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Siem Reap, literally "Siam Defeated". These days, however, the only rampaging hordes are the tourists heading to Angkor and this once quaint village has become the largest boomtown and construction site in Cambodia. It's quite laid-back and all in all a pleasant place to stay while touring the temples. It's a nice compromise between observing Cambodian life and enjoying the amenities of modern services and entertainment, thanks to the large expatriate community in Siem Reap. As business has increased, so have the numbers of people wanting your custom, and so have the prices, which are often double or more what you would pay elsewhere in Cambodia. Expect to receive almost constant offers for motodop and tuk-tuk rides, along with everything else which drivers may be able to offer to you.
Be sure to pick up your free Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide and the equally free and useful Siem Reap Pocket Guide from your hotel/guesthouse. It contains lots of info on Siem Reap and Angkor, including hotel/bar/restaurant/shop info, travel info, maps, etc. For the eco-sensitive tourist, check out "Stay Another Day: Cambodia," a detailed guide with local spots that support the environment and community.
Getting there
By plane
Siem Reap - Angkor International Airport has frequent flights from Phnom Penh. Internationally, there are direct flights to/from Korea (Seoul), Laos (Pakse | Vientiane | Luang Prabang), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), China (Guangzhou), Singapore, Taiwan (Kaohsiung | Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok | U-Tapao/Pattaya) and Vietnam (Danang | Hanoi | Ho Chi Minh City). Low-cost carriers Air Asia and Jetstar Asia now fly to Siem Reap from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore respectively, but the popular route to Bangkok is still monopolized by Bangkok Airways, which charges accordingly (around $350 US per person, round-trip for the 1-hour flight). Thai Airways has begun service from Bangkok as of 2009.
The airport is less than 15 minutes from the town centre by car (US$7) or motodop (US$4 or less). If you have an advance booking in a hotel, you can ask them for a free airport pickup (in one of their tuk-tuks). This way you can avoid the monopolistic taxi service in Siem Reap.
There are separate terminals for international and domestic flights. International departure tax is a steep US$25 (children US$13), payable after check-in and before clearing immigration. Often this can only be paid in cash, as the credit card facility is unreliable. Airport fee upon departure on national flights, to Phnom Penh, is US$6.
By land
Cambodian highways have improved considerably in the last few years (although there's still plenty of room for further improvement) and some routes that were once epic adventures are now sealed roads. For most routes you have the basic options of chartering or sharing a Toