Grand Tour of Cambodia

Phnom Penh, founded in the 14th century, is a key trading hub at the confluence of three rivers. Begin the day with a guided tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek “Killing Fields” to learn about Cambodia’s history. Next, visit the National Museum to explore ancient Khmer art and finish at the Royal Palace, home to the royal family and the beautiful silver pagoda.

Today, we leave the busy city and drive through Cambodia’s beautiful countryside to Kampong Cham, known for rubber production. We’ll explore this quaint town and visit Wat Nokor Pagoda, an 11th-century shrine with a reclining Buddha. On the way to Kampong Thom, we’ll stop at Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei. After checking in at the hotel around lunchtime, take a walking tour of nearby villages and climb 980 steps to Phnom Santuk for a great sunset view.

This morning’s ride is interjected with a trio of interesting stops, first the Saoba Monoliths (Taiwan’s mini version of Stone Henge), then on to the Tropic of Cancer Monument, and finally for a well-earned cuppa’ amidst the tea farms of Wuhe. We then take a lovely little cut through road back to highway 193, and now officially in the tropics, bear south through the ever-widening Rift Valley, stopping for a delicious dumpling lunch. After lunch we continue on to our overnight stop perched atop a hill on the edge of the Rift Valley. It’s a great spot to sit back, relax and enjoy the views and in the evening our host will put on a gourmet feast for dinner.

For early risers, we offer a morning tuk-tuk tour to see the sunrise over the Angkor Temples from 4:30 AM to 6 AM. After breakfast at the hotel, start your day at the South Gate of Angkor Thom, with its impressive doors, the Bayon temple, and the Baphuon and Phimeanakas Mountains. Next, visit the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King, and Takeo, a 10th-century temple dedicated to Shiva. Finally, explore Ta Prohm Temple, famous for its giant trees, and visit Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II and dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu.

Start your day by exploring more temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park, then head to Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia’s largest water reservoir. After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Banteay Srei, known for its beautiful stone carvings, and then visit Preah Khan, a large temple built in the 12th century. In the afternoon, enjoy a short cruise on Tonle Sap Lake to see the floating villages. Finally, return to the Angkor Park in the evening to watch the sunset from Phnom Krohm Mountain.

This morning, we travel to Koh Ker to explore the old abandoned temples in northern Cambodia’s forests. Also called Chok Gargyar, this area was once the capital under Jayavarman IV before Harshavarman I moved it back to Angkor. There are over 30 major structures, with archaeologists believing there may have been up to 100 smaller temples here. In the afternoon, we drive back to Siem Reap, stopping to visit the remote and jungle-covered Beng Mealea temple along the way.

Today, we drive to Battambang, Cambodia’s second largest city. After breakfast at the hotel, we travel to Battambang, arriving in the afternoon. Check in at your hotel, then take a walking tour of the city’s bustling boulevards with charming French colonial buildings. Next, we will visit Battambang’s hilltop temples and the well-known Phnom Sampov cave, which was tragically used as an execution site during the Khmer Rouge era.

Today, we drive from Battambang to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital. We’ll stop at Kompong Chnang to visit the floating village in Kompong Luong and see rural life. Arriving in Phnom Penh in the afternoon, we’ll check in to your hotel. After some free time to relax, visit the “Russian Market” to practice your bargaining skills and find items ranging from motorcycle parts to valuable gems.

Leaving Phnom Penh, we drive to the seaside resort of Kep-sur-Mer, a favorite spot for the French in the early 1900s. After breakfast at the hotel, we head south and stop at Phnom Chisor Temple from the 11th century. Climb the 500 steps for great views of the countryside. Next, we visit Takeo and take a short cruise to Angkor Borei, near the Vietnamese border. At a small museum, see reproductions of sculptures and artifacts from the 4th century. Then, we’ll take a boat to see the pre-Angkorian temple, Phnom Da, and the nearby temple, Asram Maharosei. We will arrive in Kep in the evening and check in at the hotel.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then take a local boat for a 30-minute trip to Rabbit Island. Spend the afternoon swimming in the warm waters and snorkeling around the rocks to see colorful fish. Return to Kep in the late afternoon and spend the rest of the day relaxing at your leisure.

After breakfast at the hotel, head to Sihanouk Ville, known for its beautiful white-sand beaches and coastal islands. On the way, visit Kampot’s cave of Phnom Chhnork, where you can see a 7th-century brick temple. Next, explore the caves of Phnom Sla’an. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can scramble through the cave to reach the top of the hill for great views of the countryside and the Gulf of Thailand. Kampot was famous for its aromatic pepper in the 1960s, so we’ll visit a pepper plantation to see the local community at work. Arrive in Sihanouk Ville in the late afternoon, and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Free & Leisure.

Free & Leisure

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before driving to Phnom Penh airport for your flight home.