Cambodia Impact Explorer 12 days / 11 nights

12 Days
TYPOLOGIES

Country Hightlight

+ 1
DIFFICULTY

MIN. AGE

Tour Overview:

Destinations: SIEM REAP – PHNOM PENH – SIHANOUK VILLE – KOH RONG – PHNOM PENH

Full Itinerary

Arrive Siem Reap by flight, Siem Reap – Treasures of the Kingdom of Cambodia, special welcome all warmly to everybody, a moment of courtesy meeting then self-introduce with our Cambodian tour guide in the meeting point's Siem Reap airport. We meet our guide and transfer to our hotel. The balance of the day free for your own times.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, continue your journey to local Village. With warm welcome from the village guide, you will be given an introduction of the geography of the community while riding on an oxcart along the way. You see organic vegetable farm, local activities, typical stilt houses, authentic Cambodian living style, learning about Khmer culture, custom and tradition. The Oxcart tour will end at nearby local pagoda. You will go to local pagoda, where you should change to clothes you can get wet in as here you will experience the ceremony “SrouchTeok”, which roughly translates into “Water blessing”. A monk will chant in ancient Pali as he splashes water over you, washing away your sins and bad luck so you can start fresh and by being a good person can increase your good luck.

Depart for the Tonlé Sap. You will enjoy a boat ride on the Tonle Sap Lake. This is the largest permanent fresh-water lake in South East Asia and flows into Tonle Sap River, joining the Mekong in Phnom Penh. You will see a fishermen's "floating village" with floating schools, floating police station, etc. It is same as a big village floating on the lake, and the "village" move from place to place following water levels and current.

Dinner with Apsara Dance show at local restaurant. For those travelers thirsting for cultural highlights of Cambodia, No visit to Cambodia is complete without attending at least one traditional Khmer dance performance, often referred to as 'Apsara Dance' after one of the most popular Classical dance pieces. Traditional Khmer dance better described as 'dance-drama' in that the dances are not merely dance but also meant to convey a story or message.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Get ready for an early start and journey out to the Mother of all temples, Angkor Wat. Believed to be the world's largest religious building, this is most famous temple at Angkor. Enjoy a well-deserved picnic breakfast at Angkor as you watch the sun rise over the temples before heading into the ancient city to explore Angkor Wat – one of the world’s most impressive ruins. The temple still owns fine Apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. Next is Ta Prohm `Tomb Raider` fame. Ta Prohm has been abandoned to the elements, a reminder that while empires rise and fall, the riotous power of nature marches on, oblivious to the dramas of human history. Left as it was ‘discovered’ by French explorer Henri Mouhout in 1860, the tentacle-like tree roots here are slowly strangling the surviving stones, man first conquering nature to create, nature later conquering man to destroy.

We head to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the great Khmer empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII, surrounded by an 8 meter high wall that creates a perfect location. Cross the embankment of the moat, flanked on both sides by a series of 54 deities and demons, each holding a sacred naga snake, and an impressive entrance gate adorned with three-headed elephants and four smiling faces of the Buddha is covered. Continue to Bayon Temple. At the exact center of Angkor Thom, this is an eccentric expression of the creative genius and inflated ego of Cambodia’s most celebrated king. Its 54 towers are each topped off with the four faces of Avalokiteshvara (Buddha of Compassion), which bear more than a passing resemblance to the king himself.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Your adventure with the elephants starts today! This morning you will be picked up at your hostel before driving around 2.5 hours to reach this ethical Elephant Sanctuary. Arrive at Elephant Sanctuary and prepare yourself to be involved in activities. All meals are vegetarian, with unlimited drinking water available.

After a vegetarian breakfast, start your busy morning to make food for the elephants. Then get involved in a tree protecting ritual, by wrapping blessed robes, prepared by monks, around the vegetation to stop it being chopped down. Relax for lunch and then we will travel back to Siem Reap.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Get ready for a day of exploring jungles, waterfalls and nearby famous historical and cultural sights. Spend some time swimming and just admiring the stunning waterfall. Afterwards, enjoy picnic lunch at a local restaurant before heading back to Siem Reap.

