Travel Cambodia The Sustainable

Welcome to Siem Reap, the charming gateway to the famed temples of Angkor. You will be greeted by your local English speaking guide, who will accompany you to your hotel for check in.

Take a rest from your flight at the hotel or discover Siem Reap on a stroll through its beautiful pagodas and the colorful market on your own.

This afternoon, will take you on a journey to get 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 figured on Cambodia's national flag as the temple symbolizes the soul of the Khmer people.

This evening enjoy a welcome dinner at Marum Restaurant. Set in a delightful wooden house with a spacious garden, and featuring a winning mix of creative local cuisine, Marum is named after the Moringa, or 'Tree of life'. Your visit not only gives you an incredible dining experience, but also helps build a new life for the students in training there! Part of the Tree Alliance group of training restaurants, they provide vocations into the hospitality industry for local street kids and disadvantaged youths.

After breakfast, visit 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 8 m 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.

In the afternoon travel to the “gem” of the Angkor area, the pretty temple of Banteay Srei, stopping off for lunch at the Bong Thom homestay en-route. 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 Banteay Srei Butterfly Centre (BBC), where it is possible to experience butterflies feeding and flying very close at hand and to witness the complete life cycle of many species. The exhibit consists of a netted tropical garden with thousands of free-flying butterflies, all of which are native species to Cambodia.  Revenue generated by tourist admissions provides support for local poverty alleviation and conservation projects.

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

Visit 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 serves also as a rescue center for a number of landmine amputee children that Aki Ra has brought off Phnom Penh’s streets or from impoverished rural communities.

This evening attend a 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, explore the temples of the Small Circuit by a local ‘remork’(similar to the Thai tuk tuk). The most illustrious among these is 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. Your 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 your 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. You will have 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.)

This afternoon explore a few of the Grand Circuit Temples. Begin at Ta Som, a Buddhist temple built under Jayavarman VII. The temple has been left largely unrestored with numerous trees and vegetation growing amongst the ruins including a sacred fig tree strangling one of the entrance gates.

From Ta Som begin a visit to a community project set up to protect and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of Baray Reach Dak, the park’s newly flooded north reservoir. The baray (artificial body of water) was only recently re-flooded in 2007 after heavy rainfall. Appreciate the nature of the baray with a walk through the forest accompanied by a community guide. You will also have the special experience of visiting Neak Poan temple, arriving as the ancient Khmer did by boat. The tour finishes at Preah Khan Temple, built approximately during the same period as Ta Prohm, and originally served both as a religious university and a temple. All aspects of the tour are run and managed by members of the community.

On the way back to Siem Reap, you will be right in time to catch the beautiful evening light from Pre Rup, a pyramidal temple surrounded by rice fields.

After an early breakfast, embark on a boat trip that will take you on a fascinating journey across Tonlé Sap Lake to Battambang on a private boat. You will pass floating villages and flooded forests, portraying life on this body of water that forms Cambodia’s heart. Packed lunch will be served on board.  (Note: This boat trip is only possible in the high water period from July to December as water levels are too low during the dry season and transfer times can be extremely long. From January to June alternative transfer by road.)

The afternoon is at leisure to enjoy your hotel or explore a little of the old town in Battambang independently.

Today have a fun morning cycling around local villages with Soksa Bike, a social enterprise initiated set up to provide scenic and informative bike rides through the local countryside. During the 30km cycle tour there are plenty of stops where you will 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.

In the afternoon explore another side of Battambang. Take a relaxing cyclo ride around the town with an audio set providing an informative guide to the history of the town. Over 2½ hours sit back as your cyclo driver takes you around the colonial streets, markets and temples. The audio set narrates short anecdotes of the many highlights in English or French. At many you get off the cyclo and walk around the points of interest before moving on the next stop.

Breakfast at your hotel. Now you will 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 (we will provide some cushions for your comfort), you will travel the 8 km to the next station through beautiful landscape and rice paddies (depending on season of 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).

This afternoon, you will be transferred back overland to Siem Reap (Duration 3 hours). Upon arrival, check in to your hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel. Enjoy the day at leisure for some relaxation. Transfer to the airport for your individual departure flight.