Siem Reap the most touristic, most visited city in Cambodia. It is here that tourists who come to look at the famous, which is located a few kilometers from the city, stop.
Map of the location of Siem Reap and the Anchor temple complex
The city was founded in 802, and was named so only in the 16th century, in honor of the liberation of land from. Siem Reap means " Victory over Siamโ, and Siam is called neighboring Thailand.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, Siem Reap remained just a small village and began to develop only when, in 1908, French restorers began work on restoring the temples of Angkor. Then the first tourists arrived in Siem Reap, hotels, restaurants began to open in the village, and tourist infrastructure was created. During the time of Pol Pot, during the Khmer Rouge regime, the city fell into decline again. A new round of development of Siem Reap began in the 90s of the last century, when Angkor Wat again hospitably opened the gates for tourists from different countries peace.
Tourist Pub Street in Siem Reap Now Siem Reap is a city with a population of about 200 thousand people, most of which is employed in the tourism industry. All conditions are created for tourists in the city: there are many comfortable hotels and cheap guesthouses, shops, markets, tour desks, spas and even a whole block with bars, restaurants and the famous Pub Street. Siem Reap has all the conditions for tourists to visit the famous temples in the morning and afternoon, relax in the pools or spa treatments during the day, and enjoy shopping and gatherings or dancing to live music in bars in the evening.
Evening in the city center Important: We are tourists, not backpackers, we do not aim to save as much as possible, we love comfort. All information in the article for average tourist.
How to get to Siem Reap
1. By plane
7 km from Siem Reap there is an international airport where flights from, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and other cities arrive. Siem Reap Airport is small and can no longer cope with the load, so they plan to build it soon new airport, 60 km from the city for international flights, while this one is left for domestic flights. In this case, a taxi from Siem Reap airport to the city will cost not 5-8 dollars, as it is now, but much more. By the way, if you book a hotel for at least 2 nights, the transfer from the airport to the hotel is usually free of charge.
If you are traveling to Siem Reap from Bangkok, you can buy a ticket either for a direct bus from an agency or take the bus to the border on your own, cross it, and then take a taxi to Siem Reap. If you are on, you can buy an organized transfer to Siem Reap, or you can cross the ferry to the mainland on your own, get to Trat, and from there go to the border between Thailand and Cambodia.
Buses Bangkok - Siem Reap If for some reason you have not booked a hotel in advance, it is not a problem. Contact any tuk-tuk in the city, indicate your preferences (price, quality, availability of a pool, location) and it will take you to hotels for 2-3 dollars and you will find a suitable option for yourself!
Do you need a pool in a hotel in Siem Reap? I think that yes, after long walks in the frying of the temples, it is so nice to swim in the pool! Yes, and for the back it is useful to swim after a long walk.
In which area of โโSiem Reap to choose a hotel? I prefer to stay closer to the city center, within walking distance of Pub Street, but not in the very epicenter of the fun. By the way, the proximity to the temples (the entrance to Angkor Wat) is not important for the hotel, anyway, you will go to the temples by tuk-tuk or taxi, it will take about 15-20 minutes to get to the entrance to Angkor Wat from anywhere in the city.
For a long time in Siem Reap, you can find an apartment for 300 dollars a month.
Popular and rated hotels in Siem Reap
Special offers for hotels in Siem Reap
City of Siem Reap
The city of Siem Reap stands on the banks of the Siem Reap River of the same name, along which a small embankment runs. In the evening, it is beautifully illuminated, people go for a walk, sit on benches or rest on the grass, drink fruit shakes or coconuts.
Everything is so beautifully lit up at night. You can also see a piece of the sunset ๐ There are no skyscrapers in the city, and in general you will hardly see buildings higher than 3-4 floors here. Basically, the streets are filled with colonial houses - the breath of France affects.
There are several interesting modern temples in Siem Reap (but after visiting Angkor Wat, we didnโt want any temples anymore!), National Museum, a nice royal park with a fountain and statues of lions, an art center.
The city has a post office where you can send postcards to family and friends. Tip: buy postcards in advance in a store or on the street, they cost 2 times more at the post office!
Sending postcards home, got it? ๐ There are many ATMs and banks in the center. We even found an exchange. But changing dollars to the local currency (riels) does not make sense. All prices are in dollars. As of February 2015, they considered 1 dollar = 4000 riel.
All tourist life is concentrated in a triangle near Old Market Old Market in the south of Siem Reap, near the river.
Map-scheme of the central, most touristic part of Siem Reap How many interesting things are sold in the market: fruits, souvenirs, and spices. But most of all we were interested in curtains of fish and loaves of sausage. They were afraid to buy, who knows how they store it all in such heat!
We haven't tried this fruit yet... 
Fruit piles in the old market 
Spices and dried fruits 
Fish curtains. Ah, I want... 
sausage 
That's what got our attention! But afraid to buy Near the famous street of bars - Pub street(street number 8 on google map - many streets in Siem Reap are numbered). After 7 pm, traffic is blocked on it, and it becomes pedestrian. But still, motorbikers and tuk-tukers go there.
There are bars and cafes on Pub Street for every taste! You can sit on the first floor, or you can go up to the balcony on the second floor.
