This two-week stay will first take you to Khmer land, to discover Siem Reap and its surroundings, with a visit to the wonderful temples of Angkor, Lac Tonlé Sap and its floating villages.
During the second week, you go to Thailand, for new experiences. Stroll to the floating markets of Amphawa, and taste the local flavors. Then take the road to Kanchanaburi, for an unusual encounter with pachyderms.
Ideal time to travel: November to March
Welcome by your driver upon your arrival at the airport. Transfer and installation at your hotel. Rest of the day free.
Rooms available from 2 p.m. If you arrive a little early and your room isn't ready yet, you can drop off your bags at reception before going for a walk in town or relaxing by the pool.
In tuk-tuk we make a first tour of exploration and location of Siem Reap: city tour, market, surrounding fields, etc.
The visit of the musée national d'Angkor will inform you in detail about the history of the Khmer civilization and its cultural heritage. Its collections include real treasures from the Angkor archaeological site and bear witness to the richness of Khmer art. You will particularly appreciate the superb gallery of 1000 Buddhas and the magnificent presentation of the temples.
Overnight at La Niche D'Angkor Boutique Breakfast at the hotel
English-speaking guide included on this day
Before visiting the temples, at the entrance to the archaeological site, fly away in a hot air balloon to enjoy a breathtaking view of the site of Angkor and its surroundings.
Note: vertical ascent of about 10 minutes; possible modification according to the weather.
Day visit in a tuktuk of the marvelous temples of Angkor located around and inside the Angkor Thom .
You will notably discover Angkor Wat, symbol of the apogee of the Khmer Empire under the Angkorian era. Inside Angkor Thom, discover Bayon and its many towers with gigantic faces, Baphuon and its gigantic 40m reclining Buddha statue, Phimeanakas, the Terrasse des Elephants and its great diversity of sculptures, but also the Terrasse du Roi Leper.
Conclude the day with a visit to Ta Prohm famous for its huge trees with sprawling aerial roots.
Possibility of making the visits in the opposite direction to avoid the crowds. Just let your guide know at the start of the day.
Temples are sacred places, avoid short clothes, cover your shoulders and wear pants or a long skirt.
In order to preserve these fragile monuments, it is forbidden to touch the sculptures or to sit on elements of the temple.
In Cambodian culture, it is offensive to heckle inside a sacred place, calm and respect are key words.
It is not recommended to buy items or sweets from child sellers, this only encourages begging and the practice of skipping school, prefer a donation to an association if it is important to you.
If you wish to photograph the monks (called Bonzes), you must obtain their permission beforehand. In addition, you must not touch them, they have the right to touch you but not the opposite.
In the evening, attend an unforgettable a circus show with artists of incredible talent!
Note: Class B seat included
English-speaking guide included on this day
Near Kbal Spean, continue with a visit to the Angkor Center for the Protection of Biodiversity. You will be able to see the efforts made by local and international teams to protect local endangered species: snakes, turtles and other reptiles, birds and exotic mammals. Children and animal lovers will be delighted by this visit of discovery and awareness.
Departure for a hike of around 1 hour necessary to reach the site of Kbal Spean nicknamed "the temple under water". Ruins of temples dating from the 9th century border a river whose bed is strewn with carved lingas.
Continue with the visit of Banteay Srey temple, smaller than the gigantic Angkor Wat or Bayon. This pink sandstone temple nicknamed "The Citadel of Women" is known for the refinement of bas-reliefs and sculptures that adorn its walls and columns.
Then, discover the Banteay Samre temple.
English-speaking guide included on this day
Transfer to the village of Kampong Pluk located on the lake Tonlé Sap about 1 hour by car from Siem Reap. You embark on a private boat to discover and visit the floating village. During the excursion, small canoes will take you around in the middle of the mangrove forest.
Note: during the dry season (from March to September), the excursion can be replaced by another visit depending on the water level.
In the afternoon, we visit the organization APOPO and its famous demining rats whose powerful sense of smell makes it possible to detect antipersonnel mines with more efficiency and less risk than a metal detector. We will learn more about the mission of this association and the development of their activity for medical purposes.
Finally, we visit the Lotus Farm by Samatoa, a unique production workshop in the world presenting the method of manufacturing the most ecological fabric from lotus fiber. After a presentation of the sacred lotus flower and its meaning in Asian cultures, we will observe each stage of the creation of this rare fabric prized by great couturiers: harvesting the stems; spinning which consists of transforming the fibers into high quality yarn; weaving to arrive at the finished product; and finally the recycling of unused parts of the plant for medicinal, nutritional and cosmetic purposes.
Let's continue the road towards the nearby Phnom Krom mountain. From up there, we will have a beautiful view of all the surrounding rice fields. We can also visit the temple and pagoda of Phnom Krom, at the top of the mountain, before enjoying the view at sunset.
English-speaking guide included on this day
Transfer to Battambang
15 km west of Siem Reap, the visit to the silk center in Pouk allows you to discover the complete process of silk production: from the planting of **mulberry trees ** to the breeding of silkworms, up to weaving and the finished products available for sale.
To the south of Battambang, a visit to the Banon temple erected on top of a hill offers you, after climbing the 358 steps, a lovely panorama of the Cambodian countryside. Passing through the traditional villages along the road, you can watch the family making rice cakes and chat with the locals about their daily lives.
Also take the opportunity to stop in the vineyards of Battambang. Something to admire the greenhouse work of Cambodian winegrowers. And to taste if you wish wine, grape juice, ginger, and why not cognac!
