, Painted Stork). Other species include large numbers of wintering palearctic passerines (including Dusky Warbler, Yellow-breasted Bunting, Siberian Rubythroat) & the globally vulnerable Manchurian Reed Warbler. In March large numbers of Oriental Plover pass through the area making this possibly the best area in the world to see this species.

There is an interesting fruit bat roost in the grounds of the old Governor’s residence (a nice colonial era building). This is behind the market on the first road off the river. If the gate to the old governors building is open, you may be in luck, the house itself is sometimes left unlocked. All of the original furnishings are missing, but some of the bathroom fixtures remain & the house itself gives off a haunted vibe.

The areas also offer a glimpse of everyday life in the Cambodian countryside with many fishermen, ox-carts & small scale farmers.

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

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am & proceed for a full day sightseeing tour.

Drive to Sambor Prei Kuk (which means “the temple in the richness of the forest”) is a Temple complex located just outside Kampong Thom.

Scattered in the jungles, before the rise of the Angor, Sambor Prei Kuk was originally called Isanapura & served as the capital of Upper Chenla during the reign of the early 7^th century King Isanavarman & was an important learning centre during the Angkorian era.

Perhaps the most impressive group of pre-Angkorian monuments in Cambodia, it encompasses the ruins of more than 100 mainly brick temples, among them some of the oldest structures in the country, in an area of serene & soothing atmosphere, with the sandy trails between temples looping through shady forest. Best known for the many detailed carvings, the art found here laid the foundation for Khmer art produced during the Angkor period. The lintels, columns & pilasters of the temples show examples of pre-Angkorian artistry. Many of the carvings seem to depict foreign visitors to the royal court.

Besides its intricate carvings, the Temple ruins are also known for their unique architectural style. Some temples are octagon-shaped which is a unique architectural feature found at Sambor Prei Kuk.

In the early 1970s, Sambor Prei Kuk was bombed by US aircraft in support of the Lon Nol government’s doomed fight against the Khmer Rouge. Some of the craters, ominously close to the temples, can still be seen. The area’s last landmines were cleared in 2008.

Travellers visiting Sambor Prei Kuk can see temple ruins & admire the carvings. Sandy trails lead all history lovers through the site covered by trees.

Explore the main central complex to gain an an insight into the early architectural styles of Cambodia.

From here, you will proceed to a Cashew Nut Farm.

Cambodia is one of the top exporters of cashew nuts globally & produces yearly around 60,000 tons of in-shell cashew nuts. There are a significant number of factories in the country & they continue to grow as the global demand rises.

Here, you will see the process of shelling the nuts & will have an opportunity to purchase the raw cashew nuts for a very reasonable price (rock-bottom compared to rates at home).

On the drive back to the hotel, stop at another interesting point.

Santuk Silk Farm is one of the very few places in Cambodia where the entire process of silk production can be seen - from the delicate silk worm that only feeds on mulberry leaves to the finished silk shawl. The local silk worm produces so-called ‘Khmer golden silk’ because of its lush golden hue.

The Farm is run by a Cambodian lady called Navin, widow of an American war veteran who transformed from a warrior to a conscientious NGO worker, Bud Gibbons. Gibbons settled here after the war & founded this Silk Farm business which today employs about 18 locals as artisan weavers.

See the process & later (depending on the logistics / time) enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal served in the gardens of the farm.

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).

Overnight.  B L

Morning, depart for Siem Reap, driving through picturesque rural landscapes.

Arrive in Siem Reap, the gateway to an ancient world capital city by noon & Check-in at the hotel.

Wrapped in rainforests, edged by golden sands, crowned by volcanoes, studded with ruins of lost civilisations: this is Southeast Asia as you have 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.

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

Later in the evening, meet the Rep & drive to the famous Abacus restaurant located in  a lovely garden setting, to enjoy a Khmer-French fusion meal.

Come back to the hotel.

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.

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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 08.00 am depart & proceed for a full day 8 hour tour of the other temples.

