Exclusive Cambodia
Duration: 13 days
Highlights: SIEM REAP, PHNOM PENH, CARDAMOM MOUNTAINS, CAMBODIAN RIVIERA
• Experience arts, cuisine and Angkorian heritage
• Immerse in the wilderness of Cambodia's remote jungle
• Discover secrets and stories of Phnom Penh
• Unwind at a remote island in the Cambodian Riviera
Description: Get ready for the ultimate private luxury program of Cambodia featuring the best of city, culture, island and nature including the most extravagant accommodation and of course, our exclusive Insider Access moments. Experience an explosion of color, flavor and ancient intrigue in Cambodia, igniting your creativity in dynamic Siem Reap, surrounded by the mystery and enchantment of the Angkor temples, and unraveling layers of history in Phnom Penh. Then get in touch with your inner explorer in the wild jungles of Cambodia and savor tranquility at a remote island resort in the Cambodian Riviera.
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This tour is a recommended sample itinerary that can be fully customized to your preferred dates, time frame, hotels and interests. Contact your preferred travel agent for more information.
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Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive in Siem Reap
Welcome to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor and a lively hub of creativity. Enjoy VIP Fast Track service through the airport on arrival, with express immigration assistance. Settle in to your private villa surrounded by lush rice paddies, where the day is yours to enjoy at leisure.
This evening, get your first taste of Cambodia and treat your taste buds to a culinary adventure by private tuk tuk. Sample fine Khmer dining at restaurants led by the country’s best chefs. Start the evening with cocktails at a charming 1920’s style speakeasy. Continue with appetizers at a traditional Khmer garden house followed by mains an authentic home-style Cambodian eatery. Complete your meal with a decadent dessert that adds a modern twist to Khmer culinary heritage.
Overnight: Phum Baitang
Meal Plan: D
Day 2 - Siem Reap
Get an early start today to experience the magic of sunrise at Angkor Wat – one of the final vestiges of the Khmer Empire and a worthy UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, join your guide to uncover the stories behind one of the largest religious monuments in the world and its intricate artwork. Next, climb through snake-like roots that engulf the temple of Ta Prohm to discover an intriguing history hidden amongst strangler figs and kapok trees. Marvel at towers etched with bodhisattva faces and bas-reliefs revealing ordinary Khmer life.
Then indulge in a private Champagne breakfast near Srah Srang Baray, a 12th-century reservoir built for the king’s leisure. Bask in the peaceful morning atmosphere surrounded by greenery on the banks of the lake while enjoying your picnic breakfast at a Khmer-style low table with cushioned seating.
In the afternoon, take a drive about 45 minutes north of town to visit Banteay Srei, or the "Citadel of Women". One of the best-preserved pre-Angkorian structures, this out-of-the-way temple is known for its pink sandstone façade and contains excellent examples of classical Khmer art.
Enhance Your Experience: Angkor through the Lens
Spend the afternoon with a leading Time, Newsweek and The New York Times photographer, John McDermott. Capture the best of Angkor, pick up some pro tips and develop your own artistic style on this personally-tailored experience in Siem Reap.
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Lunch and dinner today are on your own arrangement, however your private guide is always happy to help with recommendations or to arrange a reservation on your behalf.
Overnight: Phum Baitang
Meal Plan: B
Day 3 - Siem Reap
Receive a personal and spiritual blessing from monks in a private almsgiving ceremony at a local pagoda. Then begin your morning excursion with a leisurely bicycle ride in the ancient walled city of Angkor Thom, the former capital of the great Khmer Empire. Starting from the South Gate of the city which is guarded by a line of gods and demons, cycle along ancient boulevards and past amazing historical wonders. Stop to visit the glorious Bayon and its 37 stone faces built to resemble King Jayavarman VII. Wander through the perfectly square city to admire the sanctuary of Baphuon and see where kings once worshipped at Phimeanakas Temple. Picture the royal ceremonies that were once performed on the impressive Terrace of the Elephants and marvel at the fascinating bas-reliefs at the Terrace of the Leper King. Return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.
Enhance Your Experience: Give Clean Water
Take advantage of this rare opportunity to give back through the Cambodia Clean Water project, our Philanthropy project which is changing the lives of rural villagers in Cambodia, one well at a time. By installing clean water wells in rural areas, the non-profit project has provided access to clean water to more than 20,000 villagers in rural Siem Reap since 2008, combatting the threat of water-borne diseases such as severe diarrhea, typhoid, cholera and dysentery, which are common in Cambodia due to unsanitary conditions. Get involved by donating a clean water well ahead of your visit and enjoy the chance to meet the receiving family in Siem Reap to witness firsthand the impact that clean water has on their lives.
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This evening, watch in awe as theater, dance, music, storytelling and circus arts come together at Phare Ponleu Selpak, Cambodia's leading circus, theater and performing arts organization. All proceeds from the high-energy hour-long performance are reinvested into the social enterprise, which provides free arts education to economically and socially challenged Cambodian youth.
Overnight: Phum Baitang
Meal Plan: B
Day 4 - Siem Reap
Today you have the choice of two inspiring excursions: discover Siem Reap's fascinating art scene or immerse in the tranquility of nearby Tonle Sap Lake.
