Experience a serene early morning sunrise and breakfast at your hotel at Siem Reap. Then you will start the journey with a visit to Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre Temples –Cambodia’s sacred destinations.

Although it’s out of the way, as a true ancient temple buffs, you won’t want to miss Banteay Srei, a beautiful 10th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva – a Hindu deity. Built in 967 AD, the complex is located north of Angkor Wat.

Considered by many to be the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art, Banteay Srei temple is cut from the stone of a pinkish hue and consists of low walls surrounding peaked structures of deep red sandstone with brick and laterite. The temple’s original name was Tribhuvanamahesvara, meaning “Great Lord of the Threefold World”, named, as usual, after the central image – the Shaivite Linga. The modern name Banteay Srei means “Citadel of Women” or “Citadel of Beauty” and it is said that the reliefs on this temple are so delicate and classic fine art that they could only have been carved by the hand of a woman. Interestingly, Banteay Srei is one of the few temples around Angkor constructed not by a king but by one of the King Rajendravarman’s counselors, Yajnyavahara. On your exploration through the temple, you will find that the temple is square in shape and has entrances at the east and west, with the east approached by a causeway or the stairways leading up to the platform were each guarded by two kneeling statues of human figures with animal heads. Of interest are the lavishly decorated libraries and the three central towers, which are decorated with male and female divinities and beautiful filigree relief work.

As you explore the delicate classic carvings at Banteay Srei temple, you will see women with lotus flowers in hand and traditional skirts clearly visible, as well as breathtaking recreations of scenes from the epic Ramayana adorning the library pediments, almost every inch of these interior buildings is covered in decoration. Standing watch over such perfect creations are the mythical guardians. You will be also be amazed by the well-preserved relief carvings on the central buildings depicting scenes from ancient Hindu tales which you will cherish as it’s worth the trip.

After your journey through Banteay Srei, you will proceed with your tour to visit the another classic Angkorian Wat style architecture and artistry Temple “Banteay Samre”, which is located east of the East Baray of Siem Reap. Built under Suryavarman II and Yasovarman II in the early 12th century, the temple was dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu. Interestingly, the name Samre refers to an ethnic ancient group of mountain tribal people of IndoChina, who inhabited the regions at the base of Phnom Kulen and were most likely related to the Khmers. Banteay, is a khmer word of citadel, though no inscription has been found for this temple. The name is translated as ‘Citadel of the Samre”. The highlight that will attract you in Banteay Samre is the interior moat which when filled with water must have given the temple a mystical and peaceful sensation. And then of course, the temple’s location and surroundings set within beautiful rice paddy fields and local villages.

Note: During the visit of Banteay Srei temple, you as a visitor should wear shirts or a blouse covering shoulders and arms and long skirts and trousers covering legs (no miniskirts or short trousers).

On your way back to Siem Reap, you will enroute at a village to observe and experience the agricultural work, see how rice is cultivated in a paddy field and how sugar Palm is collected, with a fresh coconut drink. Before your post lunch tour begins to explore Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and Neak Pean temples, you will enjoy a Cambodian lunch at a local restaurant.

You will drive through the ultimate Indiana Jones fantasy and witness Prasat Ta Prohm Temple – The Ancestor Brahma, the Cambodian jungle Temple cloaked in dappled shadow, its crumbling towers and walls locked in the slow muscular embrace of vast root systems of Banyan tree. You will find Ta Prohm unbelievable, famous for the temples that are overgrown and covered by trees. Ta Prohm has been left as it was found, showing exactly what the jungle can do when it takes over control. The roots of the trees attach to the porous sandstone, extracting the water from the stones. The roots are firmly placed on the building itself, slowly crushing it but also holding it up at the same time, you will experience a truly magical effect of trees growing out of ruins of this Angkorian Temple, built inbetween mid 12th century to early 13thcentury by the King Jayavarman VII, dedicated to the mother of the king -Buddhist replica to Bayon style of artistry and architecture. The more you explore the more you will experience the atmosphere that was truly Indiana Jones or Lara Croft “Tomb Raider” like. You feel like an explorer, climbing piles of stones or discovering yet another temple merged with trees around a corner.

After you experience the battle between nature and architecture in the Cambodian jungle, you will travel further with your journey to visit Preah Khan Temple complex – originally called Rajavihara, which is situated at the northern edge of the Angkor Archaeological Park. Standing significantly are the buildings erected during the ancient Khmer empire in 12th century for King Jayavarman VII to honor his father. As you move deeper and explore, you will find the temple complex awesome, massive and somewhat confusing since it is a maze of corridors but worth the visit. There are lots of beautiful carvings in this fusion temple of Buddhism and Hinduism. Alhough it is wrapped in vines and trees in its ruins enclosure, it will add to the loveliness and astonishingly peaceful as you keep exploring.

Before you can even sink into the tantalising effect of the lost-world ambience of Preah Khan, your days tour is yet to finish till you visit Prasat Neak Pean Temple – meaning the coiled serpents, that make one dream of the ancient days of luxury and beauty. The complex is small but has a collection of five man-made lakes, in the shallows of which floated the flowering lotus on the water and you will find it worth visiting for its unique features. It is believed to have been consecrated to Lord Buddha coning to the glory of Nirvana. The central pond is a replica of Lake Anavatapta in the Himalayas, situated at the top of the universe. The lake gives birth to the four great rivers of the earth. These rivers are represented at Neak Pean by sculpted gargoyles corresponding to the four cardinal points. Lake Anavatapta was fed by hot springs and venerated in India for the curative powers of its waters. You will find bodies of two serpents encircling the base of the island and they entwine on each other on the central island, which signifies curved Nagas the Snake God and small sculpted elephants guarding the four corners and the central tower was dedicated to Avalokitesvara. Interestingly, at the tiny temple of Neak Pean that eager princesses laid their lovely offerings of wrought gold and pungent perfume, fancy it as it was in the ancient days.

As dusk approaches, you will continue your tour to enjoy Phare, the Cambodian circus show.

After successful tours around the world, the famous Phare Cambodian Circus young and talented artists performed in Siem Reap with even more energetic and unique performances in the very heart of the Cradle and Civilization of Cambodia! Daily shows starts at 8:00pm. Astonishingly, Cambodia’s answer to the Cirque du Soleil, Phare, the Cambodian Circus is so much more than a conventional circus, with an emphasis on performance art and a subtle yet striking social message behind each production. Phare has been transforming the lives of Cambodian youth

The day’s tour will end with dinner at leisure and overnight accommodation at hotel.