A standard restaurant in Siem Reap on Pub Street consists of two floors: you can sit downstairs or go up to the balcony. But it seems to me that the bottom is more fun ๐ 
How many nice restaurants on Pub Street and neighboring streets! 
Mexican cuisine is also presented 
And local, Khmer There are so many nice places, you just want to hang out somewhere until the morning. Hey, where are my girls? ๐ We'd be playing here, especially considering such low prices on alcohol (but more on that later).
There are many nice bars on Pub Street that beckon you to come in, drink a cocktail or juice ๐ 
Fun bar in the thick of things. What a nice glass for drinks ๐ 
You can sit on these comfortable sofas But we liked not the noisy street of bars, but the street nearby, which is on tourist map marked as The Passage. There are also plenty of places to dine here. And the prices are a little lower.
Passage in Siem Reap - another street with bars and restaurants 
What surprised me in Siem Reap: all cafes - restaurants are filled with tourists, in many you just canโt find a place like that! Where are all these people from? And why is the cafe in Thailand almost always empty?
Watch the video - feel the atmosphere of the bar street in Siem Reap ๐
What else to say about the city? After Thailand, Siem Reap seemed very dirty to us, but then, having arrived in Siunukville, we realized that Siem Reap was clean ๐ Still, they at least somehow look after the order, remove garbage, sweep roads. It is quite safe in Siem Reap, there are a lot of police officers, and there are also tourist police, yet the city is visited by millions of tourists from around the world, so the Cambodians are trying to at least put things in order here (and about what is happening in the seaside resort of Sihanoukville, I will definitely I will tell in one of the following articles).
Things to Do in Siem Reap
How can you have fun in Siem Reap? If you still have the strength after visiting the Ankor temples, you can come up with a rich program for the evening ๐
First we go to massage. We will visit spa procedures or do a foot peeling with fish - just stick your feet into the aquarium and the fish will gnaw your old, unnecessary skin (something I have not tried this pleasure ..., they say it tickles). From 2 dollars.
Prices for different types of massage in Siem Reap 
Prices for massage, manicure and pedicure in Siem Reap 
And again massage ๐ 
Then we'll drink a fruit neck. 1 dollar.
Now let's go to shopping. In Siem Reap, there are a lot of shops with crocodile leather products. And little crocodiles nearby. Who wants to go home like this? Expensive.
Lots of crocodile leather bags. I can't even imagine how much they cost! 
And here are the crocodiles 
50% off select crocodile wallets Or let's go to one of the markets for souvenirs and clothes. Cheap.
One of Siem Reap's markets on the opposite side of the river from Pub Street 
One of the markets in Siem Reap 
Let's visit national dances with dinner . 12 dollars.
In Siem Reap, you can combine business with pleasure: dine and watch dances. This event takes place in this building (entrance next to the elephant) Well now it's time to move on bar street! We choose the most comfortable/beautiful/noisy (underline as appropriate) bar and have fun until we have enough strength. And you can go to a disco or a casino. There are plenty of them in the city!
Food and cafes in Siem Reap. Prices for food and alcohol in Siem Reap
Well, now let's talk about the most pleasant thing, about food ๐ When we were traveling from Thailand to Cambodia, we thought that the food here was tasteless, that we would starve, but it turned out to be the opposite. How delicious they know how to cook in Cambodia!
As I said, for dinner we went to the Passage (between 8th and 9th streets).
This is where we used to have dinner in Siem Reap 
Sometimes we sat on the ground floor, sometimes on the balcony. But the view from the balcony is not veryโฆ First of all, we tried amok (amok), a national Khmer dish - fish, chicken or shrimp stewed with onions in coconut milk with egg and spices, served in palm leaves. It turned out very tasty!
Khmersoke national dish - amok pot with curry in Cambodian I liked it too. Unlike the curries of other countries, here the vegetables are well stewed (otherwise in Thailand they like vegetables undercooked, well, yes, there are a lot of raw foodists there ๐) and there are potatoes. Also delicious.
Although I do not like curry soups, I liked the Cambodian curry. Even more Lok Lak- pieces of meat (most often beef), baked with onions and sauce. Served with cucumbers, rice, egg and mustard sauce.
Lok Lak with pork Here are the averages food prices in Siem Reap cafes in the Pub Street area (I post a photo of the menu):
Main courses and salads $3-4, huge pot of soup $4.75 
Salads 2-5 $ 
Spring rolls - $ 2.5 
Soups from 5$ 
Amok and curry for $3, tasting set of four types of amok $18 (large portion for two) 
All sorts of other goodies: lok-lak, ribs and other meat - $ 5 
Interesting dishes about $5 (I was interested in rice with shrimp in pineapple, it's a pity that I don't eat rice! 
I never dared to try local desserts In addition to the main menu, usually in each cafe we โโwere given a special menu. That's where we ordered food from. Our beer dinner cost us $7-$10 for two.
In addition to the main menu, they always brought special menus with lower prices. From him we ordered amok, lok lacquer and curry for $ 2.75 One evening we went to try the frogs. I already once ate frog legs in Kyiv, then Yola took me to some bar on Mikhailovskaya precisely in order to eat frog legs. But then they didnโt impress me at all, they stank of fish to me. Here, in Siem Reap, we purposefully looked for frogs in a cafe. Found in one of the cafes near the Old Market. Ordered, the cost of 3.5 dollars for 3 pieces. We tried. Delicious! Even very tasty ๐
Here, in a cafe near the old market, we tasted frogs 
And here they are: 3 frogs - $ 3.5 
Let's try frogs. Delicious! By default, rice is brought to all dishes (it is included in the price of the dish).
