Cambodia and Laos with Denise Heywood

Highlights

• Ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples in Laos and Cambodia, including lesser-known, less-visited monuments
• Private visits to historic homes of artistic interest
• Special visits to learn about silkweaving and sericulture

Trip led by Denise Heywood who lived in the region for several years. Denise is a lecturer, author, journalist and photographer. She has lived in France, America, and most recently Cambodia, where she worked as a journalist for 3 years. 

Day 1 - London/Vientiane
Depart from London Heathrow for your flight via Bangkok to Vientiane.

Day 2 - Vientiane
Upon arrival you will be met by an Abercrombie & Kent representative and driven to the Settha Palace. The hotel has been meticulously restored to reflect the charm of the area's French colonial history. Boasting an enviable position located right in the heart of Vientiane, the hotel provides a perfect base from which to explore this intriguing city. Rest of the day is at your leisure.  An optional afternoon sightseeing of the city can be arranged. This evening you will enjoy a welcome dinner.

Day 3 - Vientiane
This morning look at Wat That Luang, Wat Phra Kao, Wat Sisaket, Pratuxai Monument, National Museum. Later you will visit a private textile museum with a special visit to Lao Textiles to learn about ancient and modern silkweaving skills. Enjoy a visit to a typical market.

Day 4 to 8 - Vientiane/Luang Prabang
Today you will depart Vientiane for your morning flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival you will be transferred to the Luansay Residence, Luang Prabang. The next four days will be spent exploring the riverine town of Luang Prabang; once the capital of Laos and still considered to be its religious heart, it breathes a rich meld of French Indochinese architecture and subtle Theravada Buddhist temples and imparts on visitors an especially unique vibe. You will explore in depth several of the 32 Buddhist temples, looking at the iconography and Buddhist imagery of Wat Xieng Thong, examining the golden stencils, Wat Mai with its external verandah and carved scenes from the Ramayana, Wat Visoun with its collection of Buddhas, Wat Sene, Wat Aham, at the special murals and particular door-leaves of smaller temples such as Wat Pa Khe and Wat Pa Huak, crossing the river to look at the murals of Wat Long Khoun and ceiling decorations of Wat Chom Phet. Learn more about Buddha statues as well as images of the Lao version of the Ramayana. 

Visit the Royal Palace, looking at the various ceremonial rooms and royal robes and regalia, at the prized collection of golden and crystal Buddhas, silk and brocade clothes belonging to the last Queen, at the glass mosaics, French furniture, gifts from royal dignitaries and American cars. You will take a special walk to look at secular and French colonial architecture in the town, with the possibility of a private visit to see a typical Lao house owned by an art historian. There is also the opportunity for a special visit to the new Ethnographic Centre with a talk by the curator.

Explore the Mekong River to visit the Pak Ou caves and a visit to a village where silkweaving, sericulture, dyeing and mulberry paper production are practised. On one evening you will attend a Baci sacred welcome ceremony in a beautifully preserved heritage house, with a chance to see Lao dances and episodes from the Lao Ramayana.

Day 8 to 11 - Luang Prabang/Siem Reap
This morning you fly from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap for a four night stay. Upon arrival you enjoy a VIP service with an A&K representative who will assist you through immigration and help with your visa on arrival. Your hotel for next four nights is the Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, a grand historic hotel situated only a few kilometres from the ancient Angkor complex.

Nestled between rice paddies and stretched along the Siem Reap River, the small provincial town of Siem Reap serves as the gateway to the ancient temple ruins of the Khmer Empire. With over two dozen main temples and many other lesser ruins within this 400 square kilometre site your day to day itinerary will be flexible as our expert guide decides the best time to visit each complex when fewer tourist are visiting.

Visit Ta Prohm, the most romantic temple, overgrown with jungle, and smaller nearby temples of Banteay Kdei, Sras Srang, Pre Rup. The Roulos group of temples, 16 kms east of Angkor, the oldest in the complex, Preah Ko, Bakong, Lolei, dates back to the 800s, and was built in brick. Learn about the evolution of Khmer sacred architecture.  

Visit Angkor Wat, walking along the cruciform causeway, through the galleries, looking especially at the mysterious and prolific devatas, goddesses which cover the walls, as well as examining the bas-reliefs showing scenes from the Mahabharata and the Ramaya. Ascend the steep steps to the central sanctuary and newly reopened Bakan at the top with a chance to look at more carvings of devatas and reflect on the temple's symbolism and layout as a mandala. 

Visit Angkor Thom and the vast, mystical temple of the Bayon at the centre, with its mysterious towers, studying the imagery, symbolism and secular carvings. Visit the Terrace of the Elephants, with its carvings of polo players, the palace of Phimeanakas, the Baphoun, and if time, smaller temples of Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon.

Explore Banteay Srei, 10th century pink sandstone temple, to look at the exquisite carvings on the lintels and pediments depicting scenes from the Ramayana and on to Banteay Samre. En route back to Siem Reap, your guide will show you around one of the thirty local villages where A&K Philanthropy has helped to build a series of wells to provide fresh water to the residents, under the guidance of our local guide Sam. Sunset at Angkor Wat and tour of 800 metres long bas-relief which surrounds the temple, depicting scenes from the Hindu epics, Mahabharata, and the Ramayana, and the Churning of the Ocean of Milk.

For those who wish to explore further afield we can offer an optional (additional cost) helicopter visit to Banteay Chhmar. This full day trip takes you to the vast temple built by Jayavarman VII or possible visit to Beng Melea, thought to have been built during the reign of Suryvarman II, both remote, less visited temples and as yet unrestored.

You will also visit a dance school to witness the students practising the ancient royal and religious dances. There will also be a special dance performance on one evening, with dinner, to learn about the history of Cambodian dance, its relationship to religious rites and rituals and its preservation by the royal court and throughout the country from the time of the great Khmer empire until the devastation of war in the 20th century. Learn about its revival today and how it has, like Angkor, become part of UNESCO's World Heritage sites and Intangible Heritage.

Visit silkweaving villages or galleries to learn about Cambodian silkweaving and its revival. Possible visit to a silkweaving school where sculpture and woodwork is also taught.

There may be time to visit an art historian who lives in a restored traditional Khmer house filled with Khmer artefacts. 

Day 12 - Siem Reap/London
Depart Siem Reap to Bangkok to connect with your flight to London Heathrow. Alternatively you may wish to spend longer in Cambodia or one of its neighbouring countries to further explore the beauty of South East Asia.