Responsible Travel In Cambodia

Welcome to Siem Reap, the charming gateway to the famed temples of Angkor. Greeted by a local English speaking guide, visitors will be accompanied to the hotel for check in.

Depending on the arrival time, there may be enough time to relax and recuperate after the flight, or to discover a little of Siem Reap on a stroll through its beautiful pagodas and colourful market.

This afternoon, a journey to the Angkor Complex offers the first glimpse of the legendary Angkor Wat. Built during the reign of King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat is constructed following the model of the temple mountain symbolizing Mount Meru, the home of the gods. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with stone carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. Angkor Wat is well known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple. Construction is thought to have taken around thirty years of intensive labor. Today, Angkor Wat is featured on Cambodia's national flag as the temple symbolizes the soul of the Khmer people.

This evening you will enjoy a welcome dinner at HAVEN, a training restaurant for young adults (orphans, half-orphans and abandoned children), who have to leave orphanages when they come of age. By giving them vocational training in hospitality or as a cook and teaching them life skills, they gain experience to support the transition from institution to real world. HAVEN serves flavourful Asian and Western food – including some Swiss specialities and many fresh vegetarian tidbits – at the same time guests are supporting a training programme and are thereby helping a young adult orphan to achieve a secure and independent future.  (Note: open Mon-Sat 11am-10pm - closed Wed 11am-5.30pm for student training, Sunday all day).

After breakfast, continue the Angkorian exploration with a visit to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This city is surrounded by an 8m high wall drawing a perfect square. Enter the city through the ancient South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with Elephants and four giant faces. On each side of the entrance path a row of 54 gods or demons is holding the sacred Naga snake.

From here, continue to Bayon Temple in the exact center of the city. This 12th century masterpiece is a study in grandeur and is well-known for its 54 towers with enigmatic faces representing the 54 provinces of the Great Khmer Empire. The Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King are also must-visits as they are both known for their intricate bas-reliefs.

Later this morning, visit one of the most illustrious temples in this astonishing complex; Ta Prohm temple, built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries. Ta Prohm is unique in that it has been left largely as it was found: overgrown by jungle trees and vines, with many parts of the temple crumbling to the ground. This makes the ‘Tomb Raider Temple’ one of the most picturesque and memorable of the Angkor temples. The visit will also include Banteay Kdei, a Buddhist monastery from the late 12th Century, and Srah Srang, also known as the “pool of ablutions”.

Around noon, break up the day with lunch at Sala Bai back in Siem Reap, a school training young Cambodians from poor family backgrounds in the principles of hospitality in order to give them a future. There are plenty of opportunities to talk to the students as they will go on a tour of the school after the meal. (Note: Sala Bai is usually closed during national holidays and for the entire month of April over the Khmer New Year holiday.)

In the afternoon travel to the “gem” of the Angkor area, the pretty temple of Banteay Srei, which is best viewed in the warm afternoon light. The so-called “Citadel of the Women” remains the best preserved temple in Cambodia. It displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art as this small temple is noted for its truly remarkable fine bas-reliefs. Banteay Srei is unique in that it is constructed of pink sandstone, which is seen nowhere else in Angkor.

Stop for a visit to the Landmine Museum which promotes mine awareness. Mr. Aki Ra, the museum founder, was trained as a child soldier during the Khmer Rouge regime and is working today as a de-miner. The museum also serves as a rescue centre for a number of landmine amputee children that Aki Ra has brought off Phnom Penh’s streets or from impoverished rural communities.

Later there is the possibility to stop at local communities along the way and the guide will help to interact with the local community to learn about the way of life here. The visit offers the opportunity to taste Palm Wine and Palm Sugar (seasonal) and other popular local produce.

Day 3 brings with it an incredible experience learning about life in a typical village, enjoy a warm welcome from the locals, meet local communities and find out about village customs and cultures.

Transfer by car to Kompheim Village, 25 minutes out of town. On arrival, take an Ox cart ride through the village and even learn how to drive! Meet the host family who take care of all visitors for the day and take part in whatever seasonal activity is happening at that time, including rice planting, weaving thatch roofs, planting or harvesting vegetable crops etc. Each tour will be different and the activity will depend on the time of the year, the family and the needs of the local village. Before leaving, plant a fruit tree for the local family.

Meet another family to learn and take part in preparing a delicious Khmer lunch from fresh ingredients, which will then be enjoyed with the family.After lunch, take a walk through the rest of the village, taking the opportunity to interact with the locals (and try  practicing some Khmer!), before transferring back to Siem Reap in the early afternoon.

After freshening up at the hotel, dinner tonight is at Marum, a training restaurant for young adults, working with street children and other marginalized young people since 2005. Marum gives disadvantaged youths and orphans vocational training in hospitality or cooking,  teaching them the life skills and giving them the experience they need to support the transition from institution to the real world. Featuring a winning mix of creative local cuisine, Marum is named after the Moringa, or 'Tree of life' - very appropriate, as customers will be enjoying a fantastic dining experience that helps build a new life for the students in training there!

