The reverse loop from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh

Welcome from our driver upon your arrival at the airport. Transfer and check-in at the hotel. The rest of the day is free.

Rooms available from 2:00 PM. If we arrive a little early and our room is not yet ready, we can leave our luggage at the reception desk.

Day visit by tuk-tuk of the wonderful Angkor temples located around and inside the Angkor Thom enclosure. We discover in particular Angkor Wat, symbol of the apex of the Khmer Empire during the Angkorian era.

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

Let's conclude with Ta Prohm famous for its immense trees with tentacular 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 packed schedule, we deliberately skip a few secondary temples of 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.

Possibility to carry out visits in reverse order to avoid crowds. Simply let your guide know 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 paramount.

It is not recommended to buy items or sweets from child vendors, this only encourages begging and truancy, prefer a donation to an association if it matters to you.

If you wish to photograph the monks (called Bonzes), you must obtain their permission beforehand. Furthermore, you must absolutely not touch them, they have the right to touch you but not the other way around.

We then begin the short hiking trek necessary to reach the Kbal Spean site nicknamed "the underwater temple", 49 km north of Angkor. Temple ruins dating from the 9th century border a river whose bed is scattered with sculpted lingas. A nurturing source for Angkor, the waters of Kbal Spean once irrigated the rice fields of the ancient city. In its bed, the Khmer people sculpted Shiva figures and stone squares intended to bless the waters before they reached the Royal City. The site was discovered in 1968 by Ariège 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 swim (bring a small towel).

A very accessible hike of approximately 1.5 km (or 3 km round trip) with a slight elevation gain over the last 700 meters.

Bring hiking shoes or sneakers as the trail is quite rocky.

After lunch, let's continue with a visit to Banteay Srey, a temple with human proportions 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 return to the hotel directly.

This morning, we head towards the village of Kampong Kleang located on Tonlé Sap Lake approximately 1.5 hours by car from Siem Reap. We board a private boat to discover and visit the floating village. We experience the daily life of this community that lives mainly from fishing and at the rhythm of the lake.

In the afternoon, we return to the Angkor archaeological site, more precisely to the Roluos site, a small Khmer city that sheltered the beginnings of the Angkorian era. Seat of the first capital of the Hariharalaya empire, Roluos marks the beginning of classical Khmer civilization. The buildings are mostly constructed in brick, laterite, or sandstone. Bakong, Lolei, and Preah Ko are the three main temples of the place. All dedicated to the practice of Hinduism, the last two however today protect Buddhist pagodas. We save the visit to Bakong temple for the end as we will be able to take advantage of the vantage point to admire the sunset from the heights of this temple-mountain.

Late morning, transfer by road towards Kampong Thom, located halfway between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

At the entrance to Kampong Thom, we make a small detour to discover the remarkable pre-Angkorian temples of Sambor Prei Kuk. This archaeological site has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list since July 2017.

We settle in Steung Sen the capital of Kampong Thom province crossed by a river of the same name. Here, with a touch of irony, the inhabitants like to remind us that they too have their "Seine".

Road transfer to Steung Treng, a quiet small town located near the Laotian border on a sandy bank overlooking the Mekong, at its confluence with the Sé Kong river. Check-in at your accommodation.

We settle at Mekong Bird Resort, a charming small family establishment in the heart of nature and waterside.

Transfer with guide to Banlung, provincial capital of Ratanakiri. Check-in at the hotel.

Departure with your driver by road to Kratie, a peaceful provincial town on the banks of the Mekong River with magnificent rural landscapes.

Upon arrival, you take a small boat to reach the river island of Koh Trong.

A lunch with a local family awaits you.

Equipped with a life jacket, a cap and a water bottle, set off kayaking on the river at your own pace, alone (following a guide of course!) or in tandem.

Meet at your guesthouse reception at 7am for your breakfast and to meet your kayak guide who will give you instructions and safety details.

This morning excursion will have you paddling mainly downstream between the small sandy islets dotting the Grand Mekong and a river forest. Your efforts will be interspersed with several snack breaks & swimming stops, culminating in a stop to observe the rare Irrawaddy dolphins from your kayak.

Return to the guesthouse around 12:30pm.

After lunch, we take the road for a short journey to Chhlong where you can rest at the hotel.

After breakfast, transfer by road to Kampong Cham.

Visit the Hanchey Pagoda, at the top of the mountain of the same name. This atypical place is home not only to the temple but also to a multitude of other sculptures, notably of fruits and vegetables.

Moreover, you will have a magnificent unobstructed view of the Mekong and the surrounding countryside.

The hills of Phnom Bros and Phnom Srei are located in Kampong Cham. Separated from each other by one kilometer of distance, the two highest points offer a magnificent view of the countryside and the Mekong. You can visit modern temples on these hills and take advantage of the place to relax pleasantly. Two places steeped in history not to be missed.

Possible activity from late January to late May: to admire a bamboo bridge most original. Connecting Kampong Cham and the island of Koh Paeng, it is rebuilt every year in January and destroyed at the end of May because of the higher water level during the rainy season.

Day trip by tuk-tuk

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

The Kampot region is internationally recognized for its exceptional pepper. It is therefore impossible to pass through Kampot without visiting one of the many pepper plantations in the region!

We then visit the family pepper production farm, La Ferme de Sothy with an English-speaking guide from the plantation who will explain the origins and reasons for the fame of this pepper. We will learn more about the cultivation methods and how to cook this famous pepper.

On the way, near Kep, exploring the caves of Phnom Kampong Trach holds lovely surprises for us. Considered as natural temples by local Buddhists, they conceal numerous statues and altars. As the highlight of this "speleological" excursion, a beautiful representation of a reclining Buddha awaits us in an open-air clearing created by the collapse of the rock.

Road transfer to the Sihanoukville pier, a seaside town in the south with beautiful fine sand beaches and gateway to the paradisiacal islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem.

Boat transfer to Koh Rong from Sihanoukville pier. Our English-speaking team on site will wait for you at the pier to give you your boat tickets.

Once you arrive at your destination, we settle into the hotel; the rest of the day is free.

Day without English-speaking guide

After breakfast and checking out of our room, we return by boat to Sihanoukville.

The boat departure is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

Upon our arrival in Sihanoukville, a driver will be waiting for us at the pier for a final transfer to Phnom Penh via the country's only highway.

Free programme before our transfer to Phnom Penh International Airport.

We will need to check out of our room before noon. If our flight is in the evening, we can leave our luggage at the hotel reception for a final stroll around the city.