Highlights Of Angkor

After breakfast at hotel, we begin to visit Preah Khan: a temple built by King Jayavarman VII with towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors in a jungle setting. Preah Khan covers a very large area but the temple itself is enclosed within a rectangular wall of around 700 by 800 meters. Next is Neak Poan was supposed to be a symbol of the Universe.  We head further out through rural countryside to the small but beautiful temple of Banteay Srei. This temple is largely built of pink sandstone, a harder rock that can be more elaborately carved and better survives the rigors of time. Stop at a local village to visit families who are producing palm sugar. We’ll pay a visit to the Landmine Museum where Mr. Aki Ra, a former child soldier in the Khmer Rouge has dedicated his life to helping others in need. After having spent most of his child years fighting for the Khmer Rouge and later the Vietnamese army, Mr. Aki Ra was trained by the United Nations to detonate land-mines; his fantastic work earned him a nomination for CNN Hero of the year in 2010. Continue to Banteay Samre: Its rose-colored sandstone walls are decorated with carvings and bas-reliefs, which are among the most accomplished Angkor has to offer. For the later afternoon we head back into main Angkor Park and we finish by experiencing sunset over the rice fields from the royal crematorium of Pre Rup, a classic view of the Cambodian countryside. O/n in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at hotel, morning meeting our tour guide, then we drive to Angkor Thom that was the masterpiece of King Jayavarman VII. Following the occupation of Angkor by the Chams from 1177 to 1181, the new king decided to build an impregnable fortress at the heart of his empire.  We visit Bayon Temple. At the exact center of Angkor Thom, this is an eccentric expression of the creative genius and inflated ego of Cambodia’s most celebrated king. From there we walk to Baphuon, once of the most beautiful temples at Angkor, dating from the reign of Uditayavarman 1 in the 11^th century.  We continue to visit Terrace of the Leper King. This intricately carved platform was the royal crematorium and the statue that was originally thought to be the leper king is now believed to be Yama, the god of death. We continue along the Terrace of Elephants, originally used as a viewing gallery for the king to preside over parades, performances and traditional sports. We also visit Ta Prohm “Tomb Raider” fame. Ta Prohm has been abandoned to the elements, a reminder that while empires rise and fall, the riotous power of nature marches on, oblivious to the dramas of human history. We journey out to the Mother of all temples, Angkor Wat. Believed to be the world’s largest religious building, this temple is the perfect fusion of symbolism and symmetry and a source of pride and strength to all Khmers. O/n in Siem Reap.

After breakfast at hotel, we depart for the Tonlé Sap. We will enjoy a boat ride on the Tonle Sap Lake. This is the largest permanent fresh-water lake in South East Asia and flows into Tonle Sap River, joining the Mekong in Phnom Penh. We will see a fisherman’s “floating village” with floating schools, floating police station, etc. It is same as a big village floating on the lake, and the “village” move from place to place following water levels and current. Transfer to Siem Reap airport (no guide) for departure to next destination. It’s time to say goodbye, we thank you for traveling with us and warmly welcome you to come again.

Note: B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner