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Easy going Phnom PenhWhen thinking about Cambodia travel, you may recall one of the wonders of the world; the mystical Buddhist temple complex Angkor Wat. However, it's more likely that you'll remember the brutal war that almost tore the country apart and the amazing resiliency with which the country has healed after such traumatic events. Phnom Penh travel will allow you to visit the Tuol Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields which bare proof of the atrocities that occurred during the war. During your Phnom Penh travel, your guide will give you a lot of information about the history and the war. We found this both very moving and interesting and it helped us understand the history and culture of the country we were visiting better. |
Duration | 3 days/ 2 nights | Accommodation | Cosy, small-scale authentic accommodation. |
Price | From $149 per person - based on 2 people | Included | Transportation, accommodation with breakfast, guide during excursion |
Private car | Excluded | Other meals and drinks, excursions and entrance fees |
Day 1: Phnom Penh - ArrivalYou will begin your Phnom Penh travel by arranging your own transfer to your hotel upon arrival. The rest of the day is yours to spend as you wish; the city tour will take place tomorrow. Phnom Penh is a lively city with many historic colonial buildings and unlike most Cambodian cities, Phnom Penh is quite modern and has paved roads, modern stores and a beautiful boulevard with many ATM's. You'll have the entire day to explore the city, for instance you could visit the National Museum of Cambodia. The museum was built in 1917 and has a large collection of Khmer artefacts. Afterwards you could visit the Silver Pagoda, otherwise known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the royal palace. The Silver Pagoda is famous for its silver floor. In the afternoon you'll be able to climb the mountain that the Wat Phnom is built on. The city is named after this temple. You'll spend the night in a comfortable, cosy hotel in Phnom Penh. |
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Day 2: Phnom Penh - Tuol Sleng Museum and Killing Fields excursionToday your Phnom Penh travel will take you to more remote parts of the city with your guide, such as the Tuol Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields. In 1975 the Red Khmer invaded the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. Pol Pot became prime minister of Cambodia and made a very cruel and bloody attempt to turn Cambodia into a communist agricultural state. Cities were destroyed and everyone was forced to become a farmer. Currency, education, religion and private property were abolished. From this point on marriages were arranged and children were separated from their parents. Anyone who did not cooperate was executed. Intellectuals and college-graduates were also executed; even wearing glasses or speaking a second language was enough to make someone a suspect. Pol Pot did not believe in their ideas and considered them annoying nuisances.The Tuol Sleng Museum is quite an impressive museum. It confronts visitors quite directly with Cambodia's brutal past by means of photography. For instance, you'll see pictures of an old elementary school that was used as a prison for torturing political enemies during the rule of the Red Khmer. For many this was their last stop before they were taken to the mass graves of the Killing Fields, located just outside of Phnom Penh in an orchard. Over 17,000 people were killed. At the end of this quite moving day, you'll spend the night in a small-scale hotel in town. |
Day 3: Phnom Penh - end of moduleThis Phnom Penh travel module finishes this morning, after you've checked out of your hotel. From Phnom Penh there are a lot of possibilities: You can travel by bus, boat or plane to Siem Reap, to visit the famous temple complex Angkor Wat.Want to explore more remote area's? Discover then how the locals live in our Hilltribes and totem poles module. If you have a bit more time then you can head out by bus and boat to the untainted north-eastern part of Cambodia towards Laos on our Mekong, dolphins and Laos module. This will take you along the mighty Mekong River, passing small villages, onto an area with 4000 islands and the Boloven Plateau rainforest. Is this the end of your trip and do you want to spent a couple of days relaxing on the beach; enjoying the weather while sipping from a fruit cocktail? Go to the quiet Cambodian beaches with our module: Chilling in Cambodia. |
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