Another "national dish" in Siem Reap is happy pizza. Happy pizza, this is a regular pizza, which, at your request, can be made "happy", i.e. add marijuana to it. We didn't try, we were afraid.
Speaking of food in Siem Reap, it must be said that in Cambodia very cheap alcohol . Draft beer in almost all bars costs $0.5 per mug and $2 per decanter. The beer is pretty good. It's certainly not my favorite dark Leff, but it's still much better than Thai bottled.
I must say that in Cambodia itโs cheapest to drink beer in a cafe: we donโt get drunk with water, a small can of cola or sprite costs $ 1.5, itโs scary to take tea and coffee (most often they brew it with tap water), so for now we are in this country at dinner we always drink beer. At first it was strange, because for 2 months we hardly drank alcohol at all, well, except for New Year and Christmas and a couple of times beer with shrimp at home on the veranda, but now they are used to it ๐ Yes, itโs definitely time to leave Cambodia ๐
Cocktails and wine are also worth a penny. How do you like the $1.75 majito?
Special prices for alcohol in the bars of Siem Reap. Mahito for $1.75, margarita for $1.5 
In Siem Reap, we noticed such a feature: the prices for food in beautiful cafes in the center and the prices for food in street cafes (such as macaroons) are identical. Only once we ate in a street cafe for only $ 3 - we just took the two cheapest dishes (vermicelli soup - $ 1.5 and rice with meat - $ 1.5). Other dishes in this cafe cost the same 2-4 dollars as on Pub Street on a special offer.
Prices in the street cafes of Siem Reap are almost the same as in the beautiful cafes on Pub Street 
But once we managed to eat in such a cafe very cheaply. $3 for two! 
We also found very cheap dishes on the menu for $ 1.5 
and more expensive ones for 2.5 - 3 $ 
Menu from a street cafe in Siem Reap On the street, you can buy a spring roll for as little as $0.75. But I didnโt like it, itโs not that crispy rice flour pancake that is prepared in Thailand, which we often bought near ours. So, a pancake in Siem Reap is made not from crispy, but from some kind of viscous dough. I couldn't even eat it, I had to throw it away ๐
But I didnโt like banana pancakes in Siem Reap ๐ Locals eat all sorts of fried and boiled cockroaches, insects, snakes. In Thailand, I thought it was a lure for tourists (there, even on Khaosan Road in Bangkok, there is a sign near fried insects informing that photos of all these sweets are 20 baht), but then it turned out that the locals buy this living creature. We did not dare to try, although we are going to for a long time.
Locals are happy to eat all sorts of fried insects, snakes and cockroaches! Fruit prices in Siem Reap are as follows:
- Coconut, 1 piece - $ 1
- Bunch of small bananas - $1
- Mango, 1 kg - $ 2
- Big watermelon - $1.8
- Pineapple - $0.75
Do not forget that fruit prices are very dependent on the season. Cambodians are very proud that they have all natural fruits, unlike Thailand.
Prices for products in stores
But the prices for groceries in stores in Siem Reap did not please. There are no large supermarkets like Tesco Lotus or Big C in Cambodia. There are several supermarkets in Siem Reap, for example, Angkor mini mart is very popular with tourists, but we liked the grocery store on the first floor of the Laky Market shopping center more.
Many tourists praise the Angkor mini mart supermarket, they say that there is an excellent selection of cheeses and other European products, but we did not think so There are no 7-leven and Family Mart stores in Cambodia. In general, there are no such convenient shops where you can get coffee, a hot sandwich or other fast food. In Siem Reap, a couple of shops "fakes" in Thai 7-leven
Shop 6-leven. Funny ๐ 
And this store was the closest to our hotel, but the prices in it seemed to us the highest Some food prices in Siem Reap shops
- Water, 1.5 l - from $ 0.5
- Ice cream cone - from $ 0.8
- Cookies โ from $0.75
- Yogurt - $0.65
I was struck by the prices for juices in packages and cola, I had to drink beer. We did not find cheap wine (for $4-5, as many wrote), the average cost of a bottle of wine is $10. Strong alcoholic drinks are cheap, but I donโt remember the prices, we donโt drink them.
Big choice wines in shops. Average cost $10 per bottle 
But such a drink with a cobra inside can be bought for $ 8.5. I wouldn't risk drinking it... I also expected to find cheap cheese in the shops of Siem Reap. And he is there at the same price as in Tae, and even more expensive! (I'm talking about moldy cheeses). Sausages, cold cuts, meat, chicken - all this is also more expensive than in Thailand.
After visiting grocery stores in Siem Reap, we concluded that it is still cheaper to eat in a cafe. Fortunately, there are plenty of them, and delicious!
On this delicious note, I will probably end our tour of Siem Reap.
