Cambodia: Khmer History, Culture & Cuisine (IPC08)

Sua s’dei! Welcome to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Upon arrival at Phnom Penh Airport, your private guide and driver are waiting to meet you, holding up a welcome signboard with your names on it and take you directly to your hotel.

After checking-in, you will have time to relax and adjust to the pace of Phnom Penh, the vibrant bustling capital of Cambodia. Situated at the confluence of three rivers, the mighty Mekong, the Bassac, and the great Tonle Sap, what was once considered the ‘Gem’ of Indochina.

There will be a short tour briefing this evening with your guide followed by a welcome dinner at Malis Restaurant, one of Phnom Penh’s top addresses for authentic Khmer cuisine.

After dinner options: if you are still energetic enough, let’s have some drinks at Sora Bar (our favorite) at the Rosewood Phnom Penh. Unwind high above the city and take in spectacular views at Phnom Penh’s best sky bar has to offer, perched on a cantilevered terrace. Located on level 37 of the Rosewood Hotel, Sora is a high-energy bar and lounge where guests can feel the buzz of the dynamic city below.

Please note: You must have both a passport and a visa to enter Cambodia. And your passport must also have at least six months’ validity remaining beyond the date that you enter Cambodia. You can get a visa on arrival in Cambodia. Make sure you have two passport-sizes photographs.

Overnight in Phnom Penh
Meals: (_/_/D)

Morning
Meet your private guide and head out to visit the most remarkable sights of Phnom Penh in tuk-tuk and a Cyclo (a three-wheeled bicycle taxi), an original Phnom Penh means of transportation and a fun way to explore this lively city.

Begin with a leisurely walk through the French Quarter, which will open your eyes to Phnom Penh’s colonial-era architecture. Admire Belle Epoque and Art Deco design, a train station built during colonial times as wells as the Buddhist Temple, Wat Phnom, the tallest religious structure in the city.

Continue onto the Royal Palace Compound built-in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom, the most conspicuous feature and also one of the most impressive colorful Khmer-style Palaces. Nearside the Royal Palace is the Silver Pagoda (The Emerald Buddha temple), which displays plenty of Buddha Statues that were decorated and made by diamond, emerald, gold, and silver. After touring the pagoda a tuk-tuk will take you back to your hotel for your rest during the mid-day heat.

Afternoon
Gain insight into Cambodia’s recent dark history on a visit to the infamous Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as Prison S21) and listen to English commentary en route. The prison comprises 4 buildings with exhibitions in several rooms. During your visit, you will barely meet a single person who didn’t lose a member of their family during these years, yet they are all willing to talk openly about it with you. They wish you to hear about it and see these places, to ensure that it never happens again.

After visiting the museum, take a 40-minute drive to the Killing Fields, see a documentary on the Khmer Rouge regime. Under the leadership of Pol Pot, his government caused the deaths of more than two million people. There will be around 1 hour and 15 minutes to explore the site. An audio guide is available in 15 languages along with a map of the fields.

Evening
Meet your food expert guide and zoom past the streets of Phnom Penh aboard a tuk tuk again and see the city’s famous landmarks by night. Spice up the ride with unlimited beer and drinks you can enjoy as you go from one destination to another.

You will first fill yourself up with the best noodles in town, delight in the rich taste of roasted chicken and ribs, and wrap your own lettuce and rice noodle rolls. Continue to discover the taste of Cambodian cuisine by visiting family-run restaurants that serve authentic Khmer dishes.

Head to a local rooftop bar and enjoy the stunning views of the city as you sip on delicious craft beer or cocktails. Sit among the locals and see how they spend their night with family and friends.

Overnight in Phnom Penh
Meals: (B/_/D)

Morning
After breakfast and check out of your hotel, depart Phnom Penh, travelling over scenic backroads to Cambodia’s former capital, Oudong. En route, pause to visit a local family that is producing palm sugar at their house. Later on, climb to the top of the stupa-filled hill of Oudong and enjoy an early lunch local style in the picnic huts at the foot of the mountain.

Afternoon
Continue your road drive to Battambang where you will be taken directly to your hotel for check-in.

In the late afternoon, transfer to visit Phare Ponleu Selpak, a School of Music, Visual & Performing Arts – Phare Ponleu Selpak combines the arts to provide education, support, and entertainment to the poor communities. This project is a success story of how humanitarian aid work can turn into a display of zest for life, genuine warmth and creativity, against all odds. A visit to one of their circus shows will leave you with a lasting memory of the wonderful Cambodian people and should not be missed when in Battambang!

