CMB
– T 05: CAMBODIA ARTS AND CRAFTS, 6 days (L)
Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
Day 1 Phnom
Penh
Arrival in Phnom Penh, meet at the airport and transfer for sightseeing in Phnom Penh - Cambodia’s capital sits at the confluence of the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers. Considered the loveliest of the French-built cities of Indochina, it was founded as a small monastery in 1372 by a rich Khmer woman called Penh, after she found four Buddha statues in a tree trunk on the banks of the Mekong. She set up the monastery on a nearby hill – or ‘phnom’ in Cambodian. Visit CENTRAL MARKET, SAMDECH SOTHEAROS BLVD the area that is know for its rattan workshop and enjoy Sunset cruise on the Mekong River.
Free time for shopping and leisure
Overnight in Phnom Penh
CENTRAL MARKET (PSAR THMEI): a covered market distinguished by its central dome (built in 1937). It is filled with shops selling jewelry, fabrics, and all kinds of souvenirs. A great place for browsing.
SAMDECH SOTHEAROS BLVD: visit an area
that is known for its rattan workshops including those that produce rattan
furniture for domestic consumption and export.
Sunset cruise on the Mekong / Tonle Sap
River Relax and enjoy the sunset over the river.
Day
2 Phnom
Penh
After breakfast at the hotel, excursion on
the Mekong River and to local market. Today you will have a chance to observe
life along the river and visit Koh Dach: the small island that well known for
production of fine silk. Afternoon, visit Tuol Tom Pong (RUSSIAN) Market, which
luxury foodstuffs and selection of local crafts, antiques, and furniture. Visit
Wat Phnom, the first pagoda in Phnom Penh.
Overnight in Phnom Penh
KOH DACH: travel by boat to an island that
is known for its production of fine silk. Travelers will also stop at local
villages along the way to observe life along the "mother of all
waters", the Mekong River.
TUOL TOM PONG MARKET (RUSSIAN MARKET): is the best place
in town for souvenir and clothes shopping. It has a large range of real and
fake antiquities, including miniature Buddhas, wood curving, betel nut boxes,
silk, silver jewelry, jewelry cases, musical instruments and inexpensive DVDs,
CDs and computer program.
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.
Day
3 Phnom
Penh - Siem Reap
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to
airport for early flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. Arrival Siem Reap,
greeting by our local guide and transfer to the hotel. After check in,
excursion to Arts & Crafts in/around Siem Reap town
Siem Reap and surrounding communities are
rich in diversity and culture. This half-day tour will introduce the visitor to
the traditional Khmer skills of carving, basket weaving, and silk
production. Visit Puok Silk Farm,
Les Artisans D’ Angkor craft shop attached to and EU-sponsored school teaching
local apprentices traditional wood and stone carving. Basket Weaving Village, and enjoy significant view of Angkor
over Phnom Bakheng.
Overnight in Siem Reap
PUOK SILK FARM: located in the
countryside 16 kilometers from Siem Reap town. Visitors are shown the different
steps in silk production: from mulberry tree planting to silk weaving, from
cultivation of mulberry bushes, to the silk worms, to cocoons, to spinning, to
weaving, to finished products which are on sale.
LES ARTISANS D ANGKOR: craft shop
attached to a EU-sponsored school teaching local apprentices traditional wood
and stone carving. Les Artisans also sell wood and stone carvings produced by
the local craftsmen.
BASKET WEAVING VILLAGE: visit a local
village where the indigenous local craft is basket weaving. Basket of various
styles and sizes come from the village, which is located just a short 8
kilometers from Siem Reap town.
PHNOM BAKHENG: hilltop ruins
that provide one of the best views of Angkor Wat, especially at sunset. The
descent takes about 15 minutes.
Day
4 Siem
Reap
After breakfast at the hotel, discover
Angkor Wat - the world famous for its beauty and splendor. The UNESCO declared
this monument and the whole city of Angkor a World Heritage Site. Including
Angkor Thom, a fortified Royal City. In the center of the walled city are the
city’s most important monuments including Baphuon, Bayon, one of the most
popular of Angkor’s monuments and an amazing collection of towers decorated
with over 200 smiling faces. Phimeanakas, and Ta Prohm
Overnight in Siem Reap
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.
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. PHIMEANAKAS
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.
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.
Day
5 Siem
Reap - Phnom Penh
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to
the airport for flight from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, upon arrival in Phnom
Penh, excursion in/around Phnom Penh to see traditional arts, crafts, and the
traditional dance school. Visit Khmer Apsara Dance the school of fine arts,
Prayuvong Buddha Factory, National Museum, Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.
Overnight in Phnom Penh
KHMER APSARA DANCE: visit the School
of Fine Arts to see young apprentice Apsara dancers train.
PRAYUVONG BUDDHA FACTORY: observe the restoration
of Buddha statuary and ritual objects destroyed by the Khmer Rouge and the
manufacture of objects for contemporary practitioners of Buddhism.
NATIONAL MUSEUM: designed by a
French archeologist and painter, George Groslier, in Khmer style in 1920. The
most significant displays of sculpture include the eight-armed statue of Vishnu
for the 6th or 7th century, the statue of Shiva and the sublime statue of
Jayavaraman VII seated. The museum also contains displays of the pottery and
bronzes dating from the pre-Angkorian periods of Funan and Chenla, the
Indravarman, the classical Angkorian, as well as more recent work. There is a
permanent collection of the post-Angkorian Buddhas, many of which were rescued
from Angkor Wat when the civil war erupted.
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.
Day
6 Phnom
Penh
After breakfast at the hotel, free time at
leisure or shopping until transfer to the airport for departure.
End
of Services **Note: Itinerary subject
to change due to flight schedules.