DAY 1

Departure from Bangkok at 8 a.m. towards the Khorat plateau stretching over a large portion of the Thaï North Eastern provinces. In the middle of the morning, we stop for a while to gaze at the extensive view over the great Lamtaklong lake.
We drive on as far as the capital of the province, Nakhon Ratchasima ( formerly named Khorat ) where we have lunch. Then we set out to visit the Khmer temple sites.
Our first stop is 20 kms north of Khorat, at Prasat Hin Phanon Wan, a temple of Hindu origin, dating back to the late 9th century. Nowadays, it is a sandstone structure, dating probably from the 13th and 14th centuries.

We drive on about 25 kms North-Eastwards and we arrive at Ban Prasat, the oldest archeological site in the area. Its remnants of potteries and ceramics show that about three thousand years ago a rural population ldwelled here living on agriculture.
After that highly learned day, we spend the evening and the night at Nakhon Ratchasima, settling at the Sima Thani hotel (or the like ).
You can take advantage of that free late afternoon to have a ride in a cycle-rickshaw around the town centre. Dinner is taken in town, followed by a call on the Thanon Manat night bazaar.

DAY 2

Departure just after breakfast at the hotel. We first reach the Historical National Park of Prasat Hin Phimai. Besides its own beauty, that temple interests us by its situation. As a matter of fact, it's the only so important Khmer temple (Angkor times) standing amidst urban surroundings. Phimai lives on enclosed in its town laying out of which has been the same for centuries.

We have lunch at Phimai, then we carry on Southwards. Our way runs through Dan Kwian, a potter's village, where we watch those craftsmen's skills inherited from their forefathers. Then we reach another village, Pak Thong Cha, which is very famous in Thaïland for its silk weaving. We'll enter one of those workshops to learn more about it.
To-day, our journey ends in Surin, famous for its yearly elephant festival.
We put up and have dinner at the Surin Majestic Hotel.

DAY 3

After breakfast, we leave the hotel and head for the first temple of the day, situated about 70 kms from the city of Buri Ram : Phanom Rung, the famous Angkor style temple, built from the beginning of the 10th till the end of the 12th century.
That stirring temple has two assets : it towers over the surrounding plain, giving the impression of reaching the sky and it is adorned in best taste.
A few kilometres further, we visit another building, the PRASAT MEUANG TAM, erected in the 11th century. That temple, girdled with ponds, is called the 'lower city' in opposition to the PRASAT PHANOM RUNG perched on its two hills. We have lunch and after that interval we take again to the road that runs towards the East, parallel to the Cambodia border, and through little villages and cultivated fields. We'll stop at 'road-posts' in TA MEUEN. Those three small houses are situated amidst the jungle, on the boundary between Thaïland and Cambodia. The stairs leading to the last house, the TA MEUEN THOM which faces South is even already in the Cambodian territory.
Those structures, built at the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th century along the main roads of the kingdom, had been erected every 15 or 20 kms..
Now, back to Surin where we spend a second night, after a stroll in town and dinner in a small traditional restaurant.

DAY 4

Departure at dawn after an early breakfast to begin that transitory day towards the Cambodian land. For about three hours, we drive Southwards along the border on a good road, where straight, flat stretches follow winding ones. A few kilometres before crossing the border-line we notice a derelict Khmer temple under renovation. That archeological jwork shows how keen the local authorities are keen to restore their heritage with the help of the international community.

We have lunch at the frontier town, Aranyaprathet, before going through the customs and police checking. Our thaï driver and our guide leave us and a Cambodian team welcomes us and takes over. A 155 kms road in good condition separate the frontier town of Polpet from SIEMREAP.
Along the road you will behold the Cambodian landscapes with their rice-fields and Khmer villages. We visit one of them. In Siemreap the accommodation is in a 3* or 4* hotel according to your choice. In any case, our hotels are both pleasant and comfortable, the staff give us a very cordial welcome.

Diner at the Apsara Theatre .
Visit of the night market after the diner-show (starting around 8.30 PM) and return at your hotel in the evening.
Nuit in Siem Reap.
1 hour khmer massage, day 1 or 2, offered by our agency. To be organised with our tour guide.

DAY 5

As early as 9 o'clock, the visit of the Angkor temples begins, with our English-speaking guide. We are driven in an air-conditionned mini-bus to the famous Angkor Wat temple, then Angkor Thom with the South gate, Bayon, the terrace of the elephants, the terrace of the Leper King, Preah Khan and finally Ta Prohm overgrown by the jungle.

In the afternoon, we continue our visit in Roluos located around 12km from Siem Reap on the road that leads to Phnom Penh.
The Roluos group is at the origin of the Angkorian architecture (after Sambor Prei Kuk dated back between 610 & 650 and Phnom Kulen dated back between 825& 875).There are 3 major temples: the Preah Ko, the Bakong and the Lolei (dated back to 877-881& 889 after JC)
In the end of afternoon we drive back to our hotel
Diner in town at the « Noria restaurant » or similar.
Night in Siem Rep

DAY 6

Siem Reap - Angkor & ROLUOS

We start in the early morning for a day's tour by air-conditionned mini-bus, with our English-speaking guide. Following the road, then a track, we'll head to the Phnom Kulen hills, 55 kilometres off Siem Reap city. This site is very popular amongst the Cambodian people, with plenty of visitors, as the Angkorian civilisation was born here. A magnificent water-fall invites you to have a swim. We'll also visit the splendid pagoda standing on top of a huge boulder. Inside the temple a lying Buddah takes up the whole space: it has been carved straight out of the rock. From the top of the pagoda, there is a beautiful view over the surroundings.

We have lunch on the site, near the waterfall.

In the early afternoon, we carry on to Banteay Srei, the angkorian temple sculptured out of pink sandstone, which shelters extremely fine carvings. The tour continues to Kbal Spean, the River of thousand lingas.

In the late afternoon, we go back to Siem Reap with the possibility of stopping at Bakheng Mount from the top of which we might admire sunset over Angkor Wat.

We have dinner at the hotel.

DAY 7

Siem Reap : Tonlé Lake & Angkor craftsmen :
After breakfast, we drive towards the Tonlé Lake and there we take a boat to visit the Chong Khneas of the Gecko Environment center floating village and will discover a crocodile farm.
Lunch will be taken on the lake or in town in a local restaurant.
Return in town in the late morning.
After lunch, we will visit Angkor craftsmen located near the old market, in the city center, visit of a school where is taught the sculpture on wood and stones traditional art and in Phouc, we will see the work with silk (this last visit will be completed depending on the available time we have as it’s located about 15km from the city center)