The Top Siem Reap Travel GuideSiem Reap, in Northern Cambodia is Khmer language for; "We kicked Thailand's Butt in the War!" or a more direct translation would be "Siam Defeated".
Siem Reap is a small town that used to be a lot smaller. At one time it was so small that people forgot it was there. That stopped with the discovery of Angkor Wat in 1860 by French botanist Henri Mahout. The city has since become the gateway to the Temples of Angkor Wat and home to an ever growing hoard of tourists coming to visit them. When I first visited Angkor in 2001, I could have run naked through the grassy fields around the Temple. If you did that now you'd be the victim of a citizen's arrest; by people of 12 different nationalities. But you can still find some areas at certain times of the day when you won't be trampled by tourists. This page is devoted to lovely Siem Reap city. She is the unappreciated provider to those visiting the Temples of Angkor. You'll need a place to sleep, eat and fart and this city fills those needs quite well. I've been here twice and both times it was with the single focus on visiting the temples of Angkor. I'd never thought of this city as a place to visit other than a place to stay and eat on the way of the temples of Angkor. There is so much more than the role it once played as advanced base camp to the Angkor Temples. There is some really good shopping in the markets and generally more to do than in the Capital city of Phnom Penh. Siem Reap has become the largest boomtown and construction site in Cambodia, entirely because of the exploding tourist trade. And there are plenty of places for a mug of Beer. Siem Reap has split into 2 separate cities over the last decade.
There are pubs galore, markets that sell everything from radishes to wood carvings and also a place filled with Temples where the people meditate according to their Buddhist customs.
This place is about a kilometer closer to the temples, along both sides of the only road to Angkor. It is made up of massive golf courses, marble-lined swimming pools and hardwood polished pianos in the lobby. You can get the finest spa treatment anywhere in Asia but you won't find any backpackers here.
Fly In: If you arrive by plane, you might find some value in booking a place to stay in advance. Most of the Hostels and Hotels will arrange to meet you at the airport and drive you back to the Hotel. Good Value, especially if you're arriving late at night (See picture of Bum). Otherwise, you'll have to take a motorbike ($1.50USD) or a taxi ($4-5USD) to town. I couldn't carry my bags on the back of a motorbike so I saved $3USD that first night by not needing a cab to get to the City Center. And I saw the guy in the Photo to you left from behind a car window. Avoid all the noise about the best newest way to get to Siem Reap from Bangkok. The mini bus from Khoa San Road in Bangkok is packed, hot and expensive compared to the alternatives. From Bangkok to Aranyaprathet you can either take a 1st class public bus from Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal (Mor Chit Station) or else travel by train from Bangkok's Hualamphong Train Station. See the Cambodia Travel page for more details on getting to Siem Reap from Bangkok.
By Plane There are separate terminals for International and Domestic flights. International departure tax is expensive at $25USD (children $13USD). You have to pay this after check-in but before you can clear Immigration. Most Air Tickets purchased in Cambodia include the departure tax but not all of them do. Make sure to have cash on you if you are required to pay the departure Tax. The ATMs and credit card services are unreliable at best. By Bus The Mekong Express leaves from near the Main Post Office but you need not worry if you don't know where that is. The travel company from where you bought your ticket is where you'll be picked up by a shuttle bus. In turn, it will take you to the main departure point of the bus. Buses depart at 7:30am and 12:30pm. The trip costs between $3-6USD and takes between 5-7 hours. The entire road is paved from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, making for a much more comfortable ride. In the past, it was all dirt roads that turned the journey into a 14 hour make out session with a puddle of mud. By Boat The good news is that Compagnie Fluevial Du Mekong is still offering high quality, very leisurely paced boat trips between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap on a traditionally crafted wooden riverboat with deluxe facilities. It takes 3 days but great ride. Check them out at www.cfmekong.com These can be fantastic trips which give travelers the opportunity to view life on the lake, floating houses, fishermen going about their work, and to get a sun tan if you choose to sit on the roof of the boat. However, if you travel on a windy day and you have not kept waterproofs and sunscreen out of your luggage you could be in trouble. See What and Why Bother?Obviously you'll be in Siem Reap to visit the temples. Most people are exhausted after touring the temples. But everyone quenches their thirsts in different ways and some people just get sick of looking at Temples. So, maybe you'll take a day off touring the Temples and do and excursion. There are a few to note.
