Highlights of Laos & Cambodia: 11-Nights

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Upon arrival, you meet your guide and driver for your transfer to your hotel where you might rest at leisure by the swimming pool. In the late afternoon, we gather in the lobby and go first to the top of Mount Phousi for a nice sunset over the peninsula. We then drive to a restaurant in town for dinner. Overnight in Luang Prabang

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Accommodation: Sada Hotel

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Meals Provided: Dinner

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At about 8.30am, we hop on a gleaming vintage Tuk-tuk to venture in style around the old Luang Prabang town. First stop of this original sightseeing tour will be the Morning Market, where guide will help you immerse in this joyful atmosphere and learn more about local products.  We then stop at the magnificent Wat Xiengthong  temple with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We end our morning with the visit the former Royal Palace, now a National Museum (close Tuesday) where you will find ornate, gilded and brocaded reception rooms, as well as Buddha and Spectacular artefacts including the Prabang, a large holy image, which was given in the 14th century by the Khmers to King Fa Ngum. Lunch is served in town. In the afternoon we continue our excursion toward Kuang Si Waterfalls, en route, we visit local villages to discover more about the local ethnicity. We stop at the H’mong Village of Ban Ou, Laoloum Village and later on at the Khmu Village of Ban Thapene. Wander around these villages, meet with locals and let your guide introducing the cultures to you. We then drive to the beautiful falls where you can splash around in the turquoise pools or walk along the forest trails. We return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon, end of the day at leisure. Overnight in Luang Prabang

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Accommodation: Sada Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakast, Lunch

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An early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. After attending it, we return to the hotel for breakfast. We then transfer to the pier and hop on a private boat for a nice cruise upstream the Mekong river. We stop by an ethnic village on the way, the opportunity to witness how life is going by on the shores of this mighty River before we reach Pak Ou caves.  Locally called Tam Ting, the caves are filled with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues. The caves are noted for their miniature Buddha sculptures. Hundreds of wooden Buddhist figures take many different positions, including meditation, teaching, peace, rain, and reclining (nirvana). A nice lunch is served onboard while we cruise back to Luang Prabang. We should be at the hotel in the mid-afternoon, time at leisure until this evening. In the early evening we go sip a cocktail while taking a glimpse into the Laotian past through the silent movie Chang – A Drama of the Wilderness. Premiered in 1927, this masterpiece was one of the blockbusters of the year before mysteriously disappearing for 60 years. Re-edited mid-90s, the film is shown with new composition score based on Lao traditional music. Evening at leisure. Overnight in Luang Prabang

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Accommodation: Sada Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Depart the hotel and we head out to a local farm of Luang Prabang, where we will learn and experience the local way of rice cultivation. After having an overview by visiting a small rice museum, we learn how rice is farmed, using water buffalo for ploughing together with the traditional manual processes of ranking, transplanting, sowing, grinding, and pounding. We end with a hands-on cookery session at the farm and the resulting lunch before heading back to the hotel. We take a bit of time to refresh and in the afternoon we go visit the UXO Center to learn more about war History in Laos. We also stop by the Ock Pop Tock center for people into crafts and local products before returning to the hotel in the late afternoon. End of the day at leisure. Overnight in Luang Prabang

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Accommodation: Sada Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

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Breakfast at the hotel and then time at leisure for some last wanderings around Luang Prabang. Transfer to the airport for your onward flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Welcome to Cambodia! You will be met by our guide at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Siem Reap town. Take the time to refresh before we gather in the lobby and head to a local restaurant for an Apsara dance show and dinner. Overnight in Siem Reap

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Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakfast, Dinner

