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 Traveller's Tales: Getting around in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Know the most popular landmarks in Siem Reap, Cambodia. You may read about best transportation, recommended travel itinerary, suggested routes and directions. Also, you might want to read our
Angkor / Siem Reap city guide,
and Phnom Penh city guide.
Pages (6 of 19):
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| K Chong |
28 February 2004 |
Stayed at Borei Angkor Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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We booked a guide through the hotel for $20US, plus another $20 for a car and driver. It's certainly worth the money to get a detailed understanding of the temple complex and its history (and have airconditioned transport in the heat). Subsequent days were spent exploring on our own, armed with a guidebook bought from one of the kids outside Angkor Wat. Dawn Rooney's book seemed to be the best pick.
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| G Mezei |
27 February 2004 |
Stayed at Angkor Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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One night we had dinner in a good and relatively expensive restaurant in Siem Riep which has been recomended by the Lonely Planet. As the staff did not speak any foreign languages (!) we selected bad food. On the other nights we had buffet dinner in our hotel which was less expensive and really very good! Only few people speak foreign languages in Siem Riep (except in hotels).
Be careful with tuk-tuk drivers! They have the bad habit to take you to other places than you want to go and ask for. Out of this, people are very kind in Cambodia. It is a great place to visit and Angkor is amazing. For 20 USD/day you can hire a taxi with driver who can take you around the sites of Angkor. Use only a taxi of the Cambodian Tourist Association!
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| S Rose, |
27 February 2004 |
Stayed at Angkor Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples are magnificent. We hired a taxi for the day for $30 USD between 3 of us - good value. There are some good eating places down by the market. We used tuk tuks at night-$1 dollar for my son and I!
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| L Breeden |
12 February 2004 |
Stayed at Passaggio Boutique Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Cambodia is an amazing place with amazing people. Smiles and happiness, despite poverty and years of war. But it is a rough existance. Don't wear anything you hope to ever get clean again. But do experience the Cambodian service. Get a haircut (which includes a shave and ear-cleaning). Get massages. Hire a tour guide. You usually get more than your money's worth.
The temples are, of course, amazing. We also took a boat tour of Tonle Sap Lake. Quite an experience I'll never forget. (floating villages and smells of raw sewage/fish paste). We enjoyed the Soup Dragon Restaurant and had good massages at Dr. Feet. But beware of what you consume. It is a dirty place and my friend got sick for several days after eating a "bad" meal.
There are no ATMs in Cambodia, so we used only USD, which are widely excepted. But it was more expensive than I imagined... so take more than you think you'll need (entry visa, departure tax, temple entrance fees, tour guide & drivers, food = in 3 days I spent about $280 without hotel).
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| M Faltheim |
03 February 2004 |
Stayed at Angkor Century Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Spent two days touring Siem Reap area. Very worthwhile with incredible sights to see and visit. Hired air conditioned car with a driver and guide from the tourist office. Very professional and courteous service, and most comfortable way to visit the air. Very knowledgeable guide from the local tourist office. Plan USD 50/per day for car + driver and guide and well worth the money.
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| H Taylor |
30 January 2004 |
Stayed at Angkor Saphir Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Three day pass to Angkor Wat cost $40. 1 and 7 day also available. We used both a car and driver and pedal bike to get around. Really enjoyed the day on the bike but would have been too much for every day. The car was effortless! Car $20. Guide $20.
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| A Wargo |
29 January 2004 |
Stayed at Angkor Village Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Siem Reap is very tourist friendly. Rent a car with air conditioning (USD 20.00 per day) and take a break and have a swim from 12:00 to 14:00 as it gets too hot. Don't go to sunrise at Angkor Wat as it is too crowded. Best time of the day to see (almost alone) the monuments is at 7:30 am to 9:00 when all the sunrise people got back to get breakfast. Do go the 40 km. out to see the jungle-covered ruins to the east of town.
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| D Yamolas |
26 January 2004 |
Stayed at Angkor Village Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Siem Reap is a small town with an exotic look: palm trees, lots of vegetation, small river, thatch-roofed huts, monkeys walking over electricity wires (!), dusty roads, traditional markets, friendly local people. It's nice to have one more day to stroll and watch everyday life! The reason to visit the place is of course one: ANGKOR temple's area! Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Phrom etc. are magnificent temples located in the world's largest temple site. Angkor Wat is one of the 7 wonders of the world! When I first saw a picture in a "World Culture" exhibition I promised myself I'll go and visit the place! It was impressive and the only negative thing was the huge tourist crowds.
The most comfortable way to visit the temples is an a/c car (from 20$ per day), but motorbikes and tuk tuks are available for less. If you want to go at the most quiet time try noon to 3pm, when everybody has a break (if you can stand the heat). This would be good for Bayon and Ta Phrom temples, which are the crowdiest! The others are fine any time. If you want to see Angkor Wat from above, try the "balloon ride" (11$ for 10') Everyone goes to Bakheng hill around sunset for that, but it's soooo crowded!
Apart from the temples, we visited the Old Market (Cambodian silk, cheap books about Angkor, a hammock for 2$!) and the "Crocodile farm" which was nothing special and too expensive (2$). In the city we walked or took a tuk tuk (1$ per ride, they ask more at first, but stick to the 1$). We had Khmer and Thai food in little restaurants on Wat Bo road (where "Angkor Village Resort", the hotel we stayed, is located), but for western food we'd like to recommend FCC (Pokambor Ave, near "Grand Hotel D'Angkor"), great ambience and food, but a little more expensive. The "Red Piano" bar & restaurant is also good and famous, since "Tomb Raider" film crew used it as headquarters. They offer "Tomb Raider" cocktail, "Lara's favourite". In high season it's hard to get a table there! We had a good time at the "Banana Leaf" bar; very friendly owner, but they need to improve the drinks' selection!
Don't miss the "Apsara Dance Show" (we went to "Angkor Village Resort's Apsara Theater"), it's really traditional! If you have time, it's good to visit also the capital city Phnom Penh. Most people stick to Siem Reap and Angkor, but without seeing Phnom Penh you haven't really seen Cambodia. The palace, the riverfront, the temples, the museums are a must! Especially the "Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum" where you learn how much the Cambodian people suffered. It's the "dark side" of Cambodia, given that the bright side is the historical greatness of Angkor Wat.
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| A Yuen |
20 January 2004 |
Stayed at Raffles Grand Hotel D'Angkor - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Angkor Wat is an incredible place. The jungle temple was by far the best. Strongly advise going to see the Floating Village. It was extremely interesting and although humbling very beautiful. Best advice we received before we left: take lots of passport photos, bring USD and bottled water.
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| T Langen |
16 January 2004 |
Stayed at Bopha Angkor - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Some very good restaurants are in the old market area of Siem Reap, we tried "Soup Dragon" and "Khmer Kitchen", both were excellent. Transport in Siem Reap and around the temples is easy by Motorbike taxis (short distances) or Tuk-Tuks (longer distances, they are not the noisy and smelly ones like in Thailand, very pleasant!) Always negotiate the price before!
95% of the cambodian population are very poor, you get an impression of this as you travel out of town into the countryside to see the more remote temples or on the trip to Tonle Sap Lake. But most were very friendly, you can find smiles everywere.
If you can, visit swiss medic Dr. Beat Richner in his new children's hospital Jayavarman VII. Every Saturday at 7:15 pm he plays cello, shows films about his work in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and talks about the medical situation for children in Cambodia. Very impressive and recommended. Free of charge.
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