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Wonders of the World and Cambodian BeachesRoute : Bangkok - Phnom Penh - Kep - Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - BangkokThis Cambodia holiday offers you an interesting mix of lively cities, wonders of the world, quiet beaches and traditional life along the great rivers - plenty to fill a two and a half week round trip. In Phnom Penh you'll learn about the harrowing history of Cambodia, which will help you understand the country and culture better. Next is relaxing stay on the beaches of Kep and Sihanoukville. After that, you'll head back to Phnom Penh before you travel on to Siem Reap for the highlight of your Cambodia holiday - a visit to Angkor, one of the Wonders of the World; where you'll spend two days wandering among the ancient ruins with your private guide. Your Cambodia holiday begins and ends in a comfortable hotel in Bangkok. Interested? You can build your own personal Indochina and Cambodia holiday using our selection of unique bite-sized Cambodia trips. Alternatively, if you're looking for a little inspiration, you can choose from our wider range of suggested Cambodia holidays or give one of our friendly travel specialists a call on 01273 322 042. |
| Duration |
14 days / 13 nights Departs Saturdays and Tuesdays from Bangkok |
Accommodation |
Comfortable city and beach hotels (browse our photos here). |
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Price |
£975 per person - based on 2 people |
Includes |
Transport as described, accommodation with breakfast, guide in Phnom Penh and 1 day Angkor Pass, flight from Bangkok - Phnom Penh |
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Minibus, car, bus, flight from Bangkok to Phnom Penh |
Excludes |
International flights, all other meals and excursions, admission fees |
Day 1: Arrival in BangkokMost travellers tend to arrive in Bangkok in the morning after an overnight flight. In the arrivals hall, you’ll be greeted by your driver and transferred directly to your hotel for the start of your Cambodia holiday. The hotel is a short 10 minute walk from Khao San Road, a lively street filled with bars, restaurants and shops. Once you’ve checked in and freshened up with a quick dip in the pool, you’ll be ready to hit the town.Most of the sights in Bangkok are easy to reach on foot. The Royal Palace (Wat Pra Keo) is the number one attraction in Bangkok. It’s a 20-minute walk from the hotel and it’s open until 3.30pm. Giant statues guard the entrance gates and inside you’ll find the famous Emerald Buddha, revered by many Thai and considered the most important statue here. If you have some time left, pop next door to the Wat Po to see the enormous reclining Buddha. |
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Day 2: Bangkok - Cycling TripAfter breakfast, you’ll have the rest of the morning to do as you please. If you just want to laze around and do some people-watching head to Lumphini Park (similar to Hyde Park in London). In the afternoon, you’ll start the first tour of your Cambodia holiday - a bike ride through the suburbs of Bangkok. The tour begins at 1pm in Chinatown, which is easiest to get to by taxi or tuktuk (take a taxi from the centre around 12.30pm). Meet up with your guide and the other group members at the small office and then you'll head down alleyways, past houses and a wonderful food market where locals come for their groceries. In these traditional Thai districts, you’ll notice a distinct absence of modern life: no air-conditioning, no shopping malls and no traffic jams. You’ll then cross the Chao Phraya river by longtail-boat. On the other side you'll find a lush green oasis, far away from the city chaos. The major roads here are narrow paths above the khlongs. On the way your guide will point out all the fruit trees and you’ll stop off for a snack. |
Day 3: Bangkok - Phnom PenhYour flight from Bangkok to Phnom Penh departs in the morning, and you'll make your own way to the airport by taxi or tuk tuk for the next stop on your Cambodia holiday. On arrival at Phnom Penh, you’ll be picked up at the airport. Here you’ll find plenty of rickshaws waiting to whisk you to your hotel for about $1. You can spend the rest of the day exploring the city or relaxing - we’ve saved the city tour until tomorrow.Phnom Penh is a beautiful city with lots of historic colonial buildings and, by Cambodian standards, it’s quite modern. You could pay a visit to the National Museum of Cambodia, which was built in 1917 and houses an impressive collection of Khmer artefacts. Then head to the Silver Pagoda, which gets its name from its solid silver floor. In the afternoon, you can climb the hill to the Wat Phnom, the temple after which the city was named. You’ll be staying in a comfortable, cosy hotel in Phnom Penh. |
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Day 4: Phnom Penh - Tuol Sleng Museum and Killing Fields TourOn day four of your Cambodia holiday, you'll be able to visit the more remote sites of Phnom Penh with your guide, such as the Tuol Sleng museum and the Killing Fields. In 1975 the Rode Khmer marched into the capital city Phnom Penh, Pol Pot became prime minister of Cambodia and made a very bloody attempt to turn Cambodia into a communist agricultural state. Money, education, religion and private ownership were abolished. Marriages were pre-arranged and children were separated from their parents. People who refused to cooperate were killed.The Tuol Sleng is an exceptionally moving museum where you are confronted with these harrowing events through a series of photographs. The museum is located in a former primary school which was used as a torture prison for political enemies by the Red Khmer. For many it was their last stop before ending up in the mass graves of the Killing Fields, in an orchard just outside Phnom Penh. As many as 17,000 people were killed here. At the end of the afternoon, you will visit the Apsara Foundation where poor Cambodian children can learn to dance. You'll be staying another night in the same hotel in Phnom Penh. |
Day 5: Phnom Penh - KepIn the morning, you will be picked up by your driver for the 4-hour drive to Kep, the next stop on your Cambodia holiday. On the way you’ll stop off at Phnom Chisor, an ancient Khmer temple on a hill. It’s a steep climb to the top but the view is definitely worth it. You’ll find the two entrance temples at the foot of the hill. The area is very rural with farmers working the land and cows grazing in the fields. The trip continues to Angkor Borei, a small town with some interesting historic excavations.In the afternoon, you’ll arrive in the coastal village of Kep. It’s very peaceful here, with a couple of fish restaurants and a nice beach. These small fishing villages are very popular weekend retreats for people from Phnom Penh, but you’ll find mainly locals here and few tourists. You’ll be staying in a small bungalow built into a hillside with views across the sea, with Bokor mountain to the right and the Vietnamese island Phu Quoc to the left. Kep is a good base from which to explore the uninhabited islands off the coast, or for a cycling or hiking trip in the nearby hills. |