Because the Silk Worm farm is only a short distance away you could head up there and see how the silk is made and get to purchase some of the best quality silk at great prices. Angkor Silk Farm, 15 km west of Siem Reap.
This place is filled with more than 1,500 tropical butterflies and a Koi fish pond in a private park. There is also a restaurant in there called 'the Butterfly Garden Restaurant'. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner of khmer cuisine. The garden is really nice and the restaurant was too expensive for me to try but the smell was great and the food looked delicious.
Central Market is located at the corner of Sivatha Blvd and Achamean Street. This Market has mainly cheap jewelry and souvenirs but also some good prices on clothes. After you've seen one shop, you've seen them all. Sounds bad but I hate shopping. My wife enjoyed our visit there because a lot of the stuff there is unique compared to China and Thailand. Psah Chas Market (Old Market): The name means OLD but it is a new market near the river. Best visited early in the day because that's when the meat, fish, fruit and vegetables are their freshest. General goods, souvenir stalls (carved wood, brass, silver. T-shirts, clothing, Kramar scarves etc) can also be had there. Psah Leu Market (New Market or Center Market): on Route 6, this big old market is 1.5km East of Siem Reap. Just fod and general goods so not worth the ride for me but you don't know that until you go.
I know. But this is a web page to give information about Siem Reap. Horseback riding is very rare in this part of the world (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam) but the scenery is awesome and worth the time. I wish I could ride through the Temples at Angkor but I know it would do damage to the delicate sandstone and you really have to stay on designated paths or "BOOM!" Head out to Happy Ranch International Standard Riding School. They offer all kinds of trail rides of varying lengths. They also give lessons and the guy doing it was from the U.S. so his English was easy to understand. Phone them @ 011 920 002 or 012 920 002 or Email them at info@thehappyranch.com
The only air-conditioned Theater in town. They present daily Cambodian traditional, popular and classical dances. You can sit at a nice table and eat some traditional food from a set of local specialties. Very popular amongst Cambodians and you have to phone and make reservations on most nights. That's all I know and saw. FAQs and Useful NumbersQ: Where can I get more info and tickets? AThe Tourist Office (ministry of Tourism Information Bureau) is on the main road to Angkor Wat, opposite the Hotel d'Angkor. It's open from Monday to Friday 7AM-6PM. Call them at 012-963461. You can get tons of free info about the Temples of Angkor and they also sell passes for entry to the Angkor Wat area. They can also arrange a tour guide in most languages and they will also find you a car for hire or motorbike. Q: Where can I change travelers checks and money? A: There are a ton of money changers in town, especially West of the Old market. Their rates are better than the banks. I went to the bank first and the difference was astounding. The Banks rip you off but I feel safer with them when doing a cash advance on my Credit Card. Here are a few banks in Siem Reap that you can check it out yourself:
Located at the corner of Market on Sivath Street and open Monday to Saturday 7:30AM to 8:30PM and Sunday from 8AM to 4PM. All banks do cash advances on Credit cards but they charge Visa at 2% (min $5USD) Mastercard is the same but JCB is higher.
243 Sivatha Rd. They are open from Monday to Friday starting at 7AM to 7PM and Saturday and Sunday from 8:30AM to 12:00PM.
Sivatha Rd, at Prince & Ankor hotel. They are open from Monday to Friday 8AM to 5:30PM and Saturday and Sunday from 8:30AM to 12:00PM. Q: Where are the police? A: They are located in Siem Reap on the South Side of Route 6, 2 blocks West of the river. Phone their foreign specialist, English speaking staff 24 hours a day at 760133. Q: What if I get sick? A: Head to the Naka International Clinic. They are at #593 on Route 6 or phone them at 964500. You'll get to see a doctor if it's an emergency 24 hours a day but if you scraped your nose on a temple them the hours are 8AM to 5PM. You'll be amazed at their English. It's really good.  Leave Siem Reap and see Angkor Wat
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