Itinerary
Day 1, Tuesday -
Relax and prepare yourself for your adventure on world-class Singapore Airlines. Meet other students, watch on-demand movies and unwind. A Rustic Pathways Flight Leader will accompany each of our escorted group flights from JFK and LAX. Our staff and flight leaders will make sure that your journey is easy and enjoyable!
Day 2, Wednesday –
Today is 'lost' as you cross the International Date Line. Not to worry, though – you'll get it back when you return.
Day 3, Thursday –
Welcome to Asia! Your day will begin early as you arrive in Singapore, and then transfer on to Phnom Penh. Team Cambodia will be waiting for you just outside airport customs. We'll get you checked in to your hotel and then hit the town for your first taste of authentic Cambodian food. Here, we'll sit down for a formal orientation so you can get a real grasp of what you'll be seeing and experiencing in the next week. This will also be your first real acquaintance with your awesome guides for the program – a few Americans, of course, mixed in with a classic collection of local Cambodian personalities. In the evening, we'll have a bit of a look around this interesting city, including a visit to Wat Phnom, before returning to the comfort of your hotel for some well deserved rest.
Day 4, Friday –
We'll begin the day bright and early with a nice breakfast before we head out for a day of touring. Although this is primarily a service project, the sites you'll see today are necessary for you to realize exactly where you are in the world, and to put everything you see in perspective. Our first stop will be the infamous Killing Fields followed by the Tuol Sleng center, a former prison that has been converted into a museum to educate visitors about the genocide. We then head across the street for an amazing lunch at the Boddhi Tree restaurant. Here, while enjoying the amazing collection of delicious (and healthy!) foods from around the world, we collect our thoughts before we hit the road for our departure destination, Battambang. From here we will check into our hotel for our last night on land.
Day 5-8, Saturday- Tuesday -
After breakfast, we will wonder through the Lotus Market and buy food, supplies and service materials for our time on the water. Now it's time to begin the real adventure, as we'll hop on board the boat and begin our trip into rural Cambodia. As we cruise up the river during the early morning hours, you will see a whole new way of life in the floating villages we pass. Families cook their morning meal aboard their watery homes and set out nets to reel in the day's catch. School children, dressed in white shirts and blue shorts wave excitedly to us as they begin their day. The scenic boat trip will give you some time to relax, snap photos, and get to know the members of your group and your friendly staff members.
Our nightly accommodations will be mixed between sleeping on our own boat with quarters separated by gender, and also with some traditional floating village home-stays. Settle in with your amazingly accommodating host family before heading out to explore the village. Life here is simple but the people are incredibly hospitable and will share everything they can with you. You will quickly make friends, especially with the local children whose passion for learning is inspiring. It is really important and helpful for these students to hear English spoken by native speakers so share your story! These kids will be fascinated by your descriptions of home, your friends, your family, and the places you've traveled to! Many of these students have never left their village so they will even be amazed that you have been to Phnom Penh!
Our service will be a mixture of teaching the children and supplying them with arts and craft supplies. Crayons are so valuable here, but they are also very much in need of daily school materials. In addition to inviting the kids on board for some fun in the sun with our kareokee machine, we will also be donating hygine supplies to our "Anchor villages," which will include things like toothbrushes, soap, and anything else that you had decided to buy.
As the sun rises on the water, the narrow muddy passageway expands into the greater Tonle Sap lake. Interested in bird watching? Well this is the place! Keep an eye out for the spot-billed pelican and the milky stork- the Tonle Sap lake is a great place to spot these beautiful birds! The natural beauty of this trip is incredible and your heart will be filled with rewarding joy as you help some of Cambodia's poorest families.
The entire trip ends in the floating village of Chong Kneas where our vans pick us up. We then check into the hotel and you can grab a hot shower! Refreshed and relaxed, it's time to go to the out on the town. Siem Reap has great food, live music, and, not to mention, lots of markets! But not too fast, tonight it's early to bed because tomorrow we're getting up early to see sunrise over one of the man-made wonders of the world- Angkor Wat!
Day 9, Wednesday-
Good morning! We set out today in the blue-grey of the early morning. Despite the early hour, the Angkor Wat temple complex is abuzz with people already waiting to see the sun rise above this amazing 5-spiered architectural marvel. Grab a good spot and get your camera ready for the incredible view of a lifetime! Following the sunrise, the crowds clear out and we enter the complex to explore the structure. Check out the intricate carvings of Angkor's historical battle scenes. If you're brave enough to climb the steep steps, the view atop the highest tower is well worth it Leaving this incredible sight just as the crowds are returning, we grab a bite to eat before continuing to explore. Next we travel to see the huge, carved faces of Bayon. We then journey on to Baphoun whose rose-colored ruins allude this temple's past grandeur. Time for a break! We will grab our picnic lunches and find a shady spot along the river to enjoy our food and relax. Now, in the heat of the day, we make our way to the shady and cool tree temple, Ta Prohm. Massive trees have grown up through these ruins making for a spectacular site. Have fun! This is a great place to check out the hidden passages or duck into a cool spot to collect your thoughts. What an action packed morning! Head back now to the hotel where you can jump on the internet or relax in your room. It's amazing how fast a week goes because now it's time for our farewell dinner! We head to the infamous Blue Pumpkin for some amazing Western, Thai, and Cambodian dishes. After wrapping up dinner, let's grab an ice cream- they have the best frosty treats in Cambodia! Enjoy your last night in Cambodia shopping in the
Night Market with your new Rustic friends!
Day 10, Thursday
- It's time to journey onward. For some, you will head home, for others continuing onto other programs, we connect you to your next group. After hugs, and maybe a few tears, it's time to say goodbye and continue on! Cambodia will miss you!
Cambodia's Capital
While the Cambodians that live on the rivers are able to catch enough food to survive, the children that grow up in these communities often have no access to toys, materials or outside stimulus. When our brightly colored boat comes through kids quickly spread the word that we're in town. Invite them aboard and play some games, blend up some fruit shakes, get the karaoke machine going, organize art classes and English workshops, and at the end of each stop give away the pencils, pens, paper and crayons that they've been using.
Much of our service is based on in these villages where we visit schools and family homes. You'll distribute essential supplies and care packages and spend a lot of time making friends and playing with the local children.