| J Mayfield |
23 March 2003 |
Stayed at Apsara Angkor Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Cambodia was amazing - highly recommend the driver the hotel whet us up with for seeing the city. Make sure to ask for David if you decide to get a driver for the day. Also, Chivit Thai is a fantastic restaurant just down the street (Route 6) for dinners/etc.
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| D Steiner |
16 March 2003 |
Stayed at Bopha Angkor - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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I spent 3 days touring with a guide and driver - 2 days of the temples that everyone else has mentioned (that's enough time) and 1 day on Tonle Lake and visiting a silk farm/school and wood-carving school.
I hired the guide before I left on the recommendation of a friend, and he was wonderful. I paid $45 a day for him and a driver in an air-conditioned car. He even met me at the airport and took me back to the airport when I left on the 4th day at no charge. His name is Moun Monirom (email/monirom2002@yahoo.com) (phone/85512630621) I was a woman traveling alone and I felt very comfortable with him.
Stayed at the Bopha Angkor and ate most of my meals there. Loved it for the price.
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| A Attie |
12 March 2003 |
Stayed at Bopha Angkor - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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We loved exploring the Angkor temple complexes. An unforgettable and richly rewarding journey. We hired a driver and guide for a full three days, although you could probably do it justice in two, so long as you start early (7:00-7:30).
For excellent, sophisticated Thai/Khmer food, don't miss Madame Butterfly on Airport Road. It's in a lovely, romantic home, tastefully furnished in colonial style by the amiable French owner. It may be a bit more expensive than other places in town, but it's the best and is still a very good value relative to western prices.
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| J Douglas |
08 March 2003 |
Stayed at Angkor Saphir Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Recommended restuarants are The Bayon and LaNoria. The Grand Hotel has a great happy hour and is within walking distance of this hotel. We traveled by tuk-tuk, which are everywhere. One day we rented a car and driver for a further trip.
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| P Park |
06 February 2003 |
Stayed at Princess Angkor Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Nice temples at Angkor, but overrun by rude western tourists clamboring all over them like locusts. I can't see this continuing. The temples cannot stand the abuse.
The food is cheap, not the alcohol or sodas. Meals are about 5USD each. Easy to get transport. You will need a driver at 20 USD/day and a guide at 20 USD/day. Siem Reap has a depressing number of whorehouses and beggars.
Siem Reap airport will want 20 bucks for a visa to enter the country, and a 15 dollar departure tax. Take a passport photo for your visa form and one for the Angkor pass (40USD for three days).
No infrastructure in Cambodia means that internet, phones, etc are spotty. NO ATMs whatsoever. Be prepared to be niggled to death with small hotel charges. All exchanges are done in USD, so take lots of small bills like ones and fives. Get malaria medication.
All of these irritations are offset by the grandeur of Angkor, however!
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| M Hohmann |
05 February 2003 |
Stayed at Angkor Village Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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It was in a good location, just a few minutes walk from the main street. The main street has a good range of restaurants of all kinds of foods. The hotel has a cultural centre directly across the road which holds Cambodian food and dance events every night. It was spectacular to watch.
There are drivers and motorbikes directly outside the hotel. Although the hotel grounds are superb, you step outside of the hotel grounds and reality hits. Siem Reap is full of beggars and it is very poverty stricken, but the people are very friendly and helpful, when they are not trying to bargain you for every cent you have got!
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| E Verbeeck |
05 February 2003 |
Stayed at Pavillon Indochine - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Cambodia is impressive both for its 'glorious' past reflected in the magnificent Angkor temples and for the painful past which is still presents in the street scenes. Trips to the temples can easily be made in the hotel once you arrive. Staying in Pavillon Indochine, we didn't feel the need to explore other restaurants. 'Le Mekong' served the most delicious South-East Asian dishes.
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| S Davies |
04 February 2003 |
Stayed at Angkor Village Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Get a guide and driver if you can - it's a lot less hassle and ends up being very cost effective. Sofitel is a good place for European food if your children can't handle any more fried rice or noodles. Red Piano in town has OK food with OK service. Be relaxed and friendly and the Khmer people will be the same back!
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| T Ryan-pefianco |
03 February 2003 |
Stayed at Angkor Village Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Cambodia is a very expensive holdiay destination. So crowded during the peak season that it is difficult to get many good photos of the temples. If I went back, would prefer to go in the wet season.
Easy to get "templed out". Was worth taking an afternoon away from the temples and visiting Tonle Sap river and the Vietnemese boat people. Great photo opportunity. Don't bother watching the sunset from the 3rd level of Angkor Wat temple like some guide books recommend. There are many better spots.
Recommended restaurants: Foreign Correspendents Club, The Red Piano, Kampuccino Pizza. Went to Artisans d'Angkor. Quite interesting, but items in the shop are way over-priced.
R
When you arrive into Cambodia, you have to have a visa. These can be purchased at the airport before going through immigration. Make sure that they actually put the visa in your passport. My huband paid for his visa but they never put it in his passport. We thought this may be a scam to try and hassle him for money when exiting the country.
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| L Yu |
30 January 2003 |
Stayed at Angkor Century Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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The Bopha restaurant and the Red Piano were two of the better places for food. We rented motorbikes which made our visits to the temples much easier and with more freedom to move around. The Angkor Wat is relatively close to Siem Reap so getting there is easier than it looks.
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Traveller's Tales: Restaurants and eating places in Siem Reap, Cambodia
