Angkor Classic Sites. Trip time: 7-8 hours Meals: lunch

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1 Angkor Classic Sites Depending on individual interests, either mount a bicycle, jump in a fun tuk-tuk, or lounge in the comfort of a private car to explore Angkor s signature sites at your own pace. Discover Angkor Thom, Bayon and the root-entangled Tha Phrom temples. Over lunch we ll introduce you to the history of the area and then explore the largest complex, Angkor Wat, at a methodical pace to avoid suffering temple overload. As the sun sets we ll crack some champagne on the temple walls and marvel at it all. Trip time: 7-8 hours Meals: lunch

2 Cycling Angkor Park This is a cool way to see Angkor Historical Park well off the beaten path and away from the crowds. We'll mount well-maintained mountain bikes and head off with a cooling breeze in our face. Our route runs beside the spectacular moat and along the ancient walls of Angkor Thom then into the ancient city and The Bayon, arguably the most beautiful of all the Angkorian temples. We'll ride along paths beneath the trees to the small temple of Ta Nei, deep in the forest and Ta Prohm made famous by the twisting tree roots that grip the temple stones. Our morning s ride is typically around 15 kilometers off-road along sandy paths through the forest and with stops at the major temples mentioned and will take three to four hours. Lunch is either a picnic beside the The King's Pool or we can retreat to the air-conditioned comfort of the Angkor Café. We will visit Angkor Wat after lunch. Great for people who appreciate the forest as well as the temples and enjoy some casual exercise. Trip time: 4 hours Options: When the weather is hot or time is limited we can cycle for a couple of hours through the park either early morning or later in the afternoon as an introduction to Angkor. When it s cooler and we have longer, we can continue through the forest to Preah Kahn and a sunset view to the West over a vast Angkorian reservoir.

3 Kayaking The Tonle Sap Tonle Sap Lake is the largest body of freshwater in Southeast Asia and has been key to the area's civilisations' prosperity and demise over millennium. Life on the Tonle Sap has adapted to the rise and fall of water caused by the phenomenal back-flow from the Mekong River which feeds the lake during the monsoon and drains it during the dry season. Just a short drive away from Siem Reap, we have several kayaking expedition options depending on the level of the water and the level of your activeness. The main attractions are the stilted and floating homes, and the daily life that take place around them. Fully supported by motorboat, the trips are generally good for a half day either including a lunch on the motorboat or dinner on one of the stilted homes' verandas. These expeditions are suitable for all ages. Life on the Tonle Sap has adapted to the rise and fall of water caused by the phenomenal back flow from the Mekong which feeds the lake during the monsoon. Available: year round (most years) Trip time: approx. 5-7 hours Options: The kayaking can be combined with a countryside exploration cycle. For a special occasion or just for fun, we can arrange for a candle-lit BBQ in a local stilted house with a motorboat ride back across the fishing lantern-lit lake after dinner.

4 Prek Toal Kayaking Adventure The Tonle Sap Great Lake floods the flat-lands around the floating village of Prek Toal creating a myriad of waterways populated by birds and fishermen. To truly experience this incredible ecosystem, paddle along the edges of the flooded forests down quiet channels and through the floating village of Kampong Prahoc. From here it s a couple of kilometers downstream to Prek Toal. The destination is the Saray Platform at Prek Toal, a community social enterprise which uses the stems of an invasive water weed to make local handicrafts. This provides employment to women in the village, who will take time off to cook us a great lunch. In the afternoon, get to know the village, visiting our guide Buntha s family house, the floating fish cages, the crocodile pens and floating gardens... even a pool hall. This adventure is suitable for active people who really want to get away from it all and are interested in nature and indigenous cultures (and maybe want to play a game of pool). Available: August to April (most years) Trip time: approx. 8 9 hours Meals: Breakfast & lunch Options: Can be combined with a visit to The Core Bird Reserve when accessible either as a day trip or overnight homestay.

5 Prek Toal and Core Bird Reserve This is an immersing experience surrounded by wildlife in the seasonally flooded forests of the Core Bird Reserve and observing the lifestyle of the Prek Toal floating village, with options for expeditionary kayaking. Ideal for those with an interest in wildlife and indigenous cultures, this is a full-day out in nature, away from the crowds, in Southeast Asia s largest fresh water bird colony. Paddle through the floating village of Prek-Toal and finish with lunch on the The Saray Platform, a community initiative that gives the poorest women in the village employment weaving the stems of the invasive water hyacinth into handicrafts. They can also cook a good lunch. Available: August to March (most years) Trip time: approx. 9 hours Meals: Breakfast & lunch Options: An overnight home-stay will give you a glimpse of what life is like in a floating village as we paddle to dinner beneath the stars and rise early to be in the reserve shortly after dawn. The best time to catch the birding spectacle.

