Northern Cambodia Explorer

The First Taste

Upon arrival at the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI), your smiley guide and driver will meet you for a transfer to our group’s accommodation at Navutu Dream Resort & Wellness Centre—check in is possible from 2 p.m.

Spend the afternoon as you wish—treat yourself to an invigorating Khmer massage or organic Queen Bee Facial at the resort’s on-site spa. This upscale hotel oozes peace and paradise in a plastic-free eco chic setting. Revive in one of the three pools on the property. Or, simply stop to smell the flowers—the fragrance of the bougainvillea and frangipani are the best tropical welcome.

Siem Reap is known for its proximity to the 8th Wonder of the World, the Angkor Complex. Located in the northwest pocket of the country, it’s a hip gateway to the temples of Angkor and a big foodie hub. Buzzy night markets and an open-book history lesson await.

Refresh and reset before meeting your Wild Women group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Included Meals

Dinner

Accommodations

Navutu Dream Resort & Wellness Retreat or similar

Travel

1 hour and 15 minutes (airport transfer)

An Edible Journey

This morning we travel in style with women tuk tuk drivers at the wheel. Traveling a road lined by the shade of century-old trees, we enter the imposing stone doorway of Angkor Thom (“the big city”). The stone-carved smiling faces of Bayon Temple greet and lure us back into the 12th and 13th century. The edifice is surrounded by 54 towers, each adorned with four symbolic faces.

After Bayon, we travel to the Baphuon, an 11th-century mountain temple restored by dedicated French architects. Along the Terrace of Elephants we imagine the royal audiences and public ceremonies of its heyday. The 12th-century Terrace of the Leper King is another marvel with its Apsara sculptures.

A 10-minute walk brings us to our unique lunch spot in a local Khmer timber house in Srah Srang. This traditional home and its healthy tropical gardens are located on the scenic Srah Srang baray (reservoir) that was historically used as a royal bathing pool during the ancient Khmer Empire. 

After lunch, we have a pastry demonstration by one of the women from the village. It’s a sweet lesson in the history of cakes that have been enjoyed by generations of Cambodians. We can roll up our sleeves if we wish and try our hand at making the traditional pastries that include rice ball cakes of sugar palm, coconut and local fruit.

In the afternoon, we visit Ta Prohm, a temple that has been nearly consumed by the wild tropical flora that surrounds it.  We travel back to Navutu to reflect on all the sweet and savory bites we’ve sampled before dinner at a restaurant nearby.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Navutu Dream Resort & Wellness Retreat or similar

Travel

45 minutes (tuk tuk)

The Kulen Elephant Forest

Around 7:30 a.m. we make a beeline for Phnom Kulen, the largest forested area in the Siem Reap province. In minutes, we will be swallowed up by the views and heart of the Cambodian countryside.  We pass by tiny villages, endless emerald rice fields and sugar palm trees. 

Upon arriving at the national park checkpoint at the foot of Kulen Mountain we see the mighty “River of a Thousand Lingas”. Here, Hindu mythological and religious carvings in the Kbal Spean River are dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva and golden Reclining Buddha, situated at Preah Ang Thom. We continue along the spiritual realm, renewing our own spirits in the rush of the Phnom Kulen Waterfall. We have time to swim and linger over a riverside picnic lunch.

After leaving Phnom Kulen we visit Kulen Elephant Forest. This sanctuary is home to 14 retired elephants who transported tourists in Angkor Park for decades. The elephants are now totally free range in the forest and well-loved.

Following the elephants through their new habitat we learn more about their behavior and relationships. This walk is a reminder of the remarkable reawakening of the wild that has been experienced by the previously captive, working elephants. Our energetic and expert guides will share touching stories about their experience with the gentle giants on their path to wildness as we feed and walk with them through the Kulen forest.

We return to our resort around 6:15 p.m. for a quick refresh before dinner at a local restaurant.

Included Meals

Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Navutu Dream Resort & Wellness Retreat or similar

Travel

1 hour and 20 minutes

Creative Kitchens and Studios

We can rise and shine with a private yoga class at Navutu. Beginners are welcome! Experienced teachers will guide us through an hour-long session personalized to our skills, goals and preference.

After a grounding session, we head to the Angkor countryside to stretch our taste buds. We stop at a vibrant local market and kickstart our senses with the array of colorful produce and chatty vendors. Under the guidance of our female chef, we learn the art of selecting the best ingredients for Cambodian cuisine. She will demonstrate cooking techniques, revealing the secrets behind each impressive dish. We have the opportunity to prep our own creations at a personal cooking station set against a serene garden backdrop.

We check into Jaya House River Park before relaxing with an aperitif during a three-hour private tour of Theam’s Gallery, a dynamic art studio, workshop and Theam Lim’s home. He is Cambodia’s most celebrated artist and designer and our host will guide us through Theam’s collections and displays.

His family was among the refugees who fled to France in 1980—Theam studied at the Fine Art School and École Boulle in Paris before returning to Cambodia to help rebuild the country ravaged by decades of war. Theam Lim is committed to the revival, appreciation and preservation of Cambodian traditional arts that includes sculpture, gold leaf-gilding and lacquer polychrome. We have time to soak in the peace, pavilions, creativity and Banyan tree-shaded lush gardens before returning to our proudly plastic-free boutique riverside hotel.

