Cambodia is best known for its UNESCO World Heritage-inscribed Angkor Wat Complex in Siem Reap, the largest religious monument in the world and the seat of the 12th century Angkor Empire. Get lost in its crumbling, jungle-clad temples or climb up ancient structures to see the sun setting over the iconic spires of Angkor.
However, beyond the ancient temples of Siem Reap, the small country of Cambodia is filled with highlights including the floating villages of the Tonle Sap Lake, the faded colonial-era buildings of quiet Battambang and the premier beach town of Sihanoukville with its lightly developed islands offering an off-the-beaten path holiday away from the crowds. Once known as the ‘Pearl of the East’, the capital city of Phnom Penh is modernising at light speed, an intriguing mix of skyscrapers and chic boutiques promoting authentic design alongside historic heritage buildings recalling its glory days as the seat of a royal kingdom and a French protectorate.
Discover Cambodia, with its emerging art and performance scene and fascinating ancient and modern history, made all the more inviting by the gentle nature and genuine hospitality of the Cambodian people.
| Capital City | Phnom Penh |
| Time Zone | UTC +7 |
| International Dial Code | +855 |
| Currency | Riel |
| Population | 16.2 million (April 2018) |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| Bangkok, Thailand | 1hr 10min flight |
| Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | 1hr 20min flight |
| Luang Prabang, Laos | 2hr 10min flight |
| Singapore | 2hr 15min flight |
Discover the rich cultural heritage of the ancient Khmer civilisation
This program is designed for those who wish to make a difference and contribute to doing something worthy in Vietnam and Cambodia. Several interesting and diverse charitable activities and causes we participate in contributes to a memorable and meaningful experience.
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A culinary odyssey through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam revealing distinctive cuisines and kitchen traditions. Hands-on experiences at key culinary destinations range from street food stalls to gastronomic restaurants, assisted by expert chefs, food gurus and in-the-know locals.
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A bespoke journey designed for those caring souls that wish to make a difference in the developing nation of Cambodia. Spend a memorable six days based in Siem Reap, with a unique opportunity to learn first-hand about life-changing local charitable projects and participating in uplifting philanthropic deeds.
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Explore our Cambodia sample itineraries to inspire your travel planning. The itineraries can be easily customised and adapted to your personal interests and preferences.
Siem Reap – Kratie – Mondulkiri – Phnom Penh
Embark on a unique, off-the-beaten-track adventure in Cambodia, bookended by vibrant Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Discover ancient ruins, elusive wildlife and rural Khmer villages amid a spectacular backdrop of pristine jungles, mountainous terrain, remote countryside and the legendary Mekong River.
Siem Reap – Kratie – Phnom Penh
Amazing nature, ancient sites and Khmer traditions make Cambodia an ideal destination for all the family to enjoy unique educational and fun activities. Across this increasingly popular and family-friendly destination, experience authentic rural life, artisanal skills, jungle and island adventures and more for family memories to last a lifetime.
Phnom Penh – Sen Monorom – Kratie – Banlung – Virachey National Park – Banlung – Siem Reap
Explore Cambodia in-depth, from charismatic capital Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor’s spellbinding ancient temples. In between, experience trekking and camping adventures in off-the-beaten-track, wildly beautiful countryside.
Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
Gain unparalleled and in-depth insight into Cambodia’s enthralling modern and ancient history and culture. During stays at the nation’s two major cities, the capital, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, home to spectacular ancient temples, immerse yourself in a wealth of unparalleled experience and sights for a better understanding of Cambodia’s past and present.
Phnom Penh – Kampong Cham – Kratie – Steung Treng – Ratanakiri – Siem Reap
Journey to one of the more remote regions in Southeast Asia and immerse yourself in a fascinating world rarely seen by outsiders. Travel low-key and slow by bicycle, kayak and foot to experience an authentic rural Cambodia, capped with exploring cultural wonders, the Angkor Wat Temples.
Luang Prabang – Ban Khiet Ngong – Don Khong – Don Khone – Siem Reap – Koh Ker – Siem Reap
Guided by local experts, experience the most prolific natural wonders, ancient historic sites and memorable cultural experiences in two Indochina countries – Laos and Cambodia – on this action-packed and enthralling ‘cross border’ odyssey.
