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Discover Cambodia, a diverse country with a captivating history. After arrival in bustling Phnom Penh, we head to picturesque Kampot, a land of paddy fields and pepper plantations. We pause for lunch at Kep Bay and enjoy views across the Gulf of Thailand before transferring to tropical Koh Rong island. Returning to Phnom Penh, we visit the Royal Palace and the sobering Killing Fields before departing for Battambang, a well-preserved colonial town. Finally, we explore the temple complex of Angkor with a sunset visit and a bike ride to the less visited temples.
Highlights
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Finish
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Land Only Trip Price
Optional Single Supplement
Monday Sunday
20 Oct 2025 19 Oct 2025
Saturday Sunday
01 Nov 2025 02 Nov 2025
Availability Guaranteed (On Request) Only 5 spaces left!
Land Only Trip Price £ 2199 £ 2199
Optional Single Supplement +£ 535
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and can be booked, although some components will need to be requested. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
27 Oct 2025 26 Oct 2025
Saturday Sunday
08 Nov 2025 09 Nov 2025
Availability Guaranteed (On Request)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2199 £ 2199
Optional Single Supplement +£ 535
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and can be booked, although some components will need to be requested. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
10 Nov 2025 09 Nov 2025
Saturday Sunday
22 Nov 2025 23 Nov 2025
Availability Guaranteed (On Request) Only 3 spaces left!
Land Only Trip Price £ 2299 £ 2299
Optional Single Supplement +£ 535
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead but there are only 3 spaces left. Do not delay your booking!
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
15 Dec 2025 14 Dec 2025
Saturday Sunday
27 Dec 2025 28 Dec 2025
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 1999 £ 1999
Optional Single Supplement +£ 535
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
12 Jan 2026 11 Jan 2026
Saturday Sunday
24 Jan 2026 25 Jan 2026
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2199 £ 2199
Optional Single Supplement +£ 645
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
02 Feb 2026 01 Feb 2026
Saturday Sunday
14 Feb 2026 15 Feb 2026
Availability Guaranteed (Limited) Only 3 spaces left!
Land Only Trip Price £ 2299 £ 2299
Optional Single Supplement
+£ 605
Available upon Request
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead but there are only 3 spaces left. Do not delay your booking!
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
09 Feb 2026 08 Feb 2026
Saturday Sunday
21 Feb 2026 22 Feb 2026
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2099
Optional Single Supplement +£ 605
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
09 Mar 2026 08 Mar 2026
Saturday Sunday
21 Mar 2026 22 Mar 2026
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2099 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 524 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 605
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
30 Mar 2026 29 Mar 2026
Saturday Sunday
11 Apr 2026 12 Apr 2026
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2099 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 524 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 605
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
19 Oct 2026 18 Oct 2026
Saturday Sunday
31 Oct 2026 01 Nov 2026
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 1999 £ 1999 Book with £ 499 deposit Book with £ 499 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 605
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
09 Nov 2026 08 Nov 2026
Saturday Sunday
21 Nov 2026 22 Nov 2026
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2099 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 524 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 645
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesMonday Sunday
14 Dec 2026 13 Dec 2026
Saturday Sunday
26 Dec 2026 27 Dec 2026
Availability Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 2099 £ 2099 Book with £ 524 deposit Book with £ 524 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 645
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesOur adventure begins in Cambodia’s capital city, Phnom Penh.
Around 6pm, say sousadei to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.
Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome by arranging an optional group dinner at a nearby restaurant (which is included for all in 2026).
Want more time in Phnom Penh? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.
Accommodation: Ohana Hotel (or similar)
Leaving Phnom Penh, we travel into rural Cambodia to Kampot, which sits on a picturesque river. On the way, we stop at the 11th-century Phnom Chisor mountain temple, which is set on a hill with a magnificent view.
Upon arrival, we check into our centrally located hotel, our base for the next two nights, before boarding a local boat for a sunset trip on the Kampot River. The waterway runs through the town centre and can flow in both directions as it is closely connected to the sea.
Accommodation: The Columns Hotel (or similar)
Today, we venture into the countryside to discover the highlights of the Kampot province including salt fields, rice fields, fruit and pepper plantations, and the Phnom Chhnork caves. Kampot is also one of the largest producers of durian fruit; the durian, once opened, has a smell so pungent it is illegal to take it indoors in some Southeast Asian countries.
