Siemreab Travel Guide

Get a 3 day pass to the Temples of Angkor and explore history! Take a break in between.

If you choose to travel between Siem Reap and Battambang by boat it1s important to buy many litres of water  :o) because it's very hot, and just in the middle of the day you can buy anything in a shop on the river. 

One of the 8 world wonders, Ankor Wat, built for King Suryavarman II in the12th century as his capital city.

Get a foot massage after walking around Angkor Wat. It is cheap and so nice after a full day on your feet!

Start your temple touring early, especially during the hotter periods of the year. One can cover a lot of ground in a morning and then come back to your hotel for a well desired dip in the pool by late afternoon. Dinner at Foreign Correspondents Club is always recommended.

Local food is available at the Bayon, Bayon II, and New Bayon restaurants. Try the local delicacy, chicken eggs, or fried noodles if you don't like the idea of feathers.

Be very very careful when you cross the road - standard of health care is poor and the traffic is horrendous.

I took the local bus from Bangkok to Siem Riep and it was great. If you like dust and being cramped and doing things the local way with no aircon then you'll enjoy your sweaty bum being stuck to these seats. You can exchange money at the border and this is fine. Just make sure you do so on the Cambodian side as the rate is better. When u get off the bus in Siem Riep you will be approched by locals trying to get you to go to their hostels. This is fine, but I found it best to have a place in mind so check the travel guides. Someone on a motorcycle can take you and your backpack there without a problem. I am a woman and travelled alone without any problems. I ran out of money infact and a kind american helped me out. Thank-you! There are many VERY poor families in Siem Riep and they will ask you for money and the usual stuff. My suggestion: take milk when you walk the streets. There are always small thin children carrying even smaller thin children and they will be grateful for the calcium. This can be bought at many shops in the city. I was strapped for cash so spent my time at the local markets. There are some fancy restaurants that have popped up for the tourists but nothing beats a meal prepared right in front of you for next to nothing. It helps the man on the street and gives us tourists more of a human face. With regards to the awsome Angkor City, the best tip I have for you is go as early in the moring as possible! This way you will avoid the crowds and see the sunrise. Two days spent here is enough. The best transport for me to the city was on the back of a motorcycle, the best way to see the area.

Siem Reap International Airport

The Siem Reap Airport is small and compact but clean and very modern, more modern than the airport in Phnom Penh even. The airport is located 7km out of town and is easy to access via taxi or tuk tuk. There are restaurants, gift shops and all the amenities you would normally expect at any major airport including Duty Free. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh airports are the two international gateways into Cambodia. And if you're planning to move from Cambodia to Northern Vietnam, air travel is the fastest way to Hanoi and it's not a very expensive ticket.

 

Just a heads up, all international travelers are required to pay a $25US departure tax at the airport prior to leaving the country via air. This fee can be paid in either cash or by credit card.

  Website: http://www.cambodia-airports.com/siemreap/en/

Consider spending some time away from the temples to visit a school or do some volunteer work. Even a few hours can make a huge difference here.