5 Days Angkor Wat Temple Tour

Warm welcome at Siem Reap International Airport and transfer to Siem Reap (approx. 2 hrs drive).

Later visit West Baray Big Pond, a “baray” is a water reservoir built by the ancient Khmer people. Then turn to Wat Thmei (Killing Field) contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. Come back to visit “Les Artisans d’Angkor – Chantiers Ecole” the Finest Authentic Khmer Arts and Crafts. Welcome dinner with Apsara Dance Show (at your own cost). Overnight stay in Siem Reap.

Breakfast in hotel. Later visit Kulen Mountain or Phnom Kulen is declared as a National Park. It is an isolated mountain massif located in Svay Leu District and approx. 48 km from Siem Reap. Its highest point is 487 meters.

This is widely regarded as the birthplace of the ancient Khmer Empire. During the constructional period of the ancient temples in the ninth century, sand stones were brought from this sacred mountain to Angkor. It was here at Phnom Kulen that King Jayavarman II proclaimed independence from Java in 802 AD.

The site is known for tis carvings representing fertility and its waters holding special significance to the people of Cambodia. Just a few inches under the surface of the water, over 1000 carvings of Yoni and Linga are etched into the sandstone riverbed. The waters are regarded as holy, given the sacred carvings which also include a stone representation of the Hindu God Vishnu lying on his serpent Ananta, with his wife Lakshmi at his feet. A lotus flower protrudes from Vishnu’s navel bearing the God Brahma. The river then ends with a beautiful waterfall. Phnom Kulen is regarded highly by Cambodian people as a sacred location and has developed into a great tour destination.

Today you will explore South Gate of Angkor Thom known as Big Angkor, 3.6 km / 2.2 miles walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire, the famous Bayon Temple was an architectural muddle, in part because it was constructed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion for over a century. Terrace of the Elephants is an impressive, two and a half meter tall, 300-meter-long terrace wall adorned with carved elephants and gradual that spans the heart of Angkor Thom in front of Baphuon – huge temple mountain in the heart of Angkor Thom, Royal Palace Area and Phimeanakas – impressive rite and sandstone pyramid. Terrace of the Leper King is at the north end of the Terrace of the Elephants, a double terrace wall with deeply carved nag as, demons and other mythological beings. Last you will visit Ta Prohm temple which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty. Giant trees have grown here for centuries.

Afternoon visit Angkor Wat temple, the founder of the temple was Suryavarman II who reigned Cambodia from 1113 to 1152 and built the five towers in the 12th century to dedicate to the Hindu God Vishnu. The plan of the pyramidal conception of the temple combined with spaces, alleys, ditches is an ancient masterpiece of architectural design and construction. Free time to have funny time at bars and pubs at Angkor night market. Overnight stay in Siem Reap.

After breakfast visit Silk Farm in Puok, established by a French NGO to revive Cambodia’s beautiful silk production, and West Baray is fed by a series of channels, delivering water from the moats around the ancient city of Angkor Thom. Native Cambodians use the baray and its nourishing channels for irrigation, transportation, and tourism. Although a boat ride across the West Baray is not one of the most popular tourist activities in Cambodia, it is certainly one of the most awe-inspiring, to visit Wat Thmey (Killing Field) the monastery serves as an orphanage and school that is often visited by several tour buses. Although the temple remains a startling sight, visitors will hear the laughter of children and the sounds of daily Cambodian life in the background to remind visitors that life has certainly moved on from the once dreaded killing field.

Afternoon visit Floating Villages, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia and the largest in Asia. Here you’ll see plenty of examples of the Khmer way of life on the Tonle Sap. Then visit Wat Bo founded in the 18th century, a highly respected pagoda contains very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana) that are said to be late 19th century and Local Market.

Dinner and overnight stay in hotel.

Morning free time on your own. Later transfer to airport for return flight.