Day 1 – Arrive Siem Reap International Airport, pick up- check in hotel in hotel and welcome drink by hotel.

Welcome to Siem Reap, Cambodia. We hope over the next few days we can show you everything that Cambodia and it’s wonder culture and people has to offer – and more.

 Day 2 – Ta Prohm and hidden temples

This morning, we’ll leave at 7:00am after our breakfast for a morning visiting Ta Prohm jungle temple with its gigantic tree roots growing over the ruins. From Ta Prohm, we’ll walk through the sanctuary forest to the hidden north gate of Ta Prohm with the four smiling stone faces. After Ta Prohm, we’ll take a quick car ride to Ta Nei, a small, hidden

Buddhist Temple, stopping at Banteay Kdey Temple on the way back to the homestay for a lunch break and short rest.

 This afternoon, we’ll leave hotel at 2:30pm for a trip to the ancient city of Angkor Thom with our first stop at the West gate with its four smiling faces, then we’ll continue to the Victory gate. From the Victory gate, we’ll take a quick ride to Palilay temple followed by the terrace of Leper king, terrace of Elephant with a few small temples nearby and then to the stone smiling faces of Bayon. Before we return home, we will stop at the south gate of Angkor Thom.

 Day 3 – Stunning sunrise and sunset and the beauty of the Cambodian people

This morning, a very early start at 5:00am for a sunrise, but not at Angkor Wat where all the tourists go. We have a secret, stunning location – a rice paddy field, lined with palm trees. Nearby the location, we’ll visit a Cambodian family who make palm sugar. We can shoot some portraits of the family and watch how they make palm sugar.

 After sunrise and portrait of Cambodian family, we’ll continue to the beautiful pink sand stone Temple of Banteay Srey with the most beautiful carvings. From Banteay Srey temple, we’ll visit Chueve Srey Vibol where we’ll take photos of Buddhist monks with natural light from the window and some ruins in the background before we head back home for a lunch break.

 At 3:00pm, we’ll travel to Angkor Wat with a golden afternoon sunlight reflection of the five towers in the water.

Day 4 – A day in the life of the Cambodian villagers

There is no better place to experience the vibrancy of a local culture than by visiting a market. This morning, we’ll go to local market shooting people selling on the street, the village children and families and a working blacksmith.

We’ll head back home for a lunch break.

 At 3:00pm, we’ll drive to the stunning Kampong Kleang stilt houses village or Mechrey where we’ll travel by boat on Tonle Sap Lake and experience sunset on the Lake, the life blood of the local people.

 Day 5- Beyond Angkor Wat – Secret temples and Cambodian life

A very early start this morning (4:30am) to drive approximately 2.5 hours to Kok Ker temple. Our first stop will be at Prasat Pram, an over one thousand-year-old ruin with tree roots several hundred years old. (We may stop on the way and bring one or two novice monks with us to photograph against the stunning setting of Prasat Pram.)

After Prasat Pram, we’ll continue to the Pyramid temple or we call Prasat Thom.

After Kok Ker, we return back to the jungle Temple of Beng Mealea, stopping somewhere for a late lunch and then drive back home through the countryside where we can stop to visit and photograph some Cambodian families.

 Day 6 – Battambang and mountain views

This morning, we’ll leave Siem Reap Angkor at 4:30am and drive approximately 3 hours to Banteay Chmmar Temple close to the Thailand Border. From Banteay Chmmar Temple, we’ll drive about one hour to the small town of Banteay Meanchey where we stop for our lunch break.After lunch, we’ll ride other one and half hour to check into our hotel in Battambang for two nights (3- or 4-star hotel).

 Leaving hotel  at 3.00pm this afternoon, we’ll drive to Phnom Sampov Mountain which affords excellent views of the surrounds. We will be able to photograph nuns or priests around the temple.

Day 7- Wat Bannan and railways

This morning we’ll depart at 7.30am for an hour’s drive to Wat Bannan where we’ll photograph the daily lives of nuns and novices. We’ll then break for lunch.

This afternoon, we’ll go to the railway station and photograph the people and children who call this area home. We’ll go to the railway bridge where we will be able to photograph the people and monks.

 Day 8 – Goodbye Battambang

Before, we say good bye from Battambang, we’ll explore around Battambang town and a French Colonial Buddhist Temple. We’ll visit Wat Samroung Knong, one of a largest Buddhist temple with a sad history. During the Khmer Rouge occupation, more than 10,000 people were killed here.

After Wat Samroung Knong Pagoda, we’ll stop at Phsar Prohouk Market, and Wat Ek Phnom. After Ek Phnom we will drive back to Siem Reap and check back into Koemle Homestay.
Note – Today, we drive through villages and Buddhist temples so we can stop anywhere of interest.

 Day 9 – Free time in Siem Reap

Your free time to explore SR town and shopping.

Day 10 Goodbye Siem Reap – Transfer to the airport

After breakfast, we will say goodbye and transfer you back to Siem Reap International airport.
We hope you leave us with full memory cards and wonderful memories of Cambodia, far beyond Angkor Wat and perhaps opening your eyes to the daily lives of the Cambodian people, their kindness, their struggles, their happiness.