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Day 6: Kep - free time: active or relaxed?On day six of your Cambodia holiday is yours to spend as you wish. Laze around in your hammock with a good book and take a dip in the sea or chose something a bit more active. Just behind the bungalow is the starting point of a trail leading around the mountain of Kep. You can rent mountain bikes, a scooter or a jeep to explore the area, or go hiking in the forests with some amazing views across the sea. Just ask at the hotel reception for more information.For some exceptionally beautiful beaches in this area, go to the islands of Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island) or Koh Poh (Coral Island). Koh Tonsay has three sparkling white beaches but Koh Poh is even better. The island is surrounded by a coral reef which makes it excellent for diving. The hotel can arrange a transfer to the pier, a half-hour boat trip and a picnic basket for you. |
Days 7 and 8: Kep - SihanoukvilleAfter breakfast, you'll bid farewell to Kep. You'll be picked up by your driver and head off on the 2½ hour drive to Sihanoukville, the next stop on your Cambodia holiday. This tropical beach resort, with its four outstretched beaches and clear blue waters, is still relatively new - the resort is more developed than Kep and Kampot in Cambodia, but it’s unspoiled and quiet. You’ll be staying two nights on Ochheuteal beach in a small bungalow full of charm, just one minute from the beach. At sunset, Cambodian vendors sell fresh shrimp, lobster and squid which they grill for you on the barbecue. There are also several island and snorkel excursions available from Sihanoukville.Not far from your resort is the Ream National Park with pristine tropical beaches, mangrove forests and dense jungle. We can definitely recommend it... |
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Day 9: Sihanoukville - Phnom PenhAfter a completely different Cambodia experience, feeling relaxed and rested, you’ll make your way by comfortable bus to Phnom Penh. You can easily arrange the transfer to the bus station yourself.The Cambodian signs are impossible to decipher so finding the right bus is no small feat but the ever-friendly Cambodians will be happy to assist - just ask someone for directions at the station. You’ll be staying a final night in Phnom Penh before you travel on to Siem Reap, the next stop on your Cambodia holiday. |
Day 10: Phnom Penh - Siem ReapIn the morning, you'll cross Tonle Sap lake and river by hydrofoil to Siem Reap. You’ll be taken to the jetty by car. The boat trip takes about 5 hours which is a lot quicker than it would be by car. You can sit on the roof of the boat for a great view but, remember your sunscreen - the water reflects the sun which means you’ll burn more easily even if it’s cloudy. The river is several kilometres wide in some places and just metres wide in others which makes the trip a succession of wonderful vistas and close views of houses and people living on the water.On arrival in Siem Reap you’ll be greeted by a crowd of rickshaw drivers, so do as the locals do and be whisked away to your hotel for around $1. Your hotel is centrally located with spacious air-conditioned rooms, friendly staff and a pool. |
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Day 11: Siem Reap - Angkor Tour with GuideOn day eleven of your Cambodia holiday, you'll visit part of the Angkor temple complex with your guide. You'll need several days to cover everything because the dozens of temples are scattered across an area of 25 square km. You could wander through the temples, statues and ruins forever but make sure to stay on the paths, as there are lots of mines in this area.The temples date from different periods as each ruler built his own temple, which gives each temple a unique character. The most famous temple - Angkor Wat - is strongly Hindu influenced, whereas Angkor Thom is more Buddhist. After a day of temples and culture you’ll be spending another night at your hotel in Siem Reap. |
Day 12: Siem Reap - Angkor Independent VisitToday, you can explore Angkor at your own pace, a real highlight of your Cambodia holiday. Angkor is the name of the ancient capital of the Khmer empire which was founded in the 8th century AD. The empire stretched all the way to southern Vietnam and China. Later, it was the Siamese empire of the Thai that ruled the area and brought many Buddhist influences to the region. Siem Reap literally means ‘conquest by Siam’ so it’s rather noble of the Khmer to have kept the name to this day.The temples were once surrounded by a thriving city filled with wooden houses. For centuries, the city was overgrown by jungle until the ruins were discovered by French explorers in 1900. Several temples have been restored but others are still overgrown. The Ta Prohm temple shows you how the jungle still has a hold on the buildings. Giant trees tower over them and the roots have wrapped themselves around the temple walls. It’s a strange but impressive sight. Tonight you’ll be spending another night in Siem Reap. |
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Day 13: Siem Reap - BangkokOn day thirteen of your Cambodia holiday, you'll make your way back to Bangkok. The quickest route is on the Siem Reap – Bangkok express bus. In the morning you’ll be picked up at your hotel in Siem Rep and taken to the Cambodian border. After 5 hours you’ll arrive in the small town of Poipet where you’ll collect the necessary stamps and make your way on foot across the border where you’ll find your Thai driver waiting to take you to Bangkok.During the 5-hour drive by comfortable minibus you’ll pass through beautiful green countryside and small villages, arriving in Bangkok at the end of the afternoon. You’ll be staying in the same hotel as the beginning of your trip. |
Day 14: Bangkok - End of Cambodia holidayToday marks the end of your Cambodia holiday. You'll leave your hotel and make your own way to the Airport. This is easy to do locally and cheaper than pre-paying for it in the UK. Your hotel reception can also tell you the best place to hail a taxi. |
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