A trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia is mostly about exploring the rich history, art and culture of the Khmer empire, as depicted by the Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and numerous other surrounding temples, which are located in the outskirts of the city. Originally Hindus, the rulers later inclined towards Buddhism; and so the art, architecture and culture of the region is a reflection of both Hinduism and Buddhism.
I have penned down my experience of exploring the Angkor Archaeological Park in a separate blog. Here in this travelogue, I will take you to the places of interest in the Siem Reap city itself.
I have also written a separate blog on How to plan for a trip to Cambodia. It has the details of the important places of interest, how to reach, best time to visit, how to apply for Visa, Cambodian currency and many other topics. That article will guide you to plan a visit to the country on your own, and you will find it here: Cambodia Travel Guide.
Our Itinerary for the Cambodia Trip:
- Day 1: Start from Kolkata International Airport around midnight, and after a layover in Bangkok, land at the Siem Reap Angkor Airport around 11 AM. Visit the Buddhist monasteries of Wat Bo, Wat Damnak and Wat Preah Prom Rath, and also visit the Pub Street and Night Market.
- Day 2: Visit Angkor Archaeological Park.
- Day 3: Visit Kulen Mountains and rest of the Angkor Archaeological Park.
- Day 4:
- Visit the Royal Independence Garden, Royal Residence and Angkor National Museum.
- Travel from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh by bus.
- Day 5: Phnom Penh local sightseeing
- Day 6: Rest of Phnom Penh local sightseeing in the morning. Check-out from hotel to catch the 2.25 PM flight to Kuala Lumpur and then to Kolkata.
Reaching Siem Reap:
On the night of October 27, 2023 we had an Air Asia flight from Kolkata to Bangkok. After a wait of more than 5 hours, we boarded another Air Asia flight, and landed at the new Siem Reap Airport around 11.10 AM.
We had decided to opt for a Visa on Arrival. The process was fairly quick, and it took around 10 minutes. We had to pay $30 for the Visa.
After completing the immigration formalities, we came out of the airport. We had already booked a car in advance, and our driver was waiting for us with a placard in his hand. The new airport had been inaugurated only a few days back, and it is around 45 KM away from the city centre.
We drove less than an hour to reach the Amber Angkor Villa Hotel, where we had booking for the next 3 nights. For this travel, we paid $ 27.
Getting a local SIM card:
After completing the check-in formalities in our hotel, the first thing that we did was to enquire about a local SIM card. Mostly 2 Telecom companies prevail in Cambodia – Smart and Cellcard. We had read good reviews about Smart, and luckily our hotel had Smart cards. We got one for $ 6, with unlimited data and validity for 7 days.
Exploring the nearby monasteries:
Tired by the overnight travel, we did not plan anything hectic for the afternoon.
After having a bath, followed by a quick lunch at our hotel’s restaurant, we set out to explore a few Buddhist monasteries that are located in close proximity of each other.
Wat Bo:
A couple of minutes walk from the back gate of our hotel took us to the Wat Bo Pagoda. Constructed in the 18th century, it is one of the oldest pagodas of Siem Reap.
A beautifully maintained temple complex, it was the perfect place to start our vacation. The beautifully decorated buildings, the shady trees, the monks in their colourful red robes had an immediate soothing effect on us. We went inside the main building and were amazed by the majestic golden statues. We sat on the bright red carpet and spent some time amidst an oasis of serenity.
Wat Damnak:
Located around a KM away from Wat Bo, Wat Damnak was once the residence of the erstwhile ruler of Cambodia, King Sisowath. After he relocated to the royal palace, it was converted to a monastery.
Out of the 3 monasteries we visited in Siem Reap, we found it the least interesting. So, you can skip it if you are short of time.
Wat Preah Prom Rath:
Located on the bank of the Siem Reap River and very near to the Old Market and Pub Street is the serene Wat Preah Prom Rath monastery. This place was bustling with locals, with some ceremonies going on inside the main building.