Siem Reap
A bespoke journey designed for those caring souls that wish to make a difference in the developing nation of Cambodia. Spend a memorable six days based in Siem Reap, with a unique opportunity to learn first-hand about life-changing local charitable projects and participating in uplifting philanthropic deeds.
Luang Prabang – Vientiane – Hue – Hoi An – Bach Ma – Hoi An – Siem Reap
Guided by local experts, experience prolific natural wonders, historic sites and cultural experiences on our extensive ‘cross border’ odyssey through old Indochina – Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia – and some of their enchanting destinations.
Hanoi – Hue – Ho Chi Minh City – Siem Reap
This program is designed for those who wish to make a difference and contribute to doing something worthy in Vietnam and Cambodia. Several interesting and diverse charitable activities and causes we participate in contributes to a memorable and meaningful experience.
Luang Prabang – Siem Reap – Ho Chi Minh City – Hue – Hanoi
A culinary odyssey through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam revealing distinctive cuisines and kitchen traditions. Hands-on experiences at key culinary destinations range from street food stalls to gastronomic restaurants, assisted by expert chefs, food gurus and in-the-know locals.
Select from our exciting range handcrafted tailored experiences to include in your customised journey.
Depart for an introductory cycle to Angkor Wat, one of the modern wonders of the world. Stroll through the intricately carved hallways that still show hundreds of fine carvings of Apsara and Hindu mythology and discover small shrines still in use today by the local people. Continue cycling around the complex taking in the views of this ancient empire.
Duration: 4hrs
Siem Reap is known as the gateway to the magnificent ruins of Angkor Wat. However, beyond its historic temples and lively tourist scene, Siem Reap Province is also home to almost a million people who inhabit the rural countryside, many living off the land.
Break up your temple tours with a refreshing evening quadbike excursion of the little-seen side of Siem Reap with its emerald green rice paddies, quiet dirt roads and shy but friendly villagers. Navigate your quadbike along dusty trails past stilt houses and curious cattle, taking in the sights and sounds of rural Cambodia with a stop among the rice paddies to admire the sunset.
Duration: 2-3hrs
Heartier than Vietnamese food and not as sweet or spicy as Thai, Khmer cuisine occupies a niche all its own. Shaped by history (with influences from China and France) and geography (incorporating rice and freshwater fish from the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers), Cambodian food showcases pleasing contrasts – sweet and bitter, salty and sour, fresh and cooked.
Spend an evening criss-crossing the town of Siem Reap by tuk tuk in search of Khmer favourites including snacks in the alleyways and side streets surrounding the Old Market; street food on famed Angkor Kyung Yu Road (also known as Road 60) including a range of exotic fruits, grilled meats, and for the food-adventurous, some fried insects; a more substantial sit-down meal at a local restaurant; and finishing off with a traditional Cambodian alcoholic beverage.
Duration: 3-4hrs
Casual visitors to Cambodia may not readily see signs of the tragedy brought on by the Pol Pot Regime more than 40 years ago, but underneath Cambodia’s friendly veneer, the wounds still run deep. Gain a personal perspective of this tragic event by spending some time with a local family who lived through those tumultuous years. Meet a former soldier who was in his 20s when Pol Pot came to power. Learn about his life before the Khmer Rouge, working with the French to restore the Angkorian temples, and hear stories from his time as a soldier fighting against the regime. Over tea and local sweets with his family, listen as he recounts his strikingly real personal narrative filled with incredible highs and devastating lows, marked by adversity, survival and hope.
Duration: 2hrs
Just minutes from bustling Phnom Penh lies Koh Dach, a pair of rural islands on the Mekong River collectively known as “Silk Island”. Spend the day with a local resident and her expat husband and explore the island known for its home-based silk weaving industry.
With a background in creative arts, Sopheap will take you to homes specialising in handicrafts and food production, and provide fascinating insights into their livelihoods. Learn how to make your own noodles from a woman who has spent her life dedicated to perfecting their texture and flavour. Before departing the island, visit the very school Sopheap attended as a child, and meet with the headmaster to deliver school supplies that are very much in need.