Conclusions. Siem Reap is a good tourist town. At first we had a shock when we came here after Thailand, and then nothing, we got used to it ๐ And I even began to like the city, especially the bar street. And when we arrived at the seaside in Sihanoukville, we looked around and began to think that we should have stayed in Siem Reap. We liked it there more ๐
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- a provincial town with a population of 140 thousand people, located in the north-west of Cambodia and especially loved by tourists in recent years. Interest is connected with the close location of the Angkor temple complex - the famous Khmer landmark. Literally, the name of the town is translated as "Siam is defeated." Previously, Siam was called Thailand, with which Cambodia has a border 803 km long.
Video: Siem Reap
In the footsteps of the Holy City of Angkor
The history of the province of Siem Reap is closely intertwined with the Khmer Empire. In ancient times, several of its capitals were located on the territory of the town. In the X-XII centuries, Angkor was considered a large settlement, but in the XV century it was captured and destroyed. The city began to overgrow with trees, and the jungle hid it from people. But in the middle of the 19th century, the remains of buildings were discovered by European researchers.
Angkor is the main reason why people go to Siem Reap. From the city to the complex - 8 km. Today Angkor covers an area of โโ200 square meters. km and unites temples, palaces, reservoirs and diversion channels. On the roads of the complex, they offer to ride an elephant - from the South Gate of Angkor Thom to the Bayon Temple. Another way to view buildings is by flying in a hot air balloon. There are also helicopter rides. The flight lasts 20 minutes, and during this time tourists have time to see all the local sights from above. There are only two helicopters in Siem Reap, which are based at the local airport. Everyone knows about them, and any taxi driver will take you to your destination.
Getting to know Khmer culture
It is curious that until the 20th century, Siem Reap was only a small village. When in 1908 the French masters began to restore the temples of Angkor, the first travelers came here. Since the 90s, there has been a new turn of development, when the renovated Angkor Wat invited tourists from different countries.
Museums will introduce you to the local culture โ there are three of them in the city. The main one is the Angkor National Museum, which stores archaeological artifacts. Entrance ticket - $ 12, for photo and video filming they pay extra. Another one is the Military Museum, where various weapons are stored. It was used at the end of the 20th century in Cambodia, during the wars. Among the exhibits are the T-34 tank and the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The entrance fee is cheaper - $ 5.
The anti-personnel mine museum is also connected with the war. It was founded by a former soldier from the Khmer Rouge, who later became a sapper. The exhibition is unequivocally gloomy, but instructive. Visitors are shown a collection of mines and bombs, photographs of the victims. This museum is free, it exists on voluntary donations.
A visit to the Khmer circus will also be interesting. It exists without clowns and trained dogs. The work of circus performers is united around main goal- show guests Khmer myths and legends, scenes from the life of ordinary people. Performances are held daily at 19:30. Acrobats, jugglers and other masters of circus art perform before the audience. It is also worth visiting the Puppet Theatre. Every evening, the actors show their skills in the restaurants of the city - La Noria and Bayonne. After the performance, the audience is offered to purchase the dolls that were involved in the show.
colorful centerpiece
The tourist center of Siem Reap is the area of โโthe Old Market (Psa Chaa) and the night market, Pub Street. This part is small, but bars, restaurants, souvenir shops and massage parlors are concentrated here. Internet cafes, shopping centers, spas are open. There is also a corner of the oasis in the center - Royal Park. This is a nice place near the river. Huge and outlandish trees are found in the green zone, flying foxes live. There is a Buddhist temple in the Royal Park. Flowers are sold near it, and birds are also sold, which are usually released immediately.
Walks around the area
There are also many interesting places in the vicinity of Siem Reap: a ceramics center, a silk farm, a floating village and a 30-meter waterfall. The town is located on two banks of the river of the same name, and just a few kilometers away is the freshwater lake Toplessap, one of the largest in the world. Here is the floating village of Kampong Pluuk. All objects are located on the water - and markets, and cafes, and shops. The only stone building is a Buddhist temple. Another attraction nearby is the 30-meter Phnom Kulen waterfall.
There is also a silk farm near Siem Reap (15 km from the city). Factory tours are free. Guests are shown the whole process of making the most delicate fabric - from growing silkworms to the work of craftswomen. There is a ceramics center in the village, where they will reveal the secrets of creating masterpieces from clay. Master classes are held for visitors, but for a fee - for $ 15.
Shopping: from grasshoppers to hand-made
The night market of the town is an attraction in itself. It is centrally located, close to Pub Street. Until six in the evening, the bazaar โsleepsโ, and by 7-8 pm there is already a lively trade going on here. Colored lights are lit throughout the market. Tourists are offered clothes, food, souvenirs, paintings, jewelry and trinkets. There are massage parlors and live music on site.
The markets also offer local delicacies. Fried and boiled snails, beetles, cockroaches and even grasshoppers - only a gourmet dares to try this! This product is sold in cups, like our seeds. Also in the assortment - exotic fruits or handicrafts.
The Tasty Side of Siem Reap
Do you want to eat after your walk? Not a problem, because in Siem Reap there are restaurants, pizzerias, street cafes. The dishes are not very spicy, but sweet due to the use of various sauces. Many institutions provide a cultural program, usually these are national dances. You can try yourself as a chef - almost every reputable cafe offers master classes in creating Khmer cuisine. The signs on the doors say so.