The place is engrossing, with nicely crafted murals, figures and paintings adorning the walls; and statues of Naga, Garuda, oxen etc placed at different strategic points. We roamed around for some time, and then came to the riverside.
Along the Siem Reap Riverside:
The Siem Reap River flows through the heart of the city. Although it is named as a river, it resembled nothing more than a canal. Nevertheless, it was dotted by large trees on both sides, and their cool shade was the need of the hour.
It was a hot sunny afternoon, and we were feeling exhausted by the all the walking till now. So, we lay down under a tree and relaxed for some time. We also found some locals fishing in the river.
Angkor Park Pass Ticket Office:
Our next destination was the Angkor Park Pass Ticket Office, located around 4 KM away from the city centre. Apart from the counter outside Banteay Srei Temple, this is the only place where you can buy an offline pass to the Angkor Archaeological Park.
As the Ticket office was in a different direction from that of the Angkor Wat Temple, and we had a very tight schedule for the next 2 days, we decided to buy the pass in advance. Otherwise, you can buy it on the same day when you go for the temple hopping.
Till now, we visited all the places by foot. But now, it was time to hire a tuktuk (an autorickshaw) or a remorque (a spacious trailer pulled by a motorbike). So, we hired one from the Grab app.
About the Angkor Pass:
There are 3 types of passes that you can opt for – 1 day pass for $ 37, 3 day pass for $ 62 and 7 day pass for $ 72. These passes are valid for a period of 3 days, 7 days and 30 days respectively. For example, we purchased a 3 day pass and we could have entered the park for any 3 days (not consecutive days) over the next 7 days.
The ticket counters are open from 5 AM to 5.30 PM, and they are normally more crowded in the early morning hours. Please note that, you need to be physically present at the counter, as the authorities will click your picture and print on the ticket. You can get more information on the Angkor Pass in the Official website: https://www.angkorenterprise.gov.kh/
Buying the Bus Ticket for Phonm Penh:
We had plans to travel from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh on Day 4. There are a lot of private bus operators that run AC buses and vans between the two cities. After reading good reviews about the Virak Buntham, we decided to travel in their ‘Air’ bus.
Our remorque was waiting for us outside the Angkor Ticket Office. On the way back to our hotel, we got down at the office of Virak Buntham. We purchased tickets of their 1.45 PM ‘Air’ bus for $17.50. You can find more about our experience of this bus trip in our travelogue on Phnom Penh.
Pub Street and Night Market:
Officially known as “Street 08“, the Pub Street is the place where all the action starts after it gets dark. A small walk-only street lined with pubs, nightclubs, restaurants and street food carts, it comes alive every evening, with loud music, party and a lively decoration and illumination.
Tourists can enjoy variety of cuisine here, as you would find food from all over the world. But we felt that the cost of food in these restaurants were pricier than the ones in any of the adjacent streets.
After walking along the length of the Pub Street, we ventured into the surrounding roads, which were lined with departmental stores, coffee shops, souvenir shops, massage outlets and restaurants. We found popular brands like Starbucks and 7-Eleven.
If you’re looking a fish massage, this is the place to be. These massage parlours have small fish tanks, where you have to dip your feet and the fish will eat up your dead skin.
After strolling aimlessly, we went towards the Night Market. The road that connects the Pub Street and Night Market has a variety of shops selling gift items. We purchased miniature replicas of Angkor Wat & Bayon Temple, magnets and T-shirts at a good bargain.
The Night Market didn’t seem that interesting to us, quite contrary to what we had read in reviews. Then we had a hearty dinner at the Ben’s Corner, located just before the entrance of the Night Market.
Royal Independence Garden:
On the day we left Siem Reap, after our breakfast at the hotel, we took a tuktuk and went to the Royal Independence Garden. It is a nice garden area, interspersed by few statues. It has a shrine – Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chorm at one end and the Royal Residence at the other. Unfortunately, the shrine was closed for renovation and the Royal residence is not accessible to the general public.
We found the place popular among locals, who came here in large numbers to offer their prayers at another small open shrine within the premises.
