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Exploring Cambodia Holidays

Cambodia with a Mekong Cruise

Your Itinerary

Day 1 - Welcome to Phnom Penh!

Your private guide and driver will meet you at the airport in Phnom Penh and take you to your hotel, the White Mansion, which is a smart downtown option. We have not planned anything for you tonight but you can relax and explore as you like with our Fleewinter city guide, which has great tips for restaurants. (Deluxe Room, B&B).

Day 2 - Take a fascinating tour around Phnom Penh

Enjoy a cyclo tour through the heart of Phnom Penh, stopping at the holy site of Wat Phnom, the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and the National Museum. Stop for lunch at Friends Restaurant, which works with under-privileged street children. This afternoon you will visit Tuol Sleng, a school that was used as a prison by the Khmer Rouge, and Choeng Ek, also known as the “killing fields”, where many were left to perish. This excursion may prove distressing; it is however an important piece of Cambodia’s recent past.

Day 3 - Board your all-inclusive 4-night cruise

Enjoy this morning at your leisure in Phnom Penh before boarding the Pandaw ship for your four-night Mekong cruise. The RV Mekong Pandaw is a smart, traditional style boat with 24 cabins and a spacious sun deck where you can relax and watch the fascinating river life pass you by. Tonight you will enjoy dinner on board. (Cabin on the Main Deck, all-inclusive).

Day 4 - Enjoy the pretty Tonle River wetlands

Today you will explore the wetlands around the Tonle River. You will travel either by coach or boat depending on water levels before boarding a smaller boat to discover the vast wetlands around the mouth of the river.  The Tonle River connects the Mekong main channel at Phnom Penh with the great Tonle Sap Lake. This section is the prettiest part of your river journey as you pass through villages, woodland and hills. Return to Pandaw Cruise tonight.

Day 5 - Visit Kampong Cham

This morning you can enjoy a walk around the little-known Chong Koh silk-weaving village before returning to the boat for lunch. This afternoon you will stop at the Peam Chi Kang village to visit the Wat, monastery and school and visit Kampong Cham, an important provincial capital with French colonial buildings, busting markets and an attractive setting overlooking the Mekong.

Day 6 - Visit a temple and holy mountains

This morning you will have the chance to visit the hilltop temple of Wat Hanchey and in the afternoon, you will travel by bus to visit the Twin Holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey (Man and Woman Hill). and the eco-tourism village of Choeungkok supported by the French-Cambodian NGO Amica. Later you will return to the boat for dinner and can enjoy your evening at leisure.

Day 7 - Disembark as you reach Siem Reap

Bid farewell to your cruise companions today as you should reach Siem Reap by the early afternoon. Here your private driver and guide will meet you at the port and drive you to your hotel, the Navutu Dreams, which is outside the main town, which we think is a bonus. Here you can rest in tropical gardens and laze by the swimming pools – but a tuk-tuk into town only takes 10 minutes. (Explorer Room, B&B).

Day 8 - Explore the mighty Angkor Wat

This morning you have the opportunity to rise early to see sunrise over the largest temple in the whole complex; Angkor Wat. After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, you will visit the fortified city of Angkor Thom as well as Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas, and the Terraces of the Elephants. You will also see Ta Prohm before finishing your day tour with the sunset at Pre Rup Temple – the beautiful rusty-red bricks are accentuated during sunset and stands in brilliant contrast to the lush green of the jungle in the distance.

Day 9 - Catch a glimpse of rural Cambodia

Today you will explore an area in the remote Cambodian countryside seen by few travellers. We will take you to meet some local children that are supported by a non-profit Cambodian-Dutch organisation. You will visit a primary school and health centre and have the chance to talk to the children and tell them about life in the UK. You can enjoy a traditional lunch here before visiting Beng Mealea, another seldom-visited ruin and a spectacular jungle temple.

Day 10 - Bon Voyage!

