Itinerary

1. Day 1- Banteay Srey - Beng Mealea - Tonle Sap Lake

   • Meet the driver and the tour guide in the lobby of your hotel at 8:00 am and travel to a small temple of Banteay Srei, well known for its beautiful delicate carvings in warm pink sandstone. This late 10th-century temple is fairly compact and very different from other Angkorian temples.
   • Once in a complete state of disrepair, resembling a giant jigsaw puzzle, our next stop - Beng Mealea, has recently been made more accessible with the addition of a wooden walkway throughout the structure assuring safe access and slight elevation, thus a better view. This mid-12th-century temple features mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism attributes and is particularly mesmerising in the wet season.
   • Later in the afternoon, you will travel to Kompong Phluk, an authentic stilted village on the edge of the great Tonle Sap Lake. The Khmer, Vietnamese and Cham people live in harmony with the rising and falling water levels of the lake. Fun fact: most households here own boats as well as motorbikes as their road becomes a water channel during the monsoon. The biggest attraction in this neighbourhood is the eerie Flooded Forest accessible by boat during the wet season.

2. Day 2- Sunrise at Angkor Wat - Angkor Thom - Ta Prohm

   • You will be picked up at the lobby of the hotel at 4:45 AM and transferred to Angkor Wat. The silhouette of the largest religious monument ever built slowly emerges in front of you as darkness gives way to the first rays of dawn. This is a truly spectacular sight and well worth the early start today. You may wish to assume the classic viewing position by the lotus pond and see Angkor Wat and its reflection or find yourself a different vantage point to appreciate and photograph this mesmerising temple. 
   • When the colours of sunrise begin to fade, you will explore the inner parts of Angkor Wat and learn about its history and the fascinating stories behind the intricate carvings adorning the walls of the temple galleries.
   • After that, we will go to visit the ancient walled city of Angkor Thom with the addition of some other iconic temples. You will enter the ancient city through its South Gate. In the very centre lies the temple of Bayon – silent witnesses of time, the 216 enigmatic faces gaze over the horizon, and one can only wonder what they have seen throughout the ages. Your guide will point out the best angles for photography here and give an explanation of the many intricate carvings on the walls of the galleries. 
   • You will then continue to Baphuon with its long causeway and an impressive giant Reclining Buddha, a jigsaw puzzle only put back together in 2011 following a 37 year-long disruption caused by the war. Phimeanakas is hiding in the shaded jungle and offers a decent over-the-tree-tops view to those who conquer the steep steps to the top. 
   • Continuing further, you can admire the Esplanade of the Royal Palace, more commonly known as the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. 
   • Having gained its 21st-century fame from the Tomb Raider movie, the charming and iconic Ta Prohm features on most visitors' itineraries and rightfully so. Here nature takes over ancient human-made structures, and golden Spung tree (Tetrameles Nudiflora) roots wrap themselves around mossy stones in a tight embrace. 
   • Return to hotel and end of service.