A Luxury Discovery of Cambodia

Cruise along Sisowath Quay on the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers. A river view gives possibly the best view of Phnom Penh and its ever evolving skyline, lit up in the twilight sky.

Phnom Penh is increasingly cosmopolitan and its ochre-coloured colonial buildings, bustling squares, trendy cafés, and frangipani-lined boulevards create an atmosphere that is unlike any other city in South East Asia.  Your expert guide will lead you through the city’s five distinct historic periods: French Protectorate, Norodom Sihanouk years, The Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, and the People’s Republic of Kampuchea, and you’ll visit Phnom Penh’s important sites and monuments.

The peaceful stretch of green fields of Cheung Ek, known as ‘The Killing Fields’, 17 kilometres (11 miles) from Phnom Penh, may not indicate what kinds of horrors have taken place there. A large memorial has been built to commemorate the 17,000 victims who died here under the reign of Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot. The remnants inside the memorial and the mass graves that dot the area remind you of the suffering of the victims. It will give an appreciation of the struggle that Cambodian people have faced and their tremendous courage to move on and rebuild their nation.

Travel by road to the Victory Gate of Angkor Thom. From the atmospheric Preah Palilay, walk through the shaded parkland behind the terraces, past Phimeanakas with its beautiful lakes, and the imposing Baphuon, to finally reach Jayavarman’s state temple of Bayon at the centre of the city.

Travel by road to Ta Prohm,  and take your time to walk through the temple from the West to the East entrance. It’s then a fifteen-minute walk through the forest to the seldom visited temple of Ta Nei, where there’s a reasonable chance of having this beautiful Angkor temple all to yourself. Pause for a light breakfast before exploring further – you’ll end the morning at Ta Keo temple, known as the ‘mountain with bronze peaks’.

This red sand-stone temple is one of Angkor’s most significant structures as its walls are decorated with elaborate carvings which have been preserved remarkably well. Built in the 10th century, it was dedicated to the Hindu god – Shiva. Visit Banteay Samre afterwards, a structure often compared to a mini Angkor Wat. Built in the 12th century, the temple served as a Hindu temple.