Itinerary Brief: - Morning: Angkor Wat
Easy - Suitable for travellers with an average level of fitness and independent mobility.
There are two seasons in Cambodia, wet and dry. From early May to the end of October is the rainy season. It often rains heavily but for short periods of time, mostly later in the day or during the night, after which the sun returns. The rain cools the air and freshens up the lush green of the rice plantations. It is cooler in the dry season, which runs from early November to early February, when it starts heating up again, building to the hottest month of April. So the best time for rain lovers is between May and October and from November to early March for those who like it dry and cool.
When visiting the temples, be sure to wear sturdy, comfortable shoes as you will be doing a lot of walking as well as sometimes climbing steep stairs.
When in Phnom Penh, try the Viejo Tonle Restaurant for Italian, Thai and authentic Cambodian cuisine. It’s located on Sisowath Quay just north of Street 144, and is part of the Sok Sabay Centre helping Cambodian orphans. We start the day at the largest religious site in the world, Angkor Wat. There are not really enough words to describe this jewel in the crown of Angkor. You have to witness it for yourself. The scale of the complex is certain to be above expectations, covering an area of 2 km2, but you can easily see the majority of the places of interest in a morning, especially if you decide to start early enough to see the sunrise. Originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, it faces west instead of the usual requirement to face east. Built between 1113 and 1150, it eventually changed to a Buddhist Wat (temple) in the 13th century after a religious revolution in Cambodia. You will have plenty of time to explore most of the complex; you will be amazed at the intricate carvings and bas-reliefs, the long terraces, the many different pavilions and galleries. Depending on time we can visit several more temples such as Baksei Chamkrong, Prasat Kravan or Thommanon. Baksei Chamkrong is a relatively small but very impressive pyramid temple built around 947 A.D. and only 250 metres from the south gate of Angkor Thom, which we will visit in the afternoon. Known by the local as ‘bird with sheltering wings’, which comes from a story of a large bird that saved the life of a Khmer king by shielding him against his enemies with its wings. Prasat Kravan is known as the ‘Cardamom Sanctuary’ and was originally surrounded by a reservoir (Prasat meaning ‘tower’). The line of 5 prasats has been restored in recent times, although one of the four side towers has its original second floor. Thommanon can be found about 1/3 of a mile from the Victory Gate of Angkor Thom. It is small but very elegant in many ways, having had some restoration in the 1960’s. It may not be possible to see all 3, but time permitting would be a great way to end the morning. Lunch at the Archeological Park is included. Angkor Thom Touring around this invincible city will take several hours, but there are many interesting smaller temples scattered around the outside, some only 2-300 m into the forest. Ta Prohm Consecrated in 1186, and built originally in a residential area, Ta Prohm has become a favourite of many tourists due to it being deliberately left in the grip of the jungle. It’s popularity increased when it was used as a location in the Tomb Raider movie. This is another impressive temple, built inside a 1000 x 600 m enclosure. At its height around 12,500 people occupied it, and if you include the surrounding villages that tended to the needs of the temple, there was almost 80,000 in total. Watching the sunset here concludes an amazing day. The text below as well as the price table have been copied from another Tour Company, so we need to personalize it before publising** . Nevertheless the content estructure seems to be very suitable for Travelloops
REMARKS: 1. Tour price is indicative only, please enquire for a detailed quotation.
1. Entrance Fees.
2. Meals. When the meals are not included in the program and you want to look for a good place to eat, your guide assit you and recomend a good one from our list of approved restaurants. Breakfast is usually a mixture of Western and Vietnamese cuisines. We endeavor to ensure that a choice of western and Vietnamese breakfasts is supplied; however, there may be occasions when only a Vietnamese breakfast is available in some remote locations.
3. Private Transfers & Airport Pick-up and drop-off.
4. Professional Tour Guide.
7. Arrangements Fees.
1. International/domestic Airfares
2. Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos Entry Visa Fees.
3. Excess Baggage Charges.
4. Personal Expenses.
5. Meals.
6. Single Room Supplement.
Taking into account the tour duration (just 1 full day), accomodation is not included, nevertheless if it would be necesary, we can arrange it according to your budget and preferences. |