KHMER TRADITIONAL AND CUSTOM

Upon arrival, welcome by tour guide in Siem Reap, transfer to have lunch and check in hotel. Then visit Wat Thmei (Killing Field) contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. Come back to visit the "Les Artisans d'Angkor – Chantiers Ecole" the Finest Authentic Khmer Arts and Crafts. After the short rest we would have welcome dinner with Apsara, the traditional Khmer dance - drama performance, which are not merely dance but also telling a story. Overnight in Siem Reap!

Breakfast at hotel, 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. Lunch at local restaurant!
Afternoon 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. Dinner and have funny time at bars and pubs at Angkor night market! Overnight in Siem Reap!

After breakfast, we visit Small Circuit including: visit Ta Prohm temple which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty! Giant trees have grown here for centuries and 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. Lunch at local restaurant!
Afternoon overland trip to visit the highlights of the Grand Circuit including: 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. Last visit Pre Rup was built in the 10th Century by Rajendravarman and view lovely sunset there. Dinner and overnight in Siem Reap!

Today your tour includes visit 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. Lunch at local restaurant!
Afternoon visit 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. On the way we will visit people doing palm sugar before continue to visit Banteay Samre - large, comparatively flat temple displaying distinctively Angkor style architecture and artistry. Dinner and overnight in Siem Reap!

Breakfast at hotel, morning visit Floating Villages, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap! Take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia and the largest in Asia. Here you’ll see plenty of examples of the Khmer way of life on the Tonle Sap. Then visit Wat Bo founded in the 18th century, a highly respected pagoda contains very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana) that are said to be late 19th century. We continue to one of the city’s lively open markets, Psar Chars, also called the “Old Market”, where anything and everything is for sale. Lunch at local restaurant before heading to AIRPORT/BUS STATION for departure to Phnom Penh!
Welcome to Phnom Penh – the city retains its traditional Khmer and colonial styles with French villas and large tree-line sidewalk. After the short rest you will transfer to have dinner at local restaurant and enjoy the night time and overnight in Phnom Penh!

Breakfast at hotel, this morning you will visit the impressive colorful Khmer-style royal palace complex build in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom. Nearby is Silver pagoda (the emerald Buddha temple), where contain plenty of Buddha Statues decorated and made by gold, diamond, gemstone and silver. We will stop at Independence monument and explore the National museum; a beautiful Khmer architecture building contains more than 5000 art antiques made by bronze, wood, gold, silver, copper, sandstone and others. We pass through the river-front park where 4 rivers met at a junction include mystical Mekong. Walk up to sacred hill Phnom Daun Penh – also the name of a pagoda and name of the capital nowadays. Lunch at local restaurant!
Afternoon we continue to 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. Leave the relics of the bad history of Cambodia we will go shopping around Russian market, enjoy the bustling daily activities of the locals. Dinner and enjoy the night time and overnight in Phnom Penh!

Breakfast at hotel, free leisure on own arrangement until time transfer to airport for flight onwards! END OF SERVICES