DAY BY DAY ACTIVITIES
The tour will be begun in the late afternoon following by a short briefing by our professional tour leader. Dinner is about the distance walking and perhaps you can witness a dessert city at night. Cambodian foods are one of the outstanding flavor among Asian cuisine. Today you will be served Khmer foods. Khmer is an ancient name which is now modified as the nationality and language of Cambodian and you will be hearing this word to call those foods.
Today we start our journey with a short drive to the foothill then adventure will be begun. Kulen meant “lychee tree” and it is only the mountain range in this city. In 1993, it was declared as a national park once the country just liberated from the civil war. Surprisingly, it was a strong hold area of Khmer rouge soldiers after the regime was surrendered in capital city of Phnom Penh. Now it was brought back to the tourist’s map. Our trekking is commencing from the old stair-case where you will prefer to take because of the great scenery could be seen from half way. A spring water from the Buddha’s feet is a holy spirit to local for centuries. Here we will immerse like a local, a blessing will celebrate for a good luck. You might wish to stay for cool windy under the shade but some steps away to the hilltop. It is not far then you could hear the sound of waterfall where you love to swim in this natural pool then you will need to prepare the clothes for change.
The breakfast will be served at the hotel then you settle the cycling from the hotel. From back road with leafs covering up, you felt lost sense and hearing just the bird’s songs and the jungle music. While you are in agitation of riding, a mind blowing masterpiece architecture is stunning ahead. Angkor Wat temple is an enormous ancient building and now is the world famous. Because of its magnitude and standing of religious purpose to Cambodian then the symbolized image was published on the national flag. You are not satisfied to deserve the adventure yet, Ta Prohm is a painting craft temple – the only temple in the area that remaining many of huge trees overgrown of the structure. It got a famous name of jungle temple. A delicious Khmer lunch is just a short ride away. The day concluded at the smiling rocks temple. Bayon temple is a ruins but superb revealing of daily life in the ancient Khmer.
Our shiny day begin just after a heavy breakfast. You will need to pack and ready to roll. Today we will cycle to the permanent floating village and you will learn a lot of the daily life, local business how they make a living. This is one of a largest floating community where a lot of stilt houses were built to fit the season. We then will take lunch from a local restaurant, perhaps a simple Khmer dishes. As you fit to the cycling then our adventure will commence again next day but perhaps you wish to try Krolan – a bamboo sticky rice. It was cooked in the bamboo tube and a famous snack to those who traveling across this area. They will not forget to buy some for family. Kampong Thom is the central province of the country and one of the largest fish production and agriculture. Once you checked-in to the hotel then it is free time until dinner. As it is just a night stay then you do not need to spread clothes, stuffs everywhere in the room and might be just a hand washing your cycling clothes.
We continue our journey from the hotel. Today is a lazy day and light adventure as we are riding on flat red dirt road across many villages, perhaps so many children keep saying hello to you and waving hand. For sure, you did learn Cambodian words from our guide thus it is the time to practice. In a few stops, you may capture the children photo – it is fine to take a photograph from advance permission then show them, they will laugh at themselves. It is just a half way of cycling we then just arrived to an ancient capital city before Angkor period – Sambor Prei Kuk is now modern name to call this lost city. Most of the temple was dated back in 6th-7th century. As the cycling is not yet concluded of the day, we then continue on wheel after lunch. Because of the heat we will leave the bike and shuttle in the support air-con vehicle for Phnom Penh in a few hours away. You will have a bonus to try a bug or two in half way. Fried turantulas are famous in some part of east Cambodia.
It is just a fresh day from a night in the bustling city. We will get on the ferry to the order side of the mighty Mekong river then cycling some part of the local mango farm. It is time to learn about local business or you wish to do it. We will visit to a silk family who have been doing this job for generations. Silk is one of the rich costume material to Cambodian clothes for a special event such a wedding ceremony. Today we will take a tour with a lady who common in English to explain the processing how silk could be fabric. Mekong island is situated in the middle of the river but where the villagers are also habitable and operate the farms. You will have a free afternoon after lunch. You may want to visit Royal palace which is just a short walk distance from the hotel or a sunset cocktail from a few sky bar along riverside.
It might be a late breakfast for who will chill down by the pool or you will need routine serve if you want to purchase a lovely souvenir for member at home. Central Market is a modern Khmer architecture building situation in the middle of the city where you can get those stuffs you want – shopping is good to help local economy but bargaining is not a bad behavior. Perhaps today is the earliest lunch during the adventure in order to catch up a journey on the Mekong river by the speed boat.
Have a great journey!