Heart of Cambodia: Solidarity and Cultural Stay

Welcome by your driver upon arrival at the airport. Once this visit is completed, we will settle into the hotel; the rest of the day is free.

Day of sightseeing by tuk tuk

In the late afternoon, embark on a boat trip on the Mekong and Tonlé Sap and enjoy an unusual view of Phnom Penh and a magnificent sunset.

Day without an English-speaking guide

In the morning, transfer to Kampong Cham. On the way, let's be adventurous and take full advantage of a "gastronomic" stop in the town of Skun, famous for its spiders and grilled insects.

On the way, shortly before arriving in town, we visit the AMICA association and the nearby pottery village. In Kampong Cham, we leave the town to head to the village of Steung Trong and explore the beautiful rice fields and other plantations (peanuts, jicama or yam beans) in this very fertile riverside area. A little further on, a different landscape unfolds in the Krouch Chhmar district. We meet the villagers on a short 30-minute walk through tobacco fields. A discovery of authentic rural Cambodge.

We continue on our journey to Kratié, a town-province on the banks of the great Mékong with a peaceful reputation and magnificent rural landscapes.

Let's continue with a short transfer to Kampi, a few nautical miles north of Kratie. We board the Mekong there to search for Irrawaddy dolphins, one of the rare freshwater dolphin species, on the brink of extinction.

Optional: if you're sporty by nature, it's possible to observe the dolphins by kayak (please contact us)

Back in Kratié, we take a small boat to reach the river island of Koh Trong. Our host for the night will be waiting for us there. The meal is also planned at her place.

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide.

We then continue on the road, this time heading towards Kampong Thom province.

After lunch, we cross back and meet our driver and take the road to Kampong Thom Province.

We continue until we reach Sambor Prei Kuk.

. We then head back to Siem Reap and make a short detour to the village of Kampong Pluk located on the Tonlé Sap Lake just under 1 hour by car from Siem Reap. We board a private boat to discover and visit the floating village.

Note : during the dry season (from March to September), the excursion can be replaced by another visit depending on the water level.

Ce matin, nous partons en tuktuk vers le village de Kampong Pluk situé sur le lac Tonlé Sap. Nous embarquons sur un bateau privé pour découvrir et visiter le village flottant.

Au sein du village, il existe des petites pirogues qui peuvent vous balader dans la forêt de mangroves. En l'absence de guide, nous ne pouvons pas inclure cette balade dans notre prestation. Si vous souhaitez effectuer cette balade en pirogue, comptez environ 5$ par personne.

En saison sèche, si le niveau de l'eau compromet l'accès au village de Kampong Pluk (généralement entre février et août), nous pourrons visiter le village de Mechrey

Day trip by tuk-tuk to discover the magnificent temples of Angkor located around and within the Angkor Thom enclosure. We will discover in particular Angkor Wat, symbol of the pinnacle of the Khmer Empire during the Angkorian era.

Within the Angkor Thom enclosure, discover Bayon and its numerous towers with gigantic faces, Baphuon and its gigantic statue of a 40-meter reclining Buddha, Phimeanakas, the Terrace of Elephants and its great diversity of sculptures as well as the Terrace of the Leper King.

We conclude with Ta Prohm famous for its immense trees with sprawling aerial roots. We can end this day with a sunset either at Srah Srang, or from the heights of Pre Rup or Phnom Bakheng if you are ready to brave the crowds (warning: Phnom Bakheng is off-limits to children under 12 years old and authorities limit access to 300 people at sunset, creating a queue)

Due to an already busy schedule, we deliberately skip some secondary temples from the small circuit such as Banteay Kdei, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda or Ta Keo. If you wish to visit these sites, do not hesitate to inform your guide at the beginning of the day so he can best arrange the schedule.

It is possible to do the visits in reverse order to avoid the crowds. You just need to mention this to your guide at the beginning of the day.

Temples are sacred places, avoid short clothing, you must cover your shoulders and wear long pants or a long skirt.

In order to preserve these fragile monuments, it is forbidden to touch the sculptures or to sit on temple elements.

In Cambodian culture, it is offensive to misbehave inside a sacred place, calm and respect are the guiding principles.

It is not recommended to buy items or candy from street vendor children, this only encourages begging and truancy, prefer to donate to an association if you wish to help.

If you wish to photograph the monks (called Bonzes), you must obtain their permission beforehand. Moreover, you must not touch them, they are allowed to touch you but not the other way around.