Angkor National Museum:
At a walking distance from the Royal Gardens is the Angkor National Museum. It is a great place to visit if you are interested to dive into the history the Khmer civilization.
Divided into 8 large galleries, each with a separate theme, the museum showcases the intricate craftsmanship of the artisans belonging to the period 9th to 14th century AD. Most of these artifacts were unearthed or discovered from the Angkor Archaeological Park.
The first gallery that we came across is known as the Gallery of 1000 Buddha. It displays statues of Lord Buddha in various shapes and postures. This was followed by other rooms that exhibit different aspects of Khmer culture, the history of the Khmer rulers, the art and architecture behind the construction of Angkor Wat and the capital city of Angkor Thom. The artifacts include exquisite sculptures, stone inscriptions, clothes and jewellery of the Angkorian period.
Unfortunately, the museum authorities follow a strict “no photography” policy, contrary to the National Museum of Cambodia (in Phnom Penh), where at least mobile phones can be used for clicking photos.
Good Bye Siem Reap:
All good things do come to an end, and so did our short stay at Siem Reap. What we explored in the last couple of days, specially the Angkor Wat and the other temples will stay etched in our memory forever.
After visiting the museum, we booked a remorque and came back to our hotel. The bags were mostly packed, and we waited in the hotel lobby till the Virak Buntham Bus Company picked us up to take to their office, for our onward journey to Phnom Penh.
Some useful information and tips:
How to reach Siem Reap:
Siem Reap has its own international airport, and has direct fight connectivity to all major South East Asian cities. Tourists visiting neighbouring countries like Vietnam and Thailand can also cross land borders by bus or car.
There are quite a few bus companies that connect Siem Reap with other big cities of Cambodia like Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Battambang, Kampot etc.
From Kolkata (India), we first visited Siem Reap, and then travelled to Phnom Penh by an AC Air Bus operated by Virak Buntham.
How to move around in Siem Reap:
The most popular mode of transport within the city is by hiring a Tuktuk or a Remorque.
A Tuktuk is a three wheeled vehicle, what we call an Auto Rickshaw in India. Remorque is more spacious than tuktuk, and consists of a carriage or trailer that is pulled by a motorbike. You will find tuktuks and remorques all over the city, whose drivers will approach you at every step. But to avoid bargaining and overpricing, you should install either Grab or PassApp app in your phone to book rides on the go. We used Grab, and it was very convenient and price was also reasonable.
Car rental in Siem Reap:
For travelling from the Siem Reap Airport to our hotel in Siem Reap, we availed the service of Go Green Airport Transfer (+855 86 931 570). They charged us $ 27 for a sedan car.
We explored the Angkor Archaeological Park and travelled to the Kulen mountain in the 7-seater Hyundai minivan of Mr. Kimhak (+855 92 986 600). He is a very humble person and speaks nice English. I would definitely recommend him if you are looking for a car rental in Siem Reap. In case you need to travel to other cities like Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville, then also he can be at your service. You can contact him via WhatsApp, Telegram or Facebook.
The charges for hiring an SUV or a minivan (as of October 2023) for a trip to Kulen Mountain & Banteay Srei range between $ 65 and $ 75. We had a contract of 2 days with him, which included the temples of Angkor Archaeological Park and Kulen Mountain. He charged us $ 105 for these 2 days.
Best Time to Visit Cambodia:
Cambodia has a tropical climate, and it is mostly warm or hot and humid throughout the year. The best time to visit the country is between November and February, when the temperature is down by a few notches. Although the country receives intermittent rain throughout the year, it is better to avoid the peak rainy season from May till October.
Review of Amber Angkor Villa Hotel:
We stayed for 3 nights at the Amber Angkor Villa, and it was amazing. It is located conveniently near the Wat Bo monastery, and just a KM away from the Pub Street.
Ours was a Family room with a Double and a Single bed. The room was nice, although the Wifi was not always working properly inside the room. It cost us around $ 36 per night (including all taxes). We had breakfast included in our room rent, and the spread of buffet breakfast was really great. It included a live kitchen also. All the staff was very cordial and we felt the place our home.
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