Option 1: Ethical Artisans of Cambodia
Step into Siem Reap’s creative circle with a creative expert and art curator who has worked with the city’s leading gallery and boutique owners for over a decade. Discover the Khmer lacquerware studio that supplies the likes of Cartier, Hermes and Louis Vuitton, meet a couture Khmer fashion designer who crafts his own fabrics from natural fibers and visit a boutique selling a range of products hand-crafted by Cambodians. Admire the work of a celebrated New York Times photographer and explore the innovative works at a contemporary art gallery. The afternoon is free at your leisure.
Option 2: Life on Cambodia’s Great Lake
Venture out of town to discover a different way of life on Tonle Sap Lake - the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and a place of spectacular ecology and biodiversity. Take a boat to explore a nearby fishing village and marvel at their traditional fishing methods and laid-back lifestyle in a land that seems to have been forgotten in time.
Please note: The best time for this experience is in September and February, when the water level is high.
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The afternoon is free for you to experience Siem Reap at leisure. This is a great opportunity for you to take to the skies and witness the beauty of Angkor by helicopter.
Enhance Your Experience: Angkor from Above
Take off from Siem Reap airport for a scenic 30-minute flight by helicopter to enjoy a bird's eye view of Angkor Wat. Then fly over the surrounding landscape to see the vast Srah Srang reservoir, the pyramid-shaped Pre Rup temple, Eastern Mebon temple and Banteay Samre. Continue to Phnom Bok, a small temple on a hill, turn south towards a small cluster of temples in Roluos village. The scenery then shifts as you fly over the vast Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake, where fishermen can be seen in their traditional floating houses. Fly over Phnom Krom, a small temple hidden in a forest, before landing back at the airport.
Overnight: Phum Baitang
Meal Plan: B
Day 5 - Siem Reap - Phnom Penh
Fly to Phnom Penh, a city alive with glistening temples, backstreet bars and an epic history. This afternoon, unravel the many layers of Cambodian culture and history on a guided walking tour. Meander along the tree-lined boulevards to the National Museum of Khmer Art and Archaeology, one of the finest museums of classical Cambodian art. Continue to the Royal Palace and navigate the complex of sacred buildings, palaces and throne halls that still serve as the King and Queen's residential quarter. Within the walls of the Palace, venture inside the Silver Pagoda, where 5,000 silver tiles that line its exquisite glistening floor will take your breath away.
Overnight: Rosewood Phnom Penh
Meal Plan: B
Day 6 - Phnom Penh
This morning, join your private guide to uncover more secrets of this intriguing city. Let linguist and anthropologist Dr. Jean-Michel Filippi share his passion and expertise as you wander through the bustling city and discover its hidden stories. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, then visit the thought-provoking Tuol Sleng Museum, a former school, for a deeply moving experience that’s essential to understanding Cambodia’s recent history. Step into the cells of “Security Prison 21” as they were before the Khmer Rouge fell in 1979, after a four-year reign of terror.
Overnight: Rosewood Phnom Penh
Meal Plan: B,L
Day 7 - Phnom Penh - Cardamom Mountains
Depart Phnom Penh to begin your pioneering adventure in the remote jungles of Cambodia. After a four-hour drive, you arrive at the glorious Shinta Mani Wild. Spectacularly located within one of the great wildernesses of Cambodia, bordering three national parks, the resort is an inimitable luxury tented camp experience combining world-class design and hospitality with a sense of untamed, exotic nature perched over rapids and waterfalls. Your stay includes full board, private excursions, personal butler service and unlimited access to spa treatments.
Overnight: Shinta Mani Wild
Meal Plan: B,D
Day 8 - Cardamom Mountains
Immerse in the natural beauty of this remote part of the world and take part in the resort's various activities. Options for day excursions include patroling with rangers from a wildlife NGO, exploring native flora and fauna with a resident naturalist, fishing in the upper reaches of a nearby estuary with a gourmet barbecue of your catch or cooking and foraging with the chef.
Overnight: Shinta Mani Wild
Meal Plan: B,L,D
Day 9 - Cardamom Mountains
Enjoy another full day in the wild, with the opportunity to take part in another adventure arranged by the resort. Head out to experience the native flora and fauna, or simply relax and enjoy the views and the hypnotic sounds of nature from your lavish tented accommodation.
Overnight: Shinta Mani Wild
Meal Plan: B,L,D
Day 10 - Cardamom Mountains - Krabey Island (via Sihanoukville)
Depart from Shinta Mani Wild and enjoy a private transfer to the coastal city of Sihanoukville on a two-and-a-half-hour drive. Board your boat for the short ride to the Six Senses resort on the island of Krabey. Then unwind in your pool villa set around the secluded and naturally landscaped island.
Overnight: Six Senses Krabey Island
Meal Plan: B
Day 11 - 13 - Krabey Island and Departure
Enjoy the resort, your way. Try your hand at creating Indochine-inspired cuisine in a cooking masterclass, seek out underwater treasures while snorkeling or kayak into secret coves. Alternatively, simply indulge in the serenity of your own plunge pool and deck in your comfortable villa surrounded by rich natural scenery. Later, you may wish to pamper yourself with Cambodian healing treatments in the Six Senses Spa. As night falls, don’t miss the chance to discover the universe in the sky observatory.
On Day 13, return by boat to the mainland and transfer to Phnom Penh International Airport for your onward flight.
Overnight: Six Senses Krabey Island
Meal Plan: B