- Tour route: Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum, Tuol Sleng Museum, Wat Phnom, the former Capital of Oudong
- Duration: 4 days
- Start/End: Phnom Penh/Phnom Penh
BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival Phnom Penh
Day 2: Phnom Penh City Tour
Day 3: Phnom Penh – Oudong – Mekong Sunset Tour
Day 4: Phnom Penh – Departure
Day 1: Arrival in Phnom Penh
Welcome up on arrival by local tour guide and driver, we then transfer to hotel. Checking in and relax in the rest of the day.
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 – Oudong – Mekong Sunset Tour (B, L)
This morning, the driver and tour guide will take us out to outskirt of Phnom Penh to the former capital city of Oudong. En-route we will stop at Phnom Praset to see a Pre-Angkorian temple from the 8th century and a reclining Buddha. The view from the temples on the surroundings plains and rice-fields is beautiful. Then, we will continue to Oudong. Oudong was the royal capital between 1618 and 1866 before the capital was moved to Phnom Penh. Several temples and stupas cover three hills. These huge stupas can be seen from miles away. After that, we are back to Phnom Penh.
In the end of the day, we 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 4: Phnom Penh – Departure (B)
Today we may visit Russian market if time permit and our awaiting vehicle will transfer us back to the airport for our departure flight. Trip ends.
