Cambodia cultural holiday
| country: | Cambodia |
| location: | Angkor Wat |
| departures: | This trip can be tailormade year round to suit your budget and requirements |
| price: | From £490 (8 days) including domestic flights only, as per itinerary. Price includes airport transfers, B&B accommodation with private bathroom & air con, transportation, guides & admission fees. We can help arrange flights from the UK |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
This trip combines three very different destinations within Cambodia, to give you a much more complete experience of this truly beautiful country.
Vibrant, noisy, frenetic, Phnom Penh is everything you expect from the capital city of a developing country and more... High tech mixed with tradition, opulence mixed with poverty, the city is a fascinating blend of old-world French colonial charm, dirty back streets and a multitude of pavement businesses. Much international influence has yet to reach Phnom Penh, helping it retain its unique appeal and character.
Battambang is officially Cambodia's second largest city and yet it is essentially a sleepy provincial town. Much of its livelihood is centred around the sweeping river that runs through its midst, and it still retains many (somewhat dilapidated) examples of French colonial architecture.
Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples are justifiably regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world, ranking alongside such treasures as the Pyramids in Egypt and the Taj Mahal in India. Built between the 10th and 13th centuries, they were left abandoned to the jungle until their "discovery" by a French explorer in the late 19th century. Still as yet unravaged by mass tourism, the temples retain a sense of power and mystery in their overwhelming size and attention to detail.
Our private tours are designed to show travellers with limited time as much as possible of this fascinating country, and are led by a local tour leader or guide who can add insight to every stage of the journey. You can choose the grade of accommodation you would prefer from a selection that has been hand-picked by us for their comfort, atmosphere and friendly staff – most of which are locally-owned.
We can also create a custom itinerary for you that includes other destinations or incorporates special interests such as wildlife, art or social welfare.
Vibrant, noisy, frenetic, Phnom Penh is everything you expect from the capital city of a developing country and more... High tech mixed with tradition, opulence mixed with poverty, the city is a fascinating blend of old-world French colonial charm, dirty back streets and a multitude of pavement businesses. Much international influence has yet to reach Phnom Penh, helping it retain its unique appeal and character.
Battambang is officially Cambodia's second largest city and yet it is essentially a sleepy provincial town. Much of its livelihood is centred around the sweeping river that runs through its midst, and it still retains many (somewhat dilapidated) examples of French colonial architecture.
Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples are justifiably regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world, ranking alongside such treasures as the Pyramids in Egypt and the Taj Mahal in India. Built between the 10th and 13th centuries, they were left abandoned to the jungle until their "discovery" by a French explorer in the late 19th century. Still as yet unravaged by mass tourism, the temples retain a sense of power and mystery in their overwhelming size and attention to detail.
Our private tours are designed to show travellers with limited time as much as possible of this fascinating country, and are led by a local tour leader or guide who can add insight to every stage of the journey. You can choose the grade of accommodation you would prefer from a selection that has been hand-picked by us for their comfort, atmosphere and friendly staff – most of which are locally-owned.
We can also create a custom itinerary for you that includes other destinations or incorporates special interests such as wildlife, art or social welfare.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival at Siem Reap airport, where you will be met by one of our representatives and taken to your hotel to check in. Travel by private car or bus to some of the main temples of Angkor – including Angkor Thom, site of the famous heads of the Bayon and Angkor Wat itself. Accompanied by an English–speaking local guide, learn about the historical evolution of the Khmer kingdom and the building of the temples. Sufficient time is allowed at each site for you to explore at your own pace, take photographs, or just stare in wonder – plus a long break for lunch to shelter from the heat of the midday sun! At just before sunset, climb to the top of Angkor Wat (if you dare!) for a sight not to be missed. Return to the hotel by early evening. |
| Day 2: | Visit further temples within the Angkor complex, including Ta Phrom, still largely claimed by the jungle, and Banteay Srei, with amazingly intricate detail carved in red sandstone. Again, the day is unhurried, giving you time of your own and avoiding the pressurised rush of typical guided tours. Return to the hotel by early evening. |
| Day 3: | Visit Kbal Spein, the "river of a thousand lingas", with ancient carvings on a riverbed and a scenic short trek through the jungle to reach it. The afternoon is free- you can spend more time at the temples, walk around the town, swim in a local resort pool, or just relax. |
| Day 4: | Travel by private boat through a floating village, across a great lake and along the winding river to Battambang. Travelling past many small fishing villages, you can see local people going about their daily lives (except when they all stop to wave to you!). In the afternoon, take a trip by motorcycle (with driver) into the beautiful countryside surrounding Battambang to some local places of interest and visit one of the local voluntary organisations who are working with the Cambodian people in developing the country. |
| Day 5: | Off the beaten track with your motorcycle driver. Headed by a local guide, you will visit some hilltop temples to enjoy the spectacular view and drive along tiny winding tracks into some small villages where tourists hardly ever venture. Visit the caves where many people were tortured and executed by the Khmer Rouge, an important part of Cambodia’s recent tragic history, Return to the hotel by early evening. |
| Day 6: | Travel by private car to Phnom Penh. This journey passes through many small provincial towns and villages, and there are many opportunities to stop and take photos, enjoy a cup of coffee at a roadside café or just admire the scenery. In the afternoon, take a guided tour of the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum - location of many Angkorian era relics. |
| Day 7: | Visit Tuol Sleng, a former Khmer Rouge interrogation camp, and the Killing Fields, immortalised in the film of the same name. In the afternoon, visit one of the local markets, where you can buy many local handicrafts at very reasonable prices. |
| Day 8: | Transfer to the airport for your flight home. |
travellers' tales
Both the most memorable and exciting part of my trip was riding on the back of the motorbike with my guide, through the countryside surrounding Battambang. Without a doubt, this was the real Cambodia--seeing rural life, villages and people. A real adventurous and beautiful 2 days. (more)
this tailormade holiday
Our private tours are designed to show travellers with limited time as much as possible of this fascinating country, and are led by a local tour leader or guide who can add insight to every stage of the journey. You can choose the grade of accommodation you would prefer from a selection that has been hand-picked by us for their comfort, atmosphere and friendly staff – most of which are locally-owned. We can also create a custom itinerary for you that includes other destinations or incorporates special interests such as wildlife, art or social welfare.how this holiday makes a difference
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We are a social enterprise, created from the outset with the aim of providing local people with much-needed employment, a sense of community and opportunities for development. Using best business practices to improve lives in areas of need, we provide direct support to on-the-ground humanitarian and conservation projects.
We believe that truly responsible travel should benefit both the client and the destination in equal measures. The client gains an insight into other countries and cultures, learning a little bit about themselves in the process. The destination receives economic benefit and opportunities for self-development – but never at the sacrifice of their culture or integrity.  In order to achieve these aims we operate two policies alongside each other: the first to minimise what we take, the second to maximise what we give back. Self-administration of projects and funds ensures that 100% of our support goes directly to the people who need it. As a social enterprise, our tour leaders are all local people who have been personally chosen and trained by us, and have been able to realise their potential and work towards a better future for themselves and their families. Encouraged to have an input on how the company operates and develops, our team brings constructive criticism, fresh ideas and a deeper level of interaction with our clients. The variety in the destinations you visit gives you a feeling for the "real" Cambodia, and the varied modes of transport give you the opportunity to see many aspects of the local way of life. Our visit to a humanitarian project during the journey, and a lunch in an NGO restaurant run by street children, gives you a positive appreciation of how Cambodia is slowly rebuilding itself. Our contributions to a number of these organisations and our commitment to fair salaries and in-country training ensure that the country directly benefits from your holiday. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |