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Siem Reap
As gateway to the temples of Angkor, Siem Reap is clearly the tourist hub of Cambodia. Accordingly, the town offers a vast array of accommodation options, ranging from boutique guest houses to some of the best hotels in the region. The picturesque town centre hosts many speciality restaurants, lively bars, designer boutiques and a bustling night market.
Apart from temple visits, there are plenty activities that warrant a longer stay than just a couple of days, ranging from photography courses to cycling adventures to excursions to nearby bird sanctuaries or a homestay in a floating village on the nearby Tonle Sap Lake.
Phnom Penh
Cambodia’s bustling capital is situated at the confluence of the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers. Legend has it that Phnom Penh was founded when a woman by the name of Penh found Buddha images washed up on the bank of the Mekong River. In 1373, a temple, Wat Phnom, was built on a hill to house them. With Phnom in Khmer meaning hill, Phnom Penh literally translates as Hill of Penh. Officially the city was founded in 1434 by King Ponhea Yat, following the fall of Angkor.
Today, Phnom Penh is a city of more than 1.5 million people. With continuing urban development it is fast developing into an economic hub of the region, at the same time retaining its distinct atmosphere with its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial buildings and an abundance of chic bistros dotted along the riverfront, bustling markets, intriguing boutiques and stylish hotels.
Places of interest include the royal palace including the Silver Pagoda with its spectacular floor made up of 5,000 silver tiles, the National Museum housing treasures from the world’s finest collection of sculptures from the Angkor period, Wat Phnom, the city’s landmark and the notorious Toul Sleng Genocide Museum.
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On the Tonle Sap from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
On the small river cruise ship Toum Tiou we travel up the Tonle Sap River and across the Tonle Sap Lake from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. On the way we discover the lifestyle of the Khmer in floating villages and along the river and visit places of interest that are not easily accessible overland.
Overview:
| Day 1 |
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Phnom Penh – Koh Chen – Udong – Kampong Tralach |
| Day 2 |
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Kampong Tralach – Kampong Chnang – Kampong Luong |
| Day 3 |
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Kampong Luong – Siem Reap |
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Remote Temple Loop
Uncover the Jungle Temples in the North
3 Days (2 Nights) from Siem Reap
This exciting soft adventure takes us through remote regions to historic sites and hidden temples in areas untouched by mass tourism. We travel from Siem Reap by 4WD along unpaved country roads to the mountain temple of Preah Vihear on the boarder to Thailand and the lost city of Koh Ker. During a homestay with a Khmer family we learn more about life in one of the country’s most pristine regions.
Overview:
| Day 1 |
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Drive to the mountain temple of Preah Vihear via the former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng |
| Day 2 |
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Sunrise at Preah Vihear; journey to the lost city of Koh Ker; homestay with a Khmer family |
| Day 3 |
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Explore Koh Ker and drive back to Siem Reap |
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Homestay with a Khmer Family
To spend a day with a Cambodian family is an interesting opportunity to get to know the real Cambodia. This authentic travel experience guaranties fascinating discoveries - be it on an oxcart ride, while accompanying a fisherman or when preparing a traditional Khmer dish together with your hosts.
Together with Khmer families from all walks of life Local Adventures offers this unique travel experience which can be integrated into your itinerary instead of staying in a hotel in almost every corner of the Kingdom. The standard of ccommodation is typically very basic (often without electricity or only in the evenings), but offers everything travellers need. |
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Day 1: We board the Toum Tiou at at 0800 and depart up the Tonle Sap River for Udong. Udong was once Cambodia’s capital, and there are a number of stupas on the top of nearby Phnom Udong, where former kings and queens are buried. We enjoy the magnificent views over the plains below as our guide provides us with information about the historical and cultural significance of this sacred hill. We then continue to Prek Kdam from where we visit Koh Chen, a small village specialising in silverware. We enjoy lunch on board before we visit the magnificent pagoda at Kampng Tralach. Nearby the Toum Tiou will anchor for the night. We enjoy a delicious dinner on board.
Day 2: We have breakfast as the Toum Tiou heads to the fishing town of Kampong Chhnang where we make a tour of the local market and visit a traditional pottery village. Back on board we sail on to the point where the Tonle Sap River meets the Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. We enjoy lunch before we continue to the floating village of Kompong Luong, one of the largest floating settlements on the Tonle Sap Lake. We observe the goings-on in this bustling community, where every aspect of life takes place on the water, from small wooden boats. Back on board the Toum Tiou dinner is served anchored at Kompong Luong
Day 3: Early in the morning set sail for the last stage of our cruise, crossing the vast Tonle Sap Lake. We arrive in Siem Reap, the gateway to the famed Temples of Angkor, shortly after noon.
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Detailed Itineraries
Day 1: Early in the morning we leave Siem Reap for Anlong Veng. The small town is notorious as former Khmer Rouge stronghold, and we visit the former house of Ta Mok, a senior leader of the Khmer Rouge, and the gravesite of Brother No 1, Pol Pot. We then head west along quiet roads to Preah Vihear. We drive up the steep road to the top of the mountain, where we have time to explore this spectacularly situated monument in detail, starting from the stairway and continuing onwards to the central sanctuary. The views from the cliff are astounding, and we enjoy a beautiful sunset before we descend and check into our guest house.
Day 2: We rise early to enjoy a scenic sunrise over Preah Vihear before we continue to Koh Ker after breakfast. From a village near Koh Ker we explore the beautiful countryside and get a true taste of rural life on a short bicycle tour before we meet our homestay family. We experience real Khmer hospitality as we enjoy a delicious Khmer dinner and learn more about life in this secluded region.
Day 3: We say goodbye to our host family and head in the direction of Koh Ker where we explore by bicycle the former capital of the Khmer empire built in the 10th century. Sitting on roughly 35 square kilometres of land, Koh Kehr is made up of a large number of buildings of different sizes. We visit Prasat Krahom (Red Temple), Prasat Thom, a 40m high seven-storey pyramid affording a beautiful view over the surrounding forest and Prasat Leung and Prasat Thneng which enclose giant linga or fertility symbols. In the early afternoon we depart to Siem Reap, where we arrive towards the evening.
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Sample Itineraries
Visit a traditional fishing family in a floating village
In the early afternoon our boat takes us to the floating fishing village on the Tonle Sap Lake. Our hosts take us on a boat tour around the village. We visit the floating market, the school, the pagoda and observe the goings-on on the water and in the houses, before we prepare and enjoy a delicious fish dinner together with our hosts.
After an early breakfast with our host family we join a fisherman on his way to the lake and learn more about his daily work as well as the unique eco-system of the Tonle Sap Lake. Around lunchtime we return to the village and continue by boat to the boat harbour.
Homestay on a typical farm
In the early afternoon we are welcomed by our host family in their village. We explore the area on a buffalo cart tour and enjoy the scenic countryside as we pass through picturesque villages, paddy fields and along mango groves and vegetable gardens. You may want to lend a hand with some of the farm work, for example with feeding the animals or planting rice. Before we return to our host family’s house we collect a number of ingredients for our dinner which we prepare together with the family. We get a true taste of rural life and experience Khmer hospitality as we enjoy the delicious food and interesting conversation.
After a good night’s sleep we visit the local pagoda and have the opportunity to have a conversation with the Buddhist monks. After breakfast with the family we observe the villagers as they weave baskets or produce other traditional handicrafts before we say goodbye to our host family.
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