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Highlights of Cambodia 10 days

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Hanoi Voyages > Panorama > Highlights of Cambodia 10 days
HIGHLIGHTS

Admire the grandeur of Khmer culture
Get up close to the Khmer Empire in Siem Reap, and explore the dramatic and sensuously beautiful Angkor Wat, lauded as the world’s largest religious structure

Be stunned by beautiful landscape
Get enchanted by a completely aquatic landscape in Tonle Sap and experience the Cambodian life, tied closely to this water area

Unwind yourself in Kratie
Explore a lively riverside town, set on the banks of the Mekong River close to the border with Vietnam.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1Phnom Penh - Arrival

  • A Hanoi Voyages representative will welcome you when you arrive at the airport and transfer you to your arranged accommodation where check-in time is 2:00 pm.
  • Let the excitement commence!
  • Overnight in Phnom Penh
    Highlight experience: Traditional Cambodian food

Day 2Phnom Penh - Highlights

Make the most of your first full day in the country and view some of the city’s most fascinating sites.

  • Enter a world of visual wonder, starting with the National Museum of Fine Arts’ sculpture collection, before heading to the resplendent Royal Palace, admiring its striking Khmer architecture. Then, take a moment to survey the serene Silver Pagoda and its magnificent Emerald Buddha.
  • Next, meander through the Central Market, famous for its Art Deco architecture. Later, explore Wat Phnom, the oldest temple in the city, and see the statue of Madam Penh, the capital’s namesake.

Overnight in Phnom Penh
Highlight experience: Central market discovery

Day 3Phnom Penh - Oudong - Sampan on Mekong River

Day 4Phnom Penh - Kampong Cham - Kratie

Take a journey to discover places enriched by folklore and gorgeous scenery, the focal points for our stops will be outstanding architectural landmarks.

  • The Phnom Srei shrine (dedicated to Nandin, Shiva’s sacred bull), which offers stunning views of the surrounding area.
  • The Phnom Pros, which is a great spot to enjoy a drink and observe monkeys overhead.
  • Variety of terrain during our morning tour including; rice fields, forests of rubber trees, and sugar palm
  • also find many vendors selling one of Cambodia’s more exotic culinary delights: roasted spiders. Tasting a little like chicken, the spiders are hunted in the hills, and make for an intriguing dining experience.’
  • Kompong Cham is the colonial architecture often referred to as the gateway to north-east Cambodia.
  • The Chup rubber plantation to watch the process from latex to the finished articles.

Once we’re finished at the rubber plantation, we head to Kratie.
Overnight in Kratie.
Highlight experience: Taste roasted spiders

Day 5Kratie

Explore a lively riverside town, set on the banks of the Mekong River close to the border with Vietnam.

  • Visit the 19th century Vihear Kork pagoda, and Wat Phnom Sambok, which is complete with a Buddhist monastery. The view from Wat Phnom Sambok is absolutely breathtaking.
  • Continue to Prek Kampi on the Mekong River to get the best chance of seeing the rare and protected freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins! Then navigate the Mekong in a small boat, enter the mangroves and also have the chance to catch sight of the rare Mekong mud turtle, and with any luck, you may even see both!

Overnight in Kratie.
Highlight experience: Seeing freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong River

Day 6Kratie - Kampong Thom

Leave Kratie for Kampong Thom via Chhlong to visit:

  • Wat Nokor, a colourful pre-Angkorian Buddhist temple, then the nearby village and monastery
  • An 11th-century temple in the village of Phum Prasat
  • Pre-Angkorian tower inside the enclosure
  • Cross many varied landscapes including rice fields, forests of rubber trees, and sugar palms

Overnight Kompong Thom
Highlight experience: Taste roasted spiders from the vendor’s stores

Day 7Kampong Thom - Siem Reap

Begin the journey to Siem Reap, the home of the famous Temples of Angkor, built over 1000yrs ago, and so important to the people that Angkor Wat appears on their flag. These mystical temples are a must see for visitors of Cambodia.

  • Enroute, visit the traditional village which specialises in the production of palm sugar and rice cultivation and the ancient Angkorian Naga Bridge, which is elaborately carved
  • In the afternoon we visit the Rolous group of temples, situated 13 km east of Siem Reap, as these are the earliest permanent temples built by the Khmers, and mark the dawn of Khmer classical art. The group represents the remains of Rolous Hariharalaya, the first major capital in the Angkor region.