After exploring the countryside, we visit Kep ghost town. Once a popular seaside resort, Kep now houses old resort buildings marked with bullet holes from the Khmer Rouge period, a reminder of the not-so-distant past. It is regaining popularity with local tourists and you might like to join them in having lunch in the simple crab shacks that line the beach (the crab in Kampot pepper sauce is a must).
Accommodation: The Columns Hotel (or similar)
After breakfast, we drive (approximately 2hr 30min to three hours) from Kampot to Sihanoukville, before taking a speed boat ferry transfer (approximately 45 minutes to one hour) across to beautiful Koh Rong island, our home for the next two nights. Upon arrival, we have free time to relax, refresh with a sea swim, or sip cocktails as the sun sets.
Accommodation: Long Set Resort (or similar)
Our resort is on one of the most mesmerising and secluded white-sand beaches on the island. Today, you have free time to relax on the beach and enjoy the crystal-clear ocean waters, try various optional activities such as kayaking and other watersports, or just soak up the exotic surroundings. Your tour leader can advise of all options available.
Accommodation: Long Set Resort (or similar)
This morning, we transfer back to the mainland by speed boat (45 minutes to one hour) and drive on to Phnom Penh (approximate transfer time: five to six hours) with a stop for lunch.
Phnom Penh, on the banks of the Tonle Sap and the Mekong River, is home to 2.2m people. It’s the capital city, but retains a laid-back, typically Cambodian feel where the pace is slower than one might expect.
We set out on a sunset cyclo (bicycle rickshaw) lap of the town giving us a unique view of this bustling city and providing us with an easy orientation. Stopping to see street food served by the waterfront, we have the chance to try local specialities. We finish at a restaurant serving tasty Khmer cuisine. There are also many waterfront bars worth a visit; the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) overlooking the Tonle Sap river is recommended.
Accommodation: Ohana Hotel (or similar)
This morning, we first visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S21), which graphically displays the horrors of the four years when Pol Pot ordered the murder of between 2m and 3m Cambodians. It was originally a school but was used as a torture and interrogation centre between 1975 and 1979. It is a sobering but enlightening place to visit. After, we visit the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, a football field-sized area surrounded by farmland, which contains mass graves for perhaps 20,000 Cambodians, many of whom were tortured before being killed.
We complete our day with an afternoon visit to the Royal Palace complex, which has the Silver Pagoda inside, so named for the solid-silver tiles that make up the floor. Similar in style and scale to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, the Royal Palace has significantly fewer visitors and there is plenty of time to wander among the traditional buildings. There may also be time today to shop at either the impressive Central Market or the sprawling Russian Market, a souvenir hunter’s paradise.
Accommodation: Ohana Hotel (or similar)
Our destination today is Battambang (pronounced Battambong). The second-largest city in Cambodia, it is centred around an attractive riverside hub with traces of French elegance, friendly Khmer people and well-preserved colonial architecture. There are also striking examples of art deco architecture: central market, the Victory swimming pool and the train station to name a few. En route to Battambang, we can stop at a pottery village, a silversmith village and a marble handicraft workshop for an insight into local handcrafts and industry. In the evening, we enjoy an orientation walk alongside the Sangke River and observe daily life of the local people.
Accommodation: Classy Hotel (or similar)
Today, we cycle through countryside to explore the local rural life. Stopping at villages to see cottage industries, traditional scarf weaving and farming, there will be countless opportunities to interact with the villagers who may be surprised to see us travelling, as they do, on a bicycle. We reward our morning’s efforts with fruit and a refreshing coconut. The cycle is easy riding on flat terrain with lots of stops along the way. If you would like to opt out of the cycling and hop on a tuk-tuk instead, let the leader know at the beginning of the trip so alternative arrangements can be made.
Accommodation: Classy Hotel (or similar)
After breakfast, we head to the town of Siem Reap with stops at the local market at Pouk. Cambodian markets tend to be fragrant affairs – on offer here is Cambodian ‘cheese’; one of the strongest smelling cheeses around, perhaps because it is made entirely of fish. The local market is nonetheless a great insight into the daily life of the Cambodian people. We also make a brief stop at the Angkor Silk Farm for an introduction into the life of a silkworm and the production process of this fine textile. This afternoon, we walk past the Royal Gardens and along the Siem Reap River to the Old Market, helping us get our bearings in this small town. You may like to finish with a visit to the Artisans DÁngkor workshop – a not-for-profit organisation that provides vocational training for young people in traditional Cambodian arts.
