At the heart of Phnom Penh, the Royal Palace emerges as an architectural masterpiece, dating back to 1866. You’ll wander its grounds, marvelling at the best of Khmer craftsmanship—from the Silver Pagoda’s gleaming floor, adorned with 500 solid silver blocks to the 17th-century emerald Buddha statue.

But beneath all the majesty and grandeur, Cambodia’s history is also underscored by harrowing stories from the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror. With this excursion, you’ll get both sides of the country’s story and see how the splendor of the past blends with the resilience of the present.