Cambodia Investigator

On arrival at Siem Reap International Airport, you will be greeted by our airport representative, who will provide the private vehicle transfer to your hotel. Cambodia is much more than temples, as the history of Cambodia is both inspiring and sobering, uplifting and heartbreaking. Over the next few days, you will visit Siem Reap’s magnificent temples, abandoned centuries ago by the Khmer kingdom and now surrounded by lush forests. In Phnom Penh, witness stark reminders of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge.

Today is all about Angkor. No doubt you’ve seen photos of the epic Angkor Wat, the largest and most important of the Angkor Temples, full of courtyards and carvings. Then there’s the mysterious Bayon Temple with its giant smiling stone faces, and let’s not forget the haunting beauty of Ta Phrom – left to the clutches of the jungle, bound by the roots of massive trees. Nothing can prepare you for the sheer scale and the spiritual atmosphere that you will experience when seeing these ancient monuments in real life. We will, of course, visit all the above, plus many more renowned and lesser-known temples. To end a perfect day, we’ll climb to the upper terraces of one of the ancient temples to view the sunset.

Today is a relaxing day as all you need to do is sit back on a boat and relax! Enjoy the views of Kampong Kleang, a fishing community on the edge of the Tonle Sap Lake. We’ll cruise past wooden houses built on towering stilts, submerged forests and fish farms. This afternoon is spent at your leisure.

Enjoy an early start, and after breakfast, check out of your hotel and meet your driver, who will provide the private vehicle transfer from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. This trip may take between six to eight hours, depending on the route and traffic. On arrival, enjoy the evening at leisure.

Enjoy a full day of guided touring in Cambodia’s capital city! The riverfront promenade that lines the mighty Mekong is a hive of activity, from the chaotic traffic to busy pavements full of street-side vendors and pedestrians. You will visit the National Museum and the Silver Pagoda and then rub shoulders with the royals in the Royal Palace, where King Norodom Sihamoi still lives today. Next, enjoy shopping for exotic souvenirs in one of the city’s fabulous markets. We’ll either visit the art-deco Central Market or the sprawling Russian Market to barter for locally made silk, crafts, jewellery, and lots more. Let us know if you have a preference! Finally, in the early evening, enjoy a cyclo ride around Phnom Penh during the sunset.

The city still bears the scars left by the Khmer Rouge. In particular, the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, formerly the high school, became the main interrogation and torture facility. Largely unchanged, it bears witness to the thousands of victims that passed through the doors – only seven of whom survived. In a peaceful rural setting, just outside the city, we find the Killing Fields. Thousands of people were killed here between the years of 1975 and 1978 and buried in mass graves, these are distressing places to visit, but it’s necessary to get a clearer idea of how Cambodians have suffered and how they have survived.

In the mid-late afternoon, your guide will provide the private vehicle transfer to Phnom Penh International Airport for your onward flight.