Choose between two forms of entertainment this evening: either a traditional Khmer Apsara dance show with dinner or a leather puppet show, which was popular in villages before the time of the Khmer Rouge regime.
Overnight in Siem Reap
Highlight experience: Visit the Roluos complex

Day 8Siem Reap - Siem Reap - Angkor Thom - Angkor Wat

An early start as we head to the hill of Phnom Bakheng to see the sunrise. Later, arriving in Angkor Wat, you’ll rove among the ruins of the world’s most famous Hindu temple complex.

  • Visit the three-tiered Baphuon (a temple in honour of another Hindu deity, Shiva) with its spectacular layered structure.
  • See the Terrace of the Leper King with its beautiful carvings of gods, nagas, and dancers.
  • Marvel at the Royal Enclosure and its small temple, Phimeanakas. These ruins are particularly significant as they date from the 10th century
  • Attend either an outstanding Apsara dance show or an old-style leather puppet show

Overnight in Siem Reap
Highlight experience: Traditional Cambodian dance parformances and leather puppet shows

Day 9 Siem Reap - Koh Ker - Bang Meala - Kbal Spean

Drive 80km through spectacular Cambodian countryside and get off-the-beaten-track.

  • Stumble across Kor Ker, the brief 10th century capital of the Khmer empire.
  • Explore the beautiful temple of Beng Mealea, built in the 12th century, and recently freed from jungle foliage.
  • Stroll through the forest to Kbal Spean, with its “river of a thousand Lingas”, a Hindu holy place.
  • We’ll watch the explosion of colours as the sunsets behind the mountain temple of Pre Rup, dedicated to Shiva.

Overnight in Siem Reap
Highlight experience: Watching sunset on the mountain temple of Pre Rup

Day 10Siem Reap - Tonle Sap - Departure

Find yourself surrounded by a completely aquatic landscape, see how everyday life is transformed by its proximity to, and dependence on water.

  • Cruise past floating villages and note the bamboo houses on stilts, specially designed to avoid flooding.
  • Try your hand at fishing using local techniques!
  • Witness the production of fine Cambodian silk, from silkworm to finished product!
  • Learn about traditional Khmer handicrafts at Chantiers Ecoles, a vocational training centre for young people.

Free time until your transfer to the airport for your departure flight

What makes our tailor-made holidays different?

  • Unique activities and places
  • Itinerary crafted by you, and us, local experts
  • Hand-picked authentic experiences
  • Well-selected accommodation with spirit
  • Adjusted to your budget and your time
  • Private assistant and English speaking guides

Entrust us with your dream

Together we will create it

  info@hanoivoyage.com
  + 84 98 30 33 966 

Feeling inspired from this journey?

Enquire now and get your free quotation!

EXTENSION

MEKONG RIVER CRUISE - 4 DAYS
BEACH BREAK - 4 DAYS - SIHANOUKVILLE
BANGKOK DISCOVERY - 3 DAYS - THAILAND

MEKONG RIVER CRUISE – PHNOM PENH TO SAIGON 4 day/3 nights

A lower Mekong cruise that modules the diversity of the rich, local and evergreen life of the Mekong Delta.

Day 1 – PHNOMPENH – VIETNAM Board a grand, yet homely cruiseliner and embark on a leisurely four-day cruise. Depart Phnom Penh and head for the rich, fertile lands of the Mekong Delta region.

Day 2 – PHNOM PENH – BORDER CROSSING – TAN CHAU Embark on your journey to Tan Chau on the way. Dawdle in the slow-paced town of Tan Chau, with its Chinese, Khmer, and Kinh ethnic minority populations. 

Day 3 – TAN CHAU – SA DEC – CAI BE Arrive in Sa Dec, where you will take a traditional sampan tour. Wander villages occupied by craftwork industry, and have a go at weaving yourself! Catch your first sight of Cai Be, a quaint town famed for its French Catholic Church and the production of food products, especially rice.

Day 4 – CAI BE – MY THO – SAIGON Pass by the floating market of Cai Be, and to the central markets. Observe pastoral scenes of My Tho from your cabin’s balcony while having tea on deck. Return to Saigon and bid farewell to the cruise.

 

Lounge on the beach and let the sand kiss your toes!

Sure, Sihanoukville (ក្រុងព្រះសីហនុ) would never win first prize in a pretty-town competition. But despite the rapid and mostly unwanted development, it has remained the jumping-off point for the best of Cambodia’s white-sand beaches and castaway-cool southern islands!

Day 1 – ARRIVE IN SIHANOUKVILLE Ready your senses for something truly exceptional? Sihanoukville is worth the wait. This destination is the perfect tropical paradise for your getaway. Wide boulevards and white sandy beaches signal relaxation and happiness, the Ochheuteal and Serendipity beach is an attractive seaside stopover.

