Explore Cambodia and the wonders of Angkor with Mary and Richard.
Emerging once again, Cambodia is a mixture of Angkor wonders and the joys of meeting a resilient people welcoming tourists back to their country once again.
|
Cambodian explored a "culture and foodie" adventure including a 4 night classic "Pandaw" river cruise on the mighty Mekong and a full 3 days exploring the wonders of Angkor.
There is something about Cambodia that draws me back time after time, it's hard to put a finger on it, rather its the combination of the friendliness of the people, awe inspiring sights, and the stage of development the country is at. The infrastructure has finally improved to the point where a comfortable trip can be enjoyed, the food is amazing and this is a real foodie trip. But make no mistake this is a very poor country with many challenges facing it, and you will find your emotions are all over the place, from the wonder of its glorious history, to the horror of its recent past, the delight of the people, tapered with the obvious poverty and hardships they face on a daily basis. November / December is a wonderful month to explore this country, the rainy season is mostly over and there is plenty of sunshine, but it is not too hot. DAY 1 -3 PHNOM (2 nights hotel and 1 on the boat) There is a real frontier feel in Phnom Penh. It has a vibrant street-life and colonial architecture. We get to sample some truly great restaurants, enjoy a Spa and massage (that will have you begging for more) and visit some markets where you will be in bargain heaven. There is time to explore the Royal Palace (if open) with its opulence a stark contrast to our visit to the genocide museum and killing fields. On day 3 after a leisurely breakfast we check into Pandaw Expedition at 11:00 am and enjoy lunch onboard the boat. In the afternoon we visit the Killing Fields and Genocide museum to learn more about the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Overnight in Phnom Penh city port. NB. Please note: Your cabin may not be available until early afternoon. DAY 4 KAMPONG TRALACH We leave the dock at Phnom Penh early morning and sail up the winding channels of the Tonle Sap river to Kampong Tralach. We travel by ox-cart around the river-side villages, markets and temples to get a sense of life along the river. In the evening cocktails are round a village fire pit where we will be joined by village folk keen to show us their traditional dancing show us more of the delightful Khmer culture. DAY 5 OUDONG - SILK ISLAND In the morning, travel by coach to the ancient capital of Cambodia, Oudong. On the way we stop to visit the Vipassana Dhura Meditation Centre before taking a drive around the old capital. We re-join our ship at Prek Kdam before returning to the Mekong. After lunch we sail to Koh Nghe Tei (Silk Island) to study the entire silk-making process from worms to weavers. We visit silk makers and can buy from them their lovely silk scarves and other fabrics. This village is a centre of the ancient martial art of L’bokator which roughly translates as 'pounding a lion'. It includes weapons techniques and is one of the oldest combat techniques in Cambodia and believed to date back to the Angkor empire. DAY 6 WAT HANCHEY - ANGKOR BAN VILLAGE VISIT Sunrise cruise to Angkor Ban village to see how local villagers live and visit the library which was donated by Pandaw to Angkor Ban secondary school. NOTE: if you want to donate books, please bring along some Children’s books in English language (suitable for age 8 to 15 yrs) which you can personally gift to the library. In the afternoon we sail north to Wat Hanchey, an important centre of worship during the Chenla period located on top of a hill above the mighty Mekong River with some of the best Mekong views in Cambodia. Visit 8th century structures some destroyed by American bombings during the Vietnam War. DAY 7 SIEM REAP (5 nights) Disembark and travel by coach from Kampong Cham through stunningly lovely countryside to reach Siem Reap, around 1.30pm. After lunch there is time to visit the wonderful Museum of Angkor and get a perspective of what we are going to explore over the next few days. Siem Reap is a delightful town situated on a lovely river setting and will be our base as we explore the wonders of Angkor Wat, a complex of temples that is truly one of the great wonders of the ancient world. We will purchase the 3 day pass for the temples and visit them for a few hours each day showcasing the best at the most interesting time of the day for the best lighting and atmosphere. Along the way I have found some exceptional restaurants, the best places to enjoy an evening beer, and some superb massage spas, to indulge and relax in during the hot afternoons. We will also enjoy a visit to the local produce market and a cooking class, with lunch which we prepare. Accommodation for this tour package is of western standard, and all hotels are located in the heart of where we want to be, so expect to be able walk out of the hotel and be in the middle of the action. Hotels are lovely 3-4* style all with en-suite, a swimming pool and WiFi. All our transport is private, air-conditioned "Minivan" or open air Tuk Tuk. The food is also amazing I could have called this a gourmet tour the food is so exceptional. As with all our trips let go of the concept you're signing up for a structured tour, you're not, you're joining us on an adventure , yes its a semi structured adventure with all the hard work done, but it is nevertheless an adventure. Things will go wrong some days, and changes will need to be taken in their stride, you will need your wits about you, and to expect to do some exploring on your own occasionally. 
|
17th - 29th November 2024
Starting in Phnom Penh (PNH) finishing in Siem Reap (SAI) The Cambodia trip will be escorted by Richard and Mary Taylor, food writer and great foodie from "Food Matters" and is Mixed, gay friendly or Straight friendly depending on your point of view. (Closed for new bookings) Highlights include :-
Not Included
Solo occupancy USD $4400 (Approx. NZD $7290) Upper deck + USD $250 single occupancy Deposit of USD $500 or NZD $750pp confirms your place on the adventure. Singapore, Bangkok, KL or Hong Kong are all good bases to fly into PNH and out of SAI for this trip, and easy to add a couple of days stopover. Due to the nature of Adventure travel and the prices of the resources on which it depends, the published price of any trip is subject to change at any time, before or after booking confirmation, up to 60 days before the departure. Options and methods of payment. 
|
