A Private Three Day Trip in Siem Reap

Day 01: Angkor Wat and Small Circle Temples:

You will be picked up at the lobby of hotel and transfer to visit Angkor Thom with the wall rising eight meters high. You will enter the ancient city through its South Gate. In the very centre lies the temple of Bayon – silent witnesses of time, the 216 enigmatic faces. You will then continue to Baphuon with its long causeway and an impressive giant Reclining Buddha. Phimeanakas is hiding in the shaded jungle and offers a decent over-the-tree-tops view to those who conquer the steep steps to the top. Continuing along the Esplanade of the Royal Palace more commonly known as the Terrace of the Elephants. Our next stop, Ta Prohm, gained its 21st Century fame from the movie Tomb Raider featuring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. Today, with Lara long gone, this temple is on the itinerary of most visitors and rightfully so. Many corners of Ta Prohm showcase an intricate relationship between the roots of Spung tree (Tetrameles Nudiflora) and ancient stones covered in moss. Truly a photographer's paradise, don't miss the opportunity to capture your own explorer's moments. Break for lunch.

Afternoon, you will visit Angkor Wat, first a Hindu, then subsequently a Buddhist, temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. Return to hotel and drop off.

Day 02: Big Circle temple with Banteay Srei:

You will be picked up at the lobby of hotel. Then, transfer to visit Preah Khan temple, another temple with a two-storey construction in Angkor; standing on high columns this is a unique phenomenon in Khmer architecture. Constructed in roughly the same period as Preah Khan, Neak Pean offers a different view altogether. Located in the centre of the Northern Baray, this temple is essentially an island and most impressive to view in the wet season. After that, visit Ta Som temple, a small temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built at the end of the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII. Then, visit The East Mebon, a 10th Century temple at Angkor, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and honors the parents of the king. Lunch break.

After lunch, we go to visit Banteay Samré, located 400 metres to the east of the East Baray. After that, we you will visit a small temple of Banteay Srei well known for its beautiful delicate carvings in warm pink sandstone. This late 10th century structure is fairly compact and very different from other Angkorian temples. On your way back, we visit Pre Rup, a Hindu temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built as the state temple of Khmer king Rajendravarman and dedicated in 961 or early 962. It is a temple mountain of combined brick, laterite and sandstone construction. Drop off at hotel.

Day 03: Beng Mealea, Roulos group & Tonle Sap Lake:

After breakfast, we will go to visit Beng Mealea, more accessible with the addition of a wooden walkway throughout the structure assuring a safe access and slight elevation, thus a better view. This mid 12th century temple features mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism attributes and is particularly mesmerising in the wet season. In the afternoon you will stop at the late 9th century Hindu temples Bakong, Lolei and Preah Ko which are collectively known as the Rolous Temple Group. Explore the early capital of Angkor and the most attractive sites in this location, the most impressive being the pyramid-like Bakong surrounded by moat still containing water today. Break for lunch on your own account.

After that, explore the Stilt-houses Village of Kompong Plhuk, with over 1000 families live on a stilt-houses 6-7meters high. Interact with the locals, and visit their stilts houses to learn this unique way of Khmer (Cambodian) living. Then, we come back to the town.