GOLDEN Packages 5D4N REP (GP4NREP)

Day 1: Arrived at Siem Reap and East Angkor Tour (D)

Arrival to Siem Reap International airport, met a tour guide and transferred to hotel for check in. Free at leisure till time for lunch, tour guide will take you to local restaurant on your own account. After Lunch around 3:00PM, drive 15km to the East of Siem Reap lies Hariharalaya, the earliest Angkor capital in the region near the contemporary town of Rolous. Immediately prior to and shortly after Jayavarman II’s coronation as the first Go d-King in Phnom Kulen (kulen mountain) in 802 Hariharalaya was the centre of the first Angkor court

We can explore the earliest large scale temples of the Angkor period and see an early use of various architectural forms, such as the Naga and the stepped, or tiered, temple mountain which become themes for many subsequent monuments. The two most important temples in the Rolous group are Lolei, Preah Ko and the very picturesque Bakong, the first temple mountain in the region. The moat of Bakong was cleared from weed only last year and is now a very photogenic place. Back to hotel and enjoy the International buffet dinner with Cambodian traditional dance show at local restaurant. Overnight at your selected hotel in Siem Reap.

Day 2: Angkor Tours and Temple in jungle (B/L)

Sunrise at Angkor Wat: Rise early this morning for a sunrise at Angkor Wat. Your guide will pick you up at your hotel at 05.00. Then drive approximately 10 minutes and enter the grounds of Angkor Wat through a little-known entrance on its eastern perimeter (the western causeway is where the vast majority of tourists enter). Entering this way, you will avoid most other tourists initially and your first impressions of the monument’s grandeur at daybreak will be relatively private. (Unfortunately, encountering other tourists, sometimes sitting on chairs across the lily ponds, is unavoidable.) In the past several decades, Angkor Wat has become one of the world’s most famous attractions, on par with other Asia landmarks like the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal. This stupendous temple was built in the 12th century as the capital of King Suryavarman II’s kingdom. The largest and best-preserved of the Angkor temples, it is also the only one to have remained a significant religious center (first Hindu, then Buddhist) since its founding. It is the apogee of classical Khmer architecture and has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on the national flag. Finish this temple around 8:00am and back to hotel for your breakfast

12PM, tour guide will bring you to have lunch at the local restaurant , after lunch, you will visit temples on small circuit beings from Prasat Kravan, Banteay Kdei, Sras Srang, and the incredible Ta Prohm which still stays in its own original collapsed state in the jungles. It‘s the only temple that the French decided not to make any restoration after its rediscovery in middle 19th century, however, presently it has been under the joined conservation project between Cambodian and Indian Government.

Ta Prohm temple is my own personal favorite left in an un-restored state the temple evokes a mysterious atmosphere with giant fig, banyan and spung trees strangling the stonework. Much is known about Ta Prohm from the Sanskrit inscription on its stonework. 3,140 villages were assigned by Jayavarman VII to support the temple. Nearly 80,000 people worked directly in support including 2,740 officials and over 600 professional dancers. Among the property owned by the temple was a set of golden dishes weighing almost half a ton, even the information is a bit exaggerated but it was really a glory and magnificence of the king Jayavarman VII at his reign. Return to hotel and free at leisure till time to enjoy dinner at local restaurant on your own account. Overnight at your select hotel in Siem Reap.

Day 3: Banteay srey and Great of Angkor Thom (B/L)

AM: After breakfast, drive 35km north of Siem Reap town to visit the remote temple Banteay Srei, the most finely carved temple in Cambodia, built in 967AD, dedicated to Hinduism.

Banteay Srei or "Citadel of Women"" was not built by a King as the other Angkor temples. It was built by a brahmin of royal descent who was the spritual teacher of King Jayavarman V. It is therefore a hindu temple dedicated to to Shiva and it was erected in the 967AD. It is believed that its modern name (which means Citade of Women in Khmer) is realted to the perfection of its bas-relief carvings. It was "rediscovered"by French archaeologists in 1914, but it was not restored until 1930 being the first temple to be mainly restored through the anastylosis method. On the way back, stop en road to visit the villagers traditionally make palm candy. Next, continue to visit Banteay Samré, built by the same king who built Angkor Wat. Lunch at local restaurant. 

AM: After breakfast, drive 35km north of Siem Reap town to visit the remote temple Banteay Srei, the most finely carved temple in Cambodia, built in 967AD, dedicated to Hinduism.

Banteay Srei or "Citadel of Women"" was not built by a King as the other Angkor temples. It was built by a brahmin of royal descent who was the spritual teacher of King Jayavarman V. It is therefore a hindu temple dedicated to to Shiva and it was erected in the 967AD. It is believed that its modern name (which means Citade of Women in Khmer) is realted to the perfection of its bas-relief carvings. It was "rediscovered"by French archaeologists in 1914, but it was not restored until 1930 being the first temple to be mainly restored through the anastylosis method. On the way back, stop en road to visit the villagers traditionally make palm candy. Next, continue to visit Banteay Samré, built by the same king who built Angkor Wat. Lunch at local restaurant. 

PM, begin an exploration of the Great Capital Jayavarman VII’s masterpiece Angkor Thom the largest city in the world in the 12th century, including first stop South Gate of Angkor Thom, and the Jayavarman VII‘s state temple of Bayon, and the much earlier Phimeanakas and Baphuon temples the terraces of the elephants and Leper King.

Bayon is a Buddhist temple was built by King Jayavarman VII, but it incorporates elements of Hindu cosmology in Angkor Thom was built as a square, the sides of which run exactly north to south and east to west. Standing in the exact center of the walled city, Bayon Temple represents the intersection of heaven and earth is known for its huge stone faces of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, with one facing outward and keeping watch at each compass point. The curious smiling image thought by many to be a portrait of Jayavarman himself, has been dubbed by some the Mona Lisa of Southeast Asia there are 51 smaller towers surrounding Bayon, each with four faces of its own. Bayon Temple is surrounded by two long walls bearing an extraordinary collection of bas-relief scenes of legendary and historical events. In all, there are are total of more than 11,000 carved figures over 1.2km of wall. They were probably originally painted and gilded, but this has long since faded. Enjoy the International buffet dinner with Cambodian traditional dance show at local restaurant. Overnight at your selected hotel in Siem Reap

Day 4: Boat Cruise on Tonle Sap and City tours (B/L)

AM: Drive approximately 45 minutes to Boeung Tonle Sap, Cambodia’s “Great Lake.” This huge body of water stretches across the northwestsection of the country and is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia (and among the largest in all of Asia).

Tonle Sap was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1997. More than 1 million people live on and in the transition zone around the lake, whose surface sustains markets, schools, churches, flower gardens, vegetable farms, and even police stations. During the wet season from May to November, the water inflow expands the surface area of the lake more than five-fold, inundating the surrounding forested flood plain. Tonle Sap fisheries supply approximately 80 percent of the protein consumed in all of Cambodia. Free at leisure till transfer to the airport for the departure flight, End service

Visit carving school – artisan center where the uneducated, disabled and poor young people from the countryside are offered the opportunity to be trained to work on wood and stone carving. Next, visit local market Psar Chas (Old Market) where most Siem Reap town people pick up fish and vegetable for their foods. Do shopping the local handicrafts or souvenirs including silk, stone, wood and silver carvings. Return to hotel and enjoy dinner at Neary Khmer restaurant. Free at leisure till transfer to the airport for the departure flight, End service.

Day 5: Leisure and Departure

Breakfast at hotel and relax, leisure till time your tour guide pick you up for transferring to Siem Reap international airport for your departure flight, end of service.