- Tour route: Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum, Tuol Sleng Museum, Wat Phnom, the former Capital of Oudong, Kep and Rabit Islane
- Duration: 5 days
- Start/End: Phnom Penh/Phnom Penh
BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival in Phnom Penh – Mekong Sunset tour
Day 2: Phnom Penh city tour
Day 3: Phnom Penh – Kep
Day 4: Kep – Rabit island – Phnom Penh
Day 5: Phnom Penh – Departure
Day 1: Arrival in Phnom Penh – Mekong Sunset tour
Up on arrival in Phnom Penh, we are welcomed by local tour guide and driver then transfer to hotel. Later today, we visit Russian market and take our boat trip to enjoy sunset from the water at the junction of the Tonle Bassac, Tonle Sap and the mighty Mekong Rivers. Enjoy seeing the distinctive architecture of Cambodia where Khmer influenced buildings such as Wat Ounalom, the Royal Palace, and the Silver Pagoda meet French colonial buildings some renovated some ravaged by neglect and the war. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Day 2: Phnom Penh city tour (B, L)
After breakfast at hotel, we meet tour guide and driver again and then start the tour with Silver Pagoda located in the Royal Palace Enclosure and the Royal Garden. The Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles, and each tile weights 1 kilogram. The treasures include a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90kilos and a small 17th century emerald Buddha. After that, we visit The National Museum, built in the Khmer style in the 1920’s, which has an extensive collection of Khmer art. The highlight of the exhibit is the artifacts from the pre-Angkor period to Angkor period. Before lunch we also visit the Wat Phnom, widely acknowledged as the site of the foundation of Phnom Penh, where we can enjoy views over the tree-lined avenues of Phnom Penh. We have lunch in the restaurant.
In the afternoon, we visit The Tuol Sleng Museum, also called Museum of Genocide where we can understand more about the most tragic part in Cambodia history. From 1975 until 1979 it was Khmer Rouge’s main torture and interrogation center, gaining the acronym ‘S-21’. From here the victims were taken out and executed in what is now known as the Killing Fields. Follow by that we visit the Victory monument and the Russian Market. Then we are back to hotel.
Day 3: Phnom Penh – Kep (B)
After breakfast at hotel, we travel 3 hours to Kep by our private vehicle where we enjoy our rest of the day at beach and walk down to the crab market…. Overnight in Kep. Kep beach, a single, kilometer long crescent of sand near the tip of the Kep peninsula. Dining platforms and seafood vendors line the road behind the beach. It is busy on weekends but often deserted during the week.
Day 4: Kep – Rabit island – Phnom Penh (B, L)
After breakfast at hotel, we take a short boat journey to Rabbit Island where we enjoy a lovely island where getting less tourist as well as enjoy with swimming follow by picnic lunch. Rabbit island (Koh Tonsay) is located about 4.5 kilometers southwest of Kep. The sea here is shallow, excellent for swimming. Here, visitors can find a variety of corals, sea animals and plants which attract researchers and ecologists. A few locals live on the island, but visitors should bring whatever they need for a day. For those seeking, this is highly recommended for a relaxing day trip. Later afternoon transfer back to the hotel, checking out and back to Phnom Penh. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Day 5: Phnom Penh – Departure (B)
Today, our awaiting vehicle will transfer us back to the airport for our flight to home. Trip ends.
