Signature Luxurious Experiences in Cambodia in 10 days

A city tour will acquaint you with some of the major sights of Phnom Penh. The private quarters of the Royal Palace are now home to the royal family and are therefore closed to the public. In the northern area of the palace grounds is the Silver Pagoda, the most sacred shrine in the country. You will also visit the legendary temple of Wat Phnom, which provides an interesting view over the environs. The next stop of your trip will be the National Museum, exclusively dedicated to Khmer art and sculpture. And, if you desire, you may make a detour to visit the notorious Toul Sleng Genocide Museum.

For the rest of day, you will go on a shopping excursion at the Central Market and Toul Tompong Market where you will feel the bustling daily life of the local people. You will then have a private table for a fine dining experience and then an overnight stay in Phnom Penh.

You will have breakfast at your hotel and then transfer to Phnom Penh Airport for a flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival at Siem Reap Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check in for a four night stay.

In the afternoon, you will have free time to enjoy the comfort of your hotel and/or take an optional tour (free of charge) and go boating o n Tonle Sap Lake . This is the largest permanent fresh-water lake in Southeast Asia and flows into Tonle Sap River, joining the Mekong in Phnom Penh. You will see a fishermen's "floating village" with floating schools, police stations, etc. Of course, the "village" moves from place to place following water levels and current!

You will then have dinner and enjoy a traditional Khmer dance show at Angkor Village Theater.

You will visit Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), Neak Pean (a fountain built in the middle of a pool representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), Ta Som (built in late 12th century C.E. and the most distant temple on the grand circuit). You will also visit Preah Khan Temple. Built by the King Jayavarman VII., Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, the temple of Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation.

You will then drive back to the hotel for refreshments and lunch, or you may want a siesta.

In the afternoon, you will visit Ta Prohm, one of the area's most beautiful temples. Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. You will also learn about Thommanon , Chau Tevoda , and Takeo temples.

Finally, you will enjoy a high-end dining experience at Chez Sophea restaurant, located at the Archeological Park.

You will discover the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12 century), including the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk), the Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

In the afternoon, you will visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. You then enjoy a scenic flight around Angkor Wat for about 30 minutes in a state-of-the-art luxury air-conditioned helicopter. This scenic flight will show you the enormous scale of this world-famous heritage site.

Today you will venture away from Angkor and discover the people and wide-open unspoiled countryside of rice paddies, little villages and lost temples. You will drive up Phnom Koulen Mountain for a visit to the River of a Thousand Lineages, the Grand Buddha and the majestic waterfall. You will have a picnic lunch near the fall.

Archaeologists had long suspected that the city of Mahendraparvata lay hidden beneath a canopy of dense vegetation atop Phnom Koulen Mountain. Finally, airborne lasers produced the first detailed map of a vast cityscape, including highways and previously undiscovered temples. Imagine, a 1,200-year-old city buried deep in the jungle!

On the way down to town, you will visit the Banteay Srey and a Khmer Village and drive back to Siem Reap for the rest of the day for free time and a restful night in Siem Reap.

You will enjoy the late breakfast at the resort in Siem Reap. You will then enjoy the morning free to explore. You will have lunch and then be transferred to Siem Reap airport for a flight to Sihanoukville.

Upon arrival at Sihanouk Ville Airport, You will transfer to a boat for departure to Song Saa Island. In Cambodia's untouched Koh Rong Archipelago, two pristine islands lie side by side. They are known locally as Song Saa – Khmer for ‘The Sweethearts'.

Your Jungle Villa (Villa 7 is recommended) is perched amongst the rainforest canopy looking out over the open ocean with the choice of sunrise or sunset views.

Three nights will be spent at the exclusive retreat, relaxing and enjoying the exquisite food, with an array of activities including swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing and diving, plus a wide choice of spa treatments for those in need of some pampering.

After a wonderful cultural trip, it's time for a luxurious, tropical beach experience.

Song Saa Private Island features 27 villas, uncompromising luxury and is designed to reflect the simple beauty of the natural environment. Here, you can enjoy snorkeling, sea kayaking, bird watching, yoga and more, plus inclusive breakfast, lunch, dinner, wines, beers and spirits!

You can take advantage of all this and more as you please on this relaxing day!

At the resort's heart is a world-class restaurant and lounge, spectacularly positioned just off the island's shoreline and surrounded by the sea. A short stroll on the boardwalk will leave you perfectly positioned to take in dramatic sunsets, seascapes and starry nights. You can enjoy many activities or have the option of absolutely doing nothing on this paradise just found.

Day 10: Song Saa Island – Phnom Penh – Departure (B)

You may want to enjoy the late, big breakfast and read the last pages of your novel before you check out. Remember that the hour on the island is set one hour ahead of the mainland.

You will depart to Sihanoukville by boat and transfer to Phnom Penh Airport for your onward flight home (there will be no guide for this transfer).