Cambodia Culture – Khmer Cuisine & Crafts – 7 Days

General Information

Duration: 7 Days/ 6 Nights
Start/ End: Phnom Penh/ Siem Reap
Tour Route: Phnom Penh – Battambang – Siem Reap
Tour Type: Explore, Experience, and Adventure
Tour Categories: Cambodia Packages, Cambodia 1-week Itineraries
Tour Customizable: Definitely! (Tell us your specific requirements in the inquiry form)
Guides: Local Guide (English or other Languages upon your Request)
Transportation: Private first-class vehicles with air-conditioning
Accommodation: Upon Request

Highlights of 7-day Cambodia Culture - Khmer Cuisine & Crafts Tour

Experience true cuisine of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Battambang
See how Cambodian crafts are made by hands of outstanding artisans
Explore how Cambodian traditional ingredients are made

Full Itinerary

Day 01: Phnom Penh Arrival (D)

You will be met at Phnom Penh International Airport by the local guide and transferred to your hotel. Spend some time to refresh yourself after a long flight. To begin your Khmer cuisine tour, in the evening, you may tuck into a luxurious welcome dinner of authentic Khmer cuisine at the restaurant.

Day 02: Phnom Penh Cuisine Tour (B, L, D)

In the morning, head to the local market with the local guide who will show you more about the Khmer cuisine. Despite the fact that Cambodian cuisine may not enjoy the international reputation like its neighbors, its national dishes and regions provide insight into the country’s heritage. You may catch a traditional cycle to the market and wander through the aisles, tasting some local fruits along the way, with your guide explaining the various ingredients used in the cuisine. Have lunch at a local restaurant, you will find the ingredients you just learned in the dished served. Try a delicious num pung, or French baguette and a nom bahn chok, a quintessential Khmer food consisting of rice noodles, green fish curry, and fresh vegetables.

To continue the Khmer cuisine and culture tour, visit the Royal Palace with the guided exploration via cycle. Then head to the Silver Pagoda which located in the same complex with the Royal Palace contains many Buddha icons made from gold, silver, bronze, and crystal.

After that, the local guide may take you to the National Museum of Cambodia which was built in the traditional Khmer style. This is the largest collection of Khmer art in the world, which houses approximately 5,000 Khmer artifacts dating back to the 4th to 13th centuries.

Day 03: Phnom Penh – Battambang (B, L)

Wake up early in the morning for a scenic 5-hour drive by private car to Battambang. You have a great chance to see the local villages, pagodas on the way. Stop at Oudong to visit a local family to get to know about palm sugar production before climb Mount Oudong to enjoy the panoramic views of the countryside. Have a local picnic-style lunch in a rustic hut.

Then, go on your 4-hour drive toward Battambang where is home to Cambodia’s best-preserved colonial architecture. If there’s time, you should enjoy a night at the renowned Phare Circus which surely leave a lasting memory of acrobatic feats, theater, and music unique to Cambodia.

Day 04: Battambang City Tour (B, D)

Although Battambang is the second-largest city in Cambodia, its laid-back vibe stems partly from its river culture. The  Sangker River winds through this lush province and feeds the rice paddies, like a picturesque of watercourse connecting the Cardamom Mountains to the mighty Tonle Sap Lake. The countryside of Battambang gains its reputation from the beauty and the quality of rice produced.

 

In the morning, you may have a cultural tour to Battambang surrounding villages. Join the locals and the artisans to learn how rice paper is produced, as well groan – sticky rice stuffed in bamboo, prohac – fish paste, a Cambodian staple. To see the weavers and textile artisans in action, visit a handicraft center.

In the afternoon, wave a cycle to go around the town guided by an informative audio set which is available in English and French. Just enjoy the trip on your seat, ask the driver to stop at anywhere you find something attracting you.

Day 05: Battambang – Siem Reap (B, L, D)

Today, you may take an exciting boat trip from Battambang to Siem Reap with spectacular views of the countryside in Cambodia.

The route will include cruising down the Stung Sangker River to the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary, one of the crucial breeding grounds for birds in the region. Go along Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake. You will also go through the floating villages and stilted houses, giving you the entire life on the water. After 6-hour boat ride, you will reach Siem reap in the mid-afternoon. However, this boat trip is only possible in the rainy season, that is from July to December.

Day 06: Siem Reap Cuisine Tour (B, D)

To get a deep understanding of Khmer cuisine, take an interactive cooking class at the home of the founder as well as the owner of the Sugar Palm restaurants in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Mrs. Kethana Dunnet. At the end of the course, you may get a chance to enjoy the lunch that you have just cooked including two appetizers and two main dishes.

After lunch, you may visit the Golden Silk Peach Farm in which the ancient Khmer-style silk weaving is being revived as a viable local livelihood by a local non-governmental organization. In the mid-afternoon, come back to Siem Reap to capture the sunset in Angkor Wat.

Day 07: Siem Reap Departure (B)

After enjoying your breakfast at the hotel, spend the last day to explore the Angor complex. In the early in the morning, enjoy the sunrise when the temples reflect into the water making the magnificent view. Then visit the temples in Angkor Wat – the wonder of peace, secret and power. Next, head to the Angkor Thom to visit Bayon Temple, Phimeanakas, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, North Gate.

Come back to your hotel in the late afternoon and enjoy your leisure until transfer to Siem Reap International Airport.