Accommodation: Baitong Heritage Hotel (or similar)
Our first full day of temple touring is by private bus so we can visit some of the outlying temples such as Banteay Srei. Known as the Women’s Citadel, this small temple complex with intricate carvings is devoted to Brahma. Particularly impressive are Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm, still covered in jungle, similar to how it was when it first came to light.
Described as being ‘grander than anything of Greece or Rome’ by French explorer Henri Mouhot, this World Heritage site stands alongside the Pyramids and Machu Picchu as one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the world.
Tonight is free to enjoy one of the many restaurants on the ‘Bar Street’ boulevard in central Siem Reap. You may also wish to marvel at the skills of the Phare Cambodian Circus troop or chose to watch traditional Apsara dancing.
Accommodation: Baitong Heritage Hotel (or similar)
This morning, we get set up on mountain bikes for an easy but active ride around the Angkorian ruins that are closer to town. On the bicycle, we can avoid some of the crowds and get a unique perspective on this amazing site. If you want to rise early, you can arrange with your leader to take in Angkor at sunrise prior to the day’s cycling.
We visit the incredible Angkor Wat, the many temples inside the Royal City of Angkor Thom, including the magnificent Bayon, which is comprised of 54 intricately carved towers in one single temple. The Bayon certainly left an impression on an early traveller in 1925 who stated ‘we stand before it stunned. It is like nothing else in the land.’
Angkor is a truly magical experience and a photographer’s paradise, one of the real highlights of our trip. The ride will be approximately 15.5mi (25km) with plenty of opportunities for refreshment stops and to take photos. If you would like to opt out of cycling and instead cool down in the support vehicle, please let your leader know who can arrange the logistics of this and the rest of the group.
Accommodation: Baitong Heritage Hotel (or similar)
The tour ends this morning in Siem Reap after breakfast. If you’ve still a few pages left in your travel diary, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
On this adventure in Cambodia, we spend 10 nights in hotels and two nights in a resort. The accommodations are well located for our trip, often within walking distance of major local sites. Some also have swimming pools, so don’t forget your swimwear.
Phnom Penh: Ohana Hotel (nights 1 and 6-7)
Neighbouring the Tonle Sap River, this modern hotel is in the action. It’s just a seven-minute riverside walk to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, while the National Museum and Royal Palace are both within a 10-minute stroll. The hotel itself has a rooftop restaurant-bar, plus there’s a first-floor pool.
Kampot: The Columns Hotel (nights 2-3)
Embrace a bygone age at this 17-room hotel, which occupies a French Colonial building in Kampot old town. Rooms come with locally made hardwood beds and silk cushions, while the hotel is just a moments’ walk from restaurants and the Kampong Bay River.
Koh Rong island: Long Set Resort (nights 4-5)
Enjoy the beach life at this modern hotel, which has direct access to the white sands and calm waters of Long Set Beach. Relax on sun loungers or unwind on a hammock; for further relaxation, there’s a pool and spa at the hotel.
Battambang: Classy Hotel (nights 8-9)
With a rooftop terrace that offers sweeping views and a large pool, the Classy Hotel is a comfortable place to rest for two nights. It’s home to the Jaya Café Restaurant, which serves Asian and international cuisines, including made-to-order omelettes and traditional noodle soups.
Siem Reap: Baitong Heritage Hotel (nights 10-12)
A short drive from the Angkor temple complex, this hotel is ideally placed for our adventures in Siem Reap. When you’re not out exploring, there’s a swimming pool to splash around in plus a restaurant serving Cambodian and Western cuisines.
Worth knowing
This was an amazing trip which covered a real mixture of activities and sights. The trip was well paced with journeys in between not too long. I was impressed with the hotel rooms and only had issues with one hotel where the food and service was a bit lacking but not a major issue. Basically this is a beautiful country with lovely people. Even the traffic flows at a nice pace. Book this trip and you won’t be disappointed. A big plus was we had a brilliant group of 16 people.
