This morning, gain insight into Cambodia’s recent dark history on a visit to the remarkable Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, housed in the former school that was taken over by the Khmer Rouge and used as its main detention and torture center named ‘S-21’. Also visit the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. A grim, but important visit that will allow you to dig below the surface and understand Cambodia better.

After learning about some of Cambodia’s tragic past, if you wish, we will make a stop at which we can put the smile back and experience modern Khmer life. It is not far to Stung Meanchey, a local neighbourhood that is home to the humanitarian organization Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (for the smile of a child) that provides education and job training to street children that used to be scavenging the municipal dump, and give them skills and hope for a brighter future.

You then will be driven back to see the most remarkable sights of Phnom Penh in a Cyclo, an original Phnom Penh means of transportation and a fun way to explore this lively city. First, head to the Royal Palace. This palace dates back to 1866 and houses the Silver Pagoda, named for the over 5000 heavy silver tiles that cover its floors. Its original name is Wat Prakeo, meaning Temple of the Emerald Buddha. In this temple you will view a collection of Buddhas in gold, silver, crystal, and bronze.

Continue to the National Museum, built in traditional Khmer style. It houses the world's foremost collection of ancient Khmer artistic, archaeological, and religious artifacts from the 4th to the 13th centuries. Over 5,000 pieces are on display, constituting the repository of the Kingdom's cultural wealth. In addition, the roof space is home to a large bat colony!

After a visit to Wat Phnom temple, the founding place of the city on a small hilltop. Continue to the renowned Foreign Correspondents’ Club located on the Riverside to finish the day with sunset drinks. The building is a colonial gem with great views of the confluence of the Upper Mekong, Lower Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers.

Overnight       : PhnomPenh
Meal               : Breakfast | Lunch

PhnomPenh – Sihanouk ville: 4-hour driving
Sihanouk ville – Koh Rong Samloem island: 1 hour boating

Your morning is at leisure until your drive to Sihanoukville. On arrival, transfer to the port where you join a shared speedboat for the one-hour boat ride to the island of Koh Rong Samloem.

These archetypal tropical islands, with talcum-powder white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters are, as yet, largely untainted by tourist development. Upon arrival you will be welcomed by the resort staff. Check in to your room and the remainder of your day is at leisure.

Overnight       : Koh Rong Samloem island
Meal               : Breakfast

Explore, relax, enjoy the sand, sun, beach…

Overnight       : Koh Rong Samloem island
Meal               : Breakfast

Explore, relax, enjoy the sand, sun, beach…

Overnight       : Koh Rong Samloem island
Meal               : Breakfast

Sihanouk ville – SiemReap: 1 hour flight

Morning departure by shared speedboat for the one-hour journey to the mainland. Met by our person and taken to Sihanoukville Airport for the short flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival you will be met by your guide who will transfer you to your hotel where the remainder of your day is at leisure.

Siem Reap is the base for exploring the fabled temples of Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer empire. Over 100 temples are spread over a vast area and the site easily lives up to its status as one of the seven wonders of the forgotten world.

Overnight       : SiemReap
Meal               : Breakfast

Morning, set out by typical ‘remork’(similar to the Thai tuk tuk) to see one of the major highlights of Southeast Asia awaits you: the magnificent Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is well known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple. Construction is thought to have taken around thirty years of intensive labour. Today, Angkor Wat is figured on Cambodia's national flag as the temple symbolizes the soul of the Khmer people.

Afternoon, we approach Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire, known for its 8m high perfectly square wall. Continue on foot to Bayon Temple, sitting in the exact centre of the city. This 12th century masterpiece is known for its 54 face-carved towers representing the 54 provinces of the Great Khmer Empire. Finish the walk and drive to visit Ta Prohm. This temple is unique in the fact that it has been left largely as it was found: overgrown by jungle trees and vines, with many parts crumbling to the ground.

Later in the afternoon, if time permits, embark on a boat trip across Tonlé Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake. Cruise to Kampong Phluck, a village where houses are built on stilts to combat the rising waters of the wet season (when the lake swells to four times its size). On the way, pass floating houses and impressive flooded forests, portraying the unique life here on the water.

(Note: Due to low water levels during the dry season, the boat trip is only possible from June to March. However, an alternative floating village at Chong Kneas can be arranged instead).

Overnight       : SiemReap
Meal               : Breakfast | Lunch

Departing after breakfast accompanied by your guide, your day will be spent travelling through a number of relatively untouched villages and learning about the day-to-day lives of the local people. This is a world away from Siem Reap, and provides you with the perfect opportunity to get ‘off the beaten track’ and gain a better understanding of Cambodian rural life, along with an insight into traditional Khmer culture; something which few visitors are lucky enough to experience.

Your first stop is the village of Krabei Real, where there is time to explore the local market and to purchase some supplies for your lunch. Continue on, this time without the benefit of air-conditioning, using a more typical method of transportation for this region. The (almost!) pollution free ox and cart is still widely used throughout Cambodia, and allows you to travel at a gentle, almost hypnotic pace along the narrow, sandy, village roads. Winding your way through the rice fields, you’ll pass houses, schools and pagodas. Many of the families in this area are skilled rattan weavers, using techniques passed down through the generations to create a wide variety of crafts and day-to-day items to sell in the markets of the nearby towns.

After around an hour, arrive at the home of a local family, having been welcomed by your hosts, there will be plenty of time to relax and chat with the family as they prepare lunch using the produce selected at the market (with your guide acting as interpreter). If you wish to assist then you are very welcome to do so, and this is also a fantastic opportunity to further your understanding of typical Khmer cuisine. This is likely to be very different from the dishes you may have sampled in the more westerner-orientated restaurants of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh!

Having enjoyed your lunch, there is time to explore the village before returning to Siem Reap. En route, stop to visit the workshops of the Angkor Artwork - all products sold are produced using long forgotten traditional methods and the quality of craftmanship is outstanding. If time permits, make a stop at Siem Reap’s market before arriving back at your hotel. The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Overnight       : SiemReap
Meal               : Breakfast | Lunch

Your day is at leisure until your transfer to Siem Reap Airport for your onward flight.

Meal               : Breakfast