9 Days Angkor and Mekong Expeditions Package

Breakfast at the hotel at 6:00 am.

At 7:30 a.m., our guide and driver will pick you up for a full day of visiting the main temples in Angkor Archaeological Park (Angkor Wat, Bayon, Banteay Srei, and Ta Prohm).

Begin with Angkor Wat, entering from the East Gate and exiting at the West Gate. Explore its architectural marvel across three levels to deepen your understanding of Khmer culture. Continue to the Royal city of Angkor Thom with its iconic 50-tower temple. Starting from the South Gate, visit Bayon, Baphuon, Royal Enclosure, and the Terrace of the Elephants.

Enjoy a home-cooked lunch at the local house of Mr. Peout and Mrs. Gin, who will share their life stories from the Khmer Rouge era to the present.

After lunch, visit Banteay Srei, a red sandstone temple known for its elaborate carvings. On the way back to Siem Reap, visit Ta Prohm, famous for its tree-root-wrapped ruins seen in "Tomb Raider." Return to the hotel for relaxation and dinner on your own.

Wake up early for a transfer to Phnom Krom (13 km south of Siem Reap) to view the sunrise over the rice paddies and the floating village of Tonle Sap Lake. Enjoy a picnic breakfast, then take a boat ride to Chong Kneas Floating Village to experience the life of this community. Return to the hotel for relaxation and lunch on your own.

Around 3:00 pm, our guide and scooter driver (or tuk-tuk) will pick you up for a countryside tour. Visit Krabei Riel Village and see local activities such as vegetable gardening, rice field work, and weaving. At Mr. Ron’s house, you’ll enjoy a cooking class led by his wife, Mrs. Sina, and learn to prepare three Cambodian dishes. After enjoying the dinner you cooked, return to your hotel in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Head out of Siem Reap to Preah Vihear Temple, a four-hour drive (208 km). Stop briefly at Ta Mok’s house, a spartan structure with murals and floor tiles from the Khmer Rouge era. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Saem, then visit Preah Vihear Temple, located on Phnom Dangrek near the Thailand border. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the temple offers sweeping views over Thailand and Cambodia.

Continue to Koh Ker for dinner and an overnight stay at a campsite. Arrive late in the afternoon, refresh at a local house, and settle in for the night.

Have an early picnic breakfast at the campsite.

Begin your day with a visit to Koh Ker, the Khmer Empire’s capital from 928 to 944 A.D., with a unique pyramid-like structure. Then drive to the Preah Romkel community on the Mekong Riverside near the Laos border. Stop for lunch in Preah Vihear Town before arriving at Preah Romkel around 3:00 pm to see the Sopheakmit Waterfall, one of the world’s largest, dividing Laos and Cambodia.

Dinner and an overnight stay are arranged at a local house in the Preah Romkel community.

Prepare for the next destination, say goodbye to the community, and embark on the long-tail boat to cross the river and visit the Laos village. Learn about the Lao villagers and taste a glass of Lao coffee before continuing the boat ride downstream to Koh Han (approximately a 2-hour boat trip). In the Koh Snaeng commune, O Svay district, Stung Treng province, the Somros Koh Han Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET) is located. The community has a total population of 2,749, of which 1,297 are women. Somros Koh Han CBET lies on a unique biodiversity-rich landscape in the middle of the Mekong River’s Ramsar site.

Upon arrival, we are welcomed by the local hosts and enjoy lunch. After lunch, our guide will take you through the community and provide a detailed presentation of the Koh Han community. You will have free time to relax on the island (the guide is available to show you around and take you swimming in the Mekong River).

After breakfast, we will drive to Stung Treng downtown and visit the Stung Treng Local Market. It is the beginning market in northern Cambodia's Mekong region, where all fresh fish are sold in the open air. You may not find fresher fish anywhere else.

Continue the drive southward to visit the Irrawaddy dolphins in Prek Kampi. Embark on a local boat and enjoy a gentle ride to the dolphin pools, where you can easily spot them up close.

Drive to a local restaurant in Kratie downtown for lunch before proceeding to Kampong Cham City. Arrive at the hotel around 3 pm, check-in, and enjoy refreshments.

At about 4:30 pm, visit the local village of Koh Pen (one of the islands in the Mekong River in Kampong Cham Province). The main attraction of Koh Pen is the Bamboo Bridge, the longest bamboo bridge in Cambodia, which is built only during the dry season (from December to June, when water levels are lower). Our tour guide will walk you across the bamboo bridge to the island, visit the village, local farms, and Buddhist monastery, and then return to Kampong Cham town for dinner and an overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. After about an hour of driving, we drive to Phnom Penh with a bathroom stop at the Spider Market. At the Spider Market, you will see ladies selling live tarantulas, some deep-fried, along with crickets, water bugs, grasshoppers, scorpions, and local seasonal fruits. Continue the drive to Phnom Penh and visit Wat Phnom upon arrival.

Wat Phnom is the center of Phnom Penh, giving the city its name. At 27 meters above sea level, it is the highest point in the area. As the town gradually grew around it, the settlement became known as Phnom Penh, the hill of Penh. It is the zero point of the city. Next, visit Wat Unalom (Buddhist Monastery), the headquarters of one of Cambodia's most revered Buddhist patriarchs. In addition to the pagoda, this monastery has a post-Angkorean stupa.

Continue to visit the Central Market, a landmark building in the capital. The art deco Psar Thmei (literally 'New Market') is often called the Central Market due to its location and size. The enormous domed hall resembles a Babylonian ziggurat, and some claim it ranks as one of the 10 most giant domes in the world. Our guide will take you through the market's food hall to taste different types of snacks, drinks, fruits, juices, and food (served as lunch).

Next, drive to visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, two of the most striking buildings in the capital, considered some of the finest examples of Khmer architecture. They were initially constructed in 1866 by the French. The Royal Palace is the residence of the current King Sihamoni. The neighboring Silver Pagoda stands out due to its floor, which consists of 5,329 solid silver tiles, lending the building its name. Enjoy a farewell dinner at the local restaurant (Malis Restaurant - all drinks on your own).

Breakfast at the hotel. Free time until transfer to Phnom Penh International Airport for your departure.