Cambodia & Thailand

9 Days

Angkor Wat, Koh Chang & Cardamom Mountain Adventure

Overview

Exploring Southeast Asia goes from iconic to unexpected on this incredible nine-day adventure. The magnificent Angkor Wat in Cambodia sets the stage with its stunning sunrise, providing a glimpse of the adventures ahead. Next, you’ll be whisked away on tuk-tuks by local women to partake in the creation of a delectable meal in a Cambodian village. You’ll then explore the Cardamom Mountains on foot and by kayak, with your experience actively contributing to the preservation of this protected area. And as the grand finale, soak up the tranquility of a Thai island, featuring more kayaking, beach barbecues, and epic sunsets.

Sit down for a delicious dinner at Spoons Restaurant, part of SPOONS a Cambodian Organization that works with underprivileged young adults and gives them the opportunity to be self-supporting by providing them with education, training, and employment opportunities in the hospitality industry. Their vision is to create a future where all young adults will have equal opportunities to gain independence and be able to shape their own lives.

  • Set off on an adventure on a Tuk Tuk orientation drive around Siem Reap finishing with a private cooking class at a local's home. Learn about the tips and tricks for preparing Cambodian specialties from your local expert and try your hand at cooking three authentic Khmer dishes. Transfer back to the hotel via Tuk Tuk.
  • Enjoy a half-day tour of Kampong Khleang Floating Village with a local guide. The drive time is about an hour to Tonle Sap, the world's second largest freshwater lake. It's here that you will board the boat and travel to the village getting a true sense of daily life on the water. The activity lasts from 2:30pm to 6:30pm.
  • Travel by Tuk Tuk and enjoy a tour of impressive ancient ruins with a local professional guide. Wake early to watch the sun rise over the magnificent Angkor Wat temple. Visit the enigmatic faces of Bayon within the walled city of Angkor Thom, and tour Ta Prohm (aka the "Tomb Raider" temple), which is slowly being swallowed by the jungle.
  • Enjoy a kayak tour around Koh Chang. First stop is Koh Man Noi for a swim and some fresh fruit. Then, kayak further out to sea towards Koh Man Nok and Koh Phil. Lunch will be served near your snorkelling spot on Koh Yuak.

Itinerary

Your chariot awaits. So, it's not technically a chariot, it's a tuk-tuk. But not any tuk-tuk. Our drivers are women from the Lady Tuk-Tuk drivers cooperative. This group was founded to provide women in Siem Reap the opportunity to earn an income and support themselves, their families and their communities. Hop aboard, whizz through Siem Reap en route to another community tourism initiative, Spoons Restaurant.

Welcome to Siem Reap, and to Cambodia, we invite you to become part of the community.

Spoons Restaurant hosts our first meal in Cambodia. This restaurant provides vocational training for young people in the service industry, while of course, serving up delicious specialties like Num Kruk, a corn and coconut crisply dumpling, and Steak Lok Lak. Dig in and do good.

Day 2 :
Siem Reap

It's possible that there is no quicker way to understand a culture than by cooking and eating. We'll spend the morning in the local market with a chef, smelling and tasting the local ingredients. Continue on to Chreav village just outside of Siem Reap and join the chef in cooking some delicious local dishes. With a full belly, the afternoon is ours to choose between a sunset bike ride from village to village, or a scenic boat tour to Kampong Khleang Floating Village.

Our OMG Day begins with an exclusive cooking experience in Chreav village, just a short tuk-tuk ride outside Siem Reap. In the afternoon we can choose between an exhilarating cycle through small villages, ending just in time to take in a peaceful sunset over the rice paddies with a cold drink. If you are looking to take it a bit easier, hop on a boat ride to the magnificent Tonle Sap. The boat will travel to Kampong Khleang floating village, passing by stilt houses, witnessing daily life and observing the marine flora and fauna along the way.

The ruins of Angkor Wat stand as a testament to the dynamic history of the Cambodian people. Though they, like all ruined structures, are little by little being reclaimed by the jungle around them, luckily for us they defiantly remain standing ready to be admired. Witness sunrise at Angkor Wat with your fellow travellers and expert guide.

