Angkor Temples Discovery

★ Record Your own Angkor Wat Sunrise Film

Yesterday, you caught a glimpse of Angkor Wat’s magical hour in the museum, and today, you’ll be the protagonist in the frame. In the morning, your guide will offer an early wake-up call and then escort you to Angkor Wat with your private driver. To beat the crowd, we’ll arrive at the site 20-30 minutes ahead of time to secure the best viewing point. As the sun rises, you’ll witness in person how the sanctuary’s five iconic towers emerge against a backdrop of the sky, painted by morning lights into indigo and golden pink. If you happen to come here during the spring equinox (Mar. 21- Mar. 23) or the autumn equinox (Sep. 21- Sep. 23), you’ll have a chance to see the sun rises precisely over the peak of the central stone tower, looking as if the monument itself were a tray cradling a golden ball. After admiring the stunning sunrise, we’ll go deeper into galleries of the temple to read its exquisite reliefs recording Hindu mythologies and people’s daily life in the past.

Afterward, we’ll escort you return to your hotel for breakfast. Alternatively, we can pack a breakfast box for you ahead of time so that you can enjoy a morning picnic bathing in the soft twilight.
● Note: To ensure the best experience, your guide will adjust the viewing timing based on real-time weather.After breakfast, we’ll hit the road to Angkor Thom. In the 9th century, the Khmer Empire, aka Angkor Dynasty, quietly rose on the land of today’s Siem Reap, and the rudiment of the empire’s capital - Angkor Thom - was generally incubated. By the 12th century, the kingdom welcomed its greatest monarchy, the King Jayavarman VII (1122-1218 AD), who rebuilt the old city, ushering in its golden age. Follow the secluded path, we’ll dive deep into the heart of the city, where Bayon Temple stands, overlooking the empire’s territory for 800 years. Here, you can come face to face with 54 stone towers adorned with giant Buddha faces, which are said to modeled after the countenance of the king and celebrated as the “Smile of Khmer.” Although the temple looks like a labyrinth from the ground. Yet, from the above, it reveals a Buddhism totem, a square Mandala, with a central tower symbolizing the universe and the surrounding 54 towers representing stars guarding the cosmos. It was in this way that Jayavarman VII prayed for divine protection over his kingdom and power. 

Then, have a brief stop at the Terrace of Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King, and we’ll drive 20 minutes northward to Ta Prohm Temple hidden in the dense jungle. Long ago, birds dropped seeds into the stone crevices; centuries later, roots cascade downward like glue wrapping these dilapidated structures. Now, these python-like plants have become the new skeleton of the temple, and if they were removed, the ruins would instantly collapse like dominoes. 

As daylight softens, we’ll conclude today’s itinerary climbing Bakheng Mountain. Though the hill rises less than 100 meters (328 feet), Bakheng Temple at its summit offers a perfect vantage point to admire Angkor Wat with a warm amber tint bathing in the sunset. We’ll descend the hill before nightfall, and your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars) or FCC Angkor by Avani (5 stars), Siem Reap

After breakfast, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel and accompany you to start today’s exploration at Preah Khan Temple. Built by the King Jayavarman VII, it was originally a Buddhist temple. However, if you look closely at its interior walls, you’ll notice that countless Buddha reliefs have been chiseled away, leaving behind only faint outlines or being reshaped into Hindu lingas. All of these marks a turbulent chapter of the history. Jayavarman VII was a devout Buddhist, but his successors reverted to Hinduism and launched a nationwide anti-Buddhist movement, during which many Buddhist temples were destroyed and Preah Khan Temple, as one of them, is left as a patchwork of two faiths frozen in stone. 

After admiring the five serene ponds at Neak Pean Temple, we’ll drive 45 minutes to Banteay Srei Temple, “the Jewel of Angkor Art”, where you can feast your eyes with elaborate carvings on lintels and pediments. Then, continue to drive another 40 minutes southward to Ta Som Temple. Keep an eye out for the Apsara reliefs on the wall. With exaggerated earrings and pigtail-swinging hairstyle, they are quite different with those featuring royal buns you have seen in other temples. Just a 4-minute car ride to the south, we’ll arrive at East Mebon Temple. Here, you’ll be captivated by its life-sized elephant sculptures standing at the four corners of the temple terrace. In Hindu mythologies, these creatures are divines, serving as the cosmic pillars holding up the universe. Although being exposed to the elements for centuries, the intricate details of their ropes, harnesses and even the subtle wrinkles of their skin remain visible. Finally, make our way to the nearby Pre Rup Temple, which once served as a royal crematory. According to folklore, it was here that the souls of royalty were purified by fire and transformed into deities. Under the setting sun, you can see that the red-brick structure radiates a warm fiery glow.

