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Tonle Sap Lake Adventure Tour 14 Days

CODE: GDT1118
Private Tour
Duration: 13 - 16 days
Price from: Contact

Route: Cambodia - Siem Reap - Phnom Penh - Angkor Wat - Battambang

Overview

Dive into an unforgettable adventure and explore the unique life on and around Tonlé Sap Lake, Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake. Our Tonle Sap Lake Adventure Tour 14 Days is a one-of-a-kind journey designed for travelers who want to go beyond the temples and discover the incredible culture of Cambodia's floating communities.

Your journey starts in Siem Reap, where you will, of course, visit the magnificent Angkor Archaeological Park to see Angkor Wat and other iconic temples. But the true focus of this tour is the lake itself. You'll take multiple boat trips to different floating and stilted villages, including Kompong Phluk and Chong Kneas, witnessing firsthand how communities live on the water.

This tour provides a deep immersion into local life, from exploring floating markets to paddling through flooded mangrove forests (seasonal). You'll also travel to different parts of the lake and its connecting rivers, seeing a side of Cambodia that few tourists get to experience. This is an adventure for those who seek authentic cultural encounters and a connection with nature.

Trip Map

Highlight

Tonlé Sap Lake Exploration: Spend multiple days on the lake, discovering its immense size and incredible ecosystem.
Floating & Stilted Villages: Visit authentic villages like Kompong Phluk, where houses stand on stilts up to 10 meters high, and see local schools, pagodas, and shops on the water.
Flooded Forest Experience: Take a serene boat ride through a magical flooded mangrove forest, home to diverse wildlife (seasonal).
Angkor Temples: Explore the legendary Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Ta Prohm, ensuring you see the country's most famous landmarks.
Bird Sanctuary: Visit the Prek Toal Biosphere Reserve, a crucial breeding ground for a variety of endangered water birds (seasonal).
Local Life Immersion: Interact with local families, witness traditional fishing methods, and understand the daily rhythm of life on the lake.
Boat Trips: Enjoy multiple boat excursions, from comfortable cruise boats to traditional long-tail boats, offering unique perspectives.
Seamless Logistics: This tour includes all transportation, accommodation, and a knowledgeable guide to help you navigate this unique landscape.

Service

HOTELS
Economy 2*+ Hotels
Superior 3* Hotels
First Class 4* Hotels
Deluxe 5* Hotels
Luxury 5*++ Hotels

Notes:
*All prices are based on per adult, in Double/Twin sharing
Surcharge will be applied for single traveler or single room request

Important Notes:
HOTELS, PROGRAMS & SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE

GUIDE/LEADER:
English speaking guide. French , Germany , Spanish, Italian, Russian speaking guide can be arranged with on request.

Inclusion

Exclusion

Itinerary

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Day 1: - Arrival at Siem Reap (D)

On your first day in Cambodia, according to your arrival time, we will be pleased to give you some suggestions on what to do with your first day or afternoon in Cambodia. In the evening, you will have a first group meeting with your local tour leader before going to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner.Overnight in Siem Reap. Accommodation at Side Walk Villa or similar.

Day 2: – Siem Reap to Kompong Khleang (B / L / D)

After breakfast, we will drive 15 km from Siem Reap to the boat docks of Chong Khneas. We will go aboard a local boat for a lovely ride onto the Tonle Sap lake through the floating village of Chong Khneas. We will pass along the floating houses, school, sport hall, even pigs farm and stop at the Gecko Environment Centre which offers information about the ecology and the rich biodiversity of the lake area. Then we will continue our boat trip to the fishermen’s village of Kompong Phluk. As we will arrive at the village at about Noon, we will enjoy a nice lunch from fresh local fish, shrimps and vegetables prepared by the local women. Then, we will visit the village, the pagoda on the only butte (the only building which is not on stilts) and see the activities of the villagers before doing a traditional boat cruise. Small canoes, paddle by villagers, will take you deep into the dense flooded forest. In the middle of the afternoon, we will board again for a 2 hour trip to the village of Kompong Khleang, where you will be able to observe the fishermen at work on the lake, drying their catch or preparing smoke fish. We will also visit the small island at the centre of the village with its colourful market, pagoda and school. In the evening, we will help our host family to prepare the dinner and we will share a friendly meal and spend a hearty evening all together.Overnight in homestay, Kompong Khleang