Finally, the night ends with an incredible performance of ‘Phare, the Cambodian Circus’. Starting at 8pm, professional artists of Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS) will perform an inspiring show suitable for people of all ages. Set up in Battambang in 1994 by young returnee Cambodians from the refugee camps who learned about using art as a means of coping with trauma, PPS has played an influential role in promoting and developing Khmer culture over the years after the Khmer Rouge genocide. The hour long show mixes traditional and modern theater, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling and contortion performed in a story about Cambodian lives and society. Student performances can still be seen twice weekly in Battambang but now the circus has arrived in Siem Reap!

This morning, guests are picked up at the hotel in Siem Reap and driven through the rural Cambodian countryside to Banteay Chhmar.

The accommodation for the next two nights will be at a traditional local homestay, a fabulous intimate encounter to experience a typical Khmer village, learning about local life and customs.

After being shown to a local homestay, sit down for a traditional lunch prepared by a local women’s group, under a straw hut in the village.

In the early afternoon a visit is paid to Banteay Chhmar, a temple of exceptional atmosphere which gets very few visitors. A notable feature of this UNESCO World Heritage Site applicant is the magnificent bas reliefs on the outside of the inner sanctuary walls. Almost every step within this vast ruin; gives another fabulous picture of stone being consumed by nature. It is a spectacular sight with its Bayon Style towers, walls and enclosures cloaked with vegetation.

The main temple at Banteay Chhmar is surrounded by 9 satellite temples in the nearby area. Like the main temple, most of these temples have received very little study and documentation. Many are in ruins, but still intriguing to visit. One of the most popular temples for picnics is Ta Prohm with its excellent examples of the Bayon-style face towers, and here mats will be provided and traditional wooden torches lit for a welcome dinner under the stars. A performance of traditional Khmer music played by the local villagers will conclude the amazing first night in the serene setting of rural Cambodia.

After waking up to the sights and sounds of a local Cambodian farming village, enjoy breakfast with  the local hosts. From here, a walking tour ensues through the Banteay Chhmar local market. The local guide will along the way explain about some of the traditional life of the area, including fishing, beekeeping, weaving and rice farming.

The surrounding countryside of the village, with its paddy fields and sugar palm trees is very typical for Cambodia, and here visitors may enjoy the beauty as they ride through on a village tour by ox-cart in the late morning, a great and fun way to get in touch with rural Cambodia and its friendly people. Continue on to the Pol Pot Baray (an irrigation dam built by the Khmer Rouge) by kuyon (a type of local tractor) for a picnic lunch on a wooden platform at the baray. Here, relax and enjoy the peaceful setting in a hammock before departing, and on the way back to the village visit beekeeping and cassava farms en-route.

After arriving back at the local village and homestay, enjoy the end of the day with a meal prepared by the host family, along with a display of how rice is processed following the harvest.

After breakfast this morning at the community based tourism restaurant, depart the village and travel 12km by kuyon through small villages, water reservoirs and picturesque rice fields to Banteay Torp Temple. The name of this 13th Century temple is thought to mean ‘Fortress of the Army’ and it was built during the same period as the Banteay Chhmar temple complex. It is believed to have been built as a tribute to the Khmer army for their defeat of the Cham army leading to Khmer control of the region.

The site consists of three large (and very precarious-looking) stone towers. The tour will also unveil the nearby pagoda with its lovely wall paintings.

After a picnic lunch at this serene temple, continue journeying onwards to Battambang, with the remainder of the day at leisure to enjoy the pool at the hotel or explore a little of Battambang’s old streets independently.

Today, have a fun morning cycling around local villages with Soksa Bike, a social enterprise set up to provide scenic and informative bike rides through the local countryside. During the 30km cycle tour there are plenty of stops to learn how the locals produce rice paper, prahoc (typical Cambodian fish paste), grolan (sticky rice stuffed in bamboo) and other Cambodian treats. The local countryside is beautiful and the Battambang area is known for the high quality rice and also oranges grown in the area.

Lunch will be at Jaan Bai, meaning ‘rice bowl’ in Khmer. It is a social enterprise restaurant providing training and employment for local youth, with all profits going to the overall sustainability of the Cambodian Children’s Trust.

In the afternoon head to the Bamboo Train station. The Bamboo Train has been set up by the villagers in order to facilitate the transportation of goods and persons as there are no regular trains running any more. The “train” itself is very basic: one bamboo platform on 4-wheels is activated by a small motor. Sitting on the platform, travel 8 km to the next station through beautiful landscapes and rice paddies (depending on the season of the visit). A true rollercoaster ride without loops!

(Note: the train tracks from Battambang to Phnom Penh are currently being rebuilt. The long term future of the bamboo train ride cannot be guaranteed. Should the service stop we will arrange alternative sightseeing).