It was surprising given the tour includes Angkor Wat but a number of us loved the APOPO HeroRATs in Siem Reap.
Like any trip like this a lot comes down to the guide and I can honestly say Bunthoeun was extremely knowledgable, helpful, funny, and shared his own life story which was very kind of him.
Number of early starts if that is an issue for someone. The Cambodian good and beers were very good.
Cambodia has been on my bucket list for some time. This trip covered all the places I wanted to visit; Phnom Peng, Kampot, Battambang and the majestic Angkor Wat. The addition of the island of Koh Rong was a bonus with its sandy beaches and crystal blue sea.
The visit to the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum (S21) and the Killing Fields was a very humbling experience.
Our group leader Bun was brilliant! He went above and beyond in every way, arranging everything and ensuring the restaurants understood any dietary requirement.
If arriving via air, apply for the e-card and e-visa via the Cambodia visa app, it's quick and easy. Take US dollars but make sure the notes are clean/new or they won't be accepted. You will need plenty of sunscreen and don't forget a hat.
Our Cambodia adventure was absolutely amazing and exceeded expectations. Ly was a brilliant tour guide and ensured everything went smoothly. I hadn’t come across the term ‘happy loo’ before, but Ly ensured that there were regular stops. Cambodian people are incredibly friendly and it is humbling to see how happy they are with so little, particularly in the south. Now is a great time to visit as I’m sure there will be a lot more tourists and it will change quickly in the future, particularly with the new airport near Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat does take your breath away.
Ly was exceptional. Our flight on the last day was late afternoon and as we had a three day pass to Angkor Wat he kindly organised for a tuk tuk to take us and wait for we visited an extra two temples. Great advice about restaurants and choices for the evening - Cambodian food is incredibly tasty.
Only one happy loo visited out of many did not have toilet paper so always worth having some in your pocket. It is an action packed, full itinerary, which I like, but worth getting out and about and exploring on your own as well. Our guide recommended suitable laundry adjacent to hotels that charge $2 per kilogram, so easy to get sweaty clothes cleaned again. The cycling was fun and on cycle tracks for nearly all of the time.
This was our ninth trip with Exodus and although Cambodia didn’t make it into my top three of countries visited, this tour was simply the best so far. This was as much due to sharing the trip with a lovely group of like-minded travellers and having an excellent leader as it was to the experiences we enjoyed together.
I suppose everyone expects the highlight to be the visit to Angkor Wat to see the sun rise over the temple, but for me the real wow moments came elsewhere. The cyclo ride around Phnom Penh was great fun, the bamboo train in Battambong an experience like no other. There were three boat trips to see the sunset, in Kampot, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, all of them memorable. And then there was the two-day stay at Koh Rong island, including a delightful group meal on the beach.
Chan Ly was exceptional. He was permanently available for help and advice - even sending a WhatsApp message at 3.45am to confirm our Angkor Wat trip would go ahead as planned. He did everything with a smile and bonded well with all members of the group. He was on hand to support when various members suffered stomach upsets. Most of all his knowledge of and pride in his country enabled us to see so much of Cambodian life.
Cambodia is a rapidly developing country. I was astonished at the number of high rise buildings, many still under construction, in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Siem Reap, and some of the trunk roads are in the throes of an upgrade. And beware of the monkeys. My wife lost her camera case after an unequal struggle with an aggressive macaque at Angkor. We also spent much time before heading for Cambodia trying to find an appropriate plug adaptor. Don't worry. Almost all sockets accept UK plugs. Finally, consider adding a day or two to your holiday. There is more to do in and around Siem Reap than can be fitted into the Exodus itinerary.
A fantastic insight into this wonder country of vast contrasts. The people are warm and friendly. The towns and cities are vibrant while the countryside is quiet and tranquil – time for reflection and contemplation. The trip is extremely well organised and the staff we encountered were helpful, friendly and very supportive.
it would be impossible to single out one moment. The visit to the Genocide Museum and subsequently the Killing Fields will stay with me for ever. The temples of Angkor Wat were astounding as was the history and stories behind them. Most warming for me were the people. Most have very little in life but they smile, cannot do enough to help you or tell you of their country - their pride and humanity is astounding. I loved Kampot, especially that lovely hotel (the Columns?) and the insights we had into the life, skills and crafts of the local people. The food was amazing throughout - I tried most things (avoided rat and frog) and loved all of it. The hospitality skills throughout were very generous at all levels of society. This was a trip that lifted me out of my own worries and those of the world - it was life affirming and I am so pleased to have been a part of it.