Duration: 6hrs
Ceramics have been produced in Cambodia since prehistoric times with glazed wares gaining popularity in Angkor between the 9th and 13th centuries. Founded in 2006 as the National Centre for Khmer Ceramic Revival, the Khmer Ceramic Centre is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation with a mission to revive the ancient art of Khmer pottery.
The centre provides free vocational training to disadvantaged youths while renewing broader interest in this ancestral art. Spend a half day with a craftsman who will breathe life into the history of ancient Khmer pottery, including how bricks for the Angkor temples were thought to have been made. Then under his careful instruction, take your turn at the potter’s wheel using up to 5 lumps of fresh clay to create your very own piece of pottery.
Duration: 3.5hrs
While the Angkor Wat Complex is truly extraordinary, it can be easy for adults to get “templed out”, much less kids. Spend a half day with the family exploring three of the things that kids like most: crafts, animals and good eats. Visit a silk farm to see how fine Khmer silk is made, including feeding and taking care of the wriggly silk worms, spinning the silk threads, and weaving the silk into beautiful handmade garments.
Next, visit the De-Mining Dog Show with its 50 Belgian Malinois dogs. Visitors can pet and play with these friendly yet highly-trained animals who use their incredible sense of smell to find explosives in former battlefields. Finally, feast on authentic Khmer food in a restaurant set amongst the scenic rice and flower fields of rural Siem Reap to wrap up an exciting family-friendly outing.
Duration: 4hrs
Although Cambodia is home to the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, provinces like Battambang have limited access to safe water and sanitation. In the dry season when water is limited, villagers walk as far as two kilometres to reach streams to bathe or wash their clothes.
Trails of Indochina supports this need through our Well Donation Program. After identifying a village in need, our local staff organises the groundwork construction of a well. Guests are then invited to the village in time to join the community in witnessing the final pouring of cement to secure the well. Through this meaningful act, guests can see the far-reaching benefits of their generosity, particularly in impoverished areas.
Duration: 2hrs
Just 30km (19mi) from Siem Reap lies Anlong Pi, the province’s main dump site. The toxic landfill is also where hundreds of Cambodians, a third of whom are children, scavenge daily looking for recyclable materials to sell. While “tragedy tourism” has developed around Anlong Pi with some well-meaning visitors taking photos and giving gifts to the children, this only serves to perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
Instead, responsible travellers look to support the Anlong Pi Free School. Relying completely on donations, the school teaches an estimated 250 children aged 6-16 years old literacy, vocational and life skills including basic hygiene and safety. Part of your tour cost goes directly towards the daily needs of this population and the mango tree you plant will grow to feed these villagers for years to come.
Duration: 3-4hrs
Outside of Siem Reap’s magnificent temples and tourist-friendly town centre, there are more than 140,000 people who call the town home. Venture away from the usual attractions for a taste of what 80% of Cambodia looks like with a visit to the rural village of Peak Sneng.
Immerse yourself in village life as you visit the local school and observe how teachers make the most of a very basic learning environment. Travel around the village by traditional vehicle and learn how to weave palm leaves into simple decorations. Best of all, a portion of your tour costs will directly benefit the village, helping to meet pressing needs such as a computer for the school or to repair the roof of an elderly villager’s home.
Duration: 4hrs
About 50km (30mi) from Siem Reap lies Cambodia’s most sacred mountain, Phnom Kulen. It was here in the 9th century that Jayavarman II declared himself a god-king, the first ruler of the Khmer Empire which lasted until the 15th century.
Spend the day photographing the intriguing contrasts between natural and man-made wonders at this sacred site, including 1,200-year-old structures, the River of a Thousand Lingas featuring mesmerising carvings on the sandstone riverbed, a gorgeous waterfall featured in the “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” movie, and the country’s largest reclining Buddha. On the way to Phnom Kulen, capture images of the pastoral Cambodian countryside with quaint villages and rice fields providing photogenic backdrops to rural living.
Duration: 8hrs
The Angkor Wat Temple Complex is truly one of the most inspiring destinations in the world, but to capture its ancient mystique can be challenging even for professional photographers. Spend a full day learning and practicing photography techniques in 6-7 different locations within the complex.