Continue to Phnom Sampeau, meaning “Ship Hill” in Khmer, due to its distinctive shape, and one of the few hills standing out in this otherwise pancake-flat plain. From the small temple on the top, take in the fantastic views over the typical Cambodian landscape of paddy fields and sugar palm trees. 

Your visit at Phnom Sampeau will last until dusk – a time when millions of bats emerge from a cave and create patterns as they fly in tandem across the sky – a nightly spectacular show of nature!

This morning depart Battambang for Phnom Penh. Starting early, travel first to Kampong Chhnang, known for its traditional pottery, with many kilns at work in this province. In a village near Kampong Chhnang, to see the different aspects of pottery making and also experience the production of traditional rice wine.

Continue to Oudong, the former royal capital of Cambodia. The drive passes through many rural villages and pagodas, and also the temple mountain with its dozens of stupas visible from afar. Upon arrival at Oudong enjoy a traditional Khmer lunch at a picnic hut at the foot of the hill.

Climbing the stairs to the top of Oudong Mountain grants magnificent views over the plains below. The guide will explain the history of the area and its buildings as well as the religious culture of the Cambodian people, a perfect opportunity to soak in the magnificent views over the plains below.

After a picnic lunch, the short distance to the Tonlé Sap River will be traversed. Spend a relaxing afternoon cruising to Phnom Penh passing many floating villages and fishing stations. After about 3 hours,  guests will arrive back in the Cambodian capital from where it is a short transfer to the hotel.

Phnom Penh was once considered one of the most beautiful cities in the Orient, and despite its recent turbulent history, it still retains a colonial charm. Cambodia’s capital is a bustling city, majestically located at the confluence of the mighty rivers of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap. Wide tree-lined boulevards and many colonial-era buildings reflect the glorious days and add to the allure of the city, where Asian and Western traditions meet in a fascinating way.

This morning provides a great insight into Cambodia’s recent dark history on a visit to the moving Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, housed in the former school that was taken over by the Khmer Rouge and used as its main detention and torture centre named ‘S-21’. A further visit examines the tragic Killing Fields of Choeung Ek.

An audio headset guide is provided, which is available in 15 different languages and gives some harrowing but informative stories from survivors and liberators of the camp. A grim, but important visit that digs below the surface of Cambodia’s history and culture to offer a greater understanding of the country. Returning to the city, a stop will be made at Stung Meanchey, a local neighborhood that is home to thehumanitarian organization Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (for the smile of a child) that provides education and job training to street children  who used to scavenge the municipal dump, and provide them with the skills and hope they need for a brighter future. Whilst a visit to the school is not included, to avoid disruption to the learning process, there is time to visit the centre’s shop to buy some souvenirs, followed by lunch at Le Lotus Blanc, the centre’s training restaurant (Note: closed on weekends and public holidays), which supports the further training of these kids.

After a delicious lunch, the next stop is to Bloom café, an incredible cake art gallery and a not-for-profit training organization that empowers young disadvantaged Cambodian women and provides them with the skills they need to develop a sustainable profession. Here you will get a chance to sample some of their incredible creations and cupcakes.

Note: Bloom café is open Monday-Saturday (10:00-17:00hrs) and closed every Sunday.

A driver will greet guests at Bloom ready to undertake an afternoon tour to the most remarkable sights of Phnom Penh in a Cyclo, an original Phnom Penh means of transportation and a fun way to explore this lively city. First, visit Wat Phnom, which is situated near the northern boundary of the city. The site contains some good examples of Khmer architecture and statues.

Continue along the lively riverfront to the Royal Palace. This palace dates back to 1866 and houses the Silver Pagoda, named for the over 5000 heavy silver tiles that cover its floors. Its original name is Wat Prakeo, meaning Temple of the Emerald Buddha. In this temple it is possible to view a stunning collection of Buddhas in gold, silver, crystal, and bronze.

Returning back to hotel there will be time to freshen up before the evening, and an inspirational display of Cambodian arts in the form of traditional dance performance by Cambodian Living Arts (CLA). A rotating program offers 3 unique performances: Children of Bassac (Classical and Folk Dance), Mak Therng and Passage of Life (Music and Theatre). Oct-Mar shows daily except Sun, Apr-Sep on Fri/Sat only.

All the shows last one hour and are held in the atmospheric gardens of the National Museum. After many years of gaining recognition for preserving many Cambodian art forms the CLA are today striving towards providing the artists the tools required to make their skills sustainable and assisting performers with making a competitive income from their work.

The Cambodian journey comes to an end with a dinner at Romdeng, run by former street youth in training. Set in a beautiful colonial building, Romdeng serves a great variety of Cambodian food ranging from almost forgotten recipes from the provinces to contemporary creative Cambodian cuisine. Even deep-fried tarantula is on the menu!. (Note: Romdeng closes on Sundays and Public holidays)

Transfer to Phnom Penh international airport after any excursions for onward flights.