Upon arrival at the Phnom Penh Airport, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel.  You’ll then have a city tour which will include the Victory Monument and the National Museum, the Royal Palace (built by the French in 1866 on the site of the old town), and the Silver Pagoda (located within the Royal Palace grounds). You will then end your city tour with a visit to Wat Phnom Temple (Phnom Penh’s namesake) from which you can enjoy views over the tree lined avenues of the city during sunset. You will stay overnight at your hotel in Phnom Penh.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will transfer to Phnom Penh Airport for departure to Siem Reap. Upon arrival at Siem Reap Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. 

Next, you’ll visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th Century), where you will see numerous amazing sites, including: the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the Ocean of Milk), Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. 

In the afternoon, you’ll visit the most famous of all the temples on the Angkor plain: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th Century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classic Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat symbolizes the ocean beyond. 

You will then watch sunset from Phnom Bakheng (one of two hills dominating the plain of Angkor) from where you will have a spectacular view of West Baray and Angkor Wat, before an overnight stay in Siem Reap.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will continue your temple visits, including: Prasat Kravan (with its unique brick sculptures), Sra Srang (“The Royal Baths” was once used for ritual bathing), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by four concentric walls), Eastern Mebon (guarded at its corners by stone figures of harnessed elephants, some of which are still in a reasonable state of preservation) and the “Mountain Temple” of Pre Rup.

In the afternoon, you will transfer to the archaeological site and continue the temple tour. You will explore Ta Prohm (one of the most beautiful temples in the area) which has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered. Then you will visit Takeo, Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda temples. Finally, you will transfer to Siem Reap Airport for departure to your next destination.