Awesome Phnom Penh & Siem Reap Tour 8 Nights / 9 Days

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 | Phnom Penh – Arrival

Meal: None
Upon your arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport, you will be greeted by our friendly escort guide and driver then transfers directly (approx. 45 minutes) to a booked hotel for check in and have your own free time.

Overnight in Phnom Penh

Day 2 | Full Day Phnom Penh City Tour with Sunset Boat Cruise

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast is at hotel. Today our guide and driver will pick you up at 8.00am then go to Independent Monument where we stop to capture some beautiful photos before continue to witness the tragic site of Choeung Ek – the killing field that proceeded more than 20 thousands of civilians and the site is connecting with Tuol Sleng Museum – was the former school that was transformed to Tortured Prison S21. Stroll around Russian market for shopping.

Enjoy Khmer set lunch at Bopha Titanic Phnom Penh restaurant by The Riverside.

Afternoon, visit The Royal Palace – a complex of buildings which are served as the royal residence for the King of Cambodia, admired by impressive Silver Pagoda with over 5000 solid silver tiles and other Royal Stupas, shrines, monuments etc. Continue for a guided tour at the National Museum, the world’s most important collection of Cambodian antique sculptures and carvings. Next, continue to visit Wat Phnom with interesting legendary of founding place of Phnom Penh Capital.

Evening, we head to Phnom Penh’s Riverside where get on board with a welcome cocktail while the boat cruise is slowly gliding along Mekong & Tonle Sap, watch the sunset fading at horizon, immerse yourself with golden color of Phnom Penh skyline. Disembark around 6.20pm and return hotel.

Overnight in Phnom Penh

Day 3 | Public Bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

Meal: Breakfast

Breakfast is at hotel. Our team picks you up and transfers to bus station for Giant Ibis bus departure at 8.45am or 9.45am (6 hours) to Siem Reap Angkor.
*Domestic flight or private car/minivan (surcharge) are available upon request.

Upon your arrival at bus station, you will be greeted by our friendly team then transfers to a booked hotel for check in and have your own leisure.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 4 | Fully Guided Angkor Discovery & Traditional Gondola Sunset

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast is at hotel.

We’re journeying out (or tuk tuk) of hotel at 8.00am to the South Gate of Angkor Thom atop 4 giant faces that religiously represents compassion, sympathy, equanimity and charity. Stroll around Bayon temple consisting of more than 200 smiling faces in stone, admired by interesting temples including Baphuon, Phimeanakas, terrace of leper king and terrace of elephant. Resume the journey to visit Ta Prohm temple adorned with the stunning, amazing tree roots where Lara Croft Tomb Raider was filmed.

Enjoy Khmer set lunch at a selected local restaurant near temples.

Afternoon, continue to witness the marvelous Angkor Wat – the world’s heritage listed by UNESCO in 1992 and the largest unrivaled monument in the world. Built by Suryavarman II in 12th Century, Angkor Wat is considered as one of the top destinations in Asia and is a must-see in your lifetime. Learning from your tour guide the amazing history, its ancestral incredible, architectural masterpieces and the finest carvings dates back to the Khmer Empire when it dominated the largest parts of Southeast Asia.

Next, we’re heading to Angkor Thom where we will embark a traditional gondola which slowly glides along the moat (Tonle Om), immerse yourselves with the serenity among the stunning nature of Angkor which the moment seems date back to the old time of Angkor Kingdom while the picturesque sunset with golden color fading at horizon.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 5 | Sunrise, Beautiful Banteay Srei & Grand Circuit

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

We start the tour at 5.00am then drive within Angkor jungle toward the magnificent Angkor Wat where we wait to watch the spectacular sunrise over Angkor Wat towers and capture its beautiful sunrise reflection at the lotus pond.

Return hotel for breakfast then leave hotel again to stroll at Preah Dak village to observe local people making the famous steaming-rice cake which hides coconut milk inside that you have a chance to grab a few bites before continuing to unlock the intricately carved, beautiful red-pink sandstone temple of Banteay Srei – considered to be a Jewel of Khmer art which features elaborate decorations and its finest details. These factors have made the temple extremely popular with tourists, and have led to its being widely praised as a “precious gem”.

