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Photo Tour | Cambodia

The vibrant town of Siem Reap is a photographer’s paradise and the gateway to the world-renowned Angkor Heritage site. This tour offers an opportunity to traverse the lush landscape and history of Cambodia while receiving expert guidance and photographic instruction from GPP instructor Tonya Colson, whose cultural insights and local experience further enrich the tour.

We will visit several temples, including the famed Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm, in addition to photographing Apsara dancers, colourful monks, street life, and a floating village.

Tour Outline

This Photo Tour boasts unique shooting locations, a modern hotel (with a great breakfast!) and thorough instruction, which will include image review and feedback by Tonya.

 

We will start each day at sunrise, visiting locations such as Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm, and Sra Srang. We will have the opportunity to visit local monks and photograph Apsara dancers in traditional costume, as well as to capture the stunning landscapes and temple structures. We will visit one of the floating villages on Tonlé Sap and walk the streets of Siem Reap with our cameras. There will be a break for lunch/siesta and image review in the middle of each day before we head out again at sunset to capture more stunning images. 

 

Summary of relevant information:

Dates: March 24 - 29, 2017 (5 nights, 6 days)

Hotel: The Villa Soksan Square Hotel. Well-appointed, modern and clean with good facilities and great food.

Cost per person: USD 2,450 for single occupancy. Please contact us if you are planning to travel with a companion and would like to share a room so that we may inform you in the event of an available discount and coordinate with the hotel accordingly.

This Photo Tour boasts unique shooting locations, a modern hotel (with a great breakfast!) and thorough instruction, which will include image review and feedback by Tonya.

 

We will start each day at sunrise, visiting locations such as Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm, and Sra Srang. We will have the opportunity to visit local monks and photograph Apsara dancers in traditional costume, as well as to capture the stunning landscapes and temple structures. We will visit one of the floating villages on Tonlé Sap and walk the streets of Siem Reap with our cameras. There will be a break for lunch/siesta and image review in the middle of each day before we head out again at sunset to capture more stunning images. 

 

Summary of relevant information:

Dates: March 24 - 29, 2017 (5 nights, 6 days)

Hotel: The Villa Soksan Square Hotel. Well-appointed, modern and clean with good facilities and great food.

Cost per person: USD 2,450 for single occupancy. Please contact us if you are planning to travel with a companion and would like to share a room so that we may inform you in the event of an available discount and coordinate with the hotel accordingly.

Accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, bottled water, airport transfers to/from Siem Reap, local transport in Siem Reap, 3-day temple pass, and a Tonlé Sap boat tour are all included in the price of this tour.

Flights, visas, alcoholic beverages, and incidentals are not included in this tour.

You have a sense of adventure and are confident using your camera in Aperture/Shutter Priority or Manual Mode. If you would like to join the tour but don’t have such experience, consider taking one of our Photography Level 1 workshops to bring you up to speed. 

 

Arrival Day: Siem Reap

We will meet at the Villa Sok San lobby at 4pm sharp. From there we will travel via tuk tuk to collect our temple passes and have a quick glimpse of Angkor Wat. Bring your cameras! After sunset we will head back to town for a group dinner.

 

Day 2:  Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Bayon Temple, the Elephant Terrace & Pre-Rup Temple

We will begin our day at Angkor Wat for sunrise before heading to Ta Prohm, Bayon Temple and the Elephant Terrace. We will then enjoy lunch at a temple-side café before heading back to town for a quick rest. The afternoon will be spent relaxing and editing photos. We will close the day with a sunset trip to Pre-Rup Temple followed by dinner back in town.

 

Day 3: Sra Sang & Banteay Kidae Temple

Our day will begin at Sra Sang for a sunrise shoot before we go to explore Banteay Kidae Temple for the rest of the morning. Depending on when we finish, we will have lunch at the temples or else head back to town to for lunch. In the afternoon we will return to the temples to photograph Apsara dancers before finishing the day with an evening meal in town.

 

Day 4: Banteay Srae & the Siem Reap Night Market

We will meet for breakfast at the Villa Sok San before heading to Banteay Srae, the pink temple, to shoot. We will remain at Banteay Srae until mid-afternoon (including our lunch stop) before heading back to the hotel for some rest and photo editing. After dinner we will visit the Siem Reap night market.