Evening
Visit Jaan Bai (“rice bowl” in Khmer), an excellent social-enterprise restaurant run by respected Cambodian children’s charity CCT for an innovative Khmer dinner. The restaurant provides training and employment for young people in their program. They also serve up a mean bowl of curry. Jaan Bai’s menu features modern Khmer dishes made from local, seasonal produce and lots of tasty vegetarian options–try the spectacular potato, corn, and tomato curry. The perfectly crafted cocktails with an Asian twist are not to be missed.

Overnight in Battambang
Meals: (B/L/D)

Morning
After breakfast, meet your guide, a short bicycle competency test will be given and you will get fitted for your bicycle (either a mountain bike or sturdy basket bike).

Start with the tour of the main market, Psar Nath includes trying a local coffee. Then paddle to the river and cross a couple of minutes on a local boat to the other side of the Sangke River. Here you will visit Wat Povil Remple and take the opportunity to pray with the monks. It is usually possible to accompany the boats back across the river as they begin their morning alms collection.

Once back on the other side, visit the historic 2.5 Street along with a Thai temple before you arrive at a smaller market. Again time for a coffee or a sugar cane juice.

Continue a short distance to Wat Kor Village, known for its many old Khmer heritage houses built around a century ago. Visit one of the best-preserved homes. Cycle along the river and cross a suspension bridge where only motorbikes and bicycles can pass. On the way back into town there is another short drink stop before return to town for lunch at the local restaurant.

Afternoon
Head to the train station to take a 1-hour unique ride on the traditional Bamboo Train, a bamboo platform laid over 2 sets of wheels on a single track. In the old days, this was used to transport goods between Battambang and Phnom Penh and was a typical mode of transport for farmers and villagers. Today, it takes you through the beautiful countryside to a little village you can explore on foot before returning to your starting point. From there, head towards Phnom Sampeau, meaning “Ship Hill” in Khmer, due to its distinctive shape, and one of the few hills standing out in this otherwise pancake-flat plain. From the small temple on the top, you will have a fantastic view of the typical landscape of paddy fields and sugar palm trees below.

Finish the tour and get back to the hotel in the late afternoon where the remainder of the day at your leisure.

Evening
Enjoy a scrumptious dinner Pomme d’Amour with its inventive menu mixing French and Khmer cuisine.

Overnight in Battambang
Meals: (B/L/D)

Morning
After breakfast and check out of the hotel, meet your guide again and embark on a private boat that will take you on a fascinating journey across Tonlé Sap Lake to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Archeological Park.

Along the way you will pass floating villages and flooded forests, portraying life on this body of water that forms Cambodia’s heart. The boat trip is around 6 hours and you will enjoy a take-away lunch.

Note: This boat trip is only possible in the high water period from July to December as water levels are too low during the dry season (January to June). Therefore the alternative transfer is by road.

Afternoon
Arrive and transfer to your hotel in Siem Reap. After a short rest, head out to visit the excellent Angkor National Museum. The visit serves as an excellent primer to the gems of Angkor before visiting the temples. The museum provides a potentially large collection of relics, texts and audiovisual presentations relating to the Angkorian era. With even a basic knowledge of the history and symbolism of the architecture, you will have a much richer and engaging experience visiting the temples.

Evening
Indulge in a scrumptious Cambodian dinner with the classical Apsara dancers depicting scenes from Khmer mythology at Angkor Village Theater.
Overnight in Siem Reap

Meals: (B/_/D)

Today you will have a full day of exploration in Siem Reap. You will experience the temple relics in a way that will really let you feel like you’ve escaped the 20th century and traveled a thousand years back to a time when life was simple and nature was surreal.

Morning
After an early breakfast, you’ll be you will be picked up by your private guide and driver. Start your discovery of the temple of the legendary city of Ta Prohm Temple, best known for its gigantic roots of vine that convent down the walls of a thousand years. Worn by time, rain, and overpowered by the jungle, this immaculate structure is hidden under the canopy will leave you feeling like you’ve stepped into the movie set of a treasure hunt adventure. Your private tour guide will give you the history and stories passed through oral tradition.