Our hotel includes an on-site spa and one complimentary 60-minute spa treatment per day. We can relax in one of the two pools or sip handmade and homegrown teas from the balcony of our Khmer art-deco inspired rooms before dinner at a nearby restaurant. Expect poolside treats, a daily fruit platter, complimentary mini bar, daily laundry service and free tuk tuk rides into town!

Note: For March and April 2025 departures, we visit Theam’s Gallery on Day 5 after the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary and checking into our hotel.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch (cooking class) and dinner

Accommodations

Jaya House River Park or similar

Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary Cruise

It’s an early bird start (6 a.m.) but birds are the focus of today! We journey to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, to visit the Prek Toal floating village and an incredible bird sanctuary.

Departing from Mechrey, a simple breakfast box will be served with coffee and tea on a traditional wooden boat with a shaded upper deck and lower level seating options. As we move along the muddy waters into the sanctuary, the biodiversity and soundtrack of the waterbird breeding colony is evident. This reserve is vital habitat for eight species of bird: the spot-billed pelican, greater adjutant, lesser adjutant, milky stork, painted stork, black-headed ibis, Oriental darter, and grey-headed fish eagle. Thousands of common water birds also breed here pushing the birding nirvana list to 150 documented species.

After our Ornithology 101 lesson, we cruise through the village and witness the daily rhythms and livelihoods of those who call the lake home. Here, everything  floats, from the pagoda to the school to the pharmacy!

We experience a hyperlocal lunch at a floating restaurant managed by a local NGO that empowers women with skills and financial security. Afterwards, we have a memorable lesson as participants in a water hyacinth handicraft workshop. A villager will guide us in the traditional way of making a small glass mat from the simplicity of a water hyacinth plant. 

Around 3:30 we will depart this hypnotic water world and cruise back to the mainland in Mechrey and onward to our hotel. Dinner is independent tonight—you may choose to dine at Jaya’s on-site resto or take a zippy tuk tuk ride (complimentary) into town.

Included Meals

Breakfast and lunch

Accommodations

Jaya House River Park or similar

Travel

From hotel to Prek Toal: 45 minutes to 1 hour (one way)

45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes (dependent on water levels, one way)

A Sacred Sunrise

Sunrise at Angkor Wat is a moment that should be on everyone’s life To Do List. The buttery dawn teases photographers and artists as the sun lifts and rises directly behind the otherworldly Angkor Wat. The spiritual moment when the sun’s rays bathe the temple in gentle light is the perfect time to visit and stroll the corridors in the morning breeze. It’s an early but memorable start (5 a.m.).

After this magical interlude, we continue our journey into the countryside to the edge of a large emerald baray (an ancient reservoir) to absorb the views over an unhurried Khmer gourmet breakfast. The friendly inhabitants of the village will welcome us with a wide smile and “Chum Reab Sou” (‘Hello’ in Khmer). We can try classic Cambodian dishes like num banh chok (“Khmer noodles”). The rice noodles are handmade using stone or wooden mills, then blanketed with a fish gravy and unexpected vegetables like banana blossom, cucumbers and water lily stems. Fresh bread, jam, tropical fruits and piping hot tea and coffee will also be served in this tranquil setting. 

After our authentic breakfast, we visit the Angkor Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity for a guided tour to learn more about the centre’s monumental work and wildlife initiatives. We have the opportunity to see some of the rescued birds or monkeys  that are being rehabilitated before they are returned to the wild. 

We have lunch at Bong Thom Homestay & Restaurant where local crops and natural fish ponds supply the kitchen of the traditional 109-year-old Sala Chortean wooden house built without nails.

Satiated, we visit the 10th-century pink sandstone temple and sculptures of Banteay Srei which is dedicated to Hindu gods Shiva and Parvati. This “Citadel of Women” is believed to have been built by a woman as the elaborate carvings are too intricate for the hand of a man. It’s not the largest temple in the Angkor complex but it has its own captivating presence.

Tonight’s street food tour is an unforgettable edible experience. During our “Savor Flavor Like a Local Woman” tour through Siem Reap’s streets, we visit a restored wooden house for a Herbal Kulen gin aperitif before stopping at a renowned eatery to try traditional saak koh ang. As we wander the night market we have the opportunity to try exotic snacks at the insect stalls owned and managed by women. Our last sweet bite on this taste bud tour will be the popular lemon and sugar roti.

We return to our hotel to pack and digest our endless stream of colorful Cambodian memories.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner (street food tour)

Accommodations

Jaya House River Park or similar

The Walk

1.3 miles (2.1 km) or 2.5 hours to 3 hours (culinary adventure)

លាហើយ (‘Goodbye’ in Khmer)

There will be a group transfer to Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) for outbound flights after breakfast. If you wish to linger a little longer, please note that hotel check out is at noon.

Before hugging your fellow Wild Women goodbye, decide where to reunite next!

Looking to travel more in the same area of the world? Consider our Northern Vietnam Hiking Adventure or the Northern Vietnam Explorer!

Included Meals

Breakfast