To try exotic fruits, you do not even need to look into restaurants. Along the roads, tourists are beckoned by merchants with carts. They offer different fruits - from the usual bananas to strange durians. The latter have a specific smell, they are forbidden to bring to hotels.
Information for tourists
Siem Reap is good to visit at any time of the year. But it is most comfortable to travel during the dry season - from the beginning of winter to March. There are no direct flights from Moscow, so you first need to get to Thailand, Singapore or Seoul, and then fly to Siem Reap by plane. The city is also easily accessible by bus - from Vietnam or Thailand. A speed boat runs from the capital of Cambodia to the village.
The streets of Siem Reap travel by taxi, tuk-tuk or rented bike. Renting motorcycles is prohibited by local law. But you can stop motorcycle taxis - they are popular in Asia. Bicycles for rent (from $ 2) are offered in hotels, and in some they are completely free.
In cafes and hotels you can take a guide to the surroundings. It is free and the information is updated twice a year. With it, you can easily create an itinerary or choose accommodation. However, there will be no difficulties with accommodation - there are budget guesthouses and first-class hotels. Most of the hotels are located in the vicinity of the city, and even from the most remote it is easy to get to the center in 20 minutes. When booking in advance, find out if the settlement provides an airport transfer. Most hotels offer this service free of charge.
The local currency is the riel, but almost all payments here are made in dollars. In riels, they give mostly change from small purchases. Visitors note that the town resembles a large village. Siem Reap is quiet, without tourist frills. But most residents are fluent in French, which is especially striking for tourists.
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So, Siem Reap is nothing of a village with the same name river in the middle. Siem Reap is translated from Khmer as "Siam is defeated." So he was named, according to legend, by King Ang Chan (1516-1566) after he defeated the Siamese (Thai, that is) army and captured more than 10,000 enemy soldiers. However, history is a capricious young lady, and as a result, after centuries, Siam already defeated Cambodia ... And already irrevocably. By the way, they regularly wage small wars among themselves, including armed ones, not only economic and political ones.
Until 1908, Siem Reap remained a remote village, and only after the discovery of Angkor by Europeans, tourists and investments poured in here.
Siem Reap is small - only about 200 thousand inhabitants. It can be bypassed (if there is such a desire) in an hour or two. You can rent a bike. Or use a taxi / tuk-tuk (taxi usually travel around Angkor - 25 USD per day). They don't give bikes for rent - it's forbidden)). Here is a method of stimulating tourists to pay more - to take cars).
There are few attractions: Old market, Night market, Pub street, a couple of temples, a butterfly exhibition, a mine museum and an ethnographic museum. I don't know, everything is amateur. With Angkor close by, buying souvenirs in the markets and visiting pubs is, in my opinion, the best pastime.
You can, of course, go for a massage or an apsara dance performance. Sorry, we ignored.
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| You can watch the show here. On the second floor, it seems |
Where to settle? Taking into account the fact that you need to travel around Angkor by car or tuk-tuk, there is no point in settling closer to the temple complex. Therefore, my choice is the center. Close to main attractions (ie food and shopping).
A little about the Khmer cuisine of Siem Reap. First, they eat a lot of fish. River. Which is not surprising - the nearby Tonle Sap Lake is one of the largest lakes in the world, especially when it overflows during the rains. Secondly, the cuisine is not just delicious. And insanely delicious! It is not sharp, as in Tai. Not at all. very tender. And - very cheap. The average cost of dishes is about 3-6 dollars. Those. for 10-15 dollars you can have a very tasty and satisfying meal. Inexpensive beer that you can drink. Freshies. I think. There is, however, a specific dish in Siem Reap - happy pizza (with drugs). Have not tried.
It is better to have dinner on the tourist Pub street or at the hotel. Well, it's cheap there! Do not look for cafes for locals)).
Fruit is a favorite price of one dollar. Unsurpassed. We bought so many fruits that we finished eating them already in the province of Krabi in Thailand.
About the people of Cambodia. They are amazingly beautiful and fragile. Especially children and women. They differ in faces and sizes even from small Thais. Extremely sincere and kind. In Siem Reap, everyone, including young children, must know English and skillfully bargain. Trade is conducted by children and women. I didn't take pictures of Khmer children near the temples, maybe. I did not buy anything there, and it was inconvenient for me to rent them for free. But dads lying near the same temples - why not? Nothing to be lazy about.
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| Dads in Cambodia don't overwork |
Lots of disabled people. The country is still not completely cleared of mines after the reign of the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot. Tourists are not recommended to go off the beaten paths even in the well-cleansed Angkor. They are already cleaning, it seems, the Cardamom Mountains. The Khmer Rouge gangs were there the longest. It is very painful to see what the madness of the rulers does to the people.
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| Gentle women of Cambodia |
A couple of remarks that must be done in Angkor
Get up at 4 in the morning, so that at 5 already be in Angkor and climb the temples in the "cool" and without crowds.
Meet the sunrise at Angkor Wat. It's unforgettable.
During the day, hide under the air conditioner. It's so hot! It is better to relax at home and swim in the pool than to melt in the sun.
Carefully work out the route to visit both nearby and distant temples, and also climb Phnom Kulen.