Discover the temple of Phnom Sampov, “the hill-ship”. You stay there until sunset to watch the flight of the bats and their incredible choreography in the sky
English-speaking guide included on this day
In the morning, getting around by bike being a great way to meet local communities, your morning will be devoted to a great guided bike ride through the beautiful Cambodian countryside. This authentic immersion in a rural universe will allow you to visit a Buddhist temple with a dark history, to observe the daily life of the villagers and to discover some artisanal products from the region (bamboo cake, rice wine, banana chips, fish paste, rice paper…) as well as a crocodile farm. Rich exchanges all smiles await you during this itinerary.
Try the famous bamboo train of Battambang!
The fresh air will pleasantly tickle your face as your eyes admire the painted rice fields in the landscape.
Back to Siem Reap. Upon your arrival at the hotel, installation and rest/free time.
Overnight at La Niche D'Angkor Boutique
English-speaking guide included on this day
Transfer to Siem Reap International Airport from where we board our flight to Bangkok
Arrived in the capital of the Kingdom of Siam, we meet our new team who will accompany us throughout our journey in Thailand.
We take the road to Amphawa, a small town south of Bangkok where you can dive into the heart of Thai life. Its floating market is the most authentic in the country, with a large majority of Thai visitors.
At the beginning of the afternoon, we visit the memorial park of King Rama II, where we find superb teak buildings.
Continuation with the visit of Wat Bang Kung (Kai Bang Kung), commonly called the Banyan Tree Temple, since its chapel was covered by the roots and branches of the banyan tree.
In its gardens, we can notably observe life-size representations of wrestlers, commemorating the battle of Ayutthaya between Thailand and Burma at the end of the 13th century.
At nightfall, boat trip on the canal. Our boatman picks us up at the docks, and we set off on a mini-excursion to hunt for the fireflies that light up the waters.
This evening, we go to the quays, to taste the local flavors of the Floating Market, which is held on weekend evenings. Along the canals, many locals come to dine. Just like them, we order our little dishes directly from each boat: a dish of sautéed noodles, a few skewers of shrimp or squid, or even pre-cut mangoes.
Early in the morning, we go to the Maeklong market, 4 times a day, the stalls of fruit and vegetables bend in a hurry as the train passes through the market.
Then, half-day of discovery of life in the mangroves. By boat, we set off to discover this fragile ecosystem. We discover during our excursion the way of life of fishermen (here the cockle fishing is done from a surfboard) and visit a shellfish farm.
Specialty lunch.
In the afternoon, visit the temple Wat Bang Khae Noi, located not far from the city. We appreciated its architecture, for which the building was entirely built in teak wood. Its walls are fully carved and depict episodes from Buddha's past lives.
Day accompanied by a English-speaking guide
In the evening, let us be tempted by a Thai massage. (Optional activity to do with the guide, on site).
Before leaving Amphawa, we stop with a Thai family, to learn how to make small palm leaf objects and in particular the small ''pla tapian'' fish whose mobiles are one of the specialties of the Ayutthaya region and 'Amphawa.
After lunch, we take the road to Kanchanaburi, where we will take the time to visit the great temple of Wat Tham Sua, accessible uphill with a small cable car (''local'' standards!!)
Day accompanied by a English-speaking guide
Installation at the Royal Riverkwai Resort Spa, with a superior double room)
Hotel on the banks of the river with swimming pool - Located about ten km after the town and the train bridge.
Departure for the station and boarding around 10:40 a.m. in the famous ''Death Train'' made famous by the story of the film ''the bridge over the river Kwai'', for about 1 hour by train towards the West and the SaiYok area, located 70 km west at the end of the train line.
After lunch, we spend the afternoon at the "Elephant Haven". On site, we buy baskets of fruit (not included – about 3 euros per basket), sweets from the pachyderms. AND in the early afternoon, swimming with the elephants!
Return at the end of the afternoon to Kanchanaburi (60 km or about 1 hour drive to the hotel).
Day accompanied by a English-speaking guide
Departure in the morning for the national park and the Erawan falls where we discover superb waterfalls extending over 7 levels and turquoise water. (Attention: From the 3rd level, very slippery ground.). Possibility of bathing.
After free time to enjoy the waterfalls, we take the road to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Siam.
Day accompanied by a English-speaking guide
After breakfast, we set off to explore the historic center of the city, including the Wat Mahathat temple, dating from the end of the 14th century. Continuation to the Wat Phra Sri Sanphet temple, which once served as a royal temple, and is therefore the largest in the city; Finally, Wat Chai Watthanaram, from where we can appreciate the beauty of its remains.
In the middle of the afternoon, we take the road to Bangkok, the modern capital of Thailand. Installation at the hotel, before leaving to explore the surroundings.
Day accompanied by a English-speaking guide
In the evening, magical dinner on a cruise ship on the Chao Praya River.
We spend 2 nights at the Shanghai Mansion, a superb Boutique Hotel in the heart of Chinatown.
Departure in the morning to reach the quay and take the public water buses and go up to the center, on the right bank and the flower market district of Pak Khlong Talat.
We start our day with a visit to the Grand Palace of Bangkok, built in 1782, which includes several magnificent buildings, including Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which contains a magnificent Emerald Buddha dating from the 14th century. .
Then, on foot we go to Wat Pho, one of the oldest temples in Bangkok, to discover its reclining Buddha.
We then cross the river with a small boat, to visit Wat Arun, the "temple of dawn", located on the right bank.
Ride in a traditional “long-tail” private water taxi on the Chao Phraya River, one of the largest in the country. Discovery of the Venice of the East and the traditional life of the inhabitants of this city, half of whom still live by the water.
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day and transfer to the airport at the time of your choice.
Possibility of extension for the Islands. Contact us.