Day 1: Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh (Lunch)
Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Half-day visit of classic Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. We start with a visit to the National Museum where the masterpieces of Khmer art from the 5th to the 13th century are displayed. Next, we visit the nearby Royal Palace and the Throne Hall, where the King grants his hearings. The excursion ends with a visit to the beautiful Silver Pagoda. Return to the hotel.
Day 2: Siem Reap
Phnom Penh - Siem Reap (Breakfast, Lunch)
Transfer to the airport. Flight to Siem Reap. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Departure to visit a unique fishermen's village, a community of "nomads of the lake". Every boat is a house but there is also a floating school, church, shops, and public offices: everything floats and can move around the lake. Return to the hotel.
Day 3: Siem Reap
Siem Reap (Breakfast, Lunch)
Visit the fortified citadel of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer kingdom, where the iconic Bayon, the most photographed site of Cambodia, is located, standing at its perfect center. Then we proceed to the Baphuon, the ancient royal palace flanked by the Phimeanakas and nearby we visit the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Visit the Angkor complex, one of the world's largest archaeological areas, where there are 276 monuments of great importance. The undisputed masterpiece of Khmer art and architecture is Angkor Wat, displaying exquisite bas relief, a spectacular testimony of the great refinement of the Khmer people. We proceed to Ta Prohm, where giant trees and huge roots have been wrapping around the galleries and the stones for centuries, blending the work of men and nature forever. Return to the hotel.
Day 4: Siem Reap
Siem Reap (Breakfast, Lunch)
Departure to visit one of the oldest sacred constructions, Prasat Kravan, built-in 921. Then we visit Banteay Kdey, a Buddhist monastic complex, and we end the excursion at the public pool called Srah Srang. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Visit the temples Mebon, Pre Rup, Prah Khan and Neak Pean, all quite different in style and purpose. The Mebon is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva, built on a tiny island in the center of the now-dry Eastern Baray. The Pre Rup, a huge mountain temple, was used for royal funerals. The huge Buddhist temple Pra Khan, surrounded by jungle, was built to celebrate a victory after invading Cham armies whilst the Neak Pean, known for its coiled snakes, represented a mythological lake in the Himalayas. Return to the hotel.
Day 5:
Siem Reap (Breakfast)
Transfer to the airport.
