Cambodia Food Trails

Spend the morning exploring the local market and learning about Khmer cuisine. Pick up begins from the hotel in a traditional cyclo- an authentic and unique means of traveling to the market. Walk through the aisles as the guide explains the different fruits, herbs, and vegetables and how they are used in Khmer cuisine, sampling local fruits along the way. The walking tour will last about 2 hours before continuing to a local restaurant which uses many of the ingredients seen at the market. Various dishes come ready cooked; French-style baguettes (num pang) and the tasty nom banh chok can be ordered. This tour is ideal for foodies and lovers of local, non-touristy experiences.

In the afternoon, visit the most remarkable sights Phnom Penh has to offer. First, head to the National Museum, which houses the world's foremost collection of ancient Khmer artistic, archaeological, and religious arterfacts from the 4th to the 13th centuries. Continue along the lively riverfront to the Royal Palace. This palace dates back to 1866 and houses the Silver Pagoda, named for the over 5000 heavy silver tiles that cover its floors. Its original name is Wat Prakeo, meaning Temple of the Emerald Buddha. In this temple there is also a brilliant collection of Buddha statues in gold, silver, crystal, and bronze on display. This evening, get picked by ramork, a Cambodian tuktuk, for a night to remember. On this Phnom Penh night tour, there is the chance to experience Cambodian cuisine, delicious cocktails, and local beer, while experiencing the unique nightlife that this vibrant capital city has to offer.

Start off the night at a chic riverside bar for cocktails, get to know your tour guide, and kick off an evening of dining and exploring Phnom Penh. After cocktails, hop back into the ramork and join the locals in the bustling street traffic. The next stop is a popular local restaurant with a charming atmosphere and welcoming Khmer hospitality. Try some delectable local cuisine, including lemongrass chicken and eggplant with pork, sharing the dishes Khmer style with a beer or soft drink. After enjoying your meal, hop back in the ramork and visit a fresh market where locals pick up their groceries for the following day’s meals. Before walking through the market, stop at a shop selling herb-infused rice whiskey. There are several varieties, each of which offers a different medicinal remedy. Along the way to your elegant after-dinner cocktail venue, ride past some of the famous sights of French-colonial Phnom Penh and stop at a beautiful monument for a brief story about the history of the city. Next up: drinks at one of Cambodia’s most legendary watering holes. Zoom through the city lights once again, headed for a popular spot amongst locals for live music and late night dining. With a mix of top Cambodian songs and foreign rock hits, you’re bound to stay entertained as you sample some exotic local delicacies, such as spicy frog and beef with ants. After stopping off at one more iconic city landmark along the way, finish the evening at a charming street of small, hip bars for cocktails or a cold beer.

Begin the morning with a visit to some of the many cultural villages around Battambang, learning how the locals produce rice paper, prahoc (typical Cambodian fish paste), grolan (sticky rice stuffed in bamboo), and other Cambodian treats. Pay a visit to a weaving and handicraft centre in another village. After, take a short ride on the famous Bamboo Train, an original means of transportation on the old train tracks leading to Phnom Penh. Transfer back to your hotel to freshen up before stepping out for touring activities in the afternoon. You will be picked up in the lobby for a relaxing cyclo ride around the town of Battambang. Sit back and relax for this 2.5 hours tour as the cyclo driver cruises around the colonial streets, markets, and temples. At many stops, get off the cyclo and walk around the points of interest before moving on the next stop. After the cyclo, head to Jaan Bai, a social enterprise run by the Cambodian Children’s Trust working to break the cycle of poverty in Battambang by empowering underprivileged children. Jaan Bai uses seasonal organic produce sourced from their kitchen garden, local farmers and neighbouring markets. Enjoy a tasty menu showcasing the best of South East Asia with Western influences.

Sail along the Stung Sangker River until reaching the Prek Toal bird sanctuary, one of the most important breeding grounds for water birds in the region. Continue along the edge of the largest freshwater lake in Asia, Tonlé Sap Lake, an exceptional water system which swells to almost five times its size during the rainy season. The lake is also an important breeding ground for fish, providing more than half of the amount of fish consumed in Cambodia. This particular water system requires the people living on the lake to adapt to the living conditions. Stop on the way to visit many villages where people live on stilted or entirely floating houses before reaching Siem Reap town. The boat trip takes 6-7 hours depending on water levels and is a slow, but beautiful journey to take. Relax and watch village and lake life while sailing from Battambang to Siem Reap. Arrive in Siem Reap, the gateway to the majestic temples of Angkor and a charming little city. The rest of the day is at leisure. Enjoy dinner this evening at the stunning Chanrey Tree. One of the best fine dining restaurants in town, the Chanrey Tree offers traditional Khmer cuisine in a lush contemporary setting. Located on the riverside in heart of Siem Reap, the Chanrey Tree combines the amazing taste of only seasonal traditional Khmer ingredients, with a relaxed but lavish environment to provide a unique Cambodian dining experience. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Begin the morning by discovering the secrets of authentic Khmer cuisine with a half-day cooking class with Mrs Kethana Dunnet. Travel 35km out of Siem Reap to a village near Banteay Srei to meet the chef at her beautiful country home. Kethana is the owner and founder of the Sugar Palm restaurants in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and is known for her work with many celebrity TV chefs including Gordon Ramsay and Luke Nguyen. Kethana offers a truly practical Siem Reap cooking class. Over the course of the morning, learn how to prepare various dishes that are served at Sugar Palm and the differences between Khmer and other regional cuisines. The class lasts about 3 hours before sitting and appreciating the hard work with a tasting of the day’s creations (2 starters and 2 main courses). After lunch, continue to visit the Golden Silk Pheach Farm, a local NGO which helps to revive the ancient Khmer silk trades and activities, providing job opportunities to more than 100 local staff. The farm area, mulberry trees, and weaving ateliers, can be seen as part of the guided tour. Golden Silk products are ecologically produced from the yellow silkworm which is unique to Cambodia. Some of the silk products are months, or even years, in the making and each one is unique. This is one for the connoisseurs of high quality craftwork. Later, travel to the “gem” of the Angkor area, the pretty temple of Banteay Srei. Also called the “Citadel of the Women,” this remains one of the best preserved temples in Cambodia with fine examples of classical Khmer art and remarkable bas-reliefs. Transfer back to Siem Reap with evening at leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap

Begin the day with a ‘remork’ (tuk tuk) to the legendary Angkor Wat. Built in the early 12th century, the complex follows the model of the symbolic Mount Meru, the home of the gods. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with Aspara dancers and stone carvings/bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology. Construction of Angkor Wat, which is also found on the Cambodian flag, is thought to have taken around thirty years of intensive labor to complete. Take a break back at the hotel until the late afternoon. Enjoy a relaxing cruise in a gondola paddle boat at the moat of Angkor Thom compound while watching a spectacular sunset at Prasat Chroung temple. Cocktails, champagne, canapés and soft drinks will be available on the boat.

Enjoy this final night in Cambodia with a dinner at the renowned Embassy restaurant. An exclusive fine dining experience, Embassy is headed by executive chefs Pol & Sok; the “Kimsan Twins.” Having trained under Michelin-star chefs, they have created one of the most unique five-star quality cuisines that can be experienced in Siem Reap. With a constantly changing menu based around seasonality, guests can savour skilfully prepared masterpieces from multiple-course set menus, paired with a selection of fine wines.

Overnight in Siem Reap.