Luxury hotel holidays to Cambodia

Luxury holidays to Cambodia: luxury hotel holidays, touring holidays and special interest holidays

An Expressions tailor-made holiday to Cambodia offers travellers the chance to experience the wonder, culture and history of this magnificent region of South-East Asia. After three decades of war, Cambodia has thrown its arms open the world, welcoming visitors with an enthusiasm and warmth and that makes holidaying here – even without its myriad attractions – an extraordinary joy. Cambodia’s people may be the country’s principle asset, their unbreakable spirit and infectious optimism prevailing against all odds, but it is Angkor Wat for which the country is probably best known – and understandably so. Rediscovered only in the 19th century, this spectacular, nearly 900-year old temple complex is stunning fusion of symbolism, symmetry and spirituality, drawing tourists and pilgrims in their millions. But just as Angkor is more than its wat, so too is Cambodia more than its temples. Phnom Penh is a bustling, fascinating capital at the crossroads of Asia’s past and present, an assault on the senses with pagodas and palaces, markets and busy bars; Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor Wat, has a beautiful riverside location and cultural scene, as well as the beautiful Foreign Correspondents Club, a stunning hotel in what was once the French Governor’s art-deco mansion. Intimate, indulgent, with a sumptuous spa and exquisite cuisine to match, it is typical of the boutique hotels scattered across the country today. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh may be Cambodia’s main urban draws, but Cambodia’s spirit is essential rural, and the countryside is the best place to experience the rhythm of rural life and timeless landscapes of dazzling rice paddies and swaying sugar palms. As for beaches, Sihanoukville is surrounded by them, while the distant south coast is fringed by tropical islands with only the occasional luxury hotel in sight. Inland from the coast lie the Cardamom Mountains, part of a vast tropical wilderness sheltering elusive wildlife forming the focus of an emerging ecotourism. And through the heart of it all, the mighty Mekong River cuts through the country like its ancient lifeblood, and boat trips along it are an utterly intoxicating way of delving deep into the heart of Cambodia. With beaches as beautiful as Thailand, mountains and jungles more remote than Laos, cuisine as delicious as Vietnam and temples to leave Indonesia in the shade, Cambodia is South-East Asia at its bite-sized, undiscovered best.

Our bespoke, luxury holidays can be

● Single centre or multi-centre
● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Utilise a variety of transport arrangements to Cambodia and within Cambodia, combining flights, rail, boats and private transfers

Our special interest holidays to Cambodia

● Cultural tours for individuals
● Private guided sightseeing
● Family holidays

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Call us on 01392 441245

Highlights of Cambodia

Angkor Wat, with its near-900 year old temples, a staggering ancient city you could spend a lifetime exploring; river trips on the Mekong, particularly the stretch between Siem Reap and Battambag; the south-coast islands and their bone-white beaches; the sleepy seaside town of Kampot, gateway to a myriad of caves and pagodas; trekking in Bokor National Park, with its rainforest hikes and French colonial ruins; elephant trekking in the jungles of Mondulkiri Province; looking for some of the region’s last remaining Irrawaddy river dolphins at Kratie; the mountains, waterfalls and pristine crater lakes of the north; the hilltop temple of Prasat Preah Vihear; Koh Ker, the 10th century capital with its fascinating ruins; hilltop temples of Battambang; explore the jungles and mangroves, waterfalls, islands and beaches of the southern Cardamom Mountains; swim in a volcanic caldera in Virachay National Park; Kompong Cham, with its beautiful rice paddies, and sugar palms, pagodas and temples; Phnom Penh, the ‘Pearl of Asia’, shining once more with superb museums and sublime riverside setting; Siem Reap’s vibrant arts scene and fabulous riverside setting; cocktails overlooking the Mekon on the second-floor terrace of the Foreign Correspondents Club in Phnom Penh.

Travel around Cambodia

Buses provide an excellent service in Cambodia, but travelling by boat is a more romantic option, and a key element in the country’s transportation system, with more than 1,000 miles of navigable waterways, and the Mekong the country’s lifeblood. Best section, at least for scenery, is between Siem Reap and Battambang, though it is painfully slow. Car and motorcycle rental are comparatively cheap in Cambodia and many visitors rent a car or motorcycle for greater flexibility to visit out-of-the-way places and to stop when and where they choose.

Cambodia travel information

There are no direct flights to Cambodia from the UK. Airlines with indirect scheduled flights to Phnom Penh include KLM, Emirates, Lufthansa, Air France and Singapore Airlines. Airlines with indirect scheduled flights to Siem Reap include Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, and Korean Air. Flight time to both is about 13 hours.

Our bespoke, luxury holidays can be

● Single centre or multi-centre
● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Utilise a variety of transport arrangements to Cambodia and within Cambodia, combining flights, rail, boats and private transfers

Our special interest holidays to Cambodia

● Cultural tours for individuals
● Private guided sightseeing
● Family holidays

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Capital Phnom Penh

Airports Phnom Penh and Siem Reap

Currency Cambodian Riel

Size 70,000 sq. miles

Population 16 million

Average temperature The best time to visit is December and January, when humidity levels are relatively low, there is little rainfall and a cooling breeze; from February, temperatures rise till April, when temperatures can exceed 40°C. May and June brings monsoon rains, lasting till October, although even during the rains, temperatures remain in the 20°Cs.

Call us on 01392 441245

Here you will find a map of Cambodia showing the locations of the hotels that we offer

Our bespoke, luxury holidays can be

● Single centre or multi-centre
● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Utilise a variety of transport arrangements to Cambodia and within Cambodia, combining flights, rail, boats and private transfers

Our special interest holidays to Cambodia

● Cultural tours for individuals
● Private guided sightseeing
● Family holidays

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Capital Phnom Penh

Airports Phnom Penh and Siem Reap

Currency Cambodian Riel

Size 70,000 sq. miles

Population 16 million

Average temperature The best time to visit is December and January, when humidity levels are relatively low, there is little rainfall and a cooling breeze; from February, temperatures rise till April, when temperatures can exceed 40°C. May and June brings monsoon rains, lasting till October, although even during the rains, temperatures remain in the 20°Cs.

Call us on 01392 441245