Phnom Penh Kampong Thom Siem Reap Tour 7 Days

– Phnom Penh Explore PHNOM PENH, a chaotic, energetic and always fascinating city. Graceful tree-lined boulevards and riverfront promenades are reminders of bygone eras; today they teem with life and activity, as motorcycles weave in and out of traffic, vendor hawk their wares, and pedestrians go about their business.

Start your tour with an insight into Cambodia’s cultural heritage with a visit to the Royal Palace, still the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoi and the adjacent Silver Pagoda, also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha. Continue to the elegant National Museum, which contains a comprehensive collection of Khmer Art.

Finally, explore the modern-day city, visiting one of Phnom Penh’s two great markets, the CENTRAL MARKET, located in a distinctive domed Art Deco building, and the sprawling RUSSIAN MARKET, a labyrinth of stalls selling everything from CDs and DVDs to silks, crafts, jewelry and more.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

– Phnom Penh Province south of Phnom Penh with several interesting historical sites including Angkor Borei. TONLE BATI: a lake south of Phnom Penh, with a beach and the impressive laterite temple of Ta Prohm.

TA PROHM: a temple built by King Jayavarman VII (who ruled from 1181 to 1201) on the site of a 6th century Khmer shrine. A steel found here dates from 1574 and inside the north gate is a statue of the Hindu god Preah Noreay.

PHNOM CHISOR: the main temple on this hill is constructed of laterite and brick with carved lintels of sandstone. The inscriptions found here date back to the 11th century and the wooden doors to the sanctuary are decorated with interesting carvings.

ANGKOR BOREI: a 6th century monument built in laterite by King Rudravarman of Funan. His patron deity was Vishnu and many Hindu statues survive from this site.

– Kampong Thom Kampong Cham is a lively port on the banks of the Mekong River with some good examples of colonial-era architecture. After visting the LOCAL MARKET and exploring the town, travel in to the countryside to PHNOM PROS (Man Hill) and PHNOM SREI (Woman Hill).

According to local tradition, two teams of men and women competed to build a stupa on the summit of each hill before dawn. After being tricked into thinking that daybreak had already come, the men lost the competition and, as a result, forever after had to be the ones to approach the women for their hands in marriage.

Continue to WAT NOKOR BAYON, a thriving modern-day monastery founded on a 11th century Mahayana Buddhist shrine. Overnight in Kampong Thom.

– Siem Reap Travel just outside Kampong Thom to see key archeological sites, starting with SAMBOR PREI KUK, perhaps the most important grouping of pre-Angkorian monuments in Cambodia. Before the rise of the Angor, this was the capital of Chenla during the sixth century, known as Isanapura; today, over 100 small temple ruins sit peacefully in a forest setting.

Explore the main central complex and gain an insight into the early architectural styles of Cambodia. Afterwards, continue to the modern-day shrines of WAT ANDRI, a thriving monastery, and climb the 980 steps of the holy mountain PHNOM SANTUK, enjoying the colorful, somewhat eclectic shrine at the peak as well as lovely views over the surrounding countryside.

Evening enjoy a culture Apsara Dance at local theater. Overnight in Siem Reap.

– Siem Reap The crowning jewel of Khmer architecture, ANGKOR WAT is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings.

To approach the temple, first cross the vast moat, continuing along a broad causeway lined with Naga balustrades. As you enter the main building, ascend through a series of galleries and courtyard before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway and across the surrounding countryside.

On the way, stop to enjoy the intricate stone carvings that adorn nearly every surface, with some 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted into the walls. Along the outer gallery walls run the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which narrates stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous Churning of the Ocean of Milk.

Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones.

– Siem Reap Morning receive a ceremonial blessing by local monks for good luck at a local temple. Continue on to your circuit to see BANTEAY SREI though smaller than that of Angkor Wat it is considered to be the jewel of classical Khmer art.

Built in pink sandstone, the walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual delicacy. Because of its small size, fairy-like atmosphere and extraordinary examples of Khmer sculpture, this temple is often a favorite with visitors.

BANTEAY SAMRE is a mid-12th century temple dedicated to the god Vishnu. Then onto Tonle Sap Lake, enjoy a boat trip (Great Lake).

Located in the heart of Cambodia, this extraordinary lake swells up to seven times its original size during the monsoon season. Its ecosystem is one of the richest and most diverse in the region.

– Siem Reap Preah Khan Temple, a temple built by King Jayavarman VII with towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors in a jungle setting. Preah Khan covers a very large area but the temple itself is enclosed within a rectangular wall of around 700 by 800 meters.

• Visit Neak Pean Temple Built by King Jayavarman VII (ruled 1181 to 1201), it is a Buddhist temple consisting of a square pool with four smaller square pools arranged on each axis. In the centre of the large central pool is a circular island encircled by two nagas with intertwined tails.