We Love —
- Visiting the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh and admiring the architecture as well as its interesting history.
- Seeing the iconic temples and discovering the Angkor complex with a local guide.
- Choosing to extend the trip on Koh Rong island where we can relax on the pretty beach.
New Voyage Privé —
Carefully selected by our experts especially for you
Your Itinerary In Brief —
Cambodia is a multifaceted country with unique archaeological remains, lovely landscapes and iconic temples.
From the legendary Siem Reap (Angkor) to the charm of Phnom Penh, set off to discover the must-see places of the Khmer Kingdom.
You are sure to fall under the spell of its exceptional cultural and natural heritage.
For even more fun, you have the option to extend your stay with a 3-night extension on the island of Koh Rong.
Your itinerary:
Day 1: Phnom Penh arrival
Day 2: Phnom Penh – Highlights
Day 3: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
Day 4: Siem Reap – Banteay Srei – Banteay Samre – Ta Prhom
Day 5: Siem Reap – Angkor Temples – Sunset Angkor Wat
Day 6: Siem Reap – Floating village on Tonle Sap Lake
Day 7: Siem Reap – Battambang
Day 8: Battambang - Highlights
Day 9: Battambang – Phnom Penh
Day 10: Phnom Penh – Departure
Koh Rong Beach Extension
Day 10: Phnom Penh – land transfer – Koh Rong
Day 11: Koh Rong – Leisure beach time
Day 12: Koh Rong – Phnom Penh
Day 13: Phnom Penh – Departure
Your Itinerary In Detail —
Day 1: Phnom Penh arrival
Upon arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport, you will be welcomed by our representative and then, transferred to your hotel in the city centre
(**Note: Please check your name on a welcome board under the Voyage Privé logo at the airport exit).
Free day to explore Phnom Penh. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 2: Phnom Penh – Highlights
Once known as “The Pearl of Asia”, Phnom Penh used to be one of the finest cities in the region. Situated at the junction of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been Cambodia’s capital for a majority of the last six centuries. Rich in history, the city offers several cultural and historical sites to discover.
Start your day with a visit to the Royal Palace, originally built in 1866 by the grandfather of the current Cambodian King. The palace is a complex of splendid regal buildings with its classic Khmer roofs, ornate gilding, and intricate layout of defensive walls, featuring a great mixture of Khmer architecture and slight French touch. It includes the official residence of the royal family with parts of the massive palace compound, partially opened to the public.
Wind your way to the nearby Silver Pagoda that houses many national treasures, including many golden and jewelled Buddha statues. Perched within the Royal Palace compound, this is the most sacred temple in the country.
Take your time to learn about the turbulent Khmer Rouge years with the visit to Tuol Sleng, a high school turned interrogation prison known as S-21 during the Khmer Rouge era and now a genocide museum dedicated to showcasing the sad story of the thousands of innocent Cambodian people who were tortured on its grounds. Tour the museum, through the narrow corridors and former classrooms of the buildings, for an overview of Cambodia’s turbulent past.
Continue to the hillside temple of Wat Phnom that lent the Cambodian capital its name. The temple was originally built to preserve four statues of the Buddha that had been discovered in the heart of the Mekong River. Tour the temple surrounded by huge trees and mischievous monkeys while hearing about the legend of Lady Penh, the founder of the city.
Overnight stay in Phnom Penh.
Day 3: Phnom Penh – flight to Siem Reap
Free time until transfer to the airport for the domestic flight to Siem Reap.
Upon arrival at Siem Reap airport, you will be welcomed by our driver and transferred to the hotel for check-in.
The evening is at your leisure, you can enjoy a stroll on the busy street walking past pubs or go shopping at the Angkor Night Market.
Overnight stay in Siem Reap.
Day 4: Siem Reap – Banteay Srei – Banteay Samre – Ta Prhom
After breakfast, your guide will pick you up to explore the Angkor complex.
- Banteay Srei: the special charm of this temple lies in its compact size, remarkable state of preservation, and excellence of decorative sculpture
- Banteay Samre: the sandstone rose-coloured walls are decorated with sculptures and bas-reliefs, which are among the most accomplished things Angkor has to offer.
- Ta Prohm: most popularly known as The Tomb Raider temple. Built in the late 12th and early 13th Centuries as a Buddhist temple dedicated to the mother of Jayavarman VII, this beautiful temple is the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings. The magnificent tree roots have merged over the centuries with the temple’s huge stone blocks, emphasizing a ‘forgotten city’ feeling.
- Prasat Kravan: it has unique sculptures on the bricks.