Not far from Angkor Thom, we take a break from visiting temples to visit one of the water purification stations run by the NGO Teuk Saat. This organization provides affordable drinking water to rural communities through sustainable, locally-based filtration stations. Local entrepreneurs are trained by the NGO to manage these stations independently. One of these entrepreneurs will briefly present us with the positive impacts of this operating model.

We then begin a short hiking trail needed to reach the Kbal Spean site nicknamed "the temple underwater", 49 km north of Angkor. Ruins of temples dating from the 9th century border a river whose bed is scattered with carved lingas. A nourishing source for Angkor, the waters of Kbal Spean once irrigated the rice fields of the ancient city. In its bed, the Khmer people carved Shivas and stone squares meant to bless the waters before they reached the Royal City. The site was discovered in 1968 by ethnologist Jean Boulbet, and following in his footsteps you will be able to wander along the lush banks. A small waterfall near the sacred protected site will allow us to cool off or even bathe there (bring a small towel).

Very accessible hiking trail of approximately 1.5 km (or 3 km round trip) with a slight elevation gain over the last 700 meters.

Plan to wear hiking shoes or sneakers as the path is quite rocky.

After lunch, let's continue with a visit to Banteay Srei, a temple on a human scale compared to the gigantic Angkor Wat or Bayon. This pink sandstone temple, nicknamed "The Citadel of Women," is known for the refinement of the bas-reliefs and sculptures that adorn its walls and columns.

If we still have energy, we can end the day with a visit to Banteay Samre temple or head back to the hotel directly.

Along the way, let's discover the pagoda Wat Slaket and Ek Phnom, an 11th-century Brahmin sandstone temple now in ruins. It was ravaged by the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot, and plundered by the Vietnamese at liberation. A place steeped in history.

Let's take the opportunity to linger over the immense seated Buddha statue that stands near these ruins.

Once we arrive at our destination, we settle into the hotel before setting off again for the last visits of the day.

South of Battambang, a visit to the Banon temple erected at the summit of a hill offers you, after climbing the 358 steps, a lovely panorama of the Cambodian countryside. Passing through traditional villages lining the road, we can witness the family production of rice cakes and converse with locals about their daily life. Let's also take the opportunity to stop at the Battambang vineyards. A chance to admire the greenhouse work of Cambodian winemakers. And to taste if we wish the wine, grape juice, ginger juice, and why not cognac!

Finally, we set off to discover the temple of Phnom Sampov, "the ship-hill" where we stay until sunset to observe the flight of bats and their incredible choreography towards the skies.

Day without English-speaking guide.

Traveling by bike is an excellent way to meet local communities, so our morning will be devoted to a guided cycling tour through the beautiful Cambodian countryside. This authentic immersion in rural life will allow us to visit a Buddhist temple with a dark history, observe the daily life of villagers and discover some of the region's artisanal products (bamboo cake, rice wine, banana chips, fish paste, rice paper…).

Rich exchanges with plenty of smiles await us during this itinerary. Half-day bike tour with an English-speaking local guide; the total route is 20km on flat terrain at a very leisurely pace.

In the morning, drive back to Phnom Penh.

About ten kilometers from Kampong Chhnang, admire the craftsmanship of pottery artisans. The traditional village has been renowned for centuries for the quality of its clay pots sold throughout the country.

While the tools have certainly modernized, the craftsmanship and techniques passed down from generation to generation remain.

Upon your arrival in Phnom Penh, you join the meeting point to take the ferry to the silk island Koh Dach. This island of 20,000 inhabitants in the middle of the Mekong is known for its silk weaving craftsmanship.

You discover this pleasant and authentic island on foot or by bike in the heart of nature, among fruit trees, fields and the banks of the Mekong with even a small beach set up for swimming.

First, you visit the silk factory of Chamka Sne, where you can observe the different stages of silk production, from silkworm farming to thread weaving. Along the way, you can also observe a large number of pagodas.

Day without English-speaking tour guide

Road transfer to Kep, a charming seaside town renowned for its crab market and national park perfect for a lovely walk.

The Kampot region is internationally recognized for its exceptional pepper. So it's impossible to visit Kampot without taking a tour of one of the many pepper plantations in the region!

In the morning or early afternoon, transfer by road to Phnom Penh.

Once you arrive at your destination, we settle you in at the hotel; the rest of the day is free. Free schedule before your transfer to Phnom Penh International Airport.

Day without English-speaking guide