Day 01
Koh Ker, Preah Vihear and Ta Mok's House
- Start this adventurous tour with a drive to Koh Ker, about 120 km from Siem Reap town and the famous Angkor archaeological site. Koh Ker is a 10th-century temple complex located in the northern jungles of Cambodia. The former capital of the Khmer Empire, this fascinating temple complex was built during the reigns of Kings Jayavarman IV and Harshavarman II. There are about 40 temples, partly overgrown by the forest, to explore within the complex. The most impressive of these is Koh Ker Temple's 7-tiered pyramid temple, which stands 36 metres high.
- After a short break, continue the tour to Preah Vihear Temple. This ancient Hindu temple was built during the 9th century and was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The temple is situated on top of a 525-metre cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains. Until recently, Preah Vihear was not accessible to tourists due to a conflict of ownership between Cambodia and neighbouring Thailand. After many years of fighting between the two countries, it was eventually decided by the International Court of Justice in The Hague that the temple complex belongs to Cambodia.
- Have lunch and head to the house of Ta Mok. Ta Mok was born in 1926 and was a Cambodian military chief and a senior figure in the Khmer Rouge. He was well known at the time as "Brother Number 5" and is believed to have orchestrated many massacres during the Khmer Rouge period, earning his nickname "The Butcher". Ta Mok died in 2006, but his house has become a tourist attraction to remind people of the atrocities caused during the reign of terror of the Khmer Rouge.
