AROUND CAMBODIA 15 DAYS FROM PER PERSON
$5,180 FULLY INCLUSIVE WITH FLIGHTS FROM NEW ZEALAND
ALL MEALS
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS D iscover captivating Phnom Penh Visit the Killing Fields and
Tuol Sleng Kick back in coastal Kampot Explore colonial Battambang Be inspired by majestic Angkor See local life on Tonle Sap
ITINER ARY
PRICE INCLUDES • 12 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 12 dinners • International flights and current taxes • Domestic transportation • 3 – 4 star accommodation • Touring with guides and entrance fees • Visa fees for NZ passport holders
See the famous Kampot pepper plantations
EXPERIENCES YOU’LL LOVE L earn all about the cultivation and production of Kampot pepper, considered by many to be the world’s best, as you tour a peaceful pepper farm in southern Cambodia’s lush countryside. P ay a visit to the wonderful ‘La Maison de Coco’, an NGO-run centre where local people are taught traditional arts such as weaving, to give them skills that will help them earn a living. A rip-roaring combination of theatre, music, dance and circus, Phare: the Cambodian Circus, tells tales woven from local folklore, history and modern life in a unique, and authentically Cambodian way.
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Visit the ancient Bayon temple
V IS IT
DAYS 1-2: FLY OVERNIGHT TO SIEM REAP Fly overnight to Siem Reap. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.
on dry land visit Beng Mealea, a mysterious temple overrun by the jungle. Return to Siem Reap via Artisan D’Angkor, an organisation working to revive traditional Khmer arts and crafts. This evening sit down to dinner and the Apsara dance show.
DAY 3: EXPLORE ANGKOR The Angkor Archaeological Park encompasses over 1,000 temples, all the remains of different capitals of the Khmer Empire between the 9th and 15th centuries. Rising early, journey to the old city of Angkor Thom and pass through the magnificent South Gate flanked by 54 gods and demons. At Angkor Thom’s centre is the enigmatic Bayon, a breathtaking temple of innumerable sculptural decorations. Also admire the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Continue to Ta Prohm before the rest of the day is dedicated to Angkor Wat, the most magnificent, and best preserved of all of Angkor’s treasures. Later, take a leisurely boat ride on the moat of Angkor Thom and view hidden elements of the ancient Khmer water systems.
Low Water Season (Mar to Jul) Head to Beng Mealea to explore this mysterious temple overrun by the jungle. Drop by Artisan D’Angkor before visiting the floating village of Chong Kneas. This evening sit down to dinner and an apsara dance show.
DAY 4: COOKING CL ASS & CIRCUS Enjoy a traditional Cambodian cooking class with a local, learning about the flavours that go into Khmer cuisine. This evening, enjoy a rollicking performance by graduates of the Phare Cambodian Circus, an NGO organisation that transforms the lives of disadvantaged local youths, providing them with a formal education and vocational training in the performing arts. DAY 5: CRUISE TONLE SAP L AKE High Water Season (Aug to Feb) Enjoy a morning cruise on Tonle Sap Lake, visiting the floating village of Kampong Kleng and observing the way of life of these lake communities. Back
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DAY 6: THE NATIONAL SILK CENTRE Begin the journey towards Battambang, stopping in Puok District to visit the National Silk Centre. Learn about the cultivation of silk, from the planting of mulberry trees used to raise the silkworms to the harvesting of silk threads. Observe the artisans using the dyed and treated silk threads to create beautiful products in the workshops. On arrival in Battambang, the rest of the day is at leisure. Set in some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes, Battambang is also home to Cambodia’s grandest colonial architecture. DAY 7: L A M AISON DE COCO Head out of town to the 12th-century Prasat Banan Temple and admire the breath-taking hilltop views. Return to Battambang and take a stroll through the village of Wat Kor, then explore a local house for a glimpse of traditional Khmer life. Visit a local NGO, La Maison de Coco, where traditional skills such as weaving are taught to locals, before a visit to Phnom Sampov to see the bat cave. DAY 8: VENTURE TO PHNOM PENH Journey south to Phnom Penh, stopping at the former capital city Udong, a potters’ village and Touch Hill.
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