Seemingly miniature in comparison to the other Angkor 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 & is considered to be the jewel of classical Khmer art.

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. Banteay Srei means ‘Citadel of the Women’ & 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.

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, 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 sandstones of a pinkish hue & includes some of the finest stone carving anywhere on earth. Classic carvings at Banteay Srei include delicate women with lotus flowers in hand & 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).

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.

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. Because of its small size, fairy‐like atmosphere & extraordinary examples of Khmer sculpture, this temple is often a favorite with visitors.

Some of the other Temples that you might see (depending on the time & Tour-guides discretion) are -  

Banteay Samre is a mid-12^th century temple dedicated to the god Vishnu.

Ta Prohm is one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.

Sras Srang is a basin east of Banteay Kdei measuring 800 by 400 metres with a tiny island in the middle where only the stone base remains of what was once a wooden temple.

Pre Rip built by Rajendravarman II (ruled 944 to 968), consists of a pyramid shaped temple with the upper‐most of the three tiers carrying five square shrines arranged as a quincunx. The name means turning the body & refers to the traditional method of cremation.

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 Srei 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).

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).

Today you will get a deep understanding of Khmer cuisine at an interactive Cooking course. As you know that Siem Reap City is not just a Temples town for you to wonder, but it is also a city that offers a variety of great Cooking styles, too.

Khmer food is one of the major national identities that reflect the ways of life, thought & mind of the Khmer people which are hidden in the taste of consumption of meat dishes & sweet food.

Khmer cuisine shares many commonalities with the food of neighbouring Thailand - although, less chilli, sugar & coconut cream are used for flavor - & of neighboring Vietnam, with which it shares & adopts many common dishes, as well as a colonial history, as both formed part of the French colonial empire in Southeast Asia.

It has drawn upon influences from the cuisines of China & France, powerful players in Cambodian history. The Chinese began arriving in the 13^th century, but Chinese migration accelerated during the French period. Curry dishes, known as Kari show a trace of cultural influence from India.

The many variations of rice noodles show the influences from Chinese cuisine. Preserved lemons are another unusual ingredient not commonly found in the cooking of Cambodia's neighbors; it is used in some Khmer dishes to enhance the sourness.

The Portuguese & Spanish also had considerable influence in Cambodian affairs in the 16^th century, introducing chili & peanuts into Asia from the New World. However, chili never gained the same status or prominence as it did with the cuisines of neighboring Thailand, Laos & Malaysia. Even today very few recipes include chili.

One legacy of French, the baguette - known as nom pang in Khmer - is ubiquitous in all parts of Cambodia today. Cambodians often eat bread with pate, tinned sardines or eggs. One of these with a cup of strong coffee, sweetened with condensed milk, is an example of a common Cambodian breakfast. Freshly buttered baguettes can be made into sandwiches (also called nom pang) & may be stuffed with slices of ham or any number of grilled meats, with Kampot pepper, similar to Vietnamese banh mi. The French also introduced beer, butter, pate, coffee, chocolate, onions, carrots, broccoli, potatoes & many other types of non-native produce Southeast Asia.

Traditionally, Cambodians eat their meals with at least three or four dishes. A meal will usually include a soup, or samlor, served alongside the main courses. Each individual dish will be either sweet, sour, salty or bitter in taste. Chilli (fresh, pickled or dried) & chili sauce is served on the side and left up to individual diners & to their taste. In this way, Cambodians ensure that they get a bit of every flavor to satisfy their palates.

Would you like to learn how to make authentic quality Khmer food like you eat in the restaurants? Well look no further. Today’s Cooking Class gives you the opportunity to learn how to prepare traditional & delicious Khmer dishes under the guidance of a genuine professional Chef.

Morning at 08.00 am, you will be picked up to travel to a village near the famous Banteay Srei temple to meet a  renowned Chef at her home & learn the traditional secrets of  local Cooking techniques that was forgotten many years ago.

