Explore Phnom Penh with a Local Specialist, taking in the bold concrete geometry of Olympic Stadium and the tiered roofs of the Royal Palace. Enter the Silver Pagoda to see its silver-tiled floor and painted Reamker murals.

Pause at Wat Phnom, follow the riverfront near the meeting of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap and Bassac rivers, and browse Street 240’s independent shops. The route brings Cambodia’s royal heritage and 1960s modernist architecture into view.

Visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, housed in the former S-21 detention and interrogation centre, and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center outside Phnom Penh. These are places of remembrance that confront the persecution and deaths caused by the Khmer Rouge.

Photographs, preserved spaces and memorials give personal and historical context to a difficult chapter of Cambodia’s past. The visits offer time to reflect on the people affected and the importance of preserving their stories.

Step inside workshops in Koh Chen to watch local makers shape and engrave silver and copper by hand. Browse bowls, trays and decorative pieces, observing the patient work behind their patterned surfaces.

This riverside community is known for metalworking skills passed between generations. Seeing the artisans at their benches offers a closer understanding of how traditional Cambodian craft remains part of village life.

Climb the steep stone steps to Phnom Banan, where weathered temple towers stand above the Battambang countryside. Explore the ancient stonework and look out across rice fields, palms and villages from the hilltop.

The ascent brings the surrounding landscape into focus as well as the temple itself. Its surviving Khmer architecture and elevated setting offer a sense of the region’s long history beyond the streets of Battambang.

Experience Battambang’s Bamboo Train, a simple bamboo platform set on rails running through the countryside. See how this distinctive local form of rail travel connects to routes once used to move people and goods.

Its pared-back construction stands in contrast to conventional trains, while the surrounding fields place it firmly in rural Cambodia. The visit offers a memorable look at a resourceful part of Battambang’s transport history.

Visit Wat Kor Village to see traditional Khmer houses raised on timber stilts, with broad verandas and shuttered windows. At Mrs Bun Roeung’s Ancient House, examine the dark timber frame, tiled roof and generous wooden veranda up close.

These homes reveal building traditions shaped by Cambodia’s climate and patterns of family life. Set among Battambang’s villages, they offer a perspective on local heritage beyond its temples and colonial-era streets.

Explore Battambang Provincial Museum and its collection of sculpture and archaeological objects from across the province. Look closely at pieces that reveal the craftsmanship and beliefs of communities connected to this part of Cambodia.

The museum provides context for Battambang’s historic sites, linking objects to the wider Khmer cultural landscape. It is a focused opportunity to consider the region’s past through surviving works rather than scenery alone.

Travel to Phnom Sampeau, a temple-crowned hill rising above the plains near Battambang. Take in its prominent place in the landscape and the local stories associated with the site.

Near dusk, there may be a chance to watch bats streaming from the cave mouth, forming a dark ribbon across the sky. This natural spectacle depends on conditions, but the hill and its countryside setting make the visit distinctive in their own right.

Visit the National Silk Centre in Puok District to follow the work behind Cambodian silk, from mulberry cultivation and silkworms to finished textiles. Watch the careful handwork involved and learn about traditional Khmer weaving techniques, including ikat.

Silk-making demands time, precision and skills passed between makers. Seeing its stages in one place gives the patterned cloth found in Cambodia’s markets a deeper connection to the people who produce it.

Watch sunrise over Angkor Wat as its five towers emerge against the changing sky and reflect in the temple pools. Cross the causeway with a Local Specialist and enter sandstone galleries carved with apsaras, gods and warriors.

Built in the 12th century, Angkor Wat is celebrated for its vast scale and detailed Khmer stonework. The growing daylight reveals features that are hard to see in silhouette, from the towers’ profiles to the stories worked into the walls.

Explore Srah Srang and Ta Prohm with a Local Specialist in the Angkor archaeological area. At Ta Prohm, walk among temple walls and doorways gripped by enormous tree roots, where stone and jungle remain closely entwined.

Srah Srang’s ancient reservoir evokes the scale of water management in the Khmer Empire. Together, these sites show different sides of Angkor: its engineered landscape and the atmosphere of a temple partly reclaimed by nature.

Walk through Angkor Thom, the former Khmer royal city, to the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King. Study the long rows of figures and intricate reliefs carved into their stone walls.

These ceremonial terraces belonged to a city built on an imposing scale. Exploring them on foot gives a sense of the setting in which royal life unfolded and brings the skill of Angkor’s sculptors into close view.

Travel by tuk tuk between Phnom Penh bars on an optional evening out. Enjoy the changing city atmosphere as you move between stops, with street lights and busy neighbourhoods offering a different view of the capital.

This is a social way to experience Phnom Penh beyond its daytime landmarks. Available at additional cost and bookable on tour, the outing is suited to travellers who want a hosted introduction to the city’s bar scene.

