Local Family Lunch, Monastery & Working Farm

We start at a rural Buddhist pagoda in the heart of a local village. Your guide will walk you through the practice of Theravada Buddhism as it’s actually lived in rural Cambodia, how it weaves together older Hindu and animist traditions, the role the monastery plays in village life, and the meaning behind the shrines and spirit houses you’ll see everywhere in rural Cambodia. If you’ve ever wondered why Cambodian people leave offerings at small wooden houses on posts outside their homes, this is where you’ll find out.

The centrepiece of the morning is lunch with Vin and her family. Vin lives in a 120-year-old traditional wooden house with a dirt floor and a kitchen set up for traditional cooking. The house has survived the French colonial period, the Khmer Rouge, and everything since. Vin’s family has lived in this village for generations. Vin will cook for you. The dishes she prepares are the kind Cambodian families make for celebrations and special guests, cooked from scratch over a charcoal fire with seasonal ingredients from the local market. You won’t find this food in a restaurant. Vin doesn’t speak much English, but your guide will be there throughout, sharing her family’s story. Eat together at a table inside her home.