Experiencing Cambodia is an extraordinary treat and this tour lends the chance to see some of the finest and most famous parts of this beautiful country. Beginning with Siem Reap and the ancient history of the temples of Angkor you will move through the countryside visiting Battambang, Cambodia’s largest rice production region, enroute to Phnom Penh, where you will experience the country’s revival and modern culture.
Day 1 Siem Reap: Arrival
Arrive in Siem Reap where you will be met by a Journeys Within representative just outside the airport exit doors and driven to the main part of town for a quick orientation tour. You will be given a quick introduction to the city, and the Journeys Within representative will point out the main roads, markets, some recommended restaurants and Wat Bo, before dropping you off at your hotel to check in.
Meals Included: None
Overnight at Jaya House River Park – 1 Double Deluxe Room
Day 2 Siem Reap: Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom
Wake up early and head to Angkor Wat for sunrise and a morning tour of the temple before the crowds arrive. Mid-morning head back to your hotel for breakfast before relaxing in the garden, by the pool, or in your own room through the heat of the day.
In the early afternoon head to Angkor Thom, the famous walled city and see the many temples within its borders, including the fascinating Bayon temple with its many magnificent faces smiling out. There are several beautiful spots from which to watch the sunset. Discuss with your guide where you would like to be and then relax and enjoy a memorable end to your day at the temples.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at Jaya House River Park – 1 Double Deluxe Room
Day 3 Siem Reap: Banteay Srei, Other Temples and Local Night Out
This morning set off with your guide to Banteay Srei, the intricately carved temple located just 30km beyond Angkor Wat. As you head back towards town you can stop at Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm, two of the prettiest temples in the complex, where you can enjoy climbing through these smaller unique temples. Return to your hotel for lunch, or have your guide help you find a good place to eat in town. Remember to take a look at our Cheat Sheet which lists a number of our favorite restaurant recommendations!
Head out in a tuk-tuk with one of the Journeys Within staff for a taste of the local nightlife. Plough Koksap, or the Road 6 Fun Fair is a perennial favourite for families and young Cambodians alike. Take in the hustle and bustle of this busy street, sampling Khmer fruits and snacks as you go. From deep fried beetles and bugs to some of the tastiest barbeque in Siem Reap, enjoy all the local flavor this hotspot has to offer. As you make your way through the crowds, your guide will give you the rundown on the Khmer food you sample. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about contemporary Cambodian cuisine and culture. Feeling adventurous? Take a ride in the fair’s bumper cars but remember that health and safety regulations aren’t up to the same standards as back home! When you are finished, your tuk-tuk will be waiting to take you back to your hotel or into town for dinner if you haven’t filled up on local treats.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight at Jaya House River Park – 1 Double Deluxe Room
Day 4 Siem Reap to Battambang: Nory Experience & Phnom Sampeau Bat Caves
This morning you will be met by your driver and Guide and transferred by air-conditioned car to Battambang. This journey should take about 3 hours. Once in Battambang, your guide will take you to your hotel in town. Enjoy lunch here or have your guide drop you off in town where they can help you find a good lunch spot. Remember to take a look at our Cheat Sheet which lists a number of our favorite restaurant recommendations!
After lunch you will head out of town to experience the famous Bamboo Train known by the local people as ‘Nory’, this train has been used for generations to carry people and their wares from the outer villages to the central Battambang markets. From here you will journey upwards to Phnom Sampeau Mountain to visit the somber killing fields and mountaintop temple which offers spectacular views stretching across miles and miles of rice paddies. Around 5:30pm you will move onto the Bat Caves and perch yourself at the ready for the spectacular sunset display of hundreds of bats flying away from the cave. After sunset you will journey back to your hotel or have your guide drop you off in town where they can help you find a good place to eat. Remember to take a look at our Cheat Sheet which lists a number of our favorite restaurant recommendations!
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at La Villa Hotel – 1 Double Standard Room
Day 5 Battambang: Half Day Village Cycling Tour and Self-Guided Shopping Adventure
Your guide will meet you at your hotel at 8:00am to transfer by tuk tuk to the bike shop where your cycling tour begins. You will collect your mountain bikes and enjoy a pleasant ride through the village as your guide points out some of the features of everyday life in a typical village. Along the way you will have the opportunity to meet and talk with local families who produce staple items such as rice paper, fresh noodles and rice wine as you see the process in action. Continue your journey through the village before stopping at a local family house for a fresh home-cooked Cambodian lunch. Many of the families in Peam Ek village don’t speak a lot of English but your guide will be happy to translate for you to gain a little more personal insight into the daily life of a Battambang villager.