Day 2 – TREKKING – WATERFALLS The Kbal Chhay Waterfalls are a tiered, 14-metre drop in the middle of extensive forests, with loads of food stalls, picnic spots, hammocks and local shops selling all manner of useless stuff to help you while away a very relaxing few hours in between splashes.

Day 3 – DIVING OR SNORKELLING The best time of year to go diving or snorkelling in and around Sihanoukville is December to April when the dry season and currents mean that visibility is at its best. On the other hand, while conditions might be less ideal in quiet months you’ll get more of that ocean all to yourself. Cambodia does offer some of the cheapest scuba-diving in the region in some of the least crowded waters.

 

BANGKOK – A vibrant city / 3 days 2 nights
Spice your holidays by stepping in a vibrant city, mixing modernity and spirituality. Stroll around golden temples and palaces. Get a shopping session through all of the markets of the city, and end your trip experiencing the Thai lifestyle for three days.

Day 1 – BANGKOK – ARRIVAL Spice your holidays and step into the vibrant city of Bangkok. After a short flight from Phnom Penh, settle in your hotel and start your Thai adventure. Relax and enjoy the amenities of your hotel before having dinner on the rooftop of one of Bangkok’s skyscrapers.

Day 2 – BANGKOK – HIGHLIGHTS
After breakfast, visit the highlights of the city such as the Grand Royal Palace complex which includes the Royal Palace and the magnificent Wat Phra Kaew (known for the Statue of the Emerald Buddha), Wat Pho, a giant house of the lying Buddha or the Beautiful part of the Khlong with a mix of old wooden houses and new modern mansion. In the evening enjoy a drink on the rooftop of a bar and have a taste of Bangkok’s nightlife.

Day 3 – BANGKOK – MARKETS
After breakfast, relish the taste of the local snack and photograph the Maeklong railway market, slow down on the waterway to the picturesque floating market of Damnoen Saduak and experience the vibrancy of Bangkok daily routine.


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Handpicking tea in Vietnam

TRAVEL NOTE

TIME TO VISIT CAMBODIA

DRY SEASON

Dec - Feb
Dec - Feb
Feb - Apr
The weather is cooler and much more pleasant to visit
the coastal area and Angkor site.
Average temperature 21°C–30°C (70=86°F)
The weather gets dry and characterized by dust
and heat.
Average temperature 24°C–34°C (75-93°F)

WET SEASON

May - Jul
May - Jul
Jul - Oct
Rainy, monsoon season. Fewer tourists, lower price.
Best for visiting Angkor Wat with its green vegetation.
Average temperature 24°C-33°C (76°F-91°F)
Cooler period, with chances of a lightning storm. Ideal for
Siem Reap trip.
Average temperature 23°C-30°C (74°F-87°F)


Check out our full guide for the best time to visit Cambodia here.

PHYSICAL LEVEL

Cycling Tour:
Level:
This is a middle-level Cycling Tour, appropriate for kids over 6 years old
Kayaking Tour:

Level:
This is a low-level Kayaking Tour, appropriate for kids over 6 years old

PASSPORT AND VISA

Your passport must be valid 6 months after the expected date of your departure from the country.
We can help with your Cambodian visa once you arrive will in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh. Just bring with you a valid passport, 2 passport-sized photos and 35 USD per visa.

  1. You will get a single entry tourist visa which allows a stay up to 30 days
  2. A 6-month valid passport after the expected date of your departure from the country is required
  3. Visa exemption up to 30 days for the following countries: Brunei (14 days), Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines (21 days), Seychelles (14 days), Singapore, Thailand (14 days)

WHAT TO PACK

To make sure you will enjoy all of the activities included in this trip without missing of anything, here is a short list of what you should bring with you:
– Trekking shoes (or running shoes)
– Sunscreen
– Sunglasses
– A raincoat
– Insect repellant
Check out some more practical information for Cambodia travel here.

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Trip to Viet Nam
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Highly recommended
Avixlee

Thanks to Hanoi Voyages and especially to Mrs Thuy who was so kind with my group of 10 people. I organized the route and they prepared and contracted everything for us. If I ever come back to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar or Thailand I’ll deal with them again.

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What makes Hanoi Voyages so different?

Authentic

Being born and raised across this continent, we are seasoned local experts with more than a decade of experience, who know how to capture and show you the real Southeast Asia.

Inspiring

With our unique tailor-made tours, our desire is to capture you by our passion for each destination, so together we can create your dream holiday.

Flexible

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