Day 3: – Kompong Khleang to Siem Reap (B / L)

After breakfast with our host family, we will spend some more time in the village to learn more about the daily life in rural Cambodia and to take advantage of the morning light for picturesque photos. Then, we will leave our hosts and take a car or van to the north. A 2 hour drive will take us to the jungle’s temple of Beng Melea where we will enjoy our picnic lunch. Beng Melea was built during the 12th century, at about the same time as Angkor Wat of which its layout and style closely mirror. However, Beng Melea is completely ruined and largely overrun by vegetation. This temple is very lightly touristed and offers plenty picturesque pictures’ opportunities. On the way back to Siem Reap, we will stop at the temple of Banteay Srei ornated with beautiful apsara carvings made of pink sandstone contrasting with the main walls in laterite. Then, we will visit the Cambodian Landmine museum and Rehabilitation Centre which promotes mine awareness and education for both tourists and Cambodian people.Overnight in Siem Reap. Accommodation at Side Walk Villa or similar.

Day 4: – Siem Reap - Angkor (B / D)

Today, after breakfast, we will start our visit of the amazing temples complex of Angkor. We will begin to explore the complex of Angkor Thom. Our visit will begin with the South Gate, a beautiful introduction to Angkor Thom with well-restored statues of asuras (demons) and gods lining the bridge. Inside the complex, we will stop at the famous Bayon, a pyramid temple decorated by about 200 gigantic carved heads. We will also visit the Royal Enclosure, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.Then, we will visit Ta Prohm. The principal singularity of Ta Phrom is that it has not been cleared from the thick jungle, as the rest of the Angkor Complex has been. It looks nearly the same as in the descriptions of the first French explorers, shrouded in undergrowth and in the huge roots of old Banyan trees. We will have lunch at a local restaurant around the temples, and in the afternoon we will visit Srah Srang and Prasat Kravan before to go to Angkor Wat which is believed to be the biggest religious monument ever built in the world and certainly one of the most spectacular. Eventually, we will enjoy viewing the sunset from Phnom Bakheng. Tonight we will have dinner at the hotel la Noria where we will enjoy a shadow puppets show perform by the children of the NGO Krousar Thmey (New Family) which support abandoned, orphaned and street children and victims of trafficking.Overnight in Siem Reap. Accommodation at Side Walk Villa or similar.Please note that the shadow puppet shows at la Noria are usually on Wednesday only. The itinerary is subject to change according to your starting day.

Day 5: – Siem Reap - Angkor (B)

This morning, we will visit the temple of Preah Khan, a labyrinth of pavilions, halls and chapels in a vast area encloses by four walls. From there, we will visit the temples along the road which is called the great circuit, namely : Neak Pean, Ta Som, (both of them built during the reign of Jayavarman VII in the late 12th-century) East Mebon, Pre Rup (from the 10th-century) and Banteay Kdei (built by Jayavarman VII during the early 13th century). Then we will go for lunch before visiting the exhibition on the Tonle Sap located on the school for blind children directed by the NGO Krousar Thmey. They also provide massage services with professionally-trained blind masseurs at the school behind the exhibition centre. This is a perfect way to relax after the visit of the temples. This place is close to the Jayavarman VII Children’s hospital, a state-of-the-art hospital which provides free medical care to children. Like every hospital in Cambodia, the medical staff is always in need of blood to save lives. We will be able to stop there for the ones who would like to give blood. Afterwards, we will go back to the hotel. The rest of the afternoon will be free at leisure.Overnight in Siem Reap. Accommodation at Side Walk Villa or similar.

