Cambodia Calling - Small Group - From £825

Asia Cambodia
OVERVIEW
You’ll travel from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, with Cambodia’s royal sights and difficult history giving way to the countryside around Battambang. Ride its Bamboo Train, climb hills crowned with temples and spend time in villages before travelling on to Siem Reap, where you’ll watch the fine work behind Cambodia’s silk craft. At Angkor Wat, arrive for sunrise and watch the temple’s five towers take shape in the growing light, reflected in the water below.
EXPERIENCES
Angkor Wat: Join your Local Specialist and immerse yourself in the stories of the celestial nymphs and mystical serpents. 

Choeung Ek Genocidal Center: Visit the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, a memorial dedicated to the victims who died under the reign of the Khmer Rouge.

Phnom Penh: At the National Silk Centre, you’ll follow the journey from mulberry cultivation to finished silk, learning how traditional Khmer techniques are kept alive. See the patience and craft behind sericulture and ikat weaving, and discover how skills dating back centuries are still taught and practised.

Phnom Penh: Explore Phnom Penh with a Local Specialist, from the broad sweep of the Olympic Stadium to the ornate Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. Pause at Wat Phnom, follow the riverfront where the Mekong, Tonlé Sap and Bassac rivers meet, then head to Street 240 for cafés and independent shops.

Siem Reap: It’s worth the early wake-up to see Angkor Wat at sunrise, its five towers silhouetted against the changing sky and reflected in the temple pools. As morning light spreads across the ancient stone, take in the scale and intricate detail of Cambodia’s most celebrated temple complex.

You’ll spend the day exploring Battambang, where well-preserved French colonial architecture contrasts with traditional Khmer homes at Wat Kor. From hilltop countryside views at Phnom Banan to the temple-topped summit of Phnom Sampeau, you’ll uncover the landscapes and local stories that shape this riverside city.
DEPARTURE DATES AND PRICES
Tour
Departs		 Tour
Returns		 Starting From
(price per person)		 Definite Departure
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27/03/2027 03/04/2027 £850   Book
17/04/2027 24/04/2027 £825   Book
15/05/2027 22/05/2027 £825   Book
12/06/2027 19/06/2027 £825   Book
10/07/2027 17/07/2027 £825   Book
07/08/2027 14/08/2027 £825   Book
11/09/2027 18/09/2027 £825   Book
25/09/2027 02/10/2027 £850   Book
09/10/2027 16/10/2027 £850   Book
30/10/2027 06/11/2027 £850   Book
13/11/2027 20/11/2027 £850   Book
18/12/2027 25/12/2027 £850   Book
23/12/2027 30/12/2027 £850   Book
27/12/2027 03/01/2028 £895   Book
02/01/2028 09/01/2028 £895   Book
12/02/2028 19/02/2028 £895   Book
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ITINERARY

As you arrive in Phnom Penh, tuk tuks weave past gilded roofs and you catch the broad sweep of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap meeting at Chaktomuk. Settle in, then wander towards Sisowath Quay, where palms line the promenade, families gather by the water and the scent of grilled skewers drifts from evening food stalls. Boats cross the river as lights begin to glimmer on the water, before you meet your Travel Director and fellow small group travellers.

At Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium, broad concrete terraces sweep around the arena as you take in Vann Molyvann’s bold geometry and the clean lines of Cambodia’s 1960s modernism. From concrete to gold, you pass beneath tiered roofs and slender spires of the Royal Palace before entering the Silver Pagoda, where thousands of silver floor tiles sparkle beneath painted Reamker murals. On Street 240, leafy branches shade old villas as you wander between independent boutiques and cafés, browsing Cambodian silks, handmade pieces and shelves of books. Pull up a chair for lort cha, Cambodia’s stir-fried rice noodles arriving hot from the wok. Afterwards, visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the former S-21 detention and interrogation centre, followed by Choeung Ek. These visits cover the Khmer Rouge period and its impact on Cambodia. This evening is free, or choose an Optional Experience and travel by tuk tuk between some of Phnom Penh’s bars.

