Discover Angkor Wat with Soneva Kiri (Thailand)
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Discover Angkor Wat with Soneva Kiri (Thailand)
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Category: Asia Pacific - Thailand
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2010-10-28
Billed as the eighth wonder of the world, Angkor is the most important monument of the south-east Asian former capital of the Khmer kingdom and the Angkor Wat temple complex is today the world’s largest sacred temple. Built in the 12th century and shrouded in legend and mystery, Angkor Wat can now be discovered from Soneva Kiri.
Soneva Kiri by Six Senses is delighted to announce the launch of an exclusive and unique experience: a bespoke and wonderfully luxurious expedition to Ankor Wat.
A visit to the temples of Angkor is a profound experience, as few sights on earth can match the majesty of Angkor Wat or the mysterious faces of the Bayon. Angkor is situated in the northwest Cambodian province of Siem Reap and this once lost city boasts 1000 archaeological sites over an area covering 170 square miles.
The Angkor Wat expedition starts by boarding Soneva Kiri’s private plane and enjoying the hour’s flight to Siem Reap. All modern travel worries - visas and permits and paperwork - are done seamlessly by your Mr or Mrs Friday; this is travel the way it used to be. When the plane lands guests are met by their experienced guide and whisked into waiting luxury vehicles for the short drive to the city of Angkor or direct to the splendid Angkor Wat temples. A UNESCO World Heritage site, for those who wish to explore Angkor Wat with the ultimate expert, a UNESCO professor is on hand to guide you through the historical, cultural and archeological marvels of the awe inspiring sites.
The next hours (or days) are what memories are made of as the ancient remains of five centuries of Khmer civilization lay waiting to be explored. In addition to the well known sites, your private tour can include certain temples and areas of interest not usually open to the public. The pace is leisurely, the comforts luxurious, but there are choices to be made. Guests may decide to stay two or three nights at Angkor Wat, perhaps taking a helicopter with the Professor to see more remote temples in the jungle; visit the Walled City of Angkor Thom; experience being blessed by Buddist Monks; allow a guide to show them local artisans at work, or enjoy a delightful meal amongst the ricefields of Siem Reap with a traditional puppet show. Best of all, there is the opportunity of having dinner, candlelit and with history for company, in the middle of Angkor Wat itself. Now, that would be something to write home about……
Guests may plan their trip by travelling first to Siem Reap before enjoying the glories of Soneva Kiri, or indeed to fly home directly from Angkor. There is a choice of staying overnight at the contemporary Amansara Hotel in Siem Reap or the famous Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, which first opened its doors in the early 30’s.
Soneva Kiri is based on the island of Koh Kood in the Gulf of Siam. The island is the fourth largest in Thailand but the least populated and Soneva Kiri, which opened last year, is set amongst the lush tropical vegetation and sandy white beaches of a largely undiscovered part of the country. Koh Kood is an hour’s flight from Bangkok airport in the resort’s private plane and it is also just an hour’s flight from Siem Reap’s international airport, across the border in Cambodia.
For every guest that visits Siem Riep, Soneva Kiri donates $25 to the Nginn Karet Foundation for Cambodia. A Foundation committed to helping disadvantaged Cambodian villagers to help themselves, thereby improving their life expectancy and living standards. In particular, Soneva Kiri’s sponsorship goes towards an inspirational fun, yet educational dance and music programme for young children, which is designed to lead them into professional careers in the Arts. The overall aim of the Nginn Karet Foundation is to promote the development of self-reliance in rural communities.
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