Day 6: – Siem Reap to Prek Toal birds' sanctuary (B / L / D)

Today you will have to rise early for a full day boat tour – you will be discovering the wonders of the Tonle Sap Lake with the non-profitable association Osmose. This association has implemented a pilot conservation and development project in the Prek Toal area of the Tonle Sap Lake, a critical site for the survival of several endangered species of water bird. You will cruise on the Lake to the village of Preak Toal and then go in search of the bird sanctuary in the flooded forest with the assistance of a specialist guide for this area. After a traditional lunch of fresh fish, you will visit some floating villages of the Tonle Sap and other points of interest such as the crocodile farm, a pagoda and observe some local fishing techniques. We will spend the evening with a Khmer family and share dinner with them.Overnight in homestay, Prek Toal

Day 7: – Prek Toal to Battambang (B / D)

This morning we will catch the regular speedboat coming from Siem Reap to Battambang. During the 3-5 hours trip, crossing the Tonle Sap Lake then reaching the Stung Sang Ker river, you will enjoy the wonderful landscape and the floating villages as well as the daily life along the river. At arrival in Battambang and after check in at the hotel, we will go for lunch at the White Rose. This local restaurant has a huge selection of delicious fruit-shakes. In the afternoon, we will drive 11 km along the Sang Ker River to reach Wat Ek Phnom temple (built by Suryavarman I in the 11th century). On the way back we will stop at the NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak where many different activities are offered with children from poor and disabled families before having diner with them.Overnight at Battambang. Accommodation at Teo hotel or similar.

Day 8: - Battambang - Ox-cart trip (B / L)

This morning, after breakfast, we will visit the cultural and agricultural villages of Wat Kor commune known for their ancient wooden houses that we will visit, guiding by their owners who will share with us their life stories. We will continue this insight into the Cambodian way of life by enjoying an ox-cart trip and travel the traditional way from village to village, learning about traditional agricultural practices such as rice planting in Kompong Seyma and fruit growing in Ksach Puoy. For lunch, you will help our host-family to cook a traditional Khmer meal and for dessert, you will enjoy the variety of unusual fruits available. After lunch, we will say goodbye to our hosts for another real life experience on the bamboo train which will bring us back to the city. On arrival, you will have some time to relax and explore the city on your own before dinner at the Cold Night Restaurant which offers an extensive menu of khmer, thai and western food.Overnight at Battambang. Accommodation at Teo hotel or similar.

Day 9: - Battamang to Kompong Luong (B / D)

Today, we will take the public bus to Pursat city where we will have lunch before going to the floating village of Kompong Luong. This area is rich in bird-life and the daily waterway life can be captivating. We will spend the afternoon in the village where we can hire a boat to venture through the village and surroundings before having dinner with our host family.Overnight in homestay, Kompong Luong.

Day 10: - Kompong Luong to Kompong Chhnang (B)

Today after breakfast we will spend some time at the village to take advantage of the beautiful morning light for pictures before leaving our hosts and go aboard a local boat to continue our journey onto to Tonle Sap. We will stop at the provincial capital city of Kompong Chhnang, famous for its manufacture of clay pots. We will have lunch in the main part of the town called Psar Leu (upper market) with many well-preserved colonial buildings. In the afternoon, we will make a boat tour through the floating villages to see the market activity on the lakeside and to visit some old temples from the 7th and 8th centuries across the river.Overnight at Kompong Chhnang. Accommodation at Sovanna Phum Hotel or similar.