Have a good camera with a tripod and a telephoto lens, or a soap dish with a good zoom (a tripod is required).
Ride on a hot air balloon. I didn't succeed, sorry.
Yes, you should not change money for local currency - it will still be given for change. And dollars go there very even! The main thing is to have enough small bills with you.
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| Map of Angkor, boonus) |
Siem Reap in Cambodia is a popular but unremarkable city in the north of the Khmer kingdom. Sim Reap owes its popularity to the Angkor Wat temple complex, which attracts tourists from all over the world. Read a separate article about Angkor, and today we will share our impressions of this city.
Siem Reap: street photos and impressions
Many locals move around the city not only on bikes and tuk-tuks, but also on bicycles, there are no traffic jams. There is no variety in cars. Traffic lights were noticed on a couple of streets, this is a rarity in Asia. With them in Cambodia a bit tight, but in the tourist areas of Siem Reap they are. We can only say about the roads that now they are paved, but many are being repaired.
Siem Reap street photo 
Siem Reap: Tourist Quarter
In the city center everything is more or less clean and very decent. There are many cafes, guest houses and hotels. One of the best hotels Regency Angkor Hotel.
Hotels in Siem Reap
- Tropical Breeze Guesthouse
- Baphuon Villa
- Laysung Boutique
- Angkor Spirit Palace
All hotels in Siem Reap
Hotel in Siem Reap Regency Angkor Hotel 
On one of the central squares they saw how they sell birds. They are so cute, although they look not very healthy in the photo.
It made me laugh that in Siem Reap there is a 6-Eleven store, an analogue of the Thai 7-Eleven. Only here the range leaves much to be desired. Nothing healthy and tasty is for sale, mostly chips, cookies, noodles, nuts, water, alcohol. At the same time, prices are very high for Asia.
6-Eleven Siem Reap
Siem Reap non-tourist
In Siem Reap, if you move a little away from the center, it is rather dirty, you often come across places where building material is scattered or everything is simply dug up. Although, I would not be surprised if all this โbeautyโ has been in this state for more than one year.
Where can I order a transfer from the airport?
We use the service - Kiwi Taxi
Ordered a taxi online, paid by card. We were greeted at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You have already talked about your experience in this article
Gas cylinder filling station
Vegetation and green grass are difficult to meet. In the central tourist areas you will see it, but as soon as you turn into an alley and all this disappears, the landscape changes dramatically. You can walk down the street and see a beautiful building or unusual stone buildings in the Khmer style. Turning the corner, stumble upon old houses on stilts. There are many temples in and around the city.
Some Khmer temples at the entrance to Siem Reap
By the way, in Cambodia it is customary to build houses on stilts because of the threat of floods. Traveling around Cambodia, you can constantly observe the following buildings:
Houses on stilts in Cambodia
Then go a little more through the slums and you again find yourself on a dusty and buzzing street from the movement of motorbikes with a bunch of tourists.
Siem Reap reviews
The atmosphere in Simrip leaves a feeling of unfinished business. Itโs as if this is not a full-fledged city, but a transit point where everything is being built and repaired and never completed, where people transport huge carts (garbage?), and children run barefoot through the streets, play with bricks and look curiously at Europeans.
We got such reviews about Siem Reap. But, don't worry, everything in the tourist quarter is clean and very decent! We describe life in Siem Reap as a whole, since ordinary residents of the city do not live in hotels, but in such houses and barns.
The whole picture is complemented by the same type of houses. To meet a more or less decent house is rare. And then, when you see one, you think that it could be a hotel or a guesthouse.
Neighborhood Siem Reap
On the way to Thailand between the cities, we watched other views from the window of our bus. Endless fields, poor dirty villages and detached houses on stilts, tall palm trees with a round crown, such are found only in Cambodia.
Wonderful views of Siem Reap behind the city
Desert nature, palm trees interspersed with occasional houses. Scorched grass due to lack of rain. In winter, nature here is very similar to our autumn.
Excursion to Angkor Wat from Siem Reap
So, everyone comes to Siem Reap for the sake of the ancient temple of Angkor Wat. Is it worth watching? Definitely yes! Perhaps this is one of the greatest attractions not only in Cambodia, but throughout Asia. We would put Angkor Wat on the same level with. After Angkor, we are no longer interested in looking at other temples.
Siem Reap hotels
Hotels in Siem Reap are available for every taste and budget. Because people come here from all over the world. Tourists from poor Asian countries stay in cheap hotels and guesthouses. More affluent travelers from Europe and the United States choose hotels in Siem Reap of high standard, up to five stars. There are also mid-level hotels, costing $30-50 per night, where most tourists can afford to stay.
- Tropical Breeze Guesthouse
- Mantra Angkor Boutique Villa
- Baphuon Villa
- Laysung Boutique
- Angkor Spirit Palace
All hotels in Siem Reap
Siem Reap (Cambodia) is a picturesque city located in the north-west of the country in the province of the same name, famous for Angkor, the center of the ancient Khmer Empire. With the opening of this attraction at the end of the 19th century, tourism began to develop in the city, and the first hotel was opened in 1923.
Today Siem Reap is the fastest growing city in Cambodia with modern hotels and ancient architectural monuments. Siem Reap is the most popular city in the country with more than a million travelers visiting it every year.
