Siem Reap may be known for multiple purposes but its close proximity to world famous and one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites “Angkor Wat” temple makes this place a great travel point today. Angkor Wat Temple recognised as the world’s largest religious monument in the world where both Hindu and Buddhist religion gods, traditions and architectures exist.
However, Siem Reap is a culturally rich landmark in Cambodia, an approximately 2,000 year old history and beyond. Today place strong connections to other surrounding historic and cultural landmarks with little modern ambiances. So, let’s dig more into this one of the underrated yet culturally rich destinations in Asia to understand how similar or equal to Angkor temple’s beauty.
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Is Siem Reap, Cambodia a Safe to Travel?
This question comes to your mind while visiting most Asian countries. Travellers from Australia, Canada, U.S or any European countries surely they can raise this question.
Siem Reap is a completely safe destination to explore. Even today the city remains more peaceful and welcoming with ambiances where we can see less travel scams, theft or pickpocketing.
Compared to other Cambodian cities/places, Siem Reap witnesses low petty crimes and less degree of travel cautions. Avoid travel to areas within 50 km of the Cambodia-Thailand border, where border disputes are more common.
7 Best Things to Do in Siem Reap, Cambodia
There are some activities or things that make your Siem Reap trip even more beautiful. Lest dig what are the 7 ideal things you can do in Siem Reap;
1. Explore World Famous Angkor Wat Temple
No matter what your purpose of visiting Siem Reap is, exploring the intrinsic architectural beauty of Angkor Wat temple is a more crucial task. If you’re not visiting or wish to visit, then better to cover 2 places through visiting one place.
‘World’s largest religious monument’ built in 12th century built by King Suryavarman II.This Cambodian Hindu temple well known for beautiful architecture, intricate carving styles, painting, sculptures and deep history. Angkor Wat Temple belongs to Angkor Arecalogical Park including other 72 major temples like Bayon Temple and Angkot Thom. Visiting the temple early in the morning and sunset periods is always a great idea, since sunrise over the temple’s iconic spires is the perfect moment to watch and even for photographers to click great photos.
2. Tonle Sap Lake
Tonle Sap Lake of Siem Reap is considered Asia’s one of the largest freshwater lakes where visitors can take scenic boat rides to enjoy surrounding mangrove forests and visit floating villages. The lake is so huge it spans over 5,500 square miles and it looks so beautiful during the wet season.
While exploring the floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake you’ll see schools, shops, and houses where people are leading their local lifestyles. “Chong Kneas” is the most popular village on the lake located just 30 km away from Siem Reap. You can also visit Kampong Phluk and Kampong Khleang, which are some nearest villages from the city limit. Despite floating villages, Lake is well known to catch up local flora and faunas and aqua species such as snakes and crocodiles. Book your tour of Tonle Sap Lake today and enjoy its beautiful and unique experience.
3. Angkor Thom
Angkor Thom is often called the ancient capital city of the Khmer Empire. But today this ancient city is home to the region’s best attractions such as Bayon Temple and Elephant Terrace. Bayon temple is known for its large stone faces and detailed carving styles.
The city was built by King Jayavarman VII during the late 12th century, but today this 9 square km of city is blessed by the Ankhor Wat prime surroundings temples and stone structures. Bayon Temple is more interesting here, where giant smiling faces structures are lined. Besides that, 350 meters of Royal viewing platforms was another attraction primarily used during the 12th century to watch public ceremonies, parades and important events. Do not finish the Angkor Thom journey without watching South Gate and Baphuon Temple.
4. Spend Time in Siem Reap Night Market
Siem Reap has a Night Market which helps visitors freely browse amidst local craft, souvenirs and street food shops. Often called “Phsar Chas”, this lively market is filled with mostly locally produced goods including fresh fruit items, fabrics and handcrafted crafts.
Every night around 200 to 250 stalls are so busy in doing activities of selling their locally made clothes, jewelleries, souvenirs stuffs and craft items. Since the market is so bustling, visitors can enjoy a pub, lively nightlifes and lively neon sign lighting boards. Try fish amok and sugar cane juices at street food shops, or visit cafes and bars to grab the most refreshing cocktails and visit local restaurants to get budget conscious cuisine options.
5. Attend Phare Circus
Phare Cambodian Circus is the most sought after evening activity here in Siem Reap. While watching Phare Circus you can observe more local artists perform circus arts with historical and contemporary Cambodian storytelling. Even today this activity represents one of the Cambodian cultural heritage which passes from generation to generation.
