Siem Reap Khmer Rogue and War History Tour
ID: GYG476855-848575
Category:
Country: Cambodia
Duration:
08:00 hours
Description
Visit some of Siem Reap's most informative attractions. The killing field, War Museum, and landmine museum. Learn about the painful past and on-going strength and survival of Khmer people.
Your tour starts with collection by our guide and driver from every guest's hotel at 9:45. Spending about 20 minutes through town to the first location, Wat Thmey temple killing fields. After that, head out to the landmine museum and then the war museum at around 3:30 p.m. During the day, there is a 1-hour break for lunch. The tour will finish by 6 p.m.
Ex-child soldier Aki Ra established the Landmine Museum in 1997. After years of fighting, he returned to the villages and began removing thousands of mines by hand, defusing them with homemade tools. In 2008, he established a formal demining NGO, Cambodian Self-Help Demining (CSHD). CSHD is a separate NGO from the museum. They clear landmines throughout the country.
The War Museum Cambodia has a unique collection of weaponry, mostly located outside below a mango tree plantation. The collection has been gathered since 1999 from areas where fighting took place, like Anlong Veng, Siem Reap, and Odor Meanchey. It is a mix of Chinese, U.S., and Soviet hardware, but mostly Russian tanks and assault weapons. Some of these weapons even saw action during World War II.
The museum's collection was partly equipment, which was sold at scrap metal prices. For a scrap-metal tank, $300 to $400 would be paid. Competition from scrap dealers was not the only problem the museum faced as it gathered its collection: most of the machinery was very heavy, and it was difficult to gain access to dense jungle areas to remove tanks, guns, and personnel carriers.
Over the years, the collection was supplemented by Western private individuals like military collector Geoffrey Oldham; furthermore, some artifacts were given to the museum by the General Manager (Mr. R.S. Esselaar), who found some of these artifacts during visits to several remote villages.
Highlights
- Uncover a painful past which should not be hidden from the world
- See three major sites in Siem Reap outside of the usual temple tours
- Be supported by an English-speaking guide and driver
Guiding languages
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please note that lunch is not included
You will receive a mandatory temperature check
You must present either proof of full vaccination, proof of a Covid-19 infection in the past 3 months, or a negative test taken no more than 24 hours before the activity starts
Please wait in the hotel lobby 20 minutes before your scheduled pickup time.
When should I book?
To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.
Cancellations
Cancellation is not possible. If you cancel it anyway or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity and the money you paid will not be refunded.
