Cambodia – Siem Riep – Phnom Penh 4D3N

After landing in the Siem Reap international airport, we will transfer you to your hotel. Right after, we will begin the tour with a visit to Tonle Sap Great Lake, the largest freshwater lake in South East Asian and recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve in 1997. Then, you will visit Artisans to learn about traditional carving techniques of the Kh’mer. In the evening, you will enjoy dinner while watching the traditional Aspara Dance performed by beautiful dancers. After, you will rest for the night in Siem Reap.

Today, you will spend a majority of the time exploring the mystical Angkor Complex. The first destination is Angkor Thom Ancient Capital, considered to be the largest city in the world pre-industrial age and has an area of almost 400 square miles. Once there, you will explore Banteay Srei Temple, also known as the Nun Sanctuary and built in the 10th century with crimson bricks. The Banteay Srei temple is considered one of the most complex structure in Angkor and a prime example of Kh’mer stone carving techniques.
Next will be Bayon Temple, built in the 12th century. The Bayon Temple has 54 towers of different sizes, and each of them has faces of Lokesvara gods carved into it. After hundreds of years of tumultuous history, the Bayon Temple still stands with all of its towers intact, facing the changes of time.
In the afternoon, you finally get to visit the renown Angkor Wat. Built in the beginning of the 12th century, Angkor Wat is recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1992 and is the largest religious monument in the world. At first, Angkor Wat was used to worship Vishnu from Hinduism, but change to Buddhism after the Kh’mer Empire converted to Buddhism. The main temple has a pyramid shape and is separated into three different levels: heaven, earth, and hell. Angkor Wat is definitely the epitome of the talents and techniques of the ancient Kh’mer.
Afterwards, you will travel to Ta Prohm Temple, chosen to be the location for the first Lara Croft movie starring Angelina Jolie. In the 16th century, with the declination of the Kh’mer Empire, Ta Prohm was also forgotten along with the whole Angkor Complex, facing the ravages of time. However, this adds to the uniqueness of the place and will cause you strange feelings during your visit. You will then spend the night in Siem Reap

After breakfast at the hotel, you will then head to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. On the way, you get to visit the Kompong Kdei Bridge, built under King Chayravaman VII more than 1,300 years ago. Then you will visit Skun Insect Market, a place specialized in selling different insects such as spiders, scorpions, and other exotic insects processed in various ways like deep-frying or grilling.
After reaching Phnom Penh in the afternoon, you will visit the Wat Phnom Temple, lying on Penh hill and next to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, a place to showcase the brutality of the Red Kh’mer during their genocide of the Cambodian people. The museum is usually considered to be the 2nd wonder of Cambodia. After that, you will spend the night in Phnom Penh.

In the morning, you will visit the Cambodian Royal Palace, built with the traditional Kh’mer architecture and the living place of the Cambodian royal family. Here, you will also have the opportunity to visit the Silver Pagoda, where 5,000 plates of silver are used as flooring and the home to a green marbled Buddha statue. Then, we will transfer you to the airport for you flight home, ending the tour. We hope you have a great time traveling with CaliTravel.