Sights and sounds of Phnom Penh

This morning you will be picked up and transfer to the port, viewing the back streets of Phnom Penh from the unique front-seat perspective of a traditional Cyclo ride (Cambodian pedal-powered tricycle taxi). After boarding a large traditional wooden boat, enjoy the leisurely cruise along the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers to Koh Oknha Tei Island.

This small Island is known as one of the Silk Islands of the Mekong river, due to the many silk weaving workshops located on the Island. You will instantly feel taken away from the hustle and bustle of the city, as the Island is a true representation of village life in Cambodia.

Your island tuk-tuk will ride past houses on stilts, schools, small local markets and you can stop at stunning Pagodas to take a look at elaborate relief paintings depicting Buddhist stories. You will then make a stop to learn and watch the traditional art of silk weaving. Enjoy a traditional Khmer lunch here, in one of the local thatched-roof huts by the river.

After lunch, cross over to Koh Dach island, a much larger island, and enjoy riding past plantations of Taro, Ginger, Rice and Corn, as well as many tropical fruits including Banana, Papaya, Dragon Fruit, Jackfruit and Rambutan and visit the island’s old light house, complete with its original steel spiral staircase. This is one of only a handful of lighthouses in the world where you could actually spend the night, as it is now a guesthouse. Return to your boat and cruise back to Phnom Penh. Cyclo back to your hotel mid-afternoon. Lunch included.

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VISITS WITH A SILVER LINING

You will be met at your hotel in the morning by an experienced guide to start this tour of Phnom Penh, first visiting the National Museum, home to some of the finest art treasures in Cambodia and the ideal place to gain an overview of the country's fascinating history. Then continue to the Royal Palace, which was built in 1866, and see the impressive Chan Chaya Pavilion, Royal Throne Hall and celebrated Silver Pagaoda.

This pagoda is so-called because the floor consists of around 5,000 silver tiles, each weighing 1kg. It also houses two priceless Buddha figures, the Emerald Buddha, which dates from the 17th century and is made of crystal, and another made of pure gold, encrusted with 9,584 diamonds. Finally you visit Wat Phnom, the city's most important temple and founding place, before returning to the hotel early in the afternoon..

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Ride back in time

It's good to get some exercise while holidaying in Cambodia and this 20 mile ride along flat roads and tracks is also a sightseeing trip to remember. Begin in the morning by cycling along quiet back roads, visiting local communities and passing through farmland where you will get a great insight into village life in the countryside.

Then, after crossing the river by boat, you take a relaxing journey through Cham Muslim communities on quiet back roads and short ferry rides to reach the Mekong Islands. Here you can cycle through orchards and market gardens and across the peaceful farmland and learn about the lives of the people who live and work here.

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See the skyline at sunset

You will meet your guide and driver at the hotel reception in the afternoon and head to Wat Phnom, which is located in the centre of Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh. Wat Phnom is home to a very large and impressive Pagoda where people visit daily to pray and receive blessings from Buddhist monks. Following your visit here you are taken to the riverfront to board your private small boat.

Then begins a memorable two-hour cruise along the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers during which you take in stunning views of the Royal Palace and Phnom Penh skyline as the sun sets over this magnificent city. This is a wonderfully romantic and magical way to end the day and after the cruise you will be driven back to your hotel in the city.

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City and Killing Fields

Phnom Penh, after years of violence and terror, is a city reinventing itself. Many parts are testament to its French colonial past while the recently developed riverfront area is proof of its future. On this tour you first visit the National Museum for an appreciation of the splendour of Khmer history and its amazing collection of Angkorian and pre-Angkorian artifacts.

Also spend time at the Royal Palace and the beautiful Silver Pagoda, with its 5,000 silver tiles on the floor. In the afternoon, visit the chilling Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocidal Crimes and the Killing Fields of Choeng Ek. Both sites are a testament to the insanity of the bloody Pol Pot era and while they can be challenging places to visit, these sites give an important insight into recent Cambodian history.

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