Taxi and Van forTour of the Tonle Sap Lake

Tonle Sap Lake in 10 days

Tonle Sap Lake in 10 days for your car rental. Some options that you can include in the program. You can give instructions to the driver or guide

Detail for Tonle Sap Lake in 10 days

Your Program:

A complete file will be provided on arrival in Cambodia for complete information on typical restaurants and some practical info & off-the-beaten-track tours in order to preserve the originality of our tours.

Day 1:PHNOM PENH

Welcome at the airport.

Check-in at the hotel. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 2: PHNOM PENH (B – L)

Tonle Sap Lake in 10 days

In the morning: visit the Royal Palace moved from the former capital Oudong in 1863; visit the Silver Pagoda (more than 5000 silver tiles decorate the ground where located the golden statue of Buddha Maitreya of 90 kg. Visit the central market renovated by France’s donation.

At noon: authentic meal will be offered to you in a restaurant at the edge of the Mekong. The atmosphere is very local and off-the-beaten-track. One or several representatives of the agency will lunch with you. They will share with you their loves of the Cambodia.

Around you the Khmers sell: crickets, fruits of the village (longan, jackfruit, apple studs, and mango). Here few tourists but the Khmer life in nature.

In the afternoon, visit the National Museum formerly called the Albert Sarraut museum where the objects, statues and parts of arts come from all the Cambodian provinces. You will continue by visiting the OunalomPagoda built in 1443, which is the most important pagoda in Phnom Penh.

Colonial District (Option,if time permits and if you wish): the Grand Hotel, the Post office, the Bank of Indochina, the Police station, the Superior Residence, the Treasury Bridge, the Chamber of Commerce, the Library and the Railway Station.

Visit the Wat Phnom (Pagoda on the hill) renovated in 1926. At the foot of the hill is a bas-relief sculptured by Théodore Rivièreto honor the Siam-French treaty.

In the evening, take a small cruise along the river bank towards Chroy Changvar peninsula (according to weather and time, sunset on the Royal Palace).

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 3:PHNOM PENH – KAMPONG CHAM (B)

Direction: Kampong Cham (about 2 h 30, 130km) in the agricultural province most populous of Cambodia.

Optional stop at Skun: a transit point where you will meet any sort of travelers. Enjoy insects (grasshoppers, locusts, scorpion, fermented ants – taste like a crunchy hazelnut) and local fruits (fresh or dried) green mangos, pineapples, bananas, etc… Adventurers will play with tarantulas in full hands or crunch its legs.

In Kampong Cham: Burn incense sticks at legendary hills of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei. You will be welcomed by monkeys waiting for your bananas. Discover of the temple dedicated to Buddha built by King Jayavarman VII in the thirteenth century.

Visit Cheungkok an atypical village of 600 souls. It is part of ecotourism project and artisan solidarity, initiated and accompanied by the NGO AMICA. A unique and unforgettable experience…

Late in the afternoon, if you wish, you can rent bikes from the hotel and stroll up to Koh Paen to the South of the city.

According to the season, you will discover an amazing bamboo bridge that connects the city to the small island of Koh Paen. Each year it is swept away by the powerful river flow; it is tirelessly rebuilt each year. It is a quiet location, in the middle of the Mekong River, it is nice to discover on foot or by bike.

Back to the hotel.

Overnight in Kampong Cham.

Day 4:KAMPONG CHAM-Kampong Thom-SIEM REAP (B)

Departure for Siem Reap.

Passing by a village of stone statues of Buddha are carved roadside.

Stop at Kampong Thom: discover the capital of King Icanavarman I dating from the VII^th century. Visit the site of Sambor Prei kuk which is the largest complex pre Angkorian Cambodia.

En route stop in a village to observe the preparation of the KROLANN (glutinous rice cake in bamboo)

35 km before Siem Reap: visit Beng Mealea (flower on the pond) a temple forgotten… The quality of the architecture and decoration of this temple will amaze you despite the fact that nature and humans have left it in ruins.