Leaving Phnom Penh behind, you make for Koh Chen, where the river slides past low houses and small workshops known for generations of silver and copper craft. Step inside to watch local makers shape and engrave each piece by hand, then browse bowls, trays and keepsakes polished to a soft silver-white and warm copper glow before continuing west. In Battambang, pale ochre façades, deep green shutters and faded cream shopfronts line streets that stretch towards the river. After checking in, you can follow the old shophouses past galleries and creative spaces, with hand-painted signs, carved balconies and contemporary Cambodian art along the way.

At Phnom Banan, steep stone steps lead you through the greenery to weathered temple towers above the Battambang countryside. Pause among the ancient stonework, with rice fields, palms and villages stretching far beyond the hill, before returning to the plains below. Back in Battambang, stop at the Bamboo Train, its simple bamboo platform resting on steel rails once used to carry people and goods through the countryside. At Wat Kor Village, traditional Khmer houses stand high on timber stilts with broad verandas and shuttered windows. Visit Mrs Bun Roeung’s Ancient House, with its dark timber frame, tiled roof and broad wooden veranda. At Battambang Provincial Museum, explore sculpture and archaeological pieces from across the province before travelling to Phnom Sampeau. Near dusk, you may catch the extraordinary sight of bats streaming from the cave mouth in a dark ribbon across the sky. This evening, you may choose a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at Jaan Bai, where Khmer cuisine is prepared using local ingredients.

On the road to Siem Reap, you'll stop in Puok District at the National Silk Centre to see the care and handwork behind Cambodia’s silk-making tradition. Then continue to Siem Reap, where Psar Chas spills into narrow aisles of colourful textiles, carved keepsakes and market stalls. Choose somewhere near Pub Street for dinner or follow the river through the city. You may also add an Optional Experience on Tonle Sap, cruising across the lake as the light softens over the water.

At Angkor Wat, you watch the black silhouette of its lotus-shaped towers cut into the dawn sky, the temple mirrored in the glistening water below. As daylight strengthens, the first light reaches the ancient sandstone. You’ll cross the causeway and enter galleries carved with apsaras, gods and warriors. Continue with your Local Specialist to Srah Srang and Ta Prohm, where enormous roots twist over doorways and stone walls disappear beneath the jungle. Inside Angkor Thom, walk through the former royal city to the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King, following long rows of carved figures cut deep into the stone. This evening, choose dinner in Siem Reap or browse the Night Market. You can also add an Optional Experience at Phare Circus, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where acrobatics, theatre and live music tell Cambodian stories on stage.

Return to Angkor Wat for another look or spend the day exploring Siem Reap at your own pace. On an Optional Experience beyond the city, you’ll ride by water buffalo cart between green rice fields and slender palms, meeting local farmers and learning about silkworms before sharing tea and snacks. You can also join another Optional Experience at Artisans Angkor, watching craftspeople at work before receiving a Buddhist monk’s blessing at Wat Damnak. In Siem Reap’s old and new markets, you’ll browse stalls layered with patterned textiles, carved keepsakes and colourful souvenirs. After dark, another Optional Experience sees you travelling by tuk tuk between Cambodian tipples and food-stall favourites, finishing with local craft beers. Or choose dinner at Kanell Restaurant with an Apsara dance performance celebrating centuries of Cambodian dance and storytelling.

Your time in Cambodia comes to an end in Siem Reap. Say goodbye to your Travel Director and fellow small group travellers before making your onward journey.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
  • An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • Audio Headsets provided throughout your holiday to enhance your included sightseeing experiences
  • Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • City orientation tours
  • Extensive variety of Choice Experiences
  • Luxury air-conditioned coach
  • Many meals and daily breakfasts included
  • On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised
ACCOMMODATION
DAY 1: Ohana Phnom Penh Palace - Meals:
DAY 2: Ohana Phnom Penh Palace - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 3: Classy Hotel & Spa - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 4: Classy Hotel & Spa - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5: Amber Angkor Villa Hotel & Spa - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6: Amber Angkor Villa Hotel & Spa - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7: Amber Angkor Villa Hotel & Spa - Meals: Breakfast
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