Spring Program to Cambodia
Day 1

Departure on an international flight.

Day 2

Arrival in Siem Reap where you are met by your On-site Coordinator who will escort you to your hotel. Tonight enjoy a Welcome Dinner.

Hotel: Khemara Angkor or similar.

Day 3

Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province. This small town is the gateway to the Angkor Archeological Park, which is over 40 km2 and is home to more than 100 temples dating from the 9th to the 13th centuries.

After breakfast you are picked up from your hotel for a tour to the City of Angkor Thom, which houses some of Angkor's most famous monuments. You will arrive via the South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with elephants and 4 giant sandstone faces. Each side has a row of 54 gods or demons holding the sacred Naga snake. From here you enter the city and arrive at the Bayon Temple which lies exactly in the center of the city. The monument is famous for the 54 towers representing the 54 provinces of the then Great Khmer Empire. Each tower has 4 faces. Continue on foot to the Baphuon, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Then visit Ta Prohm Temples, built in the mid 12th to early 13th centuries. Ta Prohm is unique in that it has been left largely as it was found: overgrown by jungle trees and vines with many parts of the temple crumbling to the ground. This makes Ta Prohm one of the most picturesque and memorable of the Angkor temples.

This afternoon you will visit the biggest religious temple in the world; the magnificent Angkor Wat Temple, built by Suryavarman in early 12th century.
Cambodia is a land of contrasts and diversity; an alluring country with a deep and rich, if sometimes tragic, history. Siem Reap is the gateway to the Temples of Angkor, a magnificent complex built between the 9th and 14th centuries which includes more than 100 temples. Accompanied by an expert guide, students will learn about the history of the temples, their religious significance, and the methods used to build them. Contemporary Cambodian history and culture will also be explored with visits to Battambang, somewhat off the beaten path, but the second largest city in the country, as well as the Genocide Museum and other visits in Phnom Penh, the nation's capital, which will reveal the extent of the horror that the Khmer Rouge perpetuated on the people of Cambodia. Today Cambodia is a vibrant and exciting nation, blending a rich history and tradition with an exhilarating contemporary energy.
Inside the temple the walls are covered by carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II made during his reign. Angkor Wat is also well known for the 2000 Aspara dancers decorating the temple. Enjoy sunset over Angkor Wat before returning to your hotel.

Day 4

Depart Siem Reap for a visit to Lake Tonle Sap where you will have the opportunity to learn about life on the lake. Tonle Sap is South East Asia's largest freshwater lake with its size varying greatly depending on the season. During the dry season it is roughly 2,500 km2, swelling to about 4 times it size in during the wet season: 10,000 km2! We will board a boat and visit the Kampong Pluk. Kampong Pluk is a cluster of three villages of stilted houses built within the floodplain of the Tonle Sap about 16km southeast of Siem Reap. Flooded mangrove forest surrounds the area and is home to a variety of wildlife including crab-eating macaques.

Lunch is included today.

Day 5

In the morning, transfer from Siem Reap to Battambong. Sitting on the Sangker River just southwest of the Tonle Sap Lake, Battambong town is at the heart of Cambodia's rice bowl and even though it is the country's second biggest town, it still has a very local, untouristed, provincial atmosphere.

In the afternoon, visit Ek Phnom Penh and the city.

Hotel: Stung Sangker or similar

Day 6

Free day in Battambong. Your guide and driver are at the disposal of the group.