CMB - T 02: CAMBODIA CLASSIC, 4 days (L)
Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
Day 1 Phnom
Penh
Arrival in Phnom
Penh, meeting on arrival at Pochentong International airport, direct transfer
to the hotel, after refreshment: sightseeing in Phnom Penh: visit Wat Ounalom,
Wat Phnom, Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, Central Market (Psah Thmay)
Overnight in Phnom
Penh
WAT OUNALOM: is the
headquarters of the Cambodian Buddhist patriarchate. It was founded in 1443 and
comprises 44 structures. The head
of the country's Buddhist hierarchy lives here, along with an increasing number
of monks.
WAT PHNOM: set on top of a
27m-high tree-covered knoll. According to the legend, the first pagoda on this
site was erected in 1373 to house four statues of Buddha deposited here by the
waters of the Mekong River and discovered by a woman named Penh.
ROYAL PALACE and SILVER PAGODA stands on the site
of the former citadel, Banteay Kev (built in 1813), fronts Samdech Sothearos
Boulevard. Since King Sihanouk's return to Cambodia, visitors are only allowed
to visit the palace's Silver pagoda and its surrounding compound. The silver
pagoda is often called the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Preah Kaeo after
the statue housed there. King Norodom originally built the wooden temple in
1892 and inside; its floor is comprised of more than 5000 silver blocks.
CENTRAL MARKET (PSAR THMEI): a covered market
distinguished by its central dome (built in 1937). It is filled with shops
selling jewelry and souvenirs. It is a great place for browsing.
Day
2 Phnom
Penh - Siem Reap
After breakfast at the hotel, excursion to
the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Museum
Afternoon transfer to airport for flight to
Siem Reap
Sightseeing in Siem Reap: visit Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas, Former Royal Palace, Terrace of Elephants and Visit Phnom Bakheng for sunset over Angkor
Overnight in Siem Reap
Sightseeing in Phnom Penh:
TOUL SLENG MUSEUM (MUSEUM OF GENOCIDE): in 1975 Toul Svay
Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot's security forces and turned into a
prison known as Security Prison 21 (S-21). It soon became the largest center of
detention and torture in the country.
KILLING FIELDS OF CHOEUNG EK: between 1975 and
1978 about 17,000 men, women, children and infants who had been detained and
tortured at S-21 were transported to the extermination camp of Choeung Ek.
Sightseeing in Siem Reap:
ANGKOR THOM: a fortified Royal
City (10 square kilometers) built by King Jayavarman VII, who ruled from 1181
to 1201. The city has five monumental gates and is encircled by a moat 100
meters wide. In the center of the walled city are the city’s most important
monuments including Bayon, Baphuon, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of
the Leper King and Phimeanakas with Royal Enclosure.
BAYON: Jayavarman VII's temple mountain
that stands at the center of Angkor Thom. It is one of the most popular of
Angkor's monuments and a place of narrow corridors, steep flights of stairs and
an amazing collection of towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces.
BAPHUON: the pyramid shape represents the
mythical Mount Meru and marks the center of the city that was here before
Angkor Thom.
PHIMEANAKAS: near the center of
what was once the royal palace within Angkor Thom. Phimeanakas means ‘Celestial
Palace’, though today there is not much left to indicate its former splendour.
FORMER ROYAL PALACE: nothing remains
today accept two pools that were used by royalty for washing.
TERRACE OF ELEPHANTS: this terrace was
used for viewing public ceremonies and was a base for the King’s grand audience
hall. The famous lines of elephants are at either end of the retaining walls.
TERRACE OF THE
LEPER KING:
North of the Terrace of Elephants is a platform named ‘Terrace of the Leper
King’. On the platform is a nude statue – one of Angkor’s mysteries.
PHNOM BAKHENG: hilltop temple ruins, which provide one of the best views of Angkor Wat, especially at sunset.
Day 3 Siem
Reap
After breakfast at the hotel, continue sightseeing in Angkor complex: visit Banteay Srei Temple, Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm.
Afternoon boat trip on the Tonle Sap Lake, watch life go by on the banks of the river as you enjoy exploring the lake’s many fishing villages. Visit Phnom Krom,
Chong Kneas, and local market before going back to hotel
Overnight in Siem Reap
BANTEAY SREI: built in the late
10th century, it is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. The temple is square
with entrances on the east and west. Of main interest are the three central
towers, which are decorated with male and female divinities and beautiful
filigree relief work.
ANGKOR WAT: a temple dedicated
to the Hindu god Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, who reigned between 1131 and
1150. It was constructed over a period of 30 years and is world famous for its
beauty and splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in
the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from
Hindu mythology. In 1992 the UNESCO declared the monument and the whole city of
Angkor a World Heritage Site.
TA PROHM: one of the most popular attractions
of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as
most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first
stumbled across them.
TONLE SAP LAKE: Journey up the
Tonle Sap River, which links the Tonle Sap Lake to the Mekong River, and onto
the Tonle Sap Lake.
TONLE SAP (Great Lake): this lake takes up
much of the center of Cambodia and changes in size depending on the season.
During the dry season in February it shrinks to a tenth of its original size
and is then one of the richest fishing grounds in the world. The boat trip
explores the lake’s fishing villages.
PHNOM KROM: a hill south of
Siem Reap with spectacular views over the lake and a temple dating from the
10th century. The three towers on it are dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma.
CHONG
KNEAS: a floating village on the lake where both Khmer and Vietnamese live.
LOCAL MARKET: The friendly
locals make visiting a local market an interesting excursion.
Day
4 Siem
Reap
After breakfast at the hotel, free time at
leisure or shopping before transfer to the airport for departure
End
of Services **Note: Itinerary subject
to change due to flight schedules.