Taste Khmer cuisine at Jaan Bai in Battambang, where dishes are prepared using local ingredients. The optional meal offers a chance to sit down with Cambodian flavours rather than treating dinner as a routine stop.

Presented as a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, the restaurant connects dining with a broader purpose in the local community. Available at additional cost and bookable on tour, it offers a closer encounter with Battambang’s contemporary food culture.

Cruise Tonlé Sap Lake near Siem Reap as softer light spreads across the water. From the boat, take in the scale of Cambodia’s great freshwater lake and the changing views along its shores.

The lake is central to the region’s waterways and livelihoods, giving this outing a perspective beyond the temples. Available at additional cost and bookable on tour, the cruise is a scenic choice for travellers drawn to Cambodia’s waterscapes.

Watch Phare Circus in Siem Reap, where acrobatics, theatre and live music come together to tell Cambodian stories on stage. The performance puts the physical skill and expressive work of its artists at the centre of the evening.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience offers a window into contemporary Cambodian performance rather than an ancient-temple setting. Available at additional cost and bookable on tour, it is an option for travellers interested in the country’s creative voices.

Ride by water buffalo cart through the countryside beyond Siem Reap, passing green rice fields and slender palms. Meet local farmers, learn about silkworms, and share tea and snacks during the visit.

The outing brings everyday rural work and hospitality into focus, offering a contrast to the monumental stonework of Angkor. Available at additional cost and bookable on tour, it suits travellers who want time with the people and agricultural traditions of the region.

Watch craftspeople at Artisans Angkor in Siem Reap and see the skill involved in making Cambodian decorative work. Visit Wat Damnak for a Buddhist monk’s blessing, a distinct encounter with a living religious tradition.

The experience connects contemporary craft with cultural practice, offering more than a market-browsing stop. Available at additional cost and bookable on tour, it gives travellers a closer look at the hands and customs behind Siem Reap’s heritage.

Travel by tuk tuk between Siem Reap’s food and drink stops, tasting Cambodian tipples and food-stall favourites before finishing with local craft beers. The hosted outing offers a lively way to sample the city after dark.

Street-side cooking and neighbourhood stops reveal a side of Siem Reap beyond its temple routes. Available at additional cost and bookable on tour, this experience is designed for travellers keen to explore local flavours in company.

Enjoy dinner at Kanell Restaurant in Siem Reap alongside an Apsara dance performance. Watch the dancers’ measured gestures and storytelling as the evening pairs a meal with Cambodian performing arts.

Apsara imagery appears throughout Angkor’s carved galleries, giving the performance a cultural connection to the region’s historic sites. Available at additional cost and bookable on tour, this option brings dance and dining together in one hosted evening.

Costsaver

• 7 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Lunch (L)

• Phnom Penh: Discover Phnom Penh’s striking Olympic Stadium before visiting the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, home to Cambodia’s finest royal treasures
• Visit Koh Chen island and discover its centuries-old tradition of silver and copper craftsmanship, watching skilled artisans create intricate handmade pieces
• See the Bamboo Train, visit Battambang Provincial Museum and travel to Phnom Sampeau
• Watch sunrise over Angkor Wat, renowned for its grand scale, intricate carvings and towering temple spires
• Explore the ancient city of Angkor Thom and visit Ta Prohm, where tree roots wind through centuries-old temple ruins

• Selected hotel dinners, with optional meals to purchase
• Deluxe coach travel
• 3-star stays

• Choeung Ek Genocidal Center: Visit the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, a memorial dedicated to the victims who died under the reign of the Khmer Rouge.
• Phnom Penh: Explore Phnom Penh with a Local Specialist, from the broad sweep of the Olympic Stadium to the ornate Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. Pause at Wat Phnom, follow the riverfront where the Mekong, Tonlé Sap and Bassac rivers meet, then head to Street 240 for cafés and independent shops.
• You’ll spend the day exploring Battambang, where well-preserved French colonial architecture contrasts with traditional Khmer homes at Wat Kor. From hilltop countryside views at Phnom Banan to the temple-topped summit of Phnom Sampeau, you’ll uncover the landscapes and local stories that shape this riverside city.
• Phnom Penh: At the National Silk Centre, you’ll follow the journey from mulberry cultivation to finished silk, learning how traditional Khmer techniques are kept alive. See the patience and craft behind sericulture and ikat weaving, and discover how skills dating back centuries are still taught and practised.
• Angkor Wat: Join your Local Specialist and immerse yourself in the stories of the celestial nymphs and mystical serpents. 
• Siem Reap: It’s worth the early wake-up to see Angkor Wat at sunrise, its five towers silhouetted against the changing sky and reflected in the temple pools. As morning light spreads across the ancient stone, take in the scale and intricate detail of Cambodia’s most celebrated temple complex.