Enjoy Khmer set lunch at a selected local restaurant near temples.

Afternoon, we head out to visit 12th century Banteay Samre temple in good condition then go to explore some Angkorian temples located in the Grand/small Circuit such as Ta Som, Neak Pean (Coiled Serpents), Preah Khan (Royal Sword), Banteay Kdei and Srah Srang (The Royal’s Basin).

*Please be aware that there are a lot of available temples within grand/small circuit for visiting. Flexibly depends on your interest and how you feel whether you want to skip or continue.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 6 | Unique Village Experience with Oxcart Ride

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast is at hotel. We start the tour at 8.30am to a remote countryside village, the journey passes interesting city highlight and huge beautiful rice paddies dotting with palm trees and cattle in the fields. We will visit a local market to observe interesting trade exchanges before arriving in the village, next have some fun on the oxcart ride through the village to get interaction along with “Hello” from friendly kids. Disembark the cart, you’ll be greeted by a host family then we get involved with rural activities such as rice planting or harvesting or growing vegetables or making roof of palm leaves depending on the season of the year. These rural village activities are most unique, memorable experience in your trip to Cambodia. Return to the family’s house, stroll round to see the surrounding which admired by routine, lifestyle, culture, customs and superstitions, enjoy lunch followed by tropical fruits and get refreshed by coconut juice before saying goodbye to the host family and we make our way back to the hotel.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 7 | Tonle Sap Lake, City Tour & Traditional Apsara Show

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast is at hotel. We set off hotel at 8.30am for countryside sightseeing along with a visit at local market to see interesting trades before resuming our journey to Kompong Phluk village of Tonle Sap Lake. We process to take a boat trip along canal toward the centre of Kompong Phluk then the boat slows down to let you enjoy the surrounding admired by amazing houses atop high poles, come across the highlight of fishing activities as well as see people selling fruits/vegetable/meats on their boats, you sometimes see kids in their student uniforms coming back from their classes. Witness how life works on the water and how people make the lake as home then we embark on a canoe to explore the pleasant mangroves, enjoy the serenity while taking picturesque photos and you may see a few waterbirds. Continue by our main boat to see the great lake of Tonle Sap, learn from your tour guide about Tonle Sap ecosystem and its rich biosphere reserve.

Return Siem Reap city to enjoy tasty Khmer set lunch at Khmer wooden house restaurant.

Afternoon, we go for guided orientation at the finest Artisan Angkor wood/stone carving center which displays various defined handicrafts and silk products, continue to stroll around old market to see interesting daily trade as well as bargaining for local handmade products, paintings, lacquers, carvings, clothes, traditional crafts and so on, and you can also go to Royal Residence Garden for walking and breathtaking.

Evening, we leave to enjoy tasty dinner followed by traditional Apsara dance performance at a selected local restaurant.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 8 | Kulen Elephant Forest (share-tour) & Phare Cambodian Circus

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast is at hotel. Our driver (no guide) will pick you up at 7.40am from hotel’s lobby then transfers to Kulen elephant forest’s office in Siem Reap town. Next, the shuttle minivan will leave at 8.00am with an hour drive to the Kulen Elephant forest which locates at the base of Kulen Mountain range. Once at the reserve, you will spend time to learn from the local tour guide to get understanding the way of elephants live, play and roam as well as knowing how they are being well taken care mostly through their natural habitat, observing their relationships and behaviors. At noon, retire to base camp and enjoy a traditional meal before heading back to Siem Reap (approx. 2.00pm). You will then get picked up by our driver from Kulen elephant forest’s office to hotel then it is your own leisure.

Evening, our team transfers to have delicious Khmer set dinner at famous Chanrey Tree, a beautiful setting with garden by the riverside before we’re going to watch unique Phare Circus performance (Seat B) which is unlike any other circus in the world: theater, story, dance, high-energy music and circus arts.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 9 | Siem Reap – Departure

Meal: Breakfast

Breakfast is at hotel. Simply enjoy the rest of free time in Siem Reap before our team picks you up from hotel’s lobby and transfers to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport for your flight to the next destination.

Thank You and Goodbye to Beautiful Cambodia