Pick up by bus company from your hotel and transfer to Siem Reap bus station for fun ride to Phnom Penh. Upon arrival at Phnom Penh bus station, meet your driver (no guide) and transfer to hotel for relaxing.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

After breakfast, meet our guide and continue to learn about the dark side of Cambodia – Its more recent turbulent and harrowing history. Initially you visit the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S21), ironically a former school, located in a quiet Phnom Penh suburb, this was the infamous Khmer Rouge prison / torture center. Continue to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. This rural compound was used as an execution site and burial ground for some of the millions killed by the Khmer Rouge regime. Here you will learn about the atrocities and brutal killings that occurred at this site through an informative audio-headset tour complemented by the information provided by your local guide. A short distance away you will visit the organization where most of the workers and staff at L'irresistible started out: Pour un Sourire d’Enfant, meaning “For the smile of a Child”. This organization is helping to improve the lives of the residents of Stung Meanchey, one of the poorest neighborhoods of Phnom Penh. Here you will learn about the struggles of daily life in poor urban Cambodia and how history has impacted the present. Be inspired by the work being done at the center through its education, vocational training, and job placement programs for street children. After learning about the school through an informative video, visit the souvenir shop and browse the items made by the parents of the center’s students. Then enjoy lunch at Lotus Blanc, where you can support the training of these kids by being their guest. (Note: closed on weekends and public holidays).

Afternoon, we visit to the Royal Palace compound build in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom, is the most conspicuous feature and also one of impressive colorful Khmer-style Palaces. Nearside the Royal Palace is Silver Pagoda (The Emerald Buddha temple), display plenty of Buddha Statues that were decorated and made by diamond, emerald, gold and silver, continuing visit to National Museum, the distinctive red building with a beautiful Khmer architecture was built since 1917 and contains more than 5000 art objects made of sandstone, bronze, silver, copper, wood and others. Next, visit Wat Phnom is a Buddhist temple located in center of Phnom Penh City.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Pick up by driver (no guide) and drive towards Sihanouk Ville, which has long been a place of relaxation for Cambodians. Arrive in Sihanouk Ville we take fast boat to Koh Rong “Paradise Island”.

Overnight in Koh Rong.

Enjoy a full day of sun or swimming in the warm coastal waters. This is the moment when the dream of going on vacation to an exotic land becomes reality.

Overnight in Koh Rong.

We farewell island and take express boat back to Sihanouk Ville. Upon arrival at Sihanouk Ville port, meet our driver (without guide) and drive back to Phnom Penh. Arrive in Phnom Penh, transfer to airport for departure to next destination. It’s time to say goodbye, we thank you for traveling with us and warmly welcome you to come again.

Note: To have enough time, please book departure flight not early then 4pm.

What’s include :

TOUR COST INCLUDES:

TOUR COST NOT INCLUDES:

Accommodation with daily breakfast in double / twin shared room

Meal: as mention in program (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch and D: Dinner)

Airport transfers & Transport by air con. vehicles as per program

Sightseeing and entrance fees as specified

Local English speaking guide as per program

All boat trip as mentioned in program

Complementary local Sim Card

24hours supporting hotline

Flight ticket: Siem Reap – Phnom Penh

Speedboat: Sihanouk Ville – Koh Rong – Sihanouk Ville

1 FOC in single room for group 16 pax up

Cold water and towel during tours

Cambodia Visa stamp fee: 30$ (Passport valid more then 6 months, enough space for visa stamp (1 free space), 1 passport photo (4X6), cash 30$)

All International air ticket

Other meal, drink, personal expenses, tip, Travel insurance, all bank fees

Other thing not mentioned in included

Hotel options :

Hotel 3* star

SIEM REAP
GZ Urban Hotel (3*) – Superior room
https://www.gzurbanhotel.com/

 

Elephant Sanctuary
Home-Stay

 

PHNOM PENH
Double Leaf Hotel (3*) – Superior room
http://www.doubleleafhotel.com/

 

KOH RONG
Tamu Resort (4*) – Jungle room
https://tamucambodia.com/

Hotel 4* star

SIEM REAP
Somadevi Angkor Hotel (4*) – Deluxe room
http://www.somadeviangkor.com/

Elephant Sanctuary
Home-Stay

PHNOM PENH
The 252 Hotel (4*) – Deluxe room
https://www.the-252.com/

KOH RONG
Tamu Resort (4*) – Jungle room
https://tamucambodia.com/

    ” Possiamo dire che è stata la luna di miele perfetta. Abbiamo avuto la possibilità di entrare a stretto contatto con la gente locale, di vivere diverse esperienze molto interessanti e di visitare dei posti fantastici. Tutto era organizzato in maniera perfetta grazie anche al validissimo supporto del nostro corrispondente Roberto, che non ci ha mai lasciati soli. Da dietro le quinte ci ha assistito per tutta la durata del nostro magnifico viaggio di nozze, dandoci un valido supporto per qualsiasi cosa. Le guide e i drivers erano sempre puntuali, cordiali, molto disponibili e molto preparati. Difficile dire in una sola frase cosa ci sia piaciuto. In una sola parola: TUTTO. L’organizzazione pre e durante il nostro viaggio è stata ineccepibile. Non possiamo che ringraziare Roberto ed Eurasie per questa meravigliosa esperienza.”

    Erika e Andrea

    Tour Vietnam & Cambogia