Usually Phare Circus is one hour cultural performances where major traditional and little modern live performances, music, dance, comedy, acrobatics and modern theatre performances are held by the Phare Ponleu Selpak group. Sometimes stories are created by their own life experiences and understand viewers about the challenges of their life and how they overcome it. Despite being an entertainment event, Phare Circus today stand as a Cambodia’s largest and most vital social event for local community upliftment.
6. Ta Prohm
If you wish to spend most of your time under Siem Reap’s mysterious and magical place, then visit Ta Prohm temple. Ta Prohm is an ancient temple covered by the towing trees and its strong twisted roots. If you are looking for a great place to get a perfect picture of popular backdrops with your camera, try to visit Ta Prohm.
Built by the King Jayavarman VII during the 12th century to dedicate his beloved mother who dedicated herself to the wisdom of Prajnaparmita. Also called the “Tomb Raider Temple” of Cambodia, today we can see a huge banyan tree and its roots spread across the temple’s walls. However, the temple even depicted the popular “Lara Croft” movie in 2001. According to Cambodian beliefs this temple stands as a strong bond between nature and architecture under Mahayana Buddhist ideology.
7. Try to Learn Cambodian Cooking Classes
If you want to know the secret of Cambodian cuisine, then it is a good idea to attend any local cooking classes. Usually cooking classes help us learn how to cook local Khmer cuisine options.
Normally local Cambodian rural homes do these cooking classes and they add herbs, species and vegetables and other ingredients while cooking. These local chefs give instructions to us about Khmer dishes like variety of Khmer dishes, and fish amok. Despite Cambodian Village cooking classes, visitors can even try Reveal cooking class, Paper Tiger cooking class and Phnom Penh specific cooking class. Each is held in different places, if you wish to try then visit its official website.
8. Take a Walk in Cambodian Countryside
Take a Tuk Tuk or book rental bikes in Angkor Bike Rental and travel to the most remote region or rural village parts of the Cambodian countryside. This kind of countryside trip helps us to enjoy different travel experiences to understand local areas, rice field landscapes, floating villages and tranquil experiences of the region.
There are many unique travel advantages available to you if you’re going to most remote areas of Cambodia. You’ll feel very fortunate to watch local silk weaving techniques, boat trips in the floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake, mushroom farms and the Apoo rat landmine visitor’s center. To reach the countryside of Cambodia you need to choose taxi transportation options in Pass App, where visitors get vehicles according to their budget options. Do not miss to experience the scenic sunset at Krom Hill, considered as the most photographic thing to backpackers.
9. Visit Les Artisans d’Angkor
Great place to watch local artistic works by the Cambodian skilled workforces. Les Artisans d’Angkor is a place where visitors watch silversmiths, wood and stone sculptors, weavering and silk painting activities and even lacquer artisans.
However you can enjoy free educational experiences about traditional Khmer craftsmanship, stone carving techniques and silk weavings. While observing traditional craftsmanship, if you feel any product is authentic and wish to buy, you can buy directly from creators. Despite all its unique craftsmanship, Les Artisans d’Angkor is a place where more than 1,000 local peoples are getting vocational training and employment opportunities.
10. Drink Beer at Pub Street
Pub Street of Siem Reap is paradise to beer lovers where visitors can enjoy a wide range of beer options under different price ranges. Since streets are filled by the nightlifes and full of bars, restaurants and lively music, it creates more convenient and vibrant atmospheres to drink beer.
Beer is available at a very affordable price, even less than a dollar. However, the street even serves local and international cuisines ranging from Italian Pizza and French steak to Japanese sushi to local fish amok. Street home to around 100 bars, restaurants, massage parlors, clubs and shops, every night from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM street filled with colorful neon sign boards and music/dance venues. Do not forget to try ‘fish therapy’, a popular foot treatment done by small fish species, which is famous here.
How to Get to Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap International Airport and major bus companies and transportations makes Siem Reap visit more easy and convenient.
1. By Air Route
Siem Reap International Airport is the nearest welcoming point if you’re an international visitor. Second largest airport in Cambodia and best option to get to Siem Reap. You can book your flights directly from Bangkok, Thailand, Ho Chi Minh and even Singapore. Usually Bangkok Airways and Vietnam Airlines offer direct flight service to Siem Reap.
2. By Bus
Other than air route, bus or public transportation is a more budget friendly option to get to Siem Reap. The bus operates from Phnom Penh and Bangkok to Siem Reap. From Phnom Penh your journey takes a maximum of 7 hours to reach and from Bankon within 9 hours you’ll reach Siem Reap. If you have a plan to visit from Phnom Penh then book your seat through Book Me Bus.
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