6 Countryside Bikes and Hikes Discover unique cycling and/or hiking adventures further away from Siem Reapranging from a two-hour hike to a 15 to 40 kilometer bike ride with a hearty lunch stop making it a full day trip. Bike rides and hikes along off-road paths in the countryside offer a gentle introduction to rural Khmer life and lesser-seen temples. Cycle and/or hike between paddy fields lined with sugar palm trees and through small rural villages of stilted wooden houses surrounded by fruit trees. Discover the ruins of temples hidden in patches of uninhabited forest and lunch in the shade of their crumbling walls. Or perhaps enjoy refreshing drinks overlooking an Angkorian Reservoir as the sun settles below the horizon. We can add the unique experience of an oxcart ride for the return leg to where our transport will be waiting for the drive back to town. Suitable for guests who want to gain an understanding of how most Khmers live, appreciate the countryside, enjoy active biking and/or hiking, as well as the excitement of discovering hidden temples. Trip time: 3-7 hours Options: For a special occasion we can arrange a champagne lunch inside a temple and have a helicopter take guests back to Siem Reap.

7 Khulen Mountain Trail Khulen is a magical and mysterious chain of hills 60 kilometers from Siem Reap. Hiking around the birthplace of the Angkorian Empire, you'll discover ancient stone carvings and temples as well as catch glimpses of forest wildlife. Enjoy a picnic lunch set up on the rocky banks of the Khulen River followed by a visit to Cambodia s largest reclining Buddha and a swim in the Khulen waterfall pools. During the forest hike, you'll also come across stunning riverbed engravings of Shiva and Vishnu. Not far from where we walk lie nearly life-size 9th Century Hindu animal carvings surrounded by jungle, which provide a great hiking, mountain biking or motorbike option for the afternoon. On the return trip to Siem Reap, we can stop at BanteaySrei Temple and catch the afternoon sun as it glows on the pink sandstone wall. This is a full day trip, leaving after breakfast and returning late afternoon. Best suited for those with a sense of adventure, an interest in the environment and physically active. Trip time: 8-9 hours Options: An afternoon mountain bike ride can take us to nearly life size 9th Century Hindu animal carvings.

8 Khulen Mountain Biking Phnom Khulen is a small forested national park about an hour from Siem Reap and the birthplace of the Angkorian Empire. This adventurous cycling excursion follows paths through the forest to 9th century animal carvings and a remote Angkorian Temple where a picnic lunch will be waiting. The ride continues after lunch through hilltop villages and forests, and finishes off with a refreshing swim in the Khulen River. Suitable for those with a sense of adventure and are physically active and mountain bike fit. Trip time: 9 hours Cycling: 30 km, flexible

9 Phnom Bot Hike A delightful forest walk or bike ride along the banks of the ancient East Baray, once a water source for the temples of Angkor and now a fertile plain of paddy fields and sugar palm trees. Our path passes through Pradark Pagoda and small villages of traditional wooden stilted houses shaded by coconut palms and great clumps of bamboo. We'll walk along a lake at the base of the mountain then into thick scrub emerging beside the steps that lead up 200 meters to the hilltop temple where we can watch the sun sink over the Siem Reap plain with a well earned beer or glass of wine in hand. This is a great half-day excursion close to Siem Reap with a rewarding view of Angkor Park from above. Not suitable for children under 12 years of age. Trip time: 2-3 hours Meals: -

10 The Secret Lake This combination bike and kayak adventure provides a glimpse into rural Khmer life and, of great archaeological interest, a hidden view of ancient bridges and dams used to manage water. Only five kilometers from Angkor Wat but a million miles from the main tourist trails, lies the ancient lake of Boeung Ta Neue (shhh, it's a secret). We start our adventure with a mountain bike ride along paths through small settlements of traditional wooden houses shaded by coconut palms and mango trees. We'll discover overgrown clues as to how the Angkorian s managed their water supply a thousand years ago. Our kayaks will be waiting at the lake's edge when we arrive. At your own pace, we'll explore the far reaches of the lake where small rivers feed in. Learn first-hand about the teeming environment and lifestyle of the people who live near the lake. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch at a secret spot cloaked by vegetation, a small temple of three stone towers in the shade of wild fruit trees. Trip time: 4-6 hours Options: This trip can be tailored to be less active for families with young children