Bid farewell to the lovely staff at Navutu Dreams this morning as we will be sending a driver to the hotel to pick you up and take you to the international airport in Siem Reap. From here you can catch your flight home. Safe travels!

DETAILS: -

This itinerary costs from £2,340 per person B&B based on 2 sharing and including all private transfers but not international flights.

You can get flights from as little as £500 per person return and do ask us for advice. Alternatively we can book the flights for you but a booking fee may apply.

What's included?

INCLUDED:
  • Prices start from £2,340 per person
  • Accommodation on B&B basis except the cruise which is B,L&D with local drinks.
  • Lunch included on Day 9
  • Private transfers (air-conditioned vehicle)
  • All entrance fees with service of English speaking guide for excursions
  • Local taxes
  • All trips are ATOL protected or ABTA bonded to ensure you are fully covered
Make a booking

Some of the prettiest and most interesting stretches of the phenomenal Mekong River are within Cambodia, so it is only right to offer you a chance to get under the skin of the country from the water. This tour will give you a cultural and historical insight to this fascinating country in Phnom Penh before a 4-night all inclusive cruise down the Mekong as you make your way to Siem Reap. Here you can explore the mighty temples of Angkor. This tour of Cambodia with a Mekong Cruise can be done in reverse – please note all excursions apart from the cruise section are private and can be tailor-made to your needs.

Siem Reap
This lively, bustling town has the ancient kingdom of Angkor on its doorstep, making it the perfect place to base your temple adventures. A point of pilgrimage, pride and inspiration for Cambodians, the Hindu temples of Angkor should not be missed.
Phnom Penh
Although often by-passed by many tourists, Phnom Penh offers a fascinating insight into the past, present and future of Cambodia. Tuk-tuk across the busy streets, get to grips with the country's harrowing history of genocide at the Killing Fields or watch the sunset from a riverside bar; there's something for everyone. What's more, we've discovered a handful of fabulous little boutique hotels.
Kampot & Kep
Escape the crowds and enjoy the rural beauty of the south-west. Kampot is famed for its rich, spicy pepper, restful river and jungle terrain while Kep offers the best sunset spots over the ocean in all of Cambodia. Not to mention the delicious crab on offer. This is the place to relax in Cambodia and we've found the best places for you to do just that.
Battambang
Arguably the most charming of Cambodia's larger urban centres, Battambang has a small-town friendly vibe with the bustle of a city. It is home to some of the best preserved French architecture in Cambodia, glorious rice paddies and provincial villages that offer a real insight into Cambodian life.
Sihanoukville
Cambodia’s prime beach destination - Sihanoukville is surrounded by sandy beaches and tropical islands. We know how to steer you away from the crowds here and have discovered a handful of northern beaches with the perfect chill out vibe.
Koh Kong
If you are looking for a jungle escape with thundering waterfalls surrounded by luscious greenery then look no further than Koh Kong. It’s a gem of a find. Off the tourist trail enough to make you feel like you have discovered a slice of hidden Cambodia. We recommend staying on a floating tent or hut over the river (surprisingly more luxurious than it sounds). Trust us on this one...
Kratie
One of the nicest spots to enjoy the natural beauty of the mighty Mekong River is at Kratie, which offers stunning sunsets and is home to the rare fresh-water Irrawaddy dolphins that can be seen all year round. The nearby island of Koh Trong is an ideal place to relax for a day and north of Kratie you can find peaceful fishing communities and rural scenery that is ideal for cycling or trekking.
Ratanakiri Province
This diverse region of natural beauty in the north-east is harder to get to but all the more beautiful for it. Here you will find virtually untouched forested mountains, ethnic minority groups with their own languages and traditions, volcanic lakes and thundering waterfalls. The main activity on offer here is trekking and there is plenty of wildlife to be seen in their natural habitats, including gibbons and elephants.

Your adventure starts here!

Do you fancy having a chat about Cambodia with a Mekong Cruise? Personally, it's one of our favourite things to talk about.

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