Southern Cambodia Discovery

Day 3: Explore Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre and Tonle Sap

This morning, we travel to the intricately carved and well-preserved Banteay Srei. The detailed reliefs on this smaller sandstone structure are regarded as the finest and most skillfully crafted in Cambodia. Banteay Srei has only been accessible since the late 1990s, when the Khmer Rouge left the area.

Continue to Banteay Samre, built under Suryavarman II and Yasovarman II in the early 12th century. It is a Hindu temple in the Angkor Wat style. Named after the Samré, an ancient people of Indochina, the temple uses the same materials as the Banteay Srei.

After lunch, we’ll break from the temple trail today. We then explore the great landscape of the Tonle Sap lake. This is a unique experience offering a great outdoor adventure in Siem Reap’s countryside by exploring the floating village and seeing first hand the livelihoods of the Cambodian people. At the end of the day, we will watch the sunset on the lake with some snacks and cold beverages.

Day 4: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, Evening Food Tour

Today we depart for Phnom Penh by private vehicle, passing through provincial towns, villages, and roadside hamlets, offering an insight into life away from the cities. There’ll be an opportunity to stop at Skun Village, famous for its deep-fried tarantulas, which you can snack on if you so wish! There will also be a stop to stretch your legs and enjoy a coffee in Kampong Thom.

Once you reach Phnom Penh, your afternoon is at your own leisure until 5 PM, when your guide will arrive in a tuk-tuk for a food-focused tour of the city. The first stop of the evening is a lively bar on Sisowath Quay. Find a spot on the balcony and your guide will leave you to enjoy a cocktail with views across the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers as the sunsets.

Rejoin your guide for a rather different experience: head down to the river, where roadside stalls sell a variety of edible bugs, which you will have the opportunity to try. Your guide will be on hand to decipher the surprisingly tasty offerings. Continue by tuk-tuk to the Russian Market, where the food stalls draw local diners with typical Khmer food such as Banh Chheu and beef skewers. Choose what you fancy, pull up a plastic stool alongside the locals, and soak up the atmosphere. Your final food stop for the evening will be freshly barbecued seafood, and then you will return to your hotel.

Day 5: Phnom Penh, City Tour

This morning, your guide will introduce you to the sights of Phnom Penh during a full-day city tour. The first stop of the day will be Choeung Ek, better known as the “Killing Fields,” where thousands of people were executed during the Khmer Rouge regime. The visits will continue with the genocide museum, “Tuol Sleng,” which is a testimony to the Cambodian genocide of that historical period.

Later, visit the magnificent Royal Palace, the waterfront, and the beautiful colonial architecture that make Phnom Penh an ideal place to relax. With its local flair, historical beauty, and culture, Phnom Penh is a unique attraction in Cambodia.

Day 6: Phnom Penh – Kampot

Today, we depart from the capital for the journey to the riverside town of Kampot with the optional sightseeing route. Kampot supplied most French restaurants with this vital spice for many years during colonial rule, Kampot pepper. Today, the region is well-known for its plantations of durian – a spiky, pungent fruit that has its lovers and haters! In your free time this afternoon, you might choose to stroll along the riverside and observe the French colonial architecture, or have a cup of coffee on the veranda of one of the riverside restaurants and admire the view of the Bokor Mountain Range.

In the evening, take a tour to Kampot town. Kampot is home to many beautiful buildings, each with their own history. This walking tour is a laid-back sightseeing trip around town, exploring the iconic landmarks. Go at your own pace and feel the relaxed pace of life here, on top of the stunning scenery of the Kampot River.

Day 7: Kampot, explore Bakor National Park

Today, we travel to Bokor Hill Station in the Bokor National Park. The location is a collection of French colonial buildings that have been renovated and transformed into a luxurious mountain resort.

The idea was to create a temperate escape from the heat of Phnom Penh for colonialists in the 1920s. Today, many of the buildings lie abandoned, creating an eerie but enchanting atmosphere. The views from the top of the mountain are stunning, and the ride through the lush jungle is a refreshing break from the city.

You will return to the city and your afternoon will be at your own leisure.

Day 8: Kampot – Kep

After breakfast this morning, you will depart Kampot and travel towards the old French seaside resort of Kep. We head to the roundabout in the centre of the town where a giant durian statue sits smack in the middle and perhaps browse for goodies at the covered market.

The nearby countryside is also a delight to explore: among the fields of Kampot pepper and rice, there’s also a salt field and a limestone cave with a small seventh-century brick temple inside called Phnom Chhnork. After all the crawling, we will hang out in Kep’s crab market. It is one of our favourite things to do in Kep.

Day 9: Day at Leisure in Kep

Today your time is your own to relax at the hotel or explore independently.

Optional day trips include visits to Rabbit Island. If you like the rustic beachcomber lifestyle, Rabbit Island’s 250m-long main beach is for you. This is a place you could stay at for hours or days doing little but lazing on the beach, napping, reading, sipping cocktails, eating seafood and stargazing.

Day 10: Depart Kep

Our tour concludes today with a transfer to the Phnom Penh airport for your onward flight.