Siem Reap has a lot to see besides Angkor because it has a rich past, combines several religions and is a place for budget shopping. What you need to know about holidays in Siem Reap? We will tell in this article.
Advice! Cambodia has fairly low prices for all entertainment and services, so in order not to waste time looking for exchangers, take plenty of small bills up to $10 with you.
Climate features
As in all of Cambodia, here the temperature even at night does not fall below 25 degrees Celsius. The hottest month is April, the coldest period (during the day the air warms up to 31ยฐC) is from October to December.
Planning a trip to Siem Reap (Cambodia) is worth taking into account the peculiarities of the tropical monsoon climate, because from July to September the season of heavy rains begins here.
Despite the massive reduction in prices, foreigners rarely come here during this period.
The best time to travel to Siem Reap is winter. From November to April, the dry season begins in Cambodia, which is also high, but at the end of autumn precipitation still falls, and in spring the air temperature rises too high.
Comfortable housing: where and how much?
All over Cambodia acceptable prices for accommodation and even despite the fact that Siem Reap is a tourist city, here you can rent a room in a two-star hotel for $15 per day. Cheap hotels (for example, Baby Elephant Boutique, Mingalar Inn, Parklane Hotel) are located in the southern part of the city, where there are few attractions, but many tourists and cafes.
Parklane Hotel All hotels have wireless Internet, breakfast is usually at an additional cost. True, it will be much more profitable to dine in one of the establishments located nearby.
Important! Despite the fact that there are several hostels in Siem Reap, it is not worth checking in there. Often in such dormitories prices practically do not differ from hotel prices, and from the comfortable conditions only a bed in a dormitory room and amenities on the floor remain.
Find out the RATES or book any accommodation using this form
Where to go gourmets?
Fish Amok Khmer cuisine is considered one of the most delicious in all of Asia. It was formed under the influence of neighboring countries, especially China, India and Vietnam, but there is still a lot of interesting and unusual in it. So, every traveler who wants to know all the delights of Siem Reap cuisine should try:
- Amok - fish/chicken/shrimp in banana leaves, marinated in a sauce of spices and coconut milk. Served with rice.
- Khmer curry. Soup with vegetables, meat and spices.
- Lock varnish. Pieces of fried chicken or beef with onion, cucumber and tomato salad.
Street food here is represented by soups with dumplings, noodles or vegetables ($1-3). In addition, there is a lot of rice and seafood in Siem Reap, these dishes are usually included in business lunches in all cafes.
Sights of Siem Reap
Founded by a sapper soldier, this museum is home to dozens of defused mines that have been found all over Cambodia. There are no long excursions or complicated stories here, everything is extremely simple: a mine or its unique photo, data on how it was going to be used and the consequences to which it could lead.
- The museum is open on weekends from 7:30 to 17:30.
- Entrance fee is $5 per person.
- The attraction is located on the territory of the Angkor National Park, 7 km south of the Banteay Srei temple.
Nearby there is a small shop with cheap souvenirs in the form of cartridges, weapons, helmets, etc.
War Museum
This open-air war museum is also connected with the sad past of Cambodia. An attraction that impresses with its realism and conveys all the events of the 20th century in Siem Reap. Combat aircraft, tanks, helicopters, conventional and edged weapons, shells and other objects related to the war are presented here. But more impressive in this museum are photos of Siem Reap and the rest of Cambodia from that period, which you will not see anywhere else in the world.
The War Museum is a must see for every traveler who wants to better understand Cambodia.
- Entry price - $5
- Located 15 minutes walk from the center.
- Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00.
Interesting to know! The ticket price includes the services of a guide, photo and video shooting, the opportunity to hold a weapon.
Phnom Kulen National Park
Do you love beautiful nature? Then be sure to visit this park. It is in it that the waterfalls known throughout Cambodia are located, it is here that the Khmer Empire was born 1100 years ago.
In the national park there are several attractions of Siem Reap at once:
- Statue of the reclining Buddha (8 meters). This place is considered sacred by the local population. For many years, Cambodians have been coming here for pilgrimage, and even the need to climb to the top of the cliff (about 500 meters high) does not prevent them from observing this tradition;
- The ruins of the Khmer temple - the remains of the terrace of an ancient structure are stored in national park several centuries;
- The Siem Reap River, on both sides of which there are a thousand sculptures of Lingam and Yoni, which in Shaivism symbolize the feminine and masculine.
Important! You can swim in the river and waterfalls (in certain areas), so don't forget to bring a change of clothes with you.
The park is located outside of Siem Reap - 48 km away, so it is better to book a taxi or a tour at the hotel in advance.
If you want to go back in time, you can drop the blueprint for a fantastic machine and just go to the Bayon temple complex. Located in the center of Angkor, it has been and remains a mystery since the 12th century AD.
Fifty-four towers cascade into the sky. On each of them there are 4 faces (four images of King Jayarvarman VII), absolutely identical to each other. Depending on the time of day and sunlight, the mood of these faces changes, and with them the atmosphere of this place.
To take a photo against the backdrop of Bayon Temple, you need to try very hard, especially if you arrive in the morning, because it is at this time that tourists come here who met the dawn in Angkor Wat. We advise you to visit this attraction in the afternoon.
