Page 22 - Vietnam Cambodia Thailand 20 Day Sample

DAY 11 SIEM REAP Meals included: Breakfast This morning visit Banteay Srei, the birthplace of Khmer classical style architecture. This is a small temple complex with impressive carvings. Also visit Banteay Samre, one of the most complete sites at Angkor, due to restoration using the method of "anastylosis". The name Samre refers to an ethnic group of mountain people who inhabited the region at the base of Phnom Kulen and were probably related to the Khmers. No inscriptions have been found for this temple, but the style of most of the architecture is of the classic art of the middle period similar to Angkor Wat. The proportions of Banteay Samre are splendid. A unique feature is an interior moat with laterite paving, which when filled with water must have given an ethereal atmosphere to the temple. This afternoon drive about 45 minutes into the countryside, stopping en route to visit a local village. Enjoy a 90 minute boat ride on Tonle Sap Lake, also known as the Great Lake of Cambodia. You will see many communities of floating houses and boats, including schools, markets, police stations, children playing and swimming, and fresh water aquariums with different fish species displayed. The living conditions in this area are extremely basic. Clean, fresh drinking water is a luxury for a few villages. Overnight: Grand Hotel D’Angkor – Landmark Garden View Room