
ANCIENT CAMBODIA 2006 - 2007
Day 01 - Arrives to Phnom Penh - Meals : Not included
Pon arrival at Phnom Penh airport, meets and transfers to hotel Visit the Victory Monument and the National Museum, the Royal Palace, built by the French in 1866 on the site of the old town, and Silver Pagoda, which located within the Royal Palace ground. You will then end your tour with a visit to Wat Phnom Temple, Phnom Penh's namesake, from where you can enjoy views over the tree lined avenues of the city during sunset Accommodation at hotel
Day 02 - Phnom Penh to Tonle Batie - Meals : Breakfast
Breakfast at hotel
Depart from Phnom Penh to Tonle Batie. Visit the laterite temple of Ta Prohm, built by King Jayavarman VII ( ruled 1181 – 1201), on the side is the 6th century Khmer Shrine. The main sanctuary consists of five chambers with each is a lingram. The visit Yeay Pov temple, named after King Ta Prohm's mother, located 150ms north of Ta Prohm temple.
Back to Phnnom Penh, later in the afternoon.
Evening : Mekong Sunset Cruise (1 hour) to view the city during sunset.
Overnight at hotel in Phnom Penh.
Day 03 - Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham - Meals : Breakfast
Breakfast at hotel
Depart to Kampong Cham by overland. This province is located 120 kms, north part of Phnom Penh. The road condition is good.
Short tour of Kampong Cham to view the examples of colonial architectures.
Visit Wat Nokor with its ancient temple and modern style pagoda (12th century)
Check in at hotel in Kampong Cham.
In the afternoon, drive to Chup, a rubber plantation in the region established by the French tire maker, Michelin. Return to Kampong Cham for overnight at Mittapheap hotel
Day 04 - Kampong Cham to Kampong Thom - Meals : Breakfast
Breakfast at local restaurant
Depart from Kampong Cham to Kampong Thom by road.
En route, visit to Wat Kohear Nokor (11th Century)
Continues to Phum Prasat with its single ancient temple
Arrives in Kampong Tnom, check in at Stueng Sen hotel or similar
In the afternoon, visit to Sambo Prei Kuk temples, known as the ancient capital of Chenla with its 100 temples dating from the Pre-Angkorian period.
Return to Kampong Thom for overnight.
Day 05 - Kampong Thom to Siem Reap - Meals : Breakfast
Breakfast at local restaurant
Depart by road from Kampong Thom to Beng Mealea, sprawling jungle temple covering one square kilometer. The temple is largely overrun by vegetation. Constructed in a distinctly Angkor Wat style.
This temple is located 60 kms from Siem Reap, taking 3 hours drive from Kampong Thom.
You will take on the poor road conditions, passing so many Khmer Villages and beautiful rice fields.
Later in the afternoon, we will leave this temple to our next destination, SIEM REAP.
Check in and relax at hotel and ready for the next day temple trips.
Accommodation at hotel
Day 06 - Siem Reap - Meals : Breakfast
Breakfast at hotel
Visit the Roluos Group. The monuments of Roluos, which served as the capital of Indravarman I (reigned from A.D 877-89), are among the earliest permanent temples built by the Khmers and mark the beginning of Khmer classical art. See the temples of Preah Ko (erected by Indravarman I in the late 9th century and dedicated by the King to his ancestors), Bakong (the largest and most interesting of the Roluos group temples, it has an active Buddisht monastery) and Lolei (built on an islet in the center of a large reservoir by Yasovarman I, the founder of the first city at Angkor).
Return to the hotel for your lunch (not included in the package)
In the afternoon, you will continue your temple visits. Included are Prasat Kravan (with its unique brick sculptures), Srah Srang ("The Royal Boths" was once used for ritual bathing), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by four concentric walls), Eastern Mebon (guarded at its corner by stone figures of harnessed elephants, some of which are still in a reasonable state of preservation) and the "Mountain Temple" of Pre Rup until sunset.
Accommodation at hotel.
Day 07 - Siem Reap - Meals : Breakfast
Breakfast at hotel
Visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk), Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King
In the afternoon, visit the most famous of all the temples on the Angkor plain: Angkor Wat. The temple complex cover 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat's five tower symbolize Meru's five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat symbolizes the ocean beyond
Sunset from Phnom Bakheng, one of two hills dominating the plain of Angkor, from where you will have a spectacular view of the Western Baray and Angkor Wat
Accommodation at hotel.
Day 08 - Siem Reap - Meals : Breakfast
Breakfast at hotel
Morning transfer to Banteay Srei temple (10th century), regarded as the jewel in the crown of Classical Khmer Art. Visit Banteay Srei then continue to Banteay Samre, built in the third quarter of the 12th century. It consists of a central temple with four wings preceded by a hall and accompanied by two libraries, the southernmost of which is remarkably well preserved. Two concentric walls enclose the ensemble. On the way back we will also see Ta Prohm temple.
Lunch not included
In the afternoon, visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Visit the village and take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia and the largest in Asia.
Accommodation at hotel
Day 09 - Siem Reap - Departure - Meals : Breakfast
Breakfast at hotel
Transfer to Siem Reap airport for your departure home...