On a note! There are no shops with water and food on the territory of the complex and next to it - gather everything you need in advance.
This temple is a sacred place for Shaivite Cambodians. Despite the fact that it was built over a thousand years ago, it is still in good condition today. The temple is located a little further from other temples and is surrounded on all sides by the jungle, so there are fewer people here and there is the silence that is necessary to visit this attraction.
The Royal Park of Siem Reap is not the most prominent attraction in Cambodia, but if you have time, come here just for a walk. It is decorated with dozens of sculptures, two lakes and many different trees. Here they sell delicious ice cream, which you can enjoy while sitting in a cool shade on one of the small benches.
The central street of Siem Reap, a place where life is uninterrupted and fun is endless. Even if you are not a fan of nightlife and noisy gatherings, you will be interested in visiting one of the colorful cafes located on Pub street.
In addition to catering establishments, there are beauty salons, massage rooms, discos and many shops. By the way, one of the features of this street in the daytime is a large number of sellers of delicious and inexpensive food.
Carefully! Do not take a lot of money with you, not so much because they can be stolen, but because of the low price of alcoholic drinks and snacks - from 25 cents / liter.
Angkor Night Market
Cambodia is an ideal country for budget shopping. Although there are no expensive brands or designer items in local markets, there are plenty of quality clothes, shoes, souvenirs, jewelry and spices. Despite the name, the Angkor Night Market is also open during the day. Remember, the main rule of such places is not to be shy to bargain, this will help to reduce your costs by two or three times.
Interesting to know! According to travelers, it is better to buy souvenirs and other things in Siem Reap, and not in other areas of Cambodia, as the prices here are the lowest.
How to get there: all options
By plane
Despite the fact that Siem Reap has an international airport located 7 km from the city, you can fly here only from nearby Asian countries (Korea, Thailand, China, Vietnam) and the capital of Cambodia - Phnom Penh. We have identified three most convenient and profitable routes to Siem Reap for domestic travelers.
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Way from Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
The distance between cities is about 500 km. Every day, 5 or more planes fly in this direction, the travel time is 1 hour without transfers, the ticket price is about $120.
There are no direct buses on this route. For 8-17 dollars you can drive to the capital of Cambodia and transfer to one of the suitable buses.
How to get from Bangkok (Thailand) to Siem Reap
An expensive but fast way is by plane from Suvarnabhumi. The flight takes about an hour, the ticket price is from $130. More a budget optionโ flights from Donmuang. Two or three times a day, AirAsia planes depart from here, the travel time does not change, unlike the price ($80).
Two buses depart daily from Mo Chit bus station at 8 and 9 am. The trip takes about 6 hours (due to delays at the border) and costs $22 per person. The price includes lunch. From Ekkamai East Terminal, the route runs every two hours from 06:30 to 16:30. Travel time 7-8 hours, cost $6.
In addition, buses run from Suvarnabhumi Airport. They depart every two hours (from 7 am to 5 pm) and cost $6 per person. The trip takes 5 hours.
You can also get from Bangkok to Siem Reap by taxi, but only to the border with Cambodia. The price of the issue is 50-60 dollars, the travel time is 2.5 hours. From there, you can take a local taxi ($20-30) or bus to your destination.
The road from the capital of Cambodia
- There is an excellent bus service between the cities; several dozen cars ply this route every day. Tickets cost from 8 to 15 dollars, you can buy them both at the bus station / bus stop, and in advance, on the Internet (bookmebus.com), there is no difference in price. Drive about 6 hours.
- It is also possible to overcome 230 km between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap by plane - it will take about $100 and 45 minutes.
- More comfortable and faster, but more expensive than a bus, there will be a taxi. You can catch a car everywhere, the cost depends on your ability to bargain and the impudence of the driver (from 60 to 100 dollars).
- You can also get to Siem Reap by "Kiwi" - a car or minibus of the company of the same name, which transports small groups of tourists (up to 16 people). This method of transportation will cost you $40-50.
Public transport in Siem Reap
The transport infrastructure is not well developed in the city. Locals mostly move on foot or ride small scooters. Travelers can use the following modes of transport:
- Knock Knock. This small motorcycle with a sidecar is considered a budget version of a taxi. You can catch him in every area, but it is much easier to do this than to fend off persistent drivers offering their services. Such transport does not have a fixed price, so bargaining, although not welcomed by local residents, can be very appropriate;
- Taxi. The cost of one trip within the city is about 7 dollars. It is better to book a car at the hotel, but it is also not very difficult to catch a free car on the street. If you want to visit all the sights of Siem Reap, rent a taxi for the whole day. The cost of such a service is only $ 25;
- Bike. It can be rented in almost every hotel for about $0.6 per hour (daily rentals are cheaper). But be careful: if you are going to visit the sights, do not leave the bike unattended - it can be stolen.
Note! In Siem Reap, the arena of motorcycles and bikes is prohibited.
Siem Reap (Cambodia) is a colorful place with a rich historical past and impressive sights. Discover the culture of this country. Have a good trip!
Map of the city of Siem Reap with all the objects mentioned in the article.
There is a lot of important and useful information about the city of Siem Reap in the video below - Kasho tells in an interesting and accessible way.
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