CMB - T 08: OVERLAND FROM THAILAND, 4 days (L)
Overland Poipet – Siem Reap
Day 1 Bangkok - Poipet - Siem Reap
07.00 a.m. Pick
up from major hotel in Bangkok, departure Bangkok for Poipet.
Arrival in Poipet (border Cambodia / Thailand), by vehicle from Poipet to Siem Reap - journey east and north of the great Tonle Sap Lake and passing through Phum Kop, Sisophon, Kralanh and Phnum Prey Chruk.
Overnight in Siem
Reap
Poipet is on the Thai-Cambodian border and
is the main link between Bangkok, Phnom Penh, and the temples of Angkor.
Day
2 Siem
Reap
After breakfast at the hotel, sightseeing Angkor Wat one of the greatest religious monuments in the world, visit Ta Prohm
Afternoon proceed to visit Banteay Srei
Temple
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.
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.
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.
Day
3 Siem
Reap
After breakfast at the hotel, sightseeing
in Angkor complex: visit Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas, Former Royal
Palace, and Terrace of Elephants, Terrace of The Leper King and visit the
Roluos Group Temples.
Overnight 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
splendor.
FORMER ROYAL PALACE: nothing remains
today except 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.
ROLUOS GROUP: these monuments
mark the beginning of classical art, as some of the earliest great temples
built by the Khmer. They served as the capital of Indravarman (who reigned from
877 to 889).
LOLEI: built on an islet by Yasovarman I
(who ruled from 889 to 910), the founder of the first city of Angkor. The
sandstone carvings in the niches of the temples are notable as are the Sanskrit
inscriptions on the doorposts.
PREAH KO: erected by Indravarman I in the
late 9th century in dedication to his defied ancestors in 880. There are
inscriptions in Sanskrit on the doorsteps of each temple.
BAKONG: the most impressive member of the Roluos Group, sitting at the center of the first Khmer capital of Hariharalaya. Constructed by the third Angkorian-era king as his state-temple, Bakong represents the first application of the temple-mountain architectural formula on a grand scale and set the architectural tone for next 400 years
Day
4 Siem
Reap
After breakfast at the hotel, by vehicle
from Siem Reap to Poipet (border Cambodia / Thailand) proceed visa and accord
border to Aranyaprathed and continue travel to Bangkok.
End
of Services **Note: Itinerary subject to
change due to flight schedules.