Our new friends from the Lady Tuk-Tuk cooperative greet us again just before sunrise to zoom us to Angkor Wat. Enjoy a magical sunrise over the ruins and then continue on exploring Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm with our local guide. The rest of the afternoon is ours to enjoy a well-deserved bit of rest, or a dip in the pool.

Established in 1993, The Botum Sakur National Park in southern Cambodia, home to the Cardamom Mountains, has been continuously threatened by illegal logging and the poaching of endangered wildlife. The dense jungle of the Cardamoms is one of Asia's seven remaining elephant corridors and is home to gibbons, pangolins and hornbills. This remote and wild place is being protected by an alliance between a number of organizations, and our exclusive stay at Cardamom Tented Camp helps fund the Wildlife Alliance and its partners in protecting this vital piece of our planet.

After a short flight and transfer West, board a small boat to head down the Prek Tachan river. Spot birds overhead as we make the half hour journey to camp. Cardamom Tented Camp is our home for our jungle expedition the next two days, and a homemade Cambodian meal awaits us after settling into our tents.

Oh, and don't forget to look up-the nighttime sky here is out of this world!

Waking up in the jungle, in a safari style glamping tent, with the sound of the birds and the monkeys rustling overhead is probably not an experience you associate with Cambodia, but from now on it will be!

After a refreshing sleep, it's time to explore the Cardamoms. We will kayak downriver first en route to the old ranger station. Trek through the lush forest on old logging trails, crossing streams from time to time. Our local Cambodian guides lets us in on the history of this special place while we explore.

After a morning of exploration, we'll return to camp for another home cooked Cambodian meal. The afternoon offers us some much deserved leisure time to enjoy this remote paradise. Swim in the river or kayak the narrow tributaries looking for birdlife.

As locals approached Koh Chang by boat four centuries ago, they remarked that the island's shape looked like an Elephant and thus Koh Chang translated to Elephant Island. Although it is possible to spot elephants here, the island is also home to an abundance of other bird, mammal and marine wildlife. Eighty percent of Koh Chang is designated as National Park and your exploration begins with a CEO-led excursion to a nearby waterfall.

Today, we cross the border from Cambodia into Thailand. Take a short ferry to Koh Chang and explore the island with your CEO in the afternoon. A beachside barbecue is the perfect way to celebrate our first evening in Thailand!

Thailand shines in this full day exploration of Koh Chang by kayak. Paddle from island to island, stopping to jump into the refreshing water. Paddle to Koh Yuak where we stop for lunch and to snorkel the turquoise waters.

This full day adventure offers plenty of opportunity to get in the water and explore Thailand's marine life. Professional kayak guides lead the days's adventure from island to island.

Today, we will explore Bangkok's iconic food scene in an exclusive gastronomic adventure. Board a private longtail boat to head to our first stop-to try the one and only Pad Thai. Created by a politician during World War II, Pad Thai is the most famous gastronomic export from Thailand, and a trip to Bangkok wouldn't be complete without sampling it. Afterwards, we'll head by tuk-tuk convoy to Rattanakosin Historical Island to sample a few more small bites. A sweet bite, like Mango and sticky rice, is the finishing touch on delicious evening. A sweet way to end an epic adventure.

Depart Koh Chang by ferry returning to Thailand mainland. Board a flight back to Bangkok. The afternoon is at leisure to relax and rest up before your final group meal.

Day 9 :
B

Today our adventure comes to an end. Transportation to the airport for your flight home will be arranged.

$2999

Cost Includes

  • 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
  • Hotels (6nts), Deluxe Tented Camp (2nts)
  • Dinner at Spoons Restaurant, Siem Reap
  • Cooking Class, Siem Reap
  • Sunset Bike Ride or Half-day Tour of Kampong Khleang Floating Village, Siem Reap.
  • Complimentary Arrival Transfer
  • Welcome Dinner
  • Angkor Wat sunrise visit
  • Cooking class in the Cambodian countryside. Kayak & Trek in the Cardamom Mountains
  • Full day Kayak Excursion in Koh Chang
  • Bangkok Progressive Dinner Experience (Farewell Dinner)
  • Internal flights
  • Tips for all included meals and activities, except for the CEO and porterage
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

Cost Excludes

  • International Flights
  • Compulsory Travel Insurance

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Cambodia & Thailand