Reach the beautiful traditional teak home of Kiwi-Cambodian chef Kethana Dunnett (who with her husband Bruce, owns Sugar Palm  restaurants in Phnom Penh’s &  Siem Reap's best Cambodian restaurants), set amidst the rice fields in the countryside outside Siem Reap. Kethana has worked with many celebrity chefs, such as Gordon Ramsay & Luke Nguyen and offers exclusive Cooking class at the couple's home, taught in their stunning kitchen.

The Sugar Palm restaurants are characterized by authentic Cambodian cuisine - traditional home-style comfort food of the kind that Chef Kethana learnt to cook from her mother & grandmother. It is worth doing Kethana's class just to discover her secret to cooking one of Cambodia's finest fish amok dishes. This way we hope you will enjoy the fresh flavors of Cambodia & that the subtleties of the Khmer cuisine will intrigue & delight you.

‘Some’ of the delicious dishes you may learn to create are -

• Cambodian Mango Salad - Using fresh and light ingredients, this is a salad everyone will enjoy.
• Fish Amok - Amok is on every visitors 'must do' list. Cooked in a young coconut, Amok is a smooth curry that can be made with either fish, chicken, or tofu.
• Sticky Rice Balls with Palm Sugar and Grated Young Coconut
• Prahet Chien - Minced fish on sugar cane Cambodian Curry - unlike its Thai neighbor, Cambodian foods do not tend to be hot and spicy, relying instead on layers of fragrant spices.
• Nom Tong Noun - Khmer brandy snaps & the delicious, slightly sweet treat is impossible to resist.

The experience commences with a Welcome Drink, then a walk with the Chef to the local Market to purchase the vegetables & herbs to be used in your meal today. Discover the sights & sounds of the thriving market as you gather freshest products for your meals. You can witness the daily activities & living style of local people selling products & operating the market.

Kethana & Bruce keep things fairly casual and you can be as hands-on (or not) as you like. You will learn the difference between Khmer & other regional cuisines, as well as how to create some of the dishes served at Sugar Palm. Learn how to prepare delicious 3 Course Cambodian cuisine with good instructions.  Along the way you will learn about the herbs & vegetables that are grown at most Khmer households & are used in daily cooking.

Try your hand at making delicious & authentic Cambodian meals, and learn the tips & tricks of the country’s traditional cuisine that you can then re-produce at home. Everyone will have his or her own cooking station & equipment.

Distinguished by a subtle use of spice, delicate flavours, myriad textures & mouth-watering aromas, Cambodian dishes are best enjoyed shared. And so the experience ends with lunch.

At the end of the course, you will get the chance to enjoy the fruits of your labor as you sit down in the wooden pavilion, perched over a charming pond, to enjoy the lunch that you just cooked, which includes 2 appetizers & 2 main dishes. Your dishes will be served to you one by one, letting you enjoy & compare dishes.

After lunch, you will proceed to the nearby Golden Silk Pheach Farm where you will learn about silk weaving.

Golden Silk Pheach is a working silk farm near Banteay Srei with a boutique selling beautiful clothes & textiles woven on the farm.

Having left Cambodia to study in France, founder Sophea Pheach returned to her country to volunteer in refugee camps on the Thai border & soon after opened a village for orphans of the war.

Pheach established Golden Silk Pheach as an NGO in 2002 to provide employment for the former orphans & other disadvantaged women from surrounding villages. Pheach calls the silk farm a Preservation Center, because her aim is to safeguard the traditional silk production process & Golden Silk Pheach is one of only a few farms where the process is fully integrated in one location, from raising the increasingly rare yellow silk worms to hand-weaving the silk on traditional wooden looms.

Boasting 12 hectares of mulberry trees, the silk farm is home to numerous workshops where you can learn about the process, watch the women at work & try your hand at weaving on a loom. You will tour the mulberry farms, weaving rooms, dying facilities & a crafts shop. The boutique sells silk & other textile products, all hand-woven & dyed with natural pigments.

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).

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

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