Start very early morning to capture the iconic sunrise over Angkor Wat’s five spires, using the billowy clouds tinged with early morning sun to create atmospheric and moody images. Angkor’s detailed sandstone carvings and writings lend themselves to close-up shots or the black and white treatment. The ancient architecture is also superb for image composition with many opportunities for frame-within-frame shots, playing with light and shadows and experimenting with artistic shallow depth of field.
Duration: 12hrs
One of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia, there are over two million people who live and work on and around the Tonle Sap. Spend a full day putting your camera settings through its paces to photograph this challenging yet beautiful mix of landscapes, animals and people.
Practice your wildlife photography in this rich ecosystem that is home to more than 100 varieties of water birds, as well as crocodiles, turtles, macaques, otter and other wildlife. Capture portraits and people shots at the lake’s monasteries, floating villages and vibrant local market. Landscape photographers will especially enjoy taking wide shots of the scenery from a village perched on 10m (33ft) high stilts, looking across the water during the late afternoon golden hour.
Duration: 9hrs
Note: Seat in coach
Escape the crowds at Angkor at three of the more atmospheric yet less visited spots in the temple complex. Travel by tuk-tuk to the 12th century Banteay Kdei, an impressive Buddhist monastery also known as the “Citadel of Cells”. Walk around this peaceful compound, surrounded by four concentric walls and look for a rare Buddha statue in the largely Hindu complex.
Also cruise the quiet waters surrounding Angkor Thom in a gondola reminiscent of those used in ancient Khmer ceremonies and battles. In the tranquil solitude, visualise the royal city when it ruled over two million people nearly 800 years ago. Make your way to Prasat Chrung, a small temple built in the style of Bayon, and climb a steep iron staircase to a quiet spot for excellent sunset views over the ruins.
Duration: 3-4hrs
The largest religious monument in the world, Angkor still retains a spiritual allure between its jungle-clad ruins, enigmatic towers and majestic temples. Start or finish your day practising yoga and meditation on the most sacred mountain in the complex in this exclusive experience.
Meet a certified yogi at Phnom Bakheng, a 10th century temple with five tiers and seven levels. The temple is representative of Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods, while its seven levels represent the seven Hindu heavens. Interact with some of the monks who live within the complex, then make your way to a private pagoda for a guided yoga and meditation session. Finish with a blessing ceremony with the opportunity to give back to the monks.
Duration: 2hrs
Learn more about the unique character and attractions of the cities that make up this fascinating country.
Explore a selection of our hotel offerings to complete your customised journey. The number of hotels and resorts throughout Southeast Asia are extensive and varied. Please contact us for more accommodation options.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
View our current special offers to save on your customised journey to Cambodia.
Offer Detail: Special rate offer
Validity:
Booking period: 01 December 2018 - 31 October 2019 Staying period: 01 April 2019 - 31 October 2019
Offer Detail: 1 night/get 10% off 2 nights/get 20% off 3 nights/get 30 % off
Validity:
01 Apr - 31 Oct 19
Offer Detail: Special rate during the period
Validity:
22 Jul - 31 Oct 2019
Thank you for taking such amazing care of my father and step mother. Simply put, they loved every moment of their trip. Your team were attentive, caring and looked after every step.
Marc T. (Mar 2018)
Thank you for an awesome trip. We really appreciated the quality and the care that everyone in your company put in to make this a trip of a lifetime.
Catherine C. (Jan 2018)
We are writing this letter to sincerely thank Trails of Indochina for providing us with such a wonderful experience during our recent trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. Not only was your service excellent and considerate, but our trip proved to be an educational, interesting, exciting, fun and sombering experience.
Tom & Christie S. (Jan 2018)
Our guide, Voun Vannarith, was wonderful! He was so pleasant, knowledgeable, and generous with his time. We learned so much about Cambodia's history and culture. We would recommend that he conduct all Virtuoso tours in the future!
Sheri P., March 2017
Everything about the experience has been absolutely world-class. It’s been a uniformly fantastic experience that routinely exceeded expectations. Once again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your work to make this trip a tremendous success.
John K., March 2017