Visit the famous SPEAN PRAP TOS Bridge located in the village of Kampong Kdei (60 km from Siem Reap). It is built in counter and laterite by King Jayavarman VII between the end of 12^th and the beginning of the 13^th century.

During the harvest, the Khmer prepare AMBOK (pounded rice) we will do a pose at one of these places, you can enjoy.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 5: SIEM REAPThe Temples Angkor – Banteay Srei (B-D)

Discover the archaeological park of the Khmer empire. Adjust the visit onspot with the guide according to your desire and curiosity (You can also follow the chronological order of the temple constructions).

Visit the temples of the group Roluos marked by the beginning of the Khmer civilization. The royal temple of King Indravarman I, Bakong is one of first stone constructed temples,an architectural revolution of the period illustrating the cult Devaraja which gave legitimacy to the royal power.

Continue towards the other temples of the group.

Direction: the small temple Banteay Srei (Citadel of women)

“Tribhuvanamahesvara”. It is located 25km north Siem Reap, built in pink sandstone which make this motifs carved like the gem of Khmer art and which attracted the attention ofAndré Malraux in 1923.It is situated in 25Km North of Siem Reap.

Option and if you are passionate, on the direction of Banteay Srei possibility to visit:
A butterfly farm (no extra charge). http://www.angkorbutterfly.com
The Mine museum (With additional charge, you pay at the door). www.cambodialandminemuseum.org

On the way back, visit small temples (Banteay Samré, Prasat Prei, Prasat Tor…).

6:30 p.m.: Dinner offered with “Apsara” show in the AMAZONE restaurant: enormous buffet of all kinds of Cambodian specialties with Apsara performance (20 male and female dancers).

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 6: SIEM REAP Angkor Temples (B) Tonle Sap Lake in 10 days

A whole day is dedicated to the temples in the small and grand circuit:

Kravan, Ta Nei, Bat Chum, SrahSrang,

Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei, Pre Roup, Tasom, Neak Pean, Krol Kor, Prasat Pithu, Preah Khan, Preah Palilay and Bakheng for the sunset.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

In Siem Reap, there is a quality show organized by the circus school of Battambang. (Strongly recommended but with additional charge, ask your guide to reserve at your convenient date. Phone: 015499480).

Day 7: SIEM REAP (B)

This day is reserved for the famous temple of Angkor Wat.

Then the temples in the ancient capital of Angkor Thom: Bayon, Baphuon, Terrace of the Elephants, the Royal Palace, Terrace of the Leper King, Phimeanakas, Chau Say Tevada, Thommanon, Tanei and Takeo

Option without supplement: at 18 km from Siem Reap, the silk farm center, the breeding of the silkworms in the traditional weaving, the craftsman treats the whole process and makes beautiful parts in the old motives.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 8: SIEM REAP – BATTAMBANG (B)

2 options for this day:

Option 1: Transfer to Battambang by private boat with hammocks for your comfort. You cross the Tonle Sap Lake and continue by Sangker River along Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary, and through the flooded forest (6 to 8 hours of motorboat depending on the season).Once arrive in Battambang, case by case, you will be transferred to the hotel by tuktuk or vehicle.

This crossing is normally navigable throughout the year.

If waters are too shallow, our boat will land you before Battambang and you will continuewith 4x4vehicle. When waters are low it’s better to embark early, around 7:00.

Throughout this journey you will see small villages on banks, fish farms, the local residents who is bathing, herds in the water, the fisherswith Chinese square nets and the agriculture scenes on 2 sides.

For the groups you can divide your group, a partcan choose option 1, the other option 2…

Consult us about it when you wish.

Important stops but optional:

At Prek Toal:

– A water hyacinth Workshop: In a large floating home, the women of the community produce general merchandise product from a species of water hyacinth’s called “Long Hand.”Water hyacinth is an invasive species. Osmose a project who is trying to fight it by having local people make baskets from the dried hyacinth.

– A floating crocodile farm.

Wat Choeu Khmao or “black wood” Pagoda ruined in a flooded area built by fishermen in 19^th century during the Siamese occupation.
Floating village Bak Prea: A restaurant on the water is available but, however we recommend taking a picnic (check with the guide, we provide the water).

