CLASSIC CAMBODIA

Day 1 Arrive in Siem Reap

On arrival in Siem Reap you will be met and privately transferred to your hotel. Sala Lodges is designed to replicate a traditional Khmer village with rooms in separate wooden houses dotted throughout the pretty garden.

Overnight: Sala Lodges

Day 2 Angkor Temples from the ground and by Zip-line

Rising at the crack of dawn, you will be driven out to the mother of all temples, Angkor Wat, where you will witness the sun rise before enjoying a picnic breakfast as the crowds disperse. You will then be taken into the temple to enjoy its magnificence in peace and quiet. Believed to be the world's largest religious building, this temple is the perfect fusion of symbolism and symmetry and a source of pride and strength to all Khmers. Film lovers will recognise many of the sites from the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat all featured in the movie. Your guide will also take you to see the great walled city of Angkor Thom with its Terrace of the Leper King and Terrace of Elephants, as well as the enchanting temple of Bayon.

By now you many have seen enough temples from the ground, so you can get the adrenalin levels fired up as you zip-line through the canopy jungle above the temples. The adventure includes zip-lines, rope bridges, a treehouse and a 15m abseil descent to navigate. Gibbons watch from their natural habitat and can be seen from the nature trail of high level walkways. Jump into a tuk-tuk and watch the sunset with cocktails from the grounds of Sala Kdei, a traditional wooden house opposite the royal bathing pool of Sra Srang.

Overnight: Sala Lodges

Day 3 Temples, Quad Bikes and Street Food in Siem Reap

Rise early to visit the jungle-strewn temple of Ta Prohm ahead of the crowds. This temple has been abandoned to the elements, a reminder that while empires rise and fall the riotous power of nature marches on, oblivious to the dramas of human history. Left as it was "discovered" by French explorer Henri Mouhot in 1860, the tentacle-like tree roots here are slowly strangling the surviving stones. From Ta Prohm you will jump onto quad bikes and enjoy two hours of riding along dirt tracks, through villages and on to the Rolous Group of temples - the original capital of the Khmer empire.

This evening your highlight will be a street food tour with Scottish Chef, Steve Halcrow (of Andrew Fairlie fame). Visit food markets and street food stalls sampling such delicacies as grilled fish paste pancakes, steamed rice flour dumplings oozing coconut cream, jujube fruit stewed in palm sugar and pumpkin-soy milk shakes. Finish off with some delicious Angkor beers before heading back to your hotel.

Overnight: Sala Lodges

Day 4 Siem Reap - Phnom Penh

This morning, meet your guide and private driver and travel by road to Phnom Penh, passing by stunning countryside and traditional villages. There will be an opportunity for a brief pause at Skuon, affectionately known as 'Spiderville', where it is possible to sample the local delicacy of deep-fried tarantula. Travel time will be around five hours. On arrival in Phnom Penh, check in to Rosewood Phnom Penh, which cuts an imposing figure over the Cambodian capital. The sleek edifice of glass and steel is a reflection of the city's energy, but step inside and you are instantly transported from the buzz of the bustling streets into a cool, calm space.

Overnight: Rosewood Phnom Penh

Day 5 Khmer Rouge & Hidden Laneways

A profoundly moving experience, this tour of two of Cambodia's most sobering sites is an important part of understanding the nation's difficult past and how far its people have come in the decades since. In the company of a local guide, start with a harrowing tour of Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, situated at the end of a dusty track on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The former high school, seized by the Khmer Rouge in 1975, became the regime's most notorious torture and interrogation centre. Of the 17,000 prisoners detained here, only seven are known to have survived, and meticulously preserved prisoner records include a haunting photographic archive of their hollowed faces. From here, travel a little further out of town to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. The largest of the country's mass grave sites, today it serves as a memorial to the 8,985 victims exhumed here. Despite the all-encompassing, stark reminders of the horrors of the past, many visitors find this a deeply reflective and strangely tranquil spot to learn about one of the darkest times in modern day history.

After an afternoon at leisure, discover Phnom Penh's buzzing nightlife. The Cambodian capital has emerged as one of the liveliest cities in Southeast Asia and this after-dark tour, with a focus on the cities buzzing laneways, takes you to some of the best off-the-beaten track bars and eateries in the Penh. Your dedicated tuk-tuk driver will help to navigate you between locations, picking you up from your hotel and dropping you safely back home at the end of the experience. The adventure begins with a visit to Langka Lane located in the popular BKK (Boeng Keng Kang) area of the city. You'll visit a small speakeasy here where the first challenge is to find the secret entrance and once inside, choose a signature cocktail in this hip little spot. The crawl continues with a visit to Palace Lane, an up-and-coming alley near the Royal Palace, which is strikingly sprayed with street murals by local and international artists. Here you'll visit a popular craft beer bar where you will sample a tasting platter washed down with a cocktail, glass of wine or a local craft beer. There is also sometimes live music at this bar on weekends and it is a popular haunt for resident expats in the city. The tour then moves on to buzzing St 308, now closed to traffic in the evenings and the hub of the lively Tonle Bassac Street area with lots of local wining and dining venues. Venture into the popular Bassac Lane which is home to a cluster of original small bars, all with their own character. Enter a small cocktail bar where there is a creative menu of cocktails to choose from for a nightcap. Your tuk-tuk driver will then return to your hotel, or leave you to continue the night further.

Overnight: Rosewood Phnom Penh

Day 6 Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville

After breakfast you will be driven out of Phnom Penh to travel south on the new Expressway to Sihanoukville, with a journey time of approximately two hours 30 minutes. On arrival In Sihanoukville you will board the scheduled boat to the island of Koh Kong. The last leg of your journey will be a car transfer across the island to Royal Sands, located on a talcum powder, white beach and your home for the next few nights.

Overnight: The Royal Sands

Day 7 - 10 At leisure on Koh Rong

Enjoy four days at leisure at Royal Sands. The beauty of this resort is that it offers the best of both worlds, with all the luxuries one would expect of a 5-star resort, but with the added bonus of local life on the doorstep.

Overnight: The Royal Sands

Day 11 Depart

Today is at leisure until it is time to be transferred to the airport for your flight home.