Angkor & Ta Prohm

On arrival at Siem Reap Airport – ideally before 09:00 – we meet you and transfer straight to Angkor Thom. We enter via the South Gate and explore Bayon at the very centre of the former Khmer capital, where more than 200 enigmatic smiling faces look out from 54 towers, often linked to the Buddha of Compassion and resembling the god king. We also visit Baphuon – currently under restoration – the Terrace of the Leper King with its well preserved early carvings, and the Terrace of the Elephants, supported by sculpted stone elephants and once used as a royal viewing platform.We pause for lunch at a local restaurant – at your own expense – then transfer to your hotel for check in. In the afternoon we depart to visit Angkor Wat. Its five towers represent Mount Meru – the mythical dwelling place of the Hindu gods – and the outer galleries display some of the finest and best preserved bas reliefs of Khmer art. We end the day with sunset at Phnom Bakheng, a popular vantage point over Angkor Wat and the surrounding complex, before returning to your hotel to rest. Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast at your hotel, we visit Artisan d’Angkor to see wood and stone carvers at work. We then travel about 25 kilometres from central Angkor to Banteay Srei – a small 10th–century complex built by the spiritual mentor of King Jayavarman V and dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva. Next, we explore Ta Prohm, where the jungle has reclaimed the monuments and massive tree trunks reach through the ancient stone, giving a real sense of how the first European explorers encountered the ruins. We stop for lunch at a local restaurant – not included.In the afternoon, we continue to the Roluos Group to visit Lolei, Preah Ko and Bakong. At Lolei, four brick towers stand beside an active pagoda, with some carvings in good condition. Preah Ko – meaning sacred bull – is perhaps the most artistically interesting temple in the group. Bakong is the most impressive of the three and shows a very early use of stone rather than brick. We return to your hotel.Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, we transfer 30 minutes south of Siem Reap to the Tonle Sap pier and take a boat trip on the lake to explore its floating communities. Floating fishing villages dot the semi–submerged forests along the floodplain, offering a clear look at rural lakeside life and a unique freshwater ecosystem rich in birdlife. We cruise past floating homes and villages where families make their living from the abundance of freshwater fish beneath their houses. We stop for lunch at a local restaurant – not included. We then return to the hotel for check–out and transfer to Siem Reap Airport for your onward flight. A 17:00 departure is recommended – allow at least 2 hours for domestic check–in and 2.5 hours for international at Siem Reap Airport.