Martial Arts And Culture

• Learn traditional Khmer dances and witness shadow puppetry.
• Train in kickboxing and experience Bokator, a unique martial art.
• Visit Tonle Sap lake and the floating villages.
• Witness the magical sunrise over Angkor Wat.
• Explore the magnificent temples of Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm.
• Enjoy a relaxing massage and a farewell dinner with Cambodian ambiance.

Day 1: ARRIVE INTO SIEM REAP

Up on arrival at Siem Reap international airport, the travelers will be met with our local expert English speaking guide and driver for pick up and transfer to hotel for check in. The rest of the afternoon will be orientating around the city on their own pace. Siem Reap is an ancient city, the gate way to the park and the base for exploring the fabled temples of Angkor.

In the evening meet the guide for a briefing and dinner.

Meals included: Dinner

Day 2: SIEM REAP ARTS AND PERFORMANCES 

After breakfast, the travels will be picked up from the hotel and transferred to art school to learn about the classical dances, the coconut and Apsara dance or the blessing dance. These 2 dances will be guided by your coaches and trainers at the school. Each dance the guests will have at least 25mn to meet the teacher who will give an orientation or instruction before warming up. The first will be coconut dance. The travelers will dance as typical dancers. Their clothes, will be light and short pants and shirts. The dancers ( guests) holding a half coconut shell and moving around and knocking each other’s shell, the sound seems flirtatious appearing and used during engagement and any marriage celebration. This is considered as group dance. And it is a symbol of youth, fertility, well-being and friendship.

Next, the guests will have their most interesting classical dance, Apsara dance (blessing dance) which reflects the arts and civilization of the Khmer empire from 9th – 15th centuries. This dance performs mainly at Royal Palace. The travelers will dress as the real dancers, bright and shine colored shirts and skirts before they begin to dance. Dancers (travelers) stand up and move with graceful gesture and gentle movement, handed with the jasmine flowers and spray around as a symbol of blessing. This shows the great attitude and honestly of the people in the period of time and represents the rich culture and civilization at that time, the colorful adornment symbolizes the rich history and arts of the Khmer.   Lunch at local restaurant with Khmer Set.

This afternoon, the guests will be transferred to the shadow puppet school for anther performance which is called puppet show and performance. Fist, the guests will meet their instructors who can show you all useful materials and give them the introduction. Then performance begins, the guests will hold the shadow puppets which were made of light cow skin, tied with the short bamboo stick and play behind the large white light fabric- cloth screen. The fire is on and bright colors behind that help project the silhouettes of the puppets onto the screen throughout the show and the traditional Cambodian music; and there are two narrators played by Cambodian orchestra players. 

Dinner at local restaurant with Khmer set.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: KHMER MARTIAL ARTS, BOXING AND BOKATOR 

After breakfast, the travelers will be met their tour guide and transferred to the boxing club for the whole morning martial arts and activities. The travelers will wear the quality short trunks, the hand globs and they will be instructed by the coach or teacher following the many steps and processes. At or during the training, and the performance the travelers need to stand-up striking as well as a number of clinching techniques, they use fists, elbows, knees, and shins in order to utilize all parts of the body in this fighting technique with the partner.  Lunch at local restaurant

After lunch, the guests will be transferred to another martial art performance which is called Bokator. This performance required to wear the uniforms of ancient Khmer armies. A scarf is folded around their waist and blue and red silk around their head; their arms are folded with cotton fabric instead of hand globs. The fight is required to use a diverse array of elbows and knee strikes, shin kicks, submissions and ground fighting. But it is more quick movement, jumping and escaping could  be faster and further than kick boxing.  

Back to hotel before dinner. Dinner at local restaurant 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: TONLE SAP AND SUNSET IN THE PARK 

This morning the guests will travel to Tonle Sap lake to see the largest Southeast Asia’s fresh water lake and floating villages. Here the guests will be on the private boat touring around the floating houses on the lake to see and learn about the real life on the water. Back to city for lunch before break.

Later afternoon around 4.20.pm the travels will be picked up at the hotel and traveling to the Angkor park for the sunset viewing. Before getting into the site, the guests will stop at ticket both and have photo taken and printed on Angkor pass which is the permit from now till tomorrow. From here they will head to one of the selected hip top temples called  Pre Rup where they can see beautiful sunset over the forest. 

Back to city and dinner at local restaurant

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: ANGKOR WAT AT DAWN AND CULTURAL TOUR

Rise early, the cultural guide will meet the guests at the hotel at 4.45am and pick them up then travel to Angkor Wat to catch the beautiful sunrise at Angkor Wat. One of the wonders of the ancient world it was erected before 1150 AD, and represents one of the most dramatic structures ever built. Walk from the back of this monument through the tropical jungle the guests slowly see the magnificent ruin with its shrines emerge. It is the most famous and best preserved of all the temples within the Angkor complex. It is said to have taken nearly 40 years to build. The beautiful Bas Relief carvings on the smooth walls are from the golden age of the Khmer empire dating from 9th to the 15th centuries. Today Angkor is the symbol of the Kingdom of Cambodia and its towers appear on the national flag of the country. Back to hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, continue their tour to the city of Angkor Thom and the huge Bayon temple. We start at the South Gate of Angkor Thom and explore the beautiful 54 statues of Gods and Demons that face each side of the walkway. This leads to the entry gate where you can take photos of the impressive faces of Buddhistatva Lokesvara (future of Buddha). Then resume their adventure to the tremendous multi-towered temple of the Bayon. Fifty four gargantuan heads that depict the king as a Bodhisattva, (Buddhist deity of compassion) are among the most attractive sculptures in Angkor Thom. From here we go on foot to visit the Baphoun, a temple mountain with a steep stairway to its peak. After that continue to the nearby Royal Palace, Phimean Akas and see the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. The remarkable temples offer a startling insight into the beauty and power of the Angkorian era.

Then visit a jewel of the Khmer empire, Ta Prohm in the following. The 12th century Buddhist temple was in the 2001 film, TOMB RAIDER. The main attraction is the remarkable gigantic trees and vegetation growing through the ruins. In the evening enjoy a private relaxed massage at one of the best spas in the city, the Bodia Spa and Massage, Then a candle light dinner at a local traditional stilt house. 

Tonight the guests will have farewell dinner at local restaurant before say their good bye on the next day.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: SIEM REAP – DEPARTURE

After breakfast at your hotel guests will have some free time until the private transfer to the airport….…

We sadly say goodbye to the lovely people and hopefully will see them again next time.

All very best and have a safe journey!  

Meals included: Breakfast

SERVICES INCLUDED

• Accommodation at selected hotel with daily breakfast included
• All transportation by private air conditioned vehicle for all included sightseeing 
• Services of local English speaking guides (Except day free at leisure without transportation and guide as mentioned) 
• All  entrance fees to sites 
• Water & cool towels on vehicle during tour
•  

SERVICES NOT INCLUDED

• Visa for Cambodia (Visa issued on arrival for most nationalities, USD30/pax (tourist visa), please bring 1 passport photo). 
• Airport fast track services
• Any surcharge/extra fees for visit of the Angkor Historical site imposed by the Apsara Authorities in Siem Reap which are subject to change without prior notice 
• Meals are not mentioned 
• International flights to/from Cambodia 
• Optional Tour.
• Camera/video entrance fees if applicable 
• Personal expenses (drinks, laundry, telephone, tips for the guide, etc) 
• Other services not clearly indicated in the package inclusions above