Fila is quite a guy. He is warm, fun, a proud Cambodian and family man. He had such an excellent knowledge of all the places we visited and if he was unsure of any of our bizarre questions he went out of his way to find out what we want to know. He met all our requests, including Happy Hour at Raffles in Siem Reap, and guided us into a diverse array of restaurants and bars, from authentic tourist locations, to "local local" establishments, including a home dining experience which, without exception, we all loved. FIla's English is good and getting better as he is determined to learn. His pronunciation lead to some minor humorous misunderstandings at times, though overall it was excellent. At times Fila tended to over explain and illustrate his point, but I think this was to ensure that we understood his thinking. Overall, he was the best of excellent guides.
Dont hesitate to take this trip if you are curious. There is so much to see and do, lots to learn if you are that way inclined, and overall it offers a great range of activities and experiences. We found Cambodia to offer an insight into "old Asia" as well as the more modern aspects - a mid may between Thailand and Malaysia ,and northern Vietnam for example. The food is amazing, the landscapes are beautiful and the palaces and temples quite exquisite. The recent history of genocide in this country needs mentioning, as its echos are still heard in the country today. An extra day in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap would be a good idea at each end of the holiday.
This was probably one of the best trips l have ever done.Eight of us became the Fila Family and we were all Seniors!! As the trip went on we became experts in spotting a Happy Hour 2 for 1 in any town we stayed in.The proposal to remove the water bowser for a beer barrel however fell on deaf ears…………not that seniors can drink……………. This was very much an up and at it tour so no lie ins. Food was really good and great value.Fila was always available to give us advice.Insects for dinner? No problem for these Seniors!!! After dinner we went dancing with the locals.Sorry the men watched on and the girls danced.What a moment.So many great times. Fila kept us in order and always had the hand sanitizer on tap………………..(in house joke) He was a mind of information and was very proud to show us his home town of Siem Reap and of course Angkor Wat. Seniors get up and go!We were all 60-70 and we completed the tour of Cambodia on the bikes……….(There’s a joke there) Go now.This country will change dramatically in the next couple of years. The Cambodians are a lovely people considering the pain and suffering they have had to endure.(Killing fields) So what is stopping you???
1.5 course fish lunch in Kep Fish Market for peanuts,but superb.Straight from the sea. 2.The two night stay on the lsland. 3.The salt fields. 4.Guests and eating with a Cambodian family.(A must) 5.All the markets.Arriving on bikes and trying to speak ANY Cambodian was appreciated and great fun.
Fila is probably one of the best tour guides l have had the pleasure to be with.His English was superb,and his knowledge of his country outstanding.Throw the guide books away!! He went out of his way to help us. We became his family and he always made sure we sanitzed our hands............ Found out a lot about him and his family. When we did have an issue on ironically the last day he was very professional in dealing with the bike accident in a calm and safe manner. You need to look after him............
Cambodia has sold it's soul to China who are pouring money into the country to develop the infrastructure and tourism. IF you want to see a mess look at Shihanouk. THe beauty of this country will be gone in the next couple of years and replaced with highrise hotels aka Benidorm So the moral of the story is GO.You will not regret it.
Fabulous well organised trip – saw more of Cambodia in the 12 days than we could have ever have organised ourselves. our guide made the trip memorable with his vast knowledge and passion for his country, he went above and beyond his duties. Some of the days are long and hot but he crammed in as much as he could into the days of travelling stopping at small villages along the way. Thank you Fila and Exodus for a memorable time
Genocide Museum and Killing Fields will be etched in my brain forever (not inspirational but memorable) Evening dinner at a family home with a great host who made us most welcome Days cycling around Battambang and Angkor Wat Sunrise at Angkor Wat and cycling round the outlying temples
Fabulous leader who spoke great English and became a friend of the group, he looked after us with great care and made sure everything was very well organised Fila made the holiday and we will never forget him
Be prepared for some long hot days - most days we set off at 8am so don't expect a lie in bed!
