Cambodia Luxury Beach Holiday

Our tour guide will welcome you upon your arrival in Siem Reap. Check in hotel and freshen up before an afternoon of sightseeing.
In the afternoon begin your exploration with a visit to the ancient city of Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This city is surrounded by an 8m high wall, drawing a perfect square. From here, continue to Bayon Temple in the exact center of the city. This 12th century masterpiece is a study in grandeur and is well-known for its 54 towers with enigmatic faces representing the 54 provinces of the Great Khmer Empire.
After a wonderful tour at the temple, enjoy a relaxing cruise in a gondola paddle boat at the moat of Angkor Thom compound while watching a spectacular sunset at Prasat Chroung temple. Cocktails, champagne, canapés and a soft drink will be available on the boat, as your boat paddles slowly along the ancient moat. Return to the hotel to freshen up.

This morning explore the famous Angkor Wat. Built during the reign of King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat is constructed following the model of the temple mountain symbolizing the Mount Meru, home of the gods. The divine residence of Vishnu, the King himself was to reside here after his death. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with stone carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. Moreover, Angkor Wat is well known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple.
The hour long show mixes traditional and modern theater, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling and contortion performed in a story about Cambodian lives and society. Student performances can still be seen twice weekly in Battambang but now the circus has arrived in Siem Reap!

Following breakfast, head to quiet Beng Mealea, around 65 km from Siem Reap. Enjoy a short walk through the dense jungle and feel like an explorer when you discover the completely overgrown temple. Undiscovered for centuries, Beng Mealea has only recently been made accessible and remains unrestored. It is one of the very few temples that actually give the opportunity to climb through it. From Beng Mealea, it is not far to the shore of Tonle Sap Lake.
Embark on an interesting boat trip on the Tonlé Sap Lake, where you will have the opportunity to learn about life on the lake. The Tonlé Sap Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and officially designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, covering an area of around 250,000 hectares in the dry season. Due to a unique phenomenon, when the monsoon begins, the swollen waters of the Mekong River force the Tonle Sap River to reverse its flow northwards, feeding the Great Lake and spreading over the surrounding flood plain.
Board a local boat and visit the village of Kampong Kleang, where only few tourists venture. Embark on a boat ride through the village where the fisherman and their families live in stilted houses among the petrified mangrove forests and waterways. Enjoy the fascinating scenery of Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake.
(Note: during the months Apr-Sep the water level may be too low for a visit by boat. However the village is still fascinating and can be visited by car. Quite dramatic to see how the stilted houses are exposed from lake when water levels are low!)
Enjoy a packed lunch brought from your hotel at one of the local houses as you watch everyday life at the village. Then return to Siem Reap for a little time to relax in the afternoon.
This evening enjoy dinner at the Apsara Terrace – located in the lush gardens and surrounded by traditional boundary stones, an Apsara show is an essential experience while in Cambodia. Enjoy a majestic performance with Cambodian dances and Khmer martial art with a delightful selection of pan-Asian barbeque cuisine. (optional)

This morning head out of town to see the “gem” of the Angkor area, the pretty temple of Banteay Srei. 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 Srei is unique in that it is constructed of pink sandstone, which is seen nowhere else in Angkor.
After visit the Golden Silk Pheach Farm, a local NGO which helps to revive the ancient Khmer know-how in silk activities and provides job opportunities to more than 100 local staff. The farm area, mulberry trees and weaving ateliers can be seen as part of the guided tour. Golden Silk products are ecologically produced from the yellow silkworm which is unique to Cambodia. Some of the silk products are months, or even years, in the making and each one is unique. This is one for the connoisseurs of high quality craftwork.
Take a break this afternoon. Or opt for an optional 20 minute helicopter excursion to see the highlights of Siem Reap from above.

This morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Phnom Penh. Check in hotel and free at your leisure before the afternoon city tour. Visit the Royal Palace, and the Silver Pagoda, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Marvel at the nearly 200-pound Buddha made of solid gold, made in 1907. The pagoda is filled with fascinating artifacts, each providing a window to the past.

This morning gain insight into Cambodia’s recent dark history on a visit to the remarkable Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, housed in the former school that was taken over by the Khmer Rouge and used as its main detention and torture center named ‘S-21’. Further visit the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. The audio headset guide provided is available in 15 different languages and gives some harrowing but informative stories from survivors and liberators of the camp. A grim, but important visit that will allow you to dig below the surface and understand Cambodia better.
Spend the rest of the morning browsing through the colorful markets of Phnom Penh. Visit the Central Market, an art deco landmark and one of the largest markets in the city, if not all of Cambodia. You can find clothes, souvenirs, jewellery, and food. Also visit the Russian Market, the best place in the city for wood and stone carvings, jewellery, clothes and Cambodian silk souvenirs.
In the afternoon take a break with the chance to enjoy your hotel swimming pool or perhaps some optional spa treatment

Today you drive straight down to Sihanoukville. Check in and time for relax. The lovely beaches of Sihanoukville are some of the most unspoiled in all of South East Asia although the fast growing of tourism. There are some 10 km of beach stretching the whole length of the town and dozens of small islands just a short boat ride away, which make for a perfect tropical getaway, with facilities for swimming, snorkeling or scuba diving, This free day will provide you some great opportunities to soak up the sun and sea as much as you want by spending your time swimming or lazing on a beach. Overnight in Sihanoukville.

The last few days of your tour should be spent relaxing on the beach and enjoying the sights and activities of Sihanoukville. The area boasts fantastic and varied dive sites, with two shipwrecks. Sihanoukville is also known for its many architectural splendors; visit a number of pagodas, temples and cathedrals. Wat Chotyniec, located in the heart of the city, is a definite highlight.

Free at your leisure on the beach or exploring Ream National Park by your own. Just east of Sihanoukville, the park showcases Cambodia’s diverse wildlife. Featuring dolphins, monkeys, and mangrove forests teeming with diverse bird species, there is much to see. The choice is yours – either spend the rest of your day lounging by the pool or take in more of the area’s attractions.

After breakfast at the hotel, time to say goodbye to Cambodia and the little piece of paradise you have been enjoying. Transfer to Phnom Penh airport for the next leg of your travels, either home or to your next destination.