Leaving the Ta Prohm, pick up your bike and paddle through the hidden rainforest trails, get closer to the greenery and hear the sound of nature along the way to the city of Angkor Thom via the grand South Gate. Here you’ll explore the last capital of the once great Khmer Empire, with the 216 enigmatic faces of The Bayon at its centre. Still, within the ancient city walls, you’ll marvel at the view from the summit of Baphuon, the enormous temple mountain, affording unspoiled views over the surrounding ruins. You’ll round off the morning poring over the intricate bas-relief of the Elephant Terrace, and Terrace of the Leper King.

For lunch, you’ll visit the Sala Bai Hotel School where disadvantaged local youth learn skills that enable them to find gainful employment in the hospitality industry.

Afternoon
Be prepared to enjoy one of the Wonders of the Ancient World: Angkor Wat. At this point, you most probably have gotten glimpses of the towers over treetops and the gates in front of passing. But now you’ll finally get to satiate that curiosity that’s grown in the last few days.

With your guide, you’ll enter Angkor Wat and learn about the stories and amazing architecture that has stunned archeologists leaving more questions than answers. Angkor Wat possesses some of the most intricate and longest stone carvings in the world. This complex is four times the size of the Vatican City making it the largest religious site in the world. Spend the afternoon adventuring through the many passages, levels, and exploring chambers that once housed one of many treasures of the ancient world. It will be an experience that you remember for a very long time.

Finish the tour and transfer back to your hotel where the balance of the day is at your leisure. Chill out and relaxing at the hotel’s swimming pool.

Overnight in Siem Reap
Meals: (B/L/_) 

Morning
Discover authentic Khmer cuisine in a cooking class with Cambodian chef Kethana Dunnett at Sugar Palm Restaurant, renowned for its home-cooked Cambodian food. Start with a pickup and travel to a village near Banteay Srei to meet your chef at her country home. Mrs. Kethana will instruct you how to prepare hearty traditional Cambodian dishes (making one of the best Fish Amok in town), lasting 3 hours before appreciating the fruits of your labour.

Afternoon
After lunch, continue to visit the “gem” of the Angkor area, the pretty temple of Banteay Srey. The so-called “Citadel of the Women” remains the best-preserved temple in Cambodia. It displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art as this small temple is noted for its truly remarkable fine bas-reliefs. Banteay Srey is unique in that it is constructed of pink sandstone, which is seen nowhere else in Angkor. Once you finish your visit, transfer back to your hotel where the remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure.

Evening
Your private driver will take your family Angkor Theater to attend Phare, the Cambodian Circus, a unique and dramatic evening’s entertainment. Cambodia’s answer to Cirque du Soleil, Phare performers use theatre, music, dance and daring modern circus acts to convey historical, folk, and modern Cambodian stories in a totally new way.

Overnight in Siem Reap
Meals: (B/L/_)

Morning
After breakfast, you will be picked up and transferred to the Artisans d’Angkor, established in 1992 in order to support Cambodian arts and crafts and to help young people find work in their local villages by continuing the practice of traditional arts.

Upon arrival, you will be introduced to the students and see their work who are learning the art of stone carving, wood ornamental sculpture, the making of small furniture, and the art of lacquer and polychromy. You will observe the various training methods and completed projects. Next, head to the district of Puok, to the Silk Farm, where you’ll learn the intricate stages in the production of handmade silk, from growing the mulberry trees and silkworm breeding to the ancient craft of silk dyeing and weaving.

Afternoon
Return to your hotel for your free time. Just relax at the hotel swimming pool and enjoy the comfort of your hotel.

Evening
Meet your guide again and embark on a street food tour by tuk-tuk. The 3-hour tour takes you to the very heart of Khmer culture and to hidden places beyond any guidebook. Begin at an evening local market where you gain an insight into fresh Cambodian ingredients. Then you will cruise through the busy streets of this ancient heritage town and you will be introduced to all aspects of Khmer cuisine so get your senses prepared! The tour is filled with exceptional Khmer cuisine which is fresh, adventurous, tasty, and organic with wonderful flavors and textures.

Overnight in Siem Reap
Meals: (B/L/D)

After breakfast and check out of your hotel, your private driver is waiting for you to take you to Siem Reap International airport for your departure flight home or travel on to more adventures, we will help you with the planning.

Meals: (B/_/_)