13 days in a small country, not too full of attractions, enables one to delve deeper into this fascinating yet troubled destination. Personally, I found the tour enjoyable and fascinating (not boring for even a minute). If you’re lucky enough to have Bun for your guide, than you hit the jackpot!
They don't come any better - knowledge, responsibility and professionalism.
This trip was amazing. It was such a mix of different parts of the country
From the bustling capital of Phnom Penh to relaxing beaches in the south then cycling around Battenbang visiting different local industries and finishing up with the awe inspiring temples of Siem Reep
With our most incredible guide “Bun” who worked tirelessly to make sure everyone of us had an enjoyable time.
I would have to say that the most inspiring thing about this trip was “Bun” a truly amazing young man.
“Bun” was caring,funny,enthusiastic,helpful,knowledgable,friendly and very passionate about his wonderful country... He is a credit to Exodus
Go and immerse yourself in this wonderful country, yes it’s poor but the people are delightful and the countryside is stunning.... This trip gives you a snippet of so many different parts of Cambodia. We could easily have spent a week in every town.
The variety of experiences on this trip is among the highest that I have got from any trip, from the serenity of seeing over a million bats streaming out of their roost cave at dusk to the horrors of a killing field and its torture prison, between which are the mystical majesty of the temples of Angkor. are the grand finale to the trip. Along the way were many encounters of real life in this beautiful country as well as snorkelling in the sea.
Inspirational is a difficult word to asses for this trip, so let me try some others for you: Horrifying - the sheer inhumanity of what went on in the torture prison and the killing field (I just had to go and find a quiet corner with my own thoughts - our tour leader, Bun, whose parents had been Khmer Rouge child soldiers, came to my rescue as he was the only person to know so intimately what went on here; Humbling - meeting two survivors of the torture camp (I was left dumbstruck); Magnificent - seeing over a million bats suddenly start to stream out of their roost cave and head out to eat enough paddy field pest to save 20,000 tonnes of rice per year (nature at its most beautiful, so shortly after the horrors above); Majestic - the whole temple complex of the Angkor area (some are beautifully carved, some are vast, others are simply serene in their simplicity and tranquility, Ta Prohm not being among the tranquil ones since the Tomb Raider film. Crazy - the traffic in every town and city but this was contrasted by the ability of everyone to get through crowded junctions with in calm chaos. Walking out into the road, in the assured belief that you would not get run over, is a habit that one will have to rapidly get out of back in the UK! Tranquility - so many places were blissfully quiet, even at the fabulous hotel near Sihanoukville, where one had just gone through a vast building site, was so gloriously located on the beach near a fabulous choice of bars and restaurants. This was the first trip over the New Year when I have been able to get to sleep early due to the quiet in our Siem Reap hotel.
Bun was a star so let me tell you why: he always gave us fabulously accurate and informative briefings about the following day (when we needed to be anywhere; what we would be doing; what we should be wearing; what we should bring with us) as well as updates throughout the day; he was always able to find suitable restaurants for group dinners and coped well with the assorted dietary requirements of some guests. Finding a restaurant for 17 people at short notice is very difficult in any location at any time of year, let alone over the New Year period. Some evenings, when no group dinner was needed, we would find him joining us for dinner and fabulous conversations always resulted; his charm was endless, even when some guests were less than polite or helpful; we always knew where he was as we could always hear his delightful giggle; when one of the guests developed medical complications from sand fly bites, he was fabulous about ensuring that she got the appropriate medical treatment in the right facility and kept the rest of us informed of her progress; when another was taken ill during a bus trip, he dealt with it so discretely that most people had no idea that there had been any problem; his knowledge of his country is amazing; with his parents having been child-soldiers for the Khmer Rouge we knew that he had a very close connection with that dark phase of his country's recent history - he was amazingly frank about some aspects of his parents' lives and of his own extraordinary upbringing; he is a great testament as to what someone can achieve in their own life through sheer determination and hard work, making us feel very humble at having had the privilege of meeting him (woe betide any snivelling brat who whinges about not having the latest gadget, just because they "want" it!) with my husband having broken five vertebrae and twice having had his pelvis crushed, he is a self-confessed "princess and the pea" when it comes to bed mattresses. Bun phoned ahead to ensure that our last hotel had extra facilities in the room when we arrived, helping to ensure some 3 good nights' sleep.
GO
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