Upon arriving in Phnom Penh, meet your English-speaking driver for a private transfer to your hotel. Remainder of the day is free for relaxing or exploring your surroundings. This exotic city is the capital of Cambodia and is noted for its blend of traditional Cambodian architecture and French-colonial architecture. Sprawling across the banks of the Mekong River, this bustling city is a frenetic and fascinating city, full of scintillating contradictions between the traditional and the modern.

Embark on a full-day tour of this tantalizing city, starting with a cooking class at the renowned La Rose Restaurant. Visit a local market, taking in the scents, sounds, and flavors of this bustling market with a chef who will inform you about the culinary usage and significance of each product in the market. After buying your fresh ingredients, return to the restaurant to where you will have an intimate cooking experience learning Cambodia's unique culinary techniques and preparing a dish for you to enjoy afterwards.

After the cooking class, go on a private sightseeing tour of Phnom Penh, starting with the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. Built in its present state in 1886, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda are replete with towering spires and marvelously ornate details that masterfully incorporate traditional Khmer architecture into the modern day. Wander the tranquil grounds of the royal complex and peek inside the Silver Pagoda, whose name is in reference to its shining floor composed of over 5,000 silver blocks. Visit the National Museum to view the vast collection of Khmer sculpture and art to learn more about the cultural, historic, and artistic legacy of the Khmer Empire. Finally, enjoy a relaxing cyclo ride, driven by a guide, at sunset around the city to cap off the day.

After breakfast, depart from Phnom Penh towards the coastal province of Kep in southwest Cambodia. Stop for sightseeing along the way at Tonle Bati and Phnom Da within the Angkor Borei district. Tonle Bati is a picturesque lake south of Phnom Penh that is home to the Ta Prohm temple, dating back to the 12th century. The archaeological site of Phnom Da was the capital of the ancient Funan civilization but the main attraction is the 11th-century temple that is one of the best examples of early Khmer architecture. After sightseeing, check-in to your hotel in Kep where the rest of the evening is at your leisure.

After breakfast, embark upon an excursion to Rabbit Island, otherwise known as Koh Tonsay, which sits just offshore. Surrounded by crystal-clear turquoise waters, this laid-back island features idyllic white sand beaches and numerous coral reefs that are perfect for snorkelers. However, the main attraction is the main beach that stretches for over 800 feet, functionally serving as the boardwalk that is laden with restaurants and bungalows. Spend the afternoon here at your leisure, hiking the island, exploring the waters, getting a massage, or simply relaxing on a secluded beach! Return to your hotel in Kep in the evening.

After breakfast, travel with a private guide from Kep to Kampong Som, stopping along the way to visit the limestone caves at Phnom Chhnork and Phnom Sasear. These Hindu cave temples were built in the 7th century by the Funan civilization and showcase the artistic brilliance of this civilization with the impressive elephant sculptures carved from stalactites and impressive brickwork that frames the cave. The nearby Phnom Sasear cave is known as the "White Elephant Cave" because of the shrine that sits at the base of a massive limestone formation resembling an elephant. After exploring these caves, tour a nearby salt farm to learn how the Cambodian people harvest and produce the ever important commodity. Once arriving in the sunny beachside city of Kampong Som, check-in at your hotel where the rest of the evening is at your leisure.

After breakfast, depart from Kampong Som and make the journey to northern Cambodia on route to Siem Reap, the gateway to the UNESCO-protected Angkor Region. Once arriving in Siem Reap, check-in to your hotel and the rest of the evening is at your leisure.

Start your expansive tour of the Angkor Region with a tour of Angkor Thom, a fortified city that covers an area of 10 square kilometers enclosed by walls and moats. See the terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper Kings, former spaces for public ceremonies, both adorned with dramatic bas reliefs. You'll view the ruined Baphuon, Royal Enclosure and Phimeanakas before continuing to the mysterious Bayon Temple. In this temple, one of the most popular and compelling in Angkor, explore the galleries of beautifully preserved bas reliefs and ascend narrow stairs to reach the central sanctuary, where you will find giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down at you from every angle.

Then visit the Ta Prohm temple, which has remained largely untouched since its rediscovery, blurring the distinction between ruins and jungle as the roots of trees envelop entire sections of the temple. Because the jungle had completely overgrown Ta Prohm, excavators chose not to remove the giant trees and their roots for fears of damaging the structural integrity of the temple, a powerful example of nature's merger with architecture.

Next, visit the 10-century Hindu Temple of Banteay Srei, a striking temple built primarily of red sandstone that is decorated with incredibly intricate wall carvings, often being praised as a gem of Khmer art. Often nicknamed as "the lady temple" or the "pink temple" due to its distinctive pink glow in the sunlight and its elaborate carvings of female deities that cover its walls.

Finally, end this day watching the sunset from the upper terraces of one of the temples. Return to your hotel in Siem Reap, where the rest of the night is at your leisure.

Today, with an English-speaking guide, you'll explore Angkor Wat, the national symbol of Cambodia and the crown jewel of Khmer architecture. These ruins are the largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant ruins of the Angkor region. Adorned with incredibly delicate carvings and bas reliefs laid out in beautiful proportions, enter the temple by crossing a vast moat before ascending a series of galleries and courtyards before racing the central sanctuary. There are over 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, that are sculpted along the walls of the temple, while the outer gallery walls are considered to be the longest continuous bas-relief in the world that narrates classic stories of Hindu mythology.

After a thorough tour of Angkor Wat, take a boat ride to the nearby floating Chong Kneas village atop the Tonle Sap Lake. The houseboats and homes of this village are adorned with bright roofs that shine brightly in the sun, creating a vibrant ambience throughout the village. Pay a visit to the Psah Chah Market to peruse the myriad food stalls and souvenir shops before returning to your hotel in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, check-out of your hotel and meet your private driver for a transfer to the airport for the return trip home or onwards to your next Avanti Destination!

(Breakfast, Siem Reap)