- Srah Srang: the Royal Bathtubs were once used for ritual baths.
- Banteay Kdei: surrounded by four concentric walls.
Last stop to watch the sunset at Pre Rup temple.
Overnight stay in Siem Reap.
Day 5: Siem Reap – Angkor Temples by Tuk Tuk
Spend this morning with your guide discovering the Angkor complex like a local. Departure from your hotel by tuk tuk on shaded roads. Cross the jungle, passing local villages and local shops. It's a very special day of moving because you will explore some of the most beautiful temples in Angkor. You will visit the western entrance to Angkor Thom - discover by the mass of tourists.
- The ancient capital of Angkor Thom (in the 12th century)
- See the southern entrance, Temple of Bayon, unique for its 54 towers decorated with more than 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara
- The royal enclosure, Phimeanakas
- The Elephant Terrace and the Leper King's Terrace
Then visit the famous temple: Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is a World Heritage Site since 1992, famous for its beauty and splendour. Angkor Wat is the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, running along the walls of the outer gallery and telling stories of Hindu mythology. It is an ideal place for the sunset. Transfer to your hotel.
Overnight stay in Siem Reap.
Day 6: Siem Reap – Floating village on Tonle Sap Lake
The charming town of Siem Reap is defined by the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO listed site and Tonle Sap Lake where life is simple and slow with people living on the water, close to nature. For the resident here, life on the water is the greatest traditional culture that should be preserved before the rapid development of modern society.
Situated 18 kilometres away from Siem Reap downtown, Kampong Phluk is one of the most impressive and untouched permanent settlements on the Tonle Sap Lake. Home to over 3,000 villagers, this charming village offers a close look at the submerged mangrove forest and lakeside village life. Board the local boat and set out on a relaxing and insightful cruise. Immerse yourself into nature and gain an insight into the diverse village lifestyle on the lake as your boat glides through the mangroves, the houses on stilts, the floating school and police station. Observe the floating life going on as it would anywhere else in Cambodia. Get your camera ready to capture the scenic view over Tonle Sapa Lake, local women or children making their way across the river canal, or village residents selling and buying produce at a makeshift floating market.
**Note: The boat trip on Tonle Sap Lake is not recommended during the dry season (March to August) due to the lack of water for navigation.
During this period, this trip can be replaced by Siem Reap countryside excursion:Take a tuk tuk to explore one of the local villages where you can see the daily activities of the inhabitants. Walk through the village to meet shy, but humble villagers. Many children and adults will offer friendly smiles and say "hello" during your visit to their village.
Visit a local market where you will experience an unfamiliar mix of colours, smells and sounds as you wander the small aisles and meet some of the friendliest Khmers selling and buying a variety of foods and households.
Overnight stay in Siem Reap.
Day 7: Siem Reap – Battambang
Departure for Battambang by car on the distance of 175 km in good road. Arrival at the village of Puok 15 km from Siem Reap, stop for visiting the National Center of Silk PUOK - founded by an NGO in Puok with the aim of reviving Cambodian silk productions.
Visit the mulberry plantation and the breeding of silkworms, where you will discover all the stages of the breeding and the manufacturing of the silk. Continue to visit Les Chantiers Ecole - a handicraft centre located in the centre of the city. It was founded in 1992 and its mission is to revive the ancient art of the Khmer. Once there, you will have the opportunity to see the young people learning wood carving, weaving, and stone carving.
Visit the mulberry plantation and the silkworm farm, where you discover all the stages of silk breeding and manufacturing.
Lunch in a local restaurant along the road.
Arrival in Battambang in the afternoon. Stroll around town to explore Battambang, a big city along the Steung Sanke River, where you can take beautiful pictures of elegant French colonial style buildings.
Overnight stay in Battambang.
Day 8: Battambang
A day of discovery of the charming city of Battambang!
Visit the provincial museum and pagoda before heading to the 11th century temple of Wat Ek Phnom. You will pass through traditional villages along the way to watch family rice cakes being made and chat about daily life with locals. Visit a local farm - Prasat Phnom Banan Vineyard - producing local wine.
Visit Wat Ek Phnom¸ a beautiful Angkorian temple located on the left side of the Sangkae River. This is also another Angkorian-era ruin, built as a Hindu temple in the 6th Century. Although partly collapsed, it is still well-known for its well-carved lintels and pediments.
Drive to Phnom Banan area, which is home to a variety of tropical fruits and fresh vegetables. After the rainy season, the local farmer cultivates all kinds of vegetables along the fertile river banks. Have a chat with local farmers for insight about their agricultural life while tasting the seasonal tropical fruits.