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After breakfast, we ignite the day with the visit of Angkor National Museum - an archaeological museum dedicated to the collection, preservation and presentation of Angkorian artifacts. It also provides information and education about art and culture of Khmer civilization, with collections mainly dating from Khmer Empire's Angkor period circa 9th to 14th-century. Most of the artifacts were discovered in and around the Angkor archaeological sites. We continue with the ancient city of Angkor Thom, surrounded by an 8m high wall. Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. We continue to Bayon Temple in the exact centre of the city. This 12th century masterpiece is a study in grandeur, its exterior gallery walls featuring extensive, superb bas-reliefs, particularly the East and South Galleries. In the afternoon, we explore at Ta Prohm Temple. Unlike most other Angkor temples, Ta Prohm has been left just as it was when rediscovered: a photogenic and atmospheric maze of trees growing out of temple ruins amidst jungle surroundings, making it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors. We end our day with Angkor Wat, easily the most famous and best-preserved of all temples within the Angkor complex. It is a massive three-tiered structure crowned by five lotus-like towers rising 65 meters from ground level. The centerpiece of any visit to the temples around Siem Reap, Angkor offers many iconic sights for amazing pictures. We return to the hotel after a day filled with amazing sights and cultural insights. End of the day at leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap

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Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakfast

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In the morning we drive to Banteay Srei temple. It is a one-hour drive to the so-called citadel of women. It is made of red sandstone and magnificently carved, also known as the jewel of Khmer art. We then travel to a little piece of nice countryside, where is established a community-based project called Bong Thom. Here we start a cookery session, joining hands in the preparation of the lunch. We prepare for ourselves a true Khmer feast. In the afternoon, we drive back Siem Reap and indulge a last visit heading to the workshops of the Artisans d’Angkor. This is a very interesting place where some ancestral craftsmanshifts techniques are demonstrated and preserved. We then drive back to the hotel, end of the day at leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap

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Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

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After breakfast, we travel South to the Tonle Sap Lake and the Kompong Kleang floating village. It is, in fact, a settlement of over 20,000 people where houses tower up to ten meters above the water, Greeted by the waves of the friendly locals, here we can glimpse Cambodia’s countryside culture and traditional family lifestyle. We return to the city for lunch at a local restaurant that supports the disadvantaged youths of the region by offering them vocational training and career development opportunities. In the afternoon we travel to Beng Meala, the forgotten temple lost in the middle of a thick jungle. A short walk across the forest and we unveil these impressive ruins, which give every visitor the feeling of being an explorer. We return to Siem Reap in the late afternoon, end of the day at leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap

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Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

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Enjoy some free time to bid farewell to Siem Reap, tread lightly around the town, do some last minute shopping at its markets or indulge for once a late wake up and some lazy time by the swimming pool. We transfer you to the airport in the early afternoon to catch a flight to Phnom Penh. You are greeted at the airport and driven to your hotel. From there, we start an iconic tuk-tuk tour and enjoy a sightseeing of Phnom Penh by night while the temperatures have already cooled down. Once we are back at the hotel, end of the day at leisure. Overnight in Phnom Penh

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Accommodation: Queen Grand Boutique Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakfast

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Today, let’s discover the classics of Phnom Penh and go beyond to unveil some lesser known corners of the city. We start in the morning with the visit of the silver Pagoda / Royal Palace (please note that long pants and sleeves are required). We then head to the central market, explore its colorful stalls and taste several of the numerous street food dishes offered around. An insightful way to have lunch and to live a slice of pure local life. In the afternoon we go visit the Genocide Museum. A very interesting visit, that can be heartbreaking somehow, but that allows to better understand contemporary Cambodia and to keep us aware of how horrible and inhumane the past can be. We also stop at the Killing FieldsTo chill out and decompress, we suggest ending the day in style with a nice walk along the Mekong and a cocktail at Le Moon rooftop lounge with a scenic view over the River. Overnight in Phnom Penh

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Accommodation: Queen Grand Boutique Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

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After breakfast, we take off for a day on the less travelled paths to discover Udong, the former royal capital city of Cambodia. We embark for a nice cruise on the Tonle Sap River, an opportunity to witness daily life on its waters and river banks. We disembark and hop on a tuk-tuk for a 10-minute ride to the highest spots of Udong. The site is made of pagodas and stupas, it offers nice views on the countryside lying below. We take the time to visit around for about an hour and half and then get back to the boat.  Sip a nicely made cocktail as the boat cruises to reach a peaceful place to have lunch. Around 2pm, the boat heads back to Udong. Arrival at about 4.15pm. End of the day at leisure. Overnight in Phnom Penh

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Accommodation: Queen Grand Boutique Hotel

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Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch

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Enjoy your day at leisure until our driver picks you up to drive you to Saigon’s airport where you will catch your outbound flight.

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Meals Provided: Breakfast

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