Your driver will collect you after lunch and take you to the starting point for your self-guided shopping adventure in Battambang. From here you will follow your handy Battambang guide to all of the city’s finest and quirkiest boutiques for a true shopping adventure. Your walking tour begins at Psar Nat in the centre of town and allows you to wander from Battambang’s own Pub Street through Street 2 and onto Street 1.5 before ending at the river’s edge on Street 1 where your driver will meet you. From here you have the option to visit the Romchiek 5 Art Space to view the current exhibition, before returning to your hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at La Villa Hotel – 1 Double Standard Room
Day 6 Battambang to Phnom Penh: History and Architecture
Your guide will collect you early in the morning from your hotel and you will be transferred by air-conditioned car to Phnom Penh. The countryside is a mixture of small villages and rice fields, and the journey should take no more than 4 hours. You will drive the reverse route that many Cambodians were forced to walk back in 1975, when they were driven from Phnom Penh and sent to Battambang to “work for the revolution”. When you arrive in Phnom Penh, check into your hotel. After you will enjoy a wonderful introduction to Cambodia’s architectural history as you slowly move through the small side streets of Phnom Penh in the most traditional form of transport, a cyclo. This tour is led by an architectural specialist who is there to provide you with some wonderful insight into the architectural elements of the city’s inner core.
With your newly acquired architectural knowledge, you will be able to take in the Royal Palace and National Museum this afternoon in a new light. Experience Cambodia’s rich history as your expert guide leads you through some of Cambodia’s most beautiful places and takes you on a journey of the past.
This evening you are going local! You will be met by Cambodian Chef, Mr. Nara who will guide you comfortably through a number of markets and street food locations as you sample the local Cambodian snacks along the way. For dinner this evening you will be invited to join Nara at one of his favorite local restaurants before returning to your hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight at The Villa Paradiso – 1 Double Harmony Suite
Day 7 Phnom Penh: Reminiscing and Moving Forward
This morning you will visit former Khmer Rouge prison camp S21 which is a sobering experience for most. Here you will have the opportunity to meet the 2 survivors of the camp who have gone on to write inspirational books about their experiences in this harrowing time of Cambodia’s history. From here you will drive out to the Killing Fields, a quiet place of memory for those who were lost during this tragic time. This is a sobering experience indeed, but also an experience that all should have, simply to marvel at how quickly the people have come back from such a horrific time. This will help you to truly appreciate how far Cambodia has come in the last 20 years.
Head back to the city to enjoy lunch at Friends Café, operated in support of a local NGO who works with poor and disadvantaged children to provide them with education and a better life.
This afternoon is for adventure! You will be collected by the fantastic team at MotoGirl to explore Phnom Penh on the back of one of their signature pink motorbikes, like the locals do! Visit local villages, the silk island and learn from these wonderful young entrepreneurs about their favorite places in Phnom Penh and on the outskirts of the city. Return to your hotel at approximately 5pm to freshen up for this evening’s special dinner.
At 6pm your driver will collect you with another incredible young Chef, Mr. Veasna who will be taking you to a private river-font apartment this evening to prepare a special gourmet Cambodian meal for you. Relax on the balcony overlooking the river and enjoy Phnom Penh from above as Veasna prepares you an unforgettable meal.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight at The Villa Paradiso – 1 Double Harmony Suite
Day 8 Phnom Penh: Culture and Culinary Experience
Today you will hit the markets with Chef Nara to purchase the ingredients you will require for you morning cooking class. Watch and learn as Nara barters on the price of vegetables and even give it a go for yourself. Enjoy your guided tour through the chaos before heading to your cooking station at Feelgood Café to start learning. Nara will guide you through the process of putting together 3 tasty traditional Cambodian dishes which you will enjoy for lunch.
This afternoon you will visit one of Cambodia’s largest not-for-profit organizations whose primary focus is on art and culture. You will be guided by one of their expert teachers in the art and forms of traditional Cambodian dancing, called Apsara Dancing. This 3 hour workshop will help you to gain a broader understanding of the traditions of Cambodia and how the art forms were almost lost and are now experiencing a revival thanks to organizations such as this one.
Take a break and head to the riverside for an early dinner this evening before returning to the National Museum to take in the Cambodian Living Arts traditional dance show. This is reputed to be the best performance of Cambodian traditional dance in the country!
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at The Villa Paradiso – 1 Double Harmony Suite
Day 9 Phnom Penh: Departure
This morning you will be transferred to the airport by your guide and driver for your onward flight.
Meals included: Breakfast
PLEASE NOTE: This itinerary is currently in progress and does not reflect hotel room availability. The pricing is not final until the itinerary has been confirmed and booked.
Tour Rate: $ 2,295 per person based on 2 people traveling.
Price includes:
- Boat tickets as specified above
- Accommodation as specified above
- Air-conditioned car/van with driver
- Licensed English speaking guides
- Tours and admission fees as mentioned above
- Meals as specified in itinerary, including water
Price excludes:
- Personal expenses
- Visa fees
- Airport tax
- Drinks (except water) and meals not mentioned in itinerary
- Tips