Climb up its 358 steps to reach the 12th century Prasat Banan Temple. Enjoy wonderfully peaceful panoramic views over the fertile plains dotted with sugar palm trees, rice fields, and small villages.
Conclude your memorable day by one of the world’s unique rail journeys, Battambang’s bamboo train. Built by the local villager for transporting goods and people, this basic “4WD bamboo platform” is activated by a small motor. Experience this special ride on what locals call the “norry” through the countryside, meeting local people and observing Khmer rural life along the way.
Return to your hotel at the end of the day.
Overnight stay in Battambang.
Day 9: Battambang – Phnom Penh
After breakfast, transfer to Phnom Penh by the N5 national road, stopping in the province of Pursat, a province famous for marble, so some of the villagers work as sculptors. You will continue the road to the provincial town of Kompong Chhnang, with its river port and its typical floating houses. Then you will go to a village where the inhabitants make pots, vases, and other earthenware items. You make a stop at Phnom Oudong, one of the ancient capitals of Cambodia after Angkor, located on a hill topped by enormous stupas of ancient kings, and a new magnificent stupa used to house the centre of the Buddha. From above, admire panoramic landscapes of villages, pagodas, plains and lakes.
Arrival at the beginning of the evening in Phnom Penh.
Overnight stay in Phnom Penh.
Day 10: Phnom Penh – Departure
Breakfast at your hotel, free time until you are transferred by our driver to the airport for your return flight.
3-day Extension in Koh Rong
Day 10: Phnom Penh – Koh Rong
Breakfast at your hotel, then, at 8:30 am, our driver will pick you up at your hotel lobby and drive you to Sihanouk city, then you will take a speed boat to Koh Rong Island. Check in at the hotel.
Overnight stay in Koh Rong.
Day 11: Koh Rong – Leisure beach time
Breakfast served at the hotel.
You have two completely free days to relax on the beach or the pool.
Overnight stay in Koh Rong.
Day 12: Koh Rong – Phnom Penh
Take a speed boat to Sihanoukville city, then transfer back to Phnom Penh by private car.
Overnight stay in Phnom Penh.
Day 13: Phnom Penh – Departure
Breakfast at hotel, free time until transfer by our driver to Phnom Penh airport for your return flight.
Your Hotels —
HAND-PICKED JUST FOR YOU
Maximum room capacity
During your trip, you can choose to stay in either 4* or 5* hotels, in Standard Rooms.
4* Hotels:
Siem Reap: Tara Angkor hotel 4* or similar
Battambang: Battambang Resort 4* or similar
Phnom Penh: Sun and Moon Urban Hotel 4* or similar
Koh Rong (Beach Extension): Secret Garden Resort Koh Rong 4* in a Deluxe Sea View Room
5* Hotels:
Siem Reap: Somadevi Angkor Boutique & Resort 5* or similar
Battambang: Battambang Resort 4* or similar
Phnom Penh: Palace Gate Hotel & Resort 4*+ or similar
Koh Rong (Beach Extension): The Royal Sands Resort 5* in an Ocean View Villa
Your Dining Choices
Please see the itinerary for more information about your board basis.
Your Journey to Cambodia —
Flights:
You may choose from Economy, Premium or Business class flights on sectors that they operate, at the next stage of the booking process. The flights included are with either a scheduled or no-frills airline and are subject to live availability and prices can change. You can choose your preferred departure times during the booking process. Please select your flight options carefully as departure and arrival airports may differ.
Your Destination —
Phnom Penh
Cambodia’s lively capital boasts a mix of colonial buildings, grand temples, and a rich history, making it a great first stop on your trip to Cambodia. To explore the history of this city, once called the ‘Pearl of the East’, head to the Royal Palace of Cambodia, the royal residence of the king of Cambodia, or the National Museum.
If you’re craving a temple visit, discover Wat Phnom, a Buddhist temple built in 1372 surrounded by picturesque gardens. Climb the grand staircase, crowned by lions and mythical creatures, and pay a visit to the shine of Daun Penh, the female founder of the temple. Elsewhere, the Killing Fields are a popular tourist draw in the nearby village of Choeung Ek. Though a harrowing experience, a walk through this mass grave of victims of the Khmer Rouge brings visitors closer to Cambodia’s more recent history.
End your days exploring the vibrant bars and restaurants of the city centre, encompassing grand hotel bars and local street food vendors, where you can get a true taste of the city with traditional Cambodian curries, pork and rice, and fresh seafood all on the menu.