Siem Reap Adventure

Arrive into Phnom Penh Airport (PNH) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to the hotel and settle in, relaxing after your long flight, and join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture. Have a Khmer dinner and head back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.

Arun-suer-sdey! Over some Khmer breakfast, take your first informal language lesson. While you’ll just cover the basics, making an effort to learn the local language is a great gesture of respect to the local people.

Spend today exploring the ancient city of Phnom Penh. Your first destination is Tuol Sleng (S-21), a former school that was used as a prison and has since been converted into a museum to educate visitors about the country’s genocide. You will also visit the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek where students can walk through the quiet and peaceful fields that were setting of mass killings and burials during the genocide. While solemn, these sites are important landmarks of Cambodia’s past and allow students to put contemporary Cambodia into historical perspective.

In the afternoon, tour the Royal Palace where the King currently resides. Continue the exploration by heading to Olympic Stadium, located in the heart of Phnom Penh. This local stadium is where Cambodians gather before and after work to exercise and meet up with friends. Relax on the steps taking in the sights and sounds, and even participate in some aerobics!

Pass through rural Cambodia as you journey to Battambang and stop in a village known for their clay pots. Sample some interesting insects along the way and continue onward. Once you arrive, fill your day by visiting a hill-top temple, riding on a traditional bamboo train and witnessing over a million bats vacate their cave at sunset in search for their daily food.

Begin your journey to Siem Reap, home of the world-famous Angkor Wat! Siem Reap is an easy city to fall in love with, especially while strolling through the famous night markets for some evening shopping and local souvenirs.

This afternoon you will head out into the Cambodian countryside to bicycle through the villages. This is a great, unobtrusive way to see rural Cambodian life and the dirt tracks are perfect for meandering through rice paddies, along canals, and through the quaint village roads.

After dinner, head to Phare, The Cambodian Circus. This inspiring acrobat show is performed by students from Phare Ponleu Selpak, an organization that educates disadvantaged youth through the power of the arts.

Take a day trip outside the city to the Phnom Kulen Waterfall. Hike through the forest to the massive wall of water and get a refreshing respite from the heat as you soak in the cool pool at the waterfall’s base. On the way back to town, stop at the Cambodian Landmine Museum and Relief Center to learn about Cambodia’s Civil war and lingering problems that still affect the population today. This Museum is run by an NGO whose proceeds go to actively de-mine rural communities and support an onsite school for landmine victims. Back in the city, explore the night markets and shop for souvenirs for friends and family back home.

Wake up early for a morning exploring Angkor Wat and the ancient Khmer Empire. See the intricate carvings of Angkor’s historical battle scenes and climb the top of the highest tower to see the temples from a new perspective. Then travel to Bayon to see the huge, carved faces in rock, and make your way to the shady temple of Ta Prohm where massive trees have given this ruin a fairytale-like feel. After a day of ancient adventures, enjoy a final Khmer dinner and spend time browsing the night markets.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

We genuinely hope your time spent here, the experiences you’ve shared, and the things you’ve reflected on will stay with you for a lifetime. After some final group photos with Team Cambodia, your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.