Angkor Wat

Leaving Phnom Penh around noon, we will collect you from the quay and sail up the Tonle Sap River towards Siem Reap. Lunch will be served shortly after departure, and we will continue steadily along the river for approximately four hours, mooring up for a peaceful evening on the river.

We’ll cruise at a sedate pace that gives you plenty of time to chill out in our jacuzzi pool, soak up the ambience, relax on sofas or sunbathe on our comfortable loungers and enjoy the scenery as we pass floating fishing villages, houses on stilts, pagodas and fields of crops. And all this whilst enjoying some cocktails that are just divine. We will serve dinner in the evening, and you’ll get to experience the peace, tranquility and the sounds of the river at night.

The haunting beauty of Oudongk, the resting place of past kings of the mighty Angkor empire, sighs with the imprint of times long gone.

Ancient rulers share space with modern day child monks who sit cross-legged among burning incense and give blessings in exchange for offerings. Legend has it that a large cavern underneath Arthaross temple housed all the treasures of Cambodia.

Gazing across the ridge at the expanse of bucolicCambodian countryside, the silence throws a serenity over the echoes of battles past as this was the setting for one of the last strongholds of the Khmer rouge.

It is situated at the base of the Phnomh Udong Mountain and is known locally as the “City of Past Kings”. In Oudongk itself you can explore the Buddhist Monastery Temple Complex, Moni Sakor Pagoda. The temple and its grounds are beautiful.

A climb up the mountain, fortunately, served by a leafy covered, wide, shallow step stone stairway – making it somewhat easier, will give you a stunning view over the Cambodian countryside and rice paddies. There are stops for water along the way. But be aware there are at least 500 steps! At the top of the mountain, there are many interesting stupas, (monuments that house Buddhist religious relics) including Preah Sakyamoni Chedi, which is believed to contain a relic of Buddha himself, making Phnom Udong a sacred place in Cambodia.

Equally outstanding are the Royal Tombs of Oudongk known as Phreah Reach Traop. Where, as you probably guessed are held the remains of many Cambodian rulers, beautifully decorated and carved with a mixture of Hindu and Buddhist motifs. Look out for Arthaross Temple, built in the 13th century by Chinese craftsmen and which contains the remains of a large Buddha statue which was partially damaged during the last days of the Khmer Rouge, who used the mountain as a stronghold.

The capital was moved to Longvek following the sacking of Angkor in 1431 by the Siamese King ‘Borommaracha II’.

Located on the banks of the Tonle Sap river roughly halfway between Phnom Penh and Tonle Sap lake, Longvek was chosen because it could be more easily defended. A capital of commerce, European traders and missionaries were regular visitors throughout the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Today archaeologists are finding more foreign ceramic artefacts as evidence that Longvek was an important trading capital.

There are myths and legends surrounding Longvek which stemmed from coping with loss when it was sacked.

In one, two brothers – Preah Ko, a holy cow, and Preah Keo, a divine human . were seemingly taken captive and borne away by Siamese invaders. The brothers were considered sacred because Preah Ko had immense spiritual knowledge. It is thought that this story relates to monksand Buddhist texts which were taken away by the Siamese. It’s a quiet picturesque rural place now but the monument to the brothers Wat Tralaeng Keng is still there and is thought to be one of the oldest running pagodas in the country.

Pothi Rokha Ram Pagoda

This peaceful and charming area has one of the oldest pagodas in Cambodia. Pothi Rokha Ram Pagoda is reached on local Ox Carts directly from Sovanna. The Pagoda has many delightful murals on display in its central Vihara. There is only one other temple decorated in this way and that is in the Royal Palace at Phnomh Penh. This ancient site was used as a distillery, a salt warehouse and, as a prison during the reign of the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s

Although Viharas are also known as Chaitya Stupa, Wat and Pagoda in different languages they do differ somewhat.

• ‘Vihara’ is an early type of Buddhist monastery with an open court accessed through an entrance porch. The Viharas of India were originally constructed to shelter the monks during the rainy season when it became difficult for them to lead the wanderer’s life.
• ‘Chaitya Stupa’ is more akin to a prayer hall and has a dome-shaped roof that symbolizes Buddha wearing a crown whilst meditating on a lion throne.
• ‘Wat’ is the term most people visualize as a Buddhist temple found in Cambodia. Think Angkor at Siem Reap. Angkor Wat is one of the most visited ancient archaeological and artistic sites on the planet.
• ‘Pagoda’ is a multistory temple tiered like a cake which at the top is a finial that also acts as a lightning rod; adding to the feeling that all Pagodas are spiritually charged.