Itinerary Expand all Day 1 Fly from Saigon to Siem Reap You will fly to Siem Reap (included as part of the extension) and be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Depending on the flight schedule there may be time for an afternoon visit to Angkor temples with your local English speaking guide or, season depending, a visit to the Tonle Sap Lake (extra fee for the boat and entrance fee). Day 2 Angkor Wat A full day will be spent exploring the complex. You will visit the incredible Angkor complex, the many temples inside the Royal City of Angkor Thom, including the magnificent Bayon, and other less-visited outlying temples. Particularly impressive are Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm, which is still covered in jungle, as it was first found almost 140 years ago. There is also the opportunity to see this fantastic temple complex at sunset. A truly magical experience and a photographer's paradise. Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Angkor and Phnom Penh For those that are keen we will start the day with a sunrise tour of the temples. We then have a half day temple tour planned to enable us to get the most out of visiting this spectacular site. We will take a late afternoon flight to Phnom Penh. Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Phnom Penh We have a full day city tour of Phnom Penh today. This will include the beautiful Royal Palace and the Tuol Sleng Museum (Museum of Genocide), which graphically displays the horrors of the 4 years when Pol Pot systematically ordered the murder of between 2 and 3 million Cambodians. Tuol Sleng was originally a school but was used as a torture and interrogation centre between 1975 and 1979. It is a sobering, depressing and enlightening place to visit. Following the visit to the museum we travel out to the 'Killing Fields' of Choeung Ek, a mass gravesite discovered after the fall of the Khmer Rouge. Many of the dead were former inmates of the Tuol Sleng prison. Phnom Penh is a city in transition and, despite its horrific recent history, it has started to find its feet. Some of its former French colonial buildings have been restored and there is a small but lively restaurant and bar scene developing along the riverfront. The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda date back to the 19th century and were built in classic Khmer style under the French protectorate. Here you will discover a priceless collection of historical objects giving you an insight into the past achievements of the Khmer Empire. Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 End Phnom Penh End Phnom Penh. Flights are usually overnight so you will have some free time in the morning/afternoon before heading to the airport. Meals included: Breakfast
Cambodia Arriving By Flight: An electronic visa (e-Visa) facility is available via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Co-operation website at the cost of $37. A tourist visa can be obtained on arrival for British nationals at most border crossings. Two passport photos are required. The cost is US$30, although an additional express fee of US$5-6 may be incurred at the border. For further information see the FCDO site and check under Cambodia / 'Entry Requirements'. Arriving Overland: A tourist visa can be obtained on arrival for British nationals at most border crossings. Two passport photos are required. The cost is US$30, although an additional express fee of US$5-6 may be incurred at the border. For further information see the FCDO site and check under Cambodia / 'Entry Requirements'. Important advice regarding E-Visas Please be advised, e-Visas are not accepted at all border check points when travelling overland. This applies to the following borders/trips: Tinh Bien, Vietnam/ Phnom Den, Takeo, Cambodia border: AOX- Thai Indochina Explorer Xa Xia, Vietnam/ Prek Chak, Cambodia (Ha Tien crossing): FIJ- South East Asia Adventure You can only purchase a tourist visa on arrival at these borders as e-Visas will not be accepted. More information can be found at: https://www.evisa.gov.kh/ https://www.evisa.gov.kh/information/port_entry/3
Cambodia There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
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Reviewed January 2020 Sarah Gray Great extension to the Vietnam trips Five days is not really long enough to explore this fascinating country but our two bases gave a quick snapshot and a desire to know more. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? In Siem Reap: 1) The sunrise over Angor Wat; which was really quite spectacular. 2) Wandering down a street away from all the bright lights and restaurants on Pub Street, finding eateries where the menus were not in English and realising why the dish we'd selected was called ginger with pork and not the other way around. A plate full of what we had thought were noodles turned out to be shredded ginger with a few bits of pork. Delicious, very warming and possibly not one for the English dinner party. In Phnom Penn: 1) Seeing the evidence of the Khmer Rouge activity, which we had heard of in the 70's at home but not realised the full extent of their effect on the country nor how long it had taken to finally defeat them. Also hearing our guides personal family experience. 2) Eating at the rooftop restaurant of our hotel over looking the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. What did you think of your group leader? Both were helpful and informative. In Siem Reap Darath was great at explaining the history of the temples and the Angkor Empire, whilst delivering a great series of jokes and knowing all the best spots to take photos from. In Phn om Penh Chanchesda was informative and helpful. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you can afford the extra few days at the end of a busy holiday then this is an extension not to be missed.