Cambodia in Style

Arrive into Phnom Penh, where a guide will be waiting to welcome you and transfer you to your hotel, around an hour away. After the journey, the rest of the day is free to rest and settle in. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Tour Phnom Penh's most remarkable sights by cyclo this morning, beginning at the Royal Palace, the last palace built during the French colonial period, dating to 1866. The complex houses the Silver Pagoda, its floor covered in more than 5,000 silver tiles, and a collection of Buddha statues cast in gold, silver, crystal and bronze. Continue to the National Museum, built in traditional Khmer style and home to the world's foremost collection of Khmer artistic and religious artefacts from the fourth to thirteenth centuries, plus a resident colony of bats in its rafters. Enjoy lunch at Khema La Poste, set inside the restored nineteenth-century headquarters of a former river shipping company in the heart of the old French Quarter, serving fine French cafe fare in a striking colonial setting. Afterward, visit the Central Market, an art deco landmark and one of the largest markets in the country, before returning to your hotel. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Spend the morning at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, also known as S-21, a former school taken over by the Khmer Rouge and used as its main detention and torture centre, then continue to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, a sobering but important look at Cambodia's recent history. This evening, board a private boat for a sunset cruise along the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers, taking in views of the riverfront and the Phnom Penh skyline over soft drinks. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Transfer this morning to the airport for a short flight to Siem Reap, gateway to the temples of Angkor. Settle into your hotel, then set off by vintage car in the afternoon to Angkor Wat, the twelfth-century temple built by King Suryavarman II in the image of Mount Meru, the mythical home of the Hindu gods, its walls carved with more than 2,000 apsara dancers and scenes from Hindu mythology. As the light softens, board a private gondola paddle boat for a relaxing cruise on the moat of Angkor Thom, with champagne, soft drinks and canapes included. Paddle out to the southwest corner of the wall to climb the rampart to the ruins of Prasat Chrung, a small temple overlooking the moat, before paddling back to the South Gate as the sun sets. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Set off by bike this morning from the remote West Gate of Angkor Thom, one of the least restored of the great city's five gates. Follow a single-track trail along the top of the enclosure wall and through forested stretches of the park to the North Gate, then on to the sprawling, jungle-clad Preah Khan, built in the late twelfth century in honour of King Jayavarman VII's father and once home to a population of nearly 100,000 in its service. Continue on forest trails past an ancient baray, over a swinging bridge and the Angkor Park plant nursery to the crumbling ruins of Ta Nei, then on to Takeo temple and a small track leading to the Gate of the Dead, the East Gate of Angkor Thom, reachable only by dirt trail. Follow the wall back around, stopping again at Prasat Chrung, before exiting through the popular South Gate to see the brick towers of Prasat Bei and climb Baksei Chamkrong, the first pyramid temple built at Angkor. Continue by car to a village near Srah Srang for lunch in a traditional Khmer wooden house. In the late afternoon, visit Theam's House Art Gallery, the studio of Cambodian artist and designer Lim Muy Theam, welcomed by his sister Maddy Lim for a look at the lacquerware, paintings and sculpture created by Theam's team of long-trained artisan apprentices. Finish the day with a 90-minute body massage. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Board a private wooden boat this morning for a journey along a canal to Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia's largest, for a glimpse of life on the water among its stilted houses. Continue to the Angkor Wildlife and Aquarium, where a marine biologist leads a behind-the-scenes tour of the exhibit, sharing insight into the environmental threats facing the lake, from habitat destruction to disrupted migration patterns; the visit includes a donation supporting conservation efforts for the lake's endangered species. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Bakong, one of the most significant and impressive temples of the late ninth century. This evening, enjoy a performance by Phare, Cambodia's celebrated circus and arts school, whose professional artists perform a show suitable for all ages. Overnight in Siem Reap.

This morning, visit the APOPO visitor centre to learn about the organisation's work clearing landmines from the Cambodian countryside using specially trained rats, guided by demining experts. Continue to Ta Prohm, the temple made famous by the film Tomb Raider and best known for the trees and vines that have grown over its walls for centuries. Drive on to a local village known for nom ah kour tnout, a steamed palm sugar cake, and learn how palm trees are used throughout Cambodian life. Continue to Pradak village, renowned for its traditional Khmer noodles, and visit a family making fresh rice noodles by hand, trying your own before sampling the village's signature dish, nom banh chok. In the afternoon, visit Banteay Srei, a pink sandstone temple often overlooked by visitors despite being among the best preserved monuments at Angkor, with intricate bas-reliefs worth a closer look. For your last evening in Siem Reap, dine at Lum Orng, Cambodia's first farm-to-table restaurant, where owner-chef Sothea Seng cooks seasonal dishes drawn from his own farms and local markets. Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for a short flight to Sihanoukville, then transfer directly to the pier for a speedboat crossing to an exclusive private island retreat, around 45 minutes away. Overnight on the island.

A full day free to enjoy the island at your own pace: swim, relax on the beach, or simply do nothing at all. Overnight on the island.

Another day free to enjoy the island. Overnight on the island.

A final full day free to enjoy the island before departure. Overnight on the island.

After breakfast, take the speedboat back to the mainland, then transfer to the airport for your onward flight, bringing your journey through Cambodia to a close.