Private Tour: 2-Day Khmer Village Stay from Siem Reap

Day 1: Siem Reap – Khmer Village (L, D)Start your tour in the morning with hotel pickup by private air-conditioned vehicle. En route to a rural Khmer village, located about 24 miles (40 km) outside of Siem Reap, visit the headquarters of a local non-profit organization that employs local women who specialize in the traditional craft of mat weaving (closed on Sundays and public holidays). Observe the expert handiwork of the mats, which are sold in the markets and provide income for the women who make them.

You’ll stop just outside the village and hop aboard an ox cart for a fun ride through the fields, making your way to the home of a Khmer family that runs a cottage industry producing brooms. Upon arrival, observe how they construct brooms from natural materials, and try your hand at it if you’d like.

Afterward, take a guided walking tour around the village, where you have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities including fishing, farming or animal husbandry, depending on the time of year.

In the afternoon, enjoy a simple Khmer lunch followed by more village activities, or just spend time chatting with the locals with the assistance of your private guide.

In preparation for your overnight stay, you’re provided with a mattress, mosquito net, sheets, pillow and a towel. You’ll have access to basic bathroom facilities, including a bucket for bathing with fresh well water.

In the evening, join the family for dinner and a chat over a game of cards before retiring to sleep.

Overnight: Khmer village homestay near Siem Reap

Day 2: Khmer Village – Siem Reap (B, L)After breakfast, choose from a range of activities: take a walk with your guide, go for a short bike ride around the surrounding area, help in the fields or prepare lunch with your host family.

After lunch, say good-bye to your friendly hosts and head back to Siem Reap by private vehicle, stopping along the way at a Buddhist temple — Wat Chouk or Wat Sam Long — to receive a blessing from the monks. Your tour ends with drop-off at your hotel.