 

Day 5: Kompong Phluk, Wat Prom Roth Pagoda & Street Photography in Siem Reap

We will have breakfast at the Encore Angkor before heading to the Kompong Phluk floating village.  After lunch we will visit the monks at the Wat Prom Roth pagoda and embark on a photo walk to explore the street life in Siem Reap. We will reconvene in the evening in the lobby of our hotel before heading out for a group dinner.

 

Day 6: Sunrise Shoot and Departure

At dawn we will have an optional sunrise shoot, followed by breakfast. We will then gather mid-morning at the hotel for final editing help, image sharing and a few final pictures before eating lunch and departing. If you would like to make other departure arrangements, please let us know in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

 

*Timings and schedules may be adjusted according to weather or other unforeseen events.

 

Travel Information:
We will hold a meet-up in March for those already booked on the tour as well as for those who would like to come to ask questions and meet the instructor (Tonya) and the group. The date and time of this meet-up will be announced closer to the date of departure. If you would like to be informed when this meeting is scheduled, please email us at info@gulfphotoplus.com with the subject line “Inform me re: Cambodia Tour Meet-Up”.
 
Flights:
There are multiple daily flights in and out of Siem Reap. Common connections pass through Bangkok, Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City. We recommend Dubai-Bangkok-Siem Reap as the most efficient route. You can expect your flight to cost roughly AED 3000 - AED 5000 depending on when you book and with which airline. Please note that this is an estimate only.
 
Arrival:
The airport in Siem Reap (REP) is 7km from the center of town. Airport transfers are included in this tour, and you will be met upon arrival at the airport. Look for someone holding a sign-board with your name.
 
We will meet at our hotel (The Villa Soksan Square) in Siem Reap on March 24th at 4pm. Plan to arrive at the hotel before that time so you are able to settle into your room before we head out.
 
Departure:
We will finish our tour by 1 p.m. on 29th March so please make sure your flights are not earlier than 4pm on that day.
If you plan on having travel dates that differ from the set tour dates, please make sure you inform us when you book so we can help arrange extra nights at the hotel with our special rate. Please also do let us know if you want to book a double room and/or have any additional needs.
 
Visas:
Tourist visas cost USD 20 and are available upon arrival for most nationalities. Bring a passport size photo of yourself to avoid additional fees and delays at the airport.
For further visa information please click here & here.
 
Please Note: Visa on arrival is not permitted for holders of passports from the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Sudan. Holders of these passports must obtain a Cambodian visa prior to arriving in the country. Holders of these passports are also required to hold a sponsor letter or letter of invitation from a company / organization / travel agent, and they are also advised to hold a valid return ticket.
 
Currency:
The Cambodian Riel is the official local currency, but US dollars are the preferred currency for tourists. Everything will be priced in dollars. Make sure you have smaller denominations of US dollars as big notes are difficult to handle. (You can break them into smaller bills at exchange shops).
Euros are easily exchanged as well. 
The Cambodian Riel is used only for tipping or small purchases. (Exchange rate is approximately 4000 Riel / 1 USD)
 
General Information:
  • English is widely spoken.
  • Most Cambodians are Buddhist. Temples are considered religious sites, so respectful dress (covered knees and shoulders) is advised.
  • Electrical Current is 220V; most plugs are flat 2-pin. Adapters are widely available.
  • Bottled water is recommended.
  • Cambodia has a tropical climate with high temperatures in April/May averaging 34 C. Rain showers are possible during this season. The sun can be strong in Cambodia, so please consider bringing a hat and sunscreen.
  • Your camera, lenses, battery charger, and memory cards (wide angle and regular lenses are most useful)
  • A polarizing filter can improve skies and water scenes
  • A sturdy tripod is necessary for evening/night photography sessions
  • A remote trigger that allows you to keep the shutter open in bulb mode is recommended
  • Conditions can be dusty, so a cloth or cleaning kit can come in handy
  • Long exposure night photograpy uses battery power, so an extra battery can come in handy (charge batteries whenever possible!)
  • Bring your laptop - we will be review and edit images while on the trip so you can continually improve your photography skills
  • Please remember to keep ALL of your camera gear (except your tripod) in your carry-on baggage when you travel
  • A backpack is strongly recommended over a wheeled or off-the-shoulder style bag
Cancellation Policy

More than 60 days prior to the start of the Tour : Full refund less 10% admin charge

Between 60 and 30 days prior to the start of the Tour: 50% refund

Later than 30 days prior to the start of the Tour: No refund

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