Secrets of Angkor
Per person sharing
Uncover the Secrets of Angkor in two days filled with exploration and adventure. Study the sacred temples and explore everything between Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm with a knowledgeable local guide.
Be awed not only by the ruins but also by stories of god-kings and lost civilizations, ancient mythology and fascinating folklore. Walk through the dense Cambodian jungle growing between the Temples. Admire Hindu sculptures carved into a riverbed over a thousand years ago. Sample plenty of spicy Khmer dishes and meet locals who reside in stilted villages This is the perfect addition to any holiday in Cambodia. The staggering Angkor Wat is the largest religious building ever built and recognized as one of the eight wonders of the world.
Relish your time here – you’ve never seen anything like it.
Siem Reap
Siem Reap was little more than a village when the first French explorers re-discovered Angkor in the 19th century. With the return of Angkor to French control in 1907, Siem Reap began to grow and absorb the first wave of tourists.
The Grand Hotel d’Angkor opened its doors in 1929 and the temples of Angkor. It remained one of Asia’s leading draws until the late 1960s luring visitors such as Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Kennedy. In 1975, the population of Siem Reap was evacuated by the communist Khmer Rouge and driven into the countryside. Along with Siem Reap, the rest of the cities and towns in Cambodia we also evacuated.
As with the rest of the country, Siem Reap’s history is colored by the specter of the brutal Khmer Rouge Regime. Since Pol Pot’s death in 1998, relative stability and rejuvenated tourist industry.
With the advent of war, Siem Reap entered a long slumber from which it only began to reawaken in the mid-1990s.
At a glance
| Day 1 | Welcome to Siem Reap. Transfer to Hotel. |
| Day 2 | Siem Reap: Village walk and Floating Community tour |
| Day 3 | Siem Reap: Angkor Temple tour |
| Day 4 | Transfer to Siem Reap Airport for onward flight |
Highlights
> Travel on an ox-cart through rice paddies
> Boat ride visiting a nearby floating community making their livelihood from the lake
> Explore the Angkor National Museum, a real treasure house
> See the picturesque Ta Prohm that nearly disappeared into the jungle
> Be engulfed by the silent gaze through half-closed eyes of the Royal City of Angkor Thom and Bayon
Quick Contact
Itinerary
Siem Reap – Arrival
- Upon your arrival; you will be met by our representative for transfer to your hotel; and check-in
- Remainder of the day is at leisure
Siem Reap – Village walk & Floating Communities (B)
- Morning transfer to a beautiful village in the countryside. Walk through the village witnessing very different activities from the locals for their daily life
- During your walk, pick some fruits from the trees and enjoy a view of this enchanting area and interact with the friendly people in the village and take a 30-minute ox-cart ride through the rice paddies
- Return to your van and drive to your next destination; a floating community
- At the quay, embark on a motorized boat to visit the floating villages offering an incredible natural phenomenon of making their lives from the lake in a respectful and meaningful way.
- Return to Siem Reap
- At 4.30PM: visit the Angkor National Museum where we can see the artifacts from Cambodia in the ancient time.
Siem Reap – Angkor Temples (B)
- Beat the crowd and arrive by 7 am at the picturesque Ta Prohm that nearly disappeared into the jungle and remains overgrown, an oddly haunting and exotic scene.
- The magnificent roots of a tree, pushing between the huge stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, evoke feelings that you may remember forever. Continue your tour with a visit to the intricately carved Khmer ruins at Angkor Wat; one of the world’s most impressive ruins. The temple still displays fine Apsara carvings in Angkorian era art.
- Lunch (own account)
- The afternoon is spent exploring the mysterious Royal city Angkor Thom and Bayon.
- Its 54-tower temple is an awesome sight. At first glance, it seems a shapeless mass of stone, but further scrutiny reveals a face, then another and another one, until suddenly you are engulfed by the silent, heavy, enigmatic and silent gaze through half-closed eyes, staring out from a primitive and remote time.
- Continue your tour of the complex including the Baphuon, Elephant Terrace, Lepper King Terrace and Royal Place area.
- Return to your hotel for overnight
Inclusions
- Meet and assist on arrival and departure by our local representative
- Transfer and intercity transportation as per itinerary in private AC vehicle
- Accommodation at selected hotels in double room sharing
- Meals: as mentioned
- Local English speaking Guide
- Entrance fees
Exclusions
- International flights – Departure & Fuel taxes (Contact us for best airfares)
- Personal expenses, meals and drinks unless otherwise specified
- Travel insurance
- Cambodia Visa fee
- Tips
- Services not stated in the itinerary
Validity
- Rate valid for travel between 05 JAN to 30 APR 22
Contact us for any other date of travel required
Country information
- Best time to travel to Cambodia
Tourist season runs from November to March, but Cambodia is warm throughout the year and temperatures do not go below 20C. If you prefer lesser crowds, opt to travel between May to early October - Cambodia Culture and Greetings
Cambodians are a mixture of Hinduism and Buddhism. The country’s golden age between the 9th and 14th Century is better known as the Khmer Empire era. During this time Cambodia achieved unparalleled achievements in the arts and architecture and Angkor Wat is your perfect example
When you greet someone, press your hands together in front of your chest. - Drinks & Food
The basic of any Cambodian meal is rice, served either sticky or jasmine rice grown in the many paddy fields.
Noodle soup is very common, and you will find that French food is still readily available. Don’t be surprised to find a coffee and “baguette sandwich” snack option. Roadside street food stalls are fun to try but rather sticks to the busy stalls serving piping hot foods - Discover your environment
Taxi hire is available in all major cities. They are not metered so fix the rate in advance. Tips will be appreciated by the driver. Not to be missed is a ride in a tuk-tuk. - Tipping
Locals rarely tip, however, tourist like to add 10% which is appropriate especially in restaurants where no service charge is added to the bill - Local interesting meals
Babor: Rice porridge with chicken broth
Kralan: Sticky rice flavoured with sugar, beans and grated coconut steamed inside a Bamboo pole
Mee Katang: Cantonese styled wild rice cooked with meat and vegetables served with an oyster sauce
Siem Reap
Siem Reap was little more than a village when the first French explorers re-discovered Angkor in the 19th century. With the return of Angkor to French control in 1907, Siem Reap began to grow and absorb the first wave of tourists.
The Grand Hotel d’Angkor opened its doors in 1929 and the temples of Angkor. It remained one of Asia’s leading draws until the late 1960s luring visitors such as Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Kennedy. In 1975, the population of Siem Reap was evacuated by the communist Khmer Rouge and driven into the countryside. Along with Siem Reap, the rest of the cities and towns in Cambodia we also evacuated.
As with the rest of the country, Siem Reap’s history is colored by the specter of the brutal Khmer Rouge Regime. Since Pol Pot’s death in 1998, relative stability and a rejuvenated tourist industry. With the advent of war, Siem Reap entered a long slumber from which it only began to reawaken in the mid-1990s.