Note:

Most of the agencies use a collective speed boat that make the tripby following the main arm without guide, you embark with suitcases, and another guide waits for you on the other side in Battambang.

According to the season the surface of the lake can vary of 2500 in 120.000 km ² (4 – 5 times). Generally from February till May the crossing is not possible for the collective boats.

In Battambang we shall have the opportunity to see of numerous French colonial houses.

Overnight in Battambang.

Attention: This crossing is along the Prek Toal bird sanctuary but not a business one. The visit must devote a day and spend the night there to see the surprise birds at daybreak … Contact us.

Option 2:in case of impossibility or if you do not wish to take too much boat: 9:00 am: excursion with English-speaking guide and private boat, on the Tonlé Saplake, the visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, approximately 1h30 by boat. Then road for Battambang and at the beginning the planned visits the next day what will relieve the program of the next day.

Overnight in Battambang.

Optional this evening or the next day: pass by the school of the circus ” Phare Ponleu Selpak “, an associative school where numerous young people come to learn not only the various disciplines of the circus but also the illustration and the theater, following in daytime possibility of shows with small additional charge (Generally it is closed Sunday and other days according to the peak seasons, Tel.: 016899809). The show of circus operates every evening in Siem Reap Tel.: 015499480. These shows are strongly recommended (quality show)

Day 9: BATTAMBANG (B) Tonle Sap Lake in 10 days

The program of this day is a little loaded but feasible as indicated. Feel reassured, the guide will adapt this day according to your tastes and your rhythm.

Early in the morning: visit the central market before taking TukTuk along the bank of the Sangke river by crossing Cham et Khmer communitiesuntil the Ek Phnomtemple. On the way, stop at Prohoc market to check your tolerance with the odoroffermented fish. Continue the rural visit to the old pagoda, Wat Samroung Knong sadly known by its prison activity during the Khmer Rouge regime. On the road, we will stop several times to observe the preparation of Krolann(pastry cake with glutinous rice, bean and coconut); rice pancakes; incense sticks; fish Nems.

Afternoon: excursion by car until Prasat Banon or the hill Banon which is an attractive temple perched on the top of a hill, 368 steps to climb for the bravest.

Then we will continue the road until Phnom Sampeou, 12Km of Battambang. At the top of a calcareous outcrop of Phnom Sampeou raises itself a set of temples, where the monkeys took up residence, with a magnificent view on the surrounding plains (A good physical condition is required).

You will discover a profound canyon of “ghosts” and caves having served as mass graves in the time of the Khmer Rouges. The corpses of the tortured prisoners were thrown to it. At the foot of hill, before sunset, you can attend a magnificent show where millions of bats go out of the cave.

Option: without supplement price during the day: take ‘ Bamboo Train ‘ or train bamboo, visit a brickyard craft. Watch out! It moves terribly…

– Pagoda Wat Damrei Sor, Wat Kandal,

– Small museum,

– Notables’ Old house in the village Wat Kor saved by the Khmer Rouges.

– The Old house of the governor, the station, the colonial houses.

Overnight in Battambang.

Day 10: BATTAMBANG –Pursat – Kampong Chnang -PHNOM PENH (B)

Departure from Battambang to Pursat town, located halfway from Phnom Penh, we will adjust the departure time according to what you wish to do during this day.

On the road pass by the Krokor market famous for its fish products.

Visit Kampong Luong by boat, rustic, private. A surprising floating city of about 12000 inhabitants parting in two communities. The one assures the collection and the distribution of fishes and the other one sells the fishing tools and the differenthousehold products. These villages move according to the water level and are very well equipped: doctors, restaurants, schools … (It is most off-the-beaten-track)

Back to Phnom Penh via the Kampong Chnang Province famous for its floating villages and its potteries.

At 36 km before arriving in Phnom Penh, visit Oudong, former Khmer capital. The palace was transformed into one of the most beautiful pagoda of this province situated at the foot of the Phnom Preah Jartroip hill (Mount Royal Treasury).

Visit the silversmiths village situated in Kampong Luongvillage, Pongnea Loeu district.