6-day Highlights of Phnom Penh & Siem Reap with Angkor temples

Phnom Penh arrival

Phnom Penh – the city retains its traditional Khmer and colonial styles with French villas and large tree-line sidewalk

Visit the impressive colorful Khmer-style royal palace complex build in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom

Silver pagoda (the emerald Buddha temple), where contain plenty of Buddha Statues decorated and made by gold, diamond, gemstone and silver

Independence Monument, or Vimean Ekareach as it is referred to in Khmer, is a majestic structure that dominates Phnom Penh city centre. Independence Monument was primarily erected to mark the liberation of the country from the French, who ruled Cambodia for almost a century from 1863 to 1953.

the National museum; a beautiful Khmer architecture building contains more than 5000 art antiques made by bronze, wood, gold, silver, copper, sandstone and others

Walk up to sacred hill Phnom Daun Penh – also the name of a pagoda and name of the capital nowadays

Central Market, a large market constructed in 1937 in the shape of a dome with four arms branching out into vast hallways with countless stalls of goods. Initial design and layouts are from French architect Louis Chauchon

Overnight at Cardamon Hotel (3-star) or similar

Phnom Penh – city tour – Flight / Express Bus to REP

Tuol Sleng prison now is Genocide Museum, the most secret part of the Khmer Rouge regime. It’s also called S-21 (abbreviated for Security Office 21), a Khmer Rouge's premier security camp, specifically designed for the interrogation and extermination of anti-Angkor elements

Free time for go shopping around Russian market, enjoy the bustling daily activities of the locals

Welcome to Cambodia - Siem Reap, the treasures of the Kingdom of Cambodia

Overnight at Cardamon Hotel (3-star hotel)

Full day Angkor Tour

Explore South Gate of Angkor Thom known as Big Angkor, 3km2 walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire

The famous Bayon Temple was an architectural muddle, in part because it was constructed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion for over a century

Terrace of the Elephants is an impressive, two and a half meter tall, 300 meter long terrace wall adorned with carved elephants and gradual that spans the heart of Angkor Thom in front of Baphuon - huge temple mountain in the heart of Angkor Thom, Royal Palace Area and Phimeanakas - impressive rite and sandstone pyramid

Terrace of the Leper King is at the north end of the Terrace of the Elephants, a double terrace wall with deeply carved nag as, demons and other mythological beings

visit Angkor Wat temple, the founder of the temple was Suryavarman II who reigned Cambodia from 1113 to 1152 and built the five towers in the 12th century to dedicate to the Hindu God Vishnu. The plan of the pyramidal conception of the temple combined with spaces, alleys, ditches is an ancient masterpiece of architectural design and construction

Overnight at Kouprey Hotel (3-star)

Full day Angkor Tour

Ta Prohm temple which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty! Giant trees have grown here for centurie

Prasat Kravan was originally constructed by noblemen rather than a king

Banteay Kdei was built in sandstone, which has deteriorated quite badly. However, there remain some very beautiful lintels and pediments

Srah Srang is a royal pool was the King's bathing pond, where he washed with his many concubines each day

Takeo - King Suryavarman I commissioned this temple in the 10th Century, but it was never completed so has no elaborate decoration like its contemporaries. It is a pyramid on 5 levels and is dedicated to Shiva

Thommanon - small attractive temple in very good condition, built at the same time as Angkor Wat

Chau Say Tevoda built during the second quarter of the 12th century opposite of Thommanon, it was dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu

Preah Khan - meaning The Sacred Sword, this temple was also built by Jayawarman VII and is famous for its immensely long cruciform corridors and delicate carvings

Neak Pean - This temple is a delicate highlight of Khmer art. Built by Jayavarman VII, this temple is the perfect representation of the heavens on earth

Ta Som was a small classic Bayon style monastic complex consisting of a relatively flat enclosure

East Mebon was built in the 10th Century by Rajendravarman; this temple was situated on a small island in the middle of the Oriental, or Eastern, Baray

Pre Rup was built in the 10th Century by Rajendravarman and we will have lovely sunset view from there

Overnight at Kouprey Hotel (3-star)

Full day Angkor Tour

Kbal Spean temple – there are also carving of Buddha and Buddhist images in the rock that date from a later period than the lingas. The original River of Thousand Lingams, Kbal Spean is an intricately carved riverbed deep in the foothills of the Cambodian jungle. Lingams are phallic representations sacred to Brahmanism as symbols of fertility, and hundreds of them are carved into the rock here, as are several carvings of gods and animals above the small waterfall

Banteay Srei, loosely translates to “citadel of the women, but this is a modern appellation that probably refers to the delicate beauty of the carvings

Banteay Samre - large, comparatively flat temple displaying distinctively Angkor style architecture and artistry

Overnight at Kouprey Hotel (3-star)

Siemreap departure

Free leisure on own arrangement until time transfer to airport for flight onwards! On the way, if time permits we will visit Puok, the real and original place of the Artisans d’Angkor silk, where you will see the full process of silk producing, from the silkworms munch on the Mulberry leaves to spin their cocoons which used to make silk warp. We will see the weaving work and purchase the high-quality silk products as a beautiful Cambodia souvenir