Cambodia Insolite

This day depends mainly on your flight times. We will organize it based on your arrival schedule.

The Cambodian capital: Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted and escorted to your hotel by our guide and driver. Your first steps in the capital, once under French protectorate: visit the National Museum, built in 1917 by a French architect, and the moving Toul Sleng Museum (former prison from the genocide era), dedicated to the memory of the Khmer people.

Welcome lunch • Free dinner • Overnight at the hotel

The rural riches: On this beautiful morning, we will journey along the roads to Battambang to enjoy the sweetness of yesteryears. Several stops: the goldsmith village of Kompong Luong, the former capital Phnom Oudong where several kings were crowned (with beautiful views over the plains), the pottery village of Kompong Chnang, etc. We will continue our cultural journey north into the Pursat province, famous for its marble sculptures. Arrival in Battambang in the late afternoon and free evening.

• Breakfast at the hotel • Lunch at a restaurant • Free dinner • Overnight at the hotel

Agricultural encounters: Departure for the Wat Kor district to meet the locals and learn more about rural Cambodian life. You will learn about rice harvesting, fruit cultivation, and how palm sugar is made. Then, you will climb the 350 steps of Phnom Banan Temple to enjoy a panoramic view of Cambodia’s green ocean. Finally, we will end this excursion with a ride on the Bamboo Train, created by villagers to facilitate the transportation of goods between villages. We will resume the journey to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, we will visit the National Silk Center, where you can observe the entire production process, starting with the breeding of silkworms.

The enigmatic imperial city: By tuk-tuk, we will cross the Charles de Gaulle Avenue to reach Angkor Wat, the most majestic and famous temple of the site. An allegory of Hindu mythology, you will observe episodes illustrated in the bas-reliefs surrounding the central structure. Angkor Wat has the particularity of being inhabited by a presence, a palpable magnetism. It will take some time, not only to visit it but also to absorb its mystical atmosphere. Before lunch, we will visit Preah Palilay, often overlooked by the classic tours but very graceful. Then, we will take a tuk-tuk to visit Angkor Thom (The Great City), the last great capital of the Angkorian Empire, which once had nearly a million inhabitants. You will visit Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas (where the King met the serpent queen, whose union ensured the country’s prosperity), the Elephant Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King. If time permits, you may enjoy the sunset at one of the temples. Return to Siem Reap in the late afternoon.

Breakfast at the hotel • Lunch at a restaurant • Free dinner • Overnight at the hotel

The enigmatic imperial city: We will head towards the elegant "Citadel of Women" - Banteay Srei (10th century) – renowned for its carvings that cover every inch of the pink sandstone. Beautiful! Before discovering Banteay Samre (12th century), we will meet a Khmer village community to learn about and taste their palm sugar production. We will end this expedition at Ta Prohm Temple, famous for its giant kapok trees that cover it… and for Tomb Raider. Return to Siem Reap in the late afternoon.

Breakfast at the hotel • Lunch at a restaurant • Free dinner • Overnight at the hotel

Far from the classic routes, far from time: Today, we will stray from the usual routes to visit the temples of Koh Ker and Beng Mealea. Hidden by thick forest, the ghostly capital of Koh Ker is a fascinating site with several temples and structures built in the 10th century under King Jayavarman IV’s reign. Like its counterpart, Beng Mealea (Lotus Pond) is nestled in lush and invasive nature. Historians believe that Beng Mealea inspired the architectural style of Angkor Wat, built during the same period. Return to Siem Reap in the late afternoon.

Before Angkor: We will leave the Angkor temples to head to Kampong Cham, located to the east of Cambodia, along the legendary Mekong River. Along the way, we will see the last functioning Angkorian bridge (1000 years old) of Kampong Kdei. In Kompong Thom, we will explore the Sambor Prei Kuk temples, a hundred pre-Angkorian temples dating from the 7th century. After lunch, we will continue the journey to Kampong Cham, stopping at Skuon to try the local specialty: grilled tarantulas. Arrival in the late afternoon and check-in at a hotel by the Mekong River.

Breakfast at the hotel • Lunch and dinner free • Overnight at the hotel