★ Khmer-style Dinner with Apsara Dance Show

After a full-day expedition, we’ll return to the city center in the evening and reward you with a specially reserved Khmer-style dinner. Beyond satisfying your appetite with authentic Cambodian cuisine, you can loll back in chair admiring the elegant Apsara dance, Cambodia’s national essence. If you have accustomed to the passionate hip-hop, you may find the rhythm of Apsara dance remarkably slow. There are no dramatic leaps or rapid movements. Instead, dancers express emotions through gentle, soft and elegant gestures. This is because Apsara dance was not intended as entertainment for mortals, but a scared ritual worshipping god. Therefore, what it pursues is a Zen-like meditation and by this means dancers can engage in a dialogue with the divine. 

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Apsara Dance Show
Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars) or FCC Angkor by Avani (5 stars), Siem Reap

Rise and shine! Let’s venture deep into the jungle to Beng Mealea Temple. Left entirely unrestored, this sprawling temple lies half-buried under dense foliage and is swallowed by giant roots, preserving a raw and mysterious atmosphere perfect for a jungle expedition. 

Then, we’ll drive 3 hours to Roluos Group of Temples, the real cradle of Khmer Empire. Centuries before the rise of Angkor Thom, Roluos served as the very first capital of the kingdom. This 9th-century complex has been regarded as an “architectural laboratory” where craftsmen conducted bold technical experiments. 

At the center of the ruins stands Bakong Temple, a monumental five-tiered temple-mountain structure built without a single drop of mortar or cement. Ancient masons polished sandstone blocks until they could completely interlock with each other; seamlessly like the temple was directly chiseled out of a megalith. It was this structural lesson that were used to construct the world-famous Angkor Wat. After brief stops at other two remnants, Preah Ko Temple and Lorei Temple, we’ll return to the city center.

Witnessing a daily life symphony wandering along the Old Market will bring a beautiful epilogue to today’s sightseeing. Here, you can see stalls overwhelming with sliver artworks, wooden carvings, fine silks, and aromatic Cambodian street food. At the end of the day, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

If you want to linger here for a deeper exploration on your own, we also recommend Pub Street, which is just a 4-minute walk from the market. Here, you can relax yourself sipping a cocktail or sampling authentic Cambodian cuisines, such as Fish Amok, Khmer BBQ, or grilled pork with rice. Afterward, please return to your hotel independently. It takes less than 10 minutes by tuk-tuk to both of our 4-star and 5-star hotels.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars) or FCC Angkor by Avani (5 stars), Siem Reap

In the last morning, we’ll compose a soft finale to your Siem Reap exploration by visiting local villages. Since the majority of Cambodians rely on agriculture, villages here still preserve a traditional rustic lifestyle untouched by modern pace. As we drive through unpaved trails, you’ll see villagers riding modified motorcycles, stilted house, and chessboard-like rice paddies. Careful ones may notice that all ages wear a plaid cotton cloth around their necks or heads. During daytime, it can shield from the sun, wipe away sweat, or serve as a wrap for bathing. When it comes to night, the cloth becomes a light blanket. For mothers, it can transform into a baby carrier tied across the chest, and for shoppers, it will become a sturdy bag for carrying vegetables and fruits.

We’ll then stop by the Tonle Sap Lake, where we’ll shift to a dinghy and head to floating villages. Here, all facilities are built upon pontoons and bamboo platforms. Lack of lands for farming, many families hang massive submerged net cages beneath their floating houses to raise freshwater fish. You can even see domestic fowl such as ducks and chickens onboard. 

Bidding farewell to villagers, your guide and driver will escort you to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport for your homebound flight. To ensure enough time for check-in, we recommend booking a flight that departs in the late afternoon or evening. Wish you a safe and pleasant flight home!

Meals: Breakfast