Published on Feb, 2025
Our guide, Mr Ram was excellent, friendly, knowledgeable and interesting about temples as well as things we saw on the way and aspects of Cambodian life, and superb at identifying birds. The driver was careful and considerate and the car cool and comfortable. We stopped at a lovely restaurant for lunch (cost not included but was very reasonable). And then there were the sights themselves :-)! First we went to Banteay Samre which was pleasantly uncrowded. It was the first temple we visited so we can't really compare but it was nonetheless very impressive and Mr Ram explained its construction, history and the mythology behind the carvings. We then did the hike up to Kbal Spean. The walk through forested paths was lovely and the river carvings at the top interesting. Then lunch and on to Banteay Srei, a smaller temple with beautifully intricate carvings but also much more crowded with tourists. Finally we went to the Landmine Museum. It's not a smart museum presented in a modern way but none the less brings home the message of the awfulness of landmines and with a visit. Altogether the tour was a fascinating insight into Cambodian life and history.