Day 11: - Kompong Chhnang to Phnom Penh (B / D)

Today, we will resume our journey onto the Tonle Sap and Bassac river. Upon arrivat at Phnom Penh, we will check-in at our hotel before having lunch. After lunch we will begin the exploration of the capital city by cyclo, the traditional mean of transportation of Indochina. We will visit the Royal Palace situated on the site of the former citadel. Besides the Royal Residence (closed to the public), the Throne Hall or Vinichhay Temple (the place where kings are enthroned) and the Chan Chaya Pavillon (where traditional dances took place), it includes Wat Preah Keo, better known as the Silver Pagoda. This amazing place, which floor is covered with 5000 silver plates, houses the Preah Keo or emerald Buddha, made of Baccarat crystal. In front stands a 90 kg golden Buddha studded with 9584 diamonds. After this, we will walk about 10 minutes to the National Museum. Built around a central courtyard, the galleries, arranged chronologically, present a collection of Khmer art, mostly sculptures. Tonight before dinner we will enjoyed a drink on the roof top of FCC restaurant, a nice spot to enjoy a whole view of Phnom Penh. Dinner at the restaurant Friends which is a non-profit restaurant run by street youth in training. All proceedsgo to the organisation Mith Samlanh and the food is delicious.Overnight in Phnom Penh. Accommodation at Town view hotel or similar.

Day 12: - Phnom Penh (B)

After breakfast, we will go to the river front where we will take a small boat to Koh Dach, an island situated 15 km north of the city on the Mekong River. The five village of this 12-km-long island are mostly home to farmers who cultivate beans, corn, sesame seeds, peanuts and banana crops. However, Koh Dach is famed for its weaving and it is pleasant place to observe the weavers, but also the carvers and the potters, on work. We will go back to Phnom Penh during the afternoon and the rest of the day will be free at leisure.Overnight in Phnom Penh. Accommodation at Town view hotel or similar.

Day 13: - Kratie – Phnom Penh (modern capital of Cambodia) (B / L / D)

After breakfast, we will visit Wat Phnom, a temple on the top of the only hill (27 meters high) of Phnom Penh. Then we will go to Cambodia Trust centre. While visiting the centre, we will see how prosthetics and orthotics are made and fitted, or talk with patients to find out more about their lives. Then, we will drive to the main center of the NGO “Pour un sourire d’enfant” which works to support underprivileged children who work and live in the streets and around the Stung Meanchey garbage dump in Phnom Penh. We will visit this place and watch a movie about their activities before having lunch at their vocational training restaurant “le Lotus blanc”. In the afternoon, we will continue our city-tour to the Choeng Ek killing fields and the Tuol Sleng genocide Museum - a mass gravesite and a former high school converted to a detention and torture centre by the Khmers Rouges when they came to power in 1975. Choeung Ek also serves as a memorial to those killed under the Khmers Rouges rule. We will have dinner in the nice garden of the restaurant Le Rit’s owned by the NGO Nyemo which assists vulnerable women and helpless children in their reintegration into workforce and society. Then we will enjoy a theatre performance at the Sovanna Phum Theatre.Overnight in Phnom Penh. Accommodation at Town view hotel or similar.Please note that the Sovanna Phum Theatre shows are usually on Friday and Saturday only. The itinerary is subject to change according to your starting day.

Day 14: - Phnom Penh (B)

This is departure day so no activities are planned. Check-out will be at noon and you are free to leave at any time. High light tonle sap tour and Cambodia experience holiday

FAQS

1. What types of tours does Golden Trail Travel offer?

Answer: Golden Trail Travel specializes in offering a wide range of travel packages to Vietnam and other Indochina countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, China, and Malaysia. We offer themed tours including Classic Highlights, Cycling, Trekking, Beach Holidays, Luxury Honeymoon, Short Trips, Family, Off The Beaten Track, Multi-Country, Motorbiking, Veteran, Food, Students, Luxury, Golf, Photography, Cooking Class, Bird Watching, Indochina Cruises, Kayaking, Muslim-friendly tours, Offroad 4x4WD, Indochina MICE Travel, Cave Expedition, and Helicopter tours.

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22. How is Golden Trail Travel committed to sustainable and responsible tourism?

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Tonle Sap Lake Adventure Tour 14 Days

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