Arrival Siem Reap – Siem Reap                                                                                    [-]

Guests will be warmly welcomed upon their arrival at Siem Reap’s International Airport our own Asian Trails’ representative before guided to their air-conditioned vehicle. Complementing your exquisite stay in Siem Reap, fast track services will guide guests swiftly past Cambodia’s immigration. It is of the greatest importance that our guests will complete the required paper work, alongside one pass photo, prior to arrival for smooth visa-on-arrival services by our Asian Trails team. Immigration requirements specify that at least 2 empty pages in one’s passport are needed for accurate visa administrative matters. Assisted by our English-speaking guide, the transfer from the airport to the Amansara will not take more than 20 minutes.

Angkor’s ruins are the last vestige of the Khmer Empire and Amansara’s strategic location near the archaeological park provides the opportunity to explore over 1,000 temples, including the famed Angkor Wat, Bayon and Banteay Srei temples. Housed around elegant central lawns on the former guesthouse estate of King Norodom Sihanouk, Amansara’s 24 suites feature subtle Khmer touches such as sandstone reliefs that duplicate the ruins of nearby Angkor. Expansive glass doors open onto a private garden courtyard with sun loungers and a reflection pond. The signature Aman Spa and an award-winning restaurant greet guests as they check-into Cambodia’s cultural capital.

Private check-in procedures from the Amansara team is followed by an afternoon completely at leisure. Depending on your guests’ arrival flight, an oasis of peace flows through the whole resort, amplified by the spacious suites and knowing that guests are cared for from the moment of arrival until their last night in the Kingdom.

Accommodation is offered at one of the sanctuary’s suites.

Siem Reap                                                                                                                             [B]

Just before the first sun rays peek over the horizon, your English-speaking Asian Trails’ guide awaits your arrival at the reception area of the Amansara. A slightly different approach, yet aligned with true local Khmer hospitality, we move away from the choices of your overnight address as we head out towards Srah Srang, a small settlement inside the Angkor compound by Remork (tuk tuk). It is here where breakfast will be served: the venue for an exquisite breakfast experience this morning is housed inside a traditional Khmer stilted house, overlooking the royal bathing pool, dating back to the 10th century. Your palate will be oozing with local noodles and generation-long cherished recipes of an authentic Khmer meal. The delights of simplicity, poured and seasoned the way local Cambodians start the day, will be engraved in your memory.

We thank you hosts for sharing a part of their heritage with us, as we move on back towards Siem Reap. Morning markets are a cornucopia of smells and colours, where daily rhythms of trading fill the air, and Siem Reap’s Psar Leu market is where the action is happening. A short guided walk with your guide through the buzz in the morning sun brings out the foodie in all. We return back to the Amansara where you will have the rest of the day at leisure.

Few superlatives can actually describe the size and the architecture of 300-plus square kilometres of Angkor. With dozens of temple ruins scattered around Siem Reap, maintaining the splendour and grandeur of one of UNESCO’s finest examples of historical heritage. It is not uncommon that local government offices run numerous projects in keeping the ancient heritage alive via renovation projects. Such marvels do require the attention to be maintained to also be admired by generations to come.

The complexity of the Angkor Historical Site, its vastness of stories, myths and sagas of firmly putting Siem Reap as the centre of the earth, totally fades away as soon as you allow yourself to disconnect from your daily rhythm and enter Amansara. The former grounds of King Sihanouk’s guest residence are now the home of one of the country’s leading sanctuaries, highlighting the importance of serene surroundings.

A day, where doing absolutely nothing can be obligatory. Where you may increase your level of relaxation at the resorts’ spa or perhaps warm up and try out what lies in store the coming day for culinary exploration of the authentic kind. With its central location and Asian Trails on the spot, filling in your voids and wish list must-do’s in Siem Reap is an easy feat.

Prior to turning in for the night, recommend to take a stroll over the local night market, a colourful combination of souvenirs and the presence of local delicacies. Tucking in for the night at the well-appointed suites marks the end of your first full day in Siem Reap.

Accommodation is offered at one of the sanctuary’s suites.

Siem Reap                                                                                                                              [B, D]

Blending with the philosophy of using fresh ingredients to create simplicity in its dishes, breakfast at Amansara’s sole restaurant assures the perfect start of your final full day in Siem Reap. Early morning delectable delicacies, prepared by the kitchen team of the resort, are included in your stay, accompanied by the fact that you zip your coffee in a true historical setting.

You may have the urge to venture deep into the heart of the essence of Siem Reap – be it an early ‘remork’ tour to see the sun rising above the former centre of the Jayavarman Kings and their vision of building an empire, filled with spirituality. Or you may find yourself moving away from centuries of Khmer history, guided by off-the-beaten tracks towards local villages or an organic cooking class, turning your zest for a foodie-filled 4 days into reality. It is all for you to decide, as long as you return back before night falls for us to guide you into culinary heaven.

Guests are warmly welcomed at the reception area of the Amansara, your English-speaking guide for an evening of a rather challenging dining experience, yet are as Cambodian as the Angkor temples themselves.

We’re not referring to your ‘average’ fly in your soup when we serve bugs on the menu. Serving a delectable selection of uniquely-created ‘tapas’, the Bugs Cafe in Siem Reap continues to satisfy a desire for innovatively served insects – a snack commonly found across Asia. A growing demand from travellers looking for a single place to taste various insects has made this one of the recommendations of Asian Trails for a ‘delicious adventure’. This fabulous restaurant offers menu features all kinds of insects, from feta and tarantula samosas to Mediterranean feuilletés with ants. It also offers an extensive list cocktail and shake list to wash down the creepy crawlies.

This curious introduction of a tasteful experience has to come to an end, and accompanied by your guide and driver, the evening ends with a comfortable, air-conditioned ride back to Amansara for the night over.

Accommodation is offered at one of the sanctuary’s suites.

Siem Reap – Departure Siem Reap                                                                             [B]

Matching breakfast with your scheduled departure time from Amansara to our next destination will be something worth considering on the final day of this culinary package. Following the resort’s check-out times and conditions, the deluxe vehicle, accompanied by an Asian Trails representative, will be waiting for you at the resort to bring you in comfort back to Siem Reap’s International Airport.

You will meet your fellow foodies at 18:00 hrs with your guide at the subway exit number 4 of Hua Lamphong MRT Station, right in front of the Bangkok Center Hotel (transfer from your hotel to the MRT station is on own arrangement), which is nearby Yaowarat Road, Chinatown’s main road and paradise for local food aficionados. We kindly advise you to arrive before 18:00 hrs to start the tour on time. An early evening adventure commences with walking from this point towards 200-year old Bangkok’s Chinatown. A huge ceremonial Chinese gate draws visitors into a world of gold shops and purveyors of traditional Chinese health cures assures that you are on the right track. The array of sights and smells takes tourists to a bygone age in which glittering temples provide a backdrop to roadside bartering.

It is not long before we hit our first of seven local eateries, varying from kerbside street vendors to renowned Thai –Chinese dining establishments. There is much more than meets the eye and your guide will explain in detail the history, symbolism and culture aspects before another noodle shop or fruit salesman passes the venue. Landmarks and sights of a more religious theme are pointed out as you try to grasp the explosion of flavours of yet another example of deliciousness. Chinatown is alive and lives throughout the night, giving the people of Bangkok and visitors alike the chance to sample what makes Yaowarat such a vibrant and thriving centre of culinary delights. At around 21:30 hrs, we head back to the meeting point at Hua Lamphong MRT station where you will make you way back to your booked hotel.