ESSENCE OF CAMBODIA: A JOURNEY THROUGH ITS CULTURE AND HERITAGE

Transfer to the village of Roluos, located 16 kilometers from the city to discover the three temples: Lolei, Preah Ko & Bakong, a collection of monuments showcasing the ancient capital of pre-Angkorian Harharalaya.

Lunch. Visit Angkor Wat, a World Heritage Site with its slender towers and magnificent bas-reliefs. It is the most extraordinary monument designed by the human mind, erected in the twelfth century (1112-1152) in honor of Vishnu. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel

Ride in a tuk-tuk (motorbike-trailer) to visit the temple of Prasat Kravan, then the famous temples of Ta Prohm built under Jayavarman VII as a residence for his mother and the temple of Takeo, the first temple of Angkor built entirely of sandstone. Lunch.

Continuation of the discovery of Angkor Thom (Great City) by the Southern Portal, then the famous temple of Bayon composed of 54 gigantic towers with 216 faces of Avalokitesvara, the pyramidal temple Baphuon, the Phimean Akas (Celestial Palace) pyramid with three steps representing Mount Meru, the terrace of the Elephants measuring 350m long hosted the splendour of royal audiences and public ceremonies, from the terrace of the Leper King a platform presenting several admirable sculpted figures of the Apsaras. Gondola ride to watch the sunset over the Tonle Om. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Day trip to Kbal Spean or River of a Thousand Lingas located about 35km north of Angkor. After walking through villages and forest to reach the river used to irrigate Angkor. First lingas (phallic symbols) in the form of paving stones gave its name to the site "the River of a Thousand Lingas". Then on the rocks, figures of deities: Vishnu sleeping on a snake, the bull, Shiva and Urma. Lunch during the visit. Discover the Banteay temple whose architecture and pink sandstone sculptures present a masterpiece of Khmer art. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Departure for Battambang, stop at the village of Méchrey and ride in an ox or buffalo cart. Visit the Khmer houses and discover the activities of the people in their daily lives. Then continue to the silk farm; Enjoy the beauty of the Cambodian countryside and visit the silk workshops where you will discover the meticulous work of the silk factory. Lunch along the way.

Drive through Sisophon, the town in Banteay Meanchey province and stop at the vendors of glutinous rice cakes baked in bamboo tubes. Arrive in Battambang, a beautiful attractive city with colonial architecture and the 2nd largest city in the country. Visit the ancient pagoda "Wat Damrei Sar" (White Elephant) built in 1904. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Stroll along the lively quays along the Sangkè River to better appreciate the special atmosphere of the city. Drive along the river to the north sharpened by beautiful Cambodian villages to the 11th century Ek Phnom  Temple. Return and walk in the village to exploit the small traditional factories of rice cakes and the Phsar Prohok market (traditional Khmer food). Lunch.

In the afternoon, visit a very old traditional Khmer house in the village of Wat Kor, then drive south to reach the Angkorian temple of Banon standing on the hill. Then, ride on the "bamboo train", a motorized bamboo platform built by the villagers to facilitate the transport of goods between the localities. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

Departure for Phnom Penh. Planned visits: visit to the Pursat province of the manufacture of fresh noodles, rice dough and the marble sculpture workshop. In Kompong Luong, board a traditional boat for the excursion on the Tonle Sap Lake to discover the largest floating villages of the Tonle Sap, composed of Khmer and Vietnamese villages living in self-sufficiency on the lake. Continue to Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap. Lunch along the way.

Passing through Oudong, stop at a village located on the banks of the Tonle Sap whose inhabitants have specialized in working with silver and copper, where the ornamental objects used during traditional pagoda ceremonies or weddings are made. Arrival in Phnom Penh. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

Discovery of the city: the Royal Palace built in 1866 by King Norodom made up of different structures grouped in an enclosure of remarkable architecture of Khmer art, the Silver Pagoda (or Emerald Pagoda) located within the walls of the Royal Palace bringing together gold masterpieces such as a large solid gold Buddha weighing 90 kg and encrusted with diamonds,  an Emerald Buddha and another in Baccarat crystal, the National Museum - a superb example of Khmer architecture that was officially inaugurated in 1920. Lunch. Visit to the Tuol Sleng Museum. Boat trip on the Mekong River at sunset. Dinner in the local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Depending on the departure flight schedule, visit the Central Market or Phsar Thmey in Khmer, a unique colonial-style building built in 1937 under the plans of the French architect Jean Desbois. Lunch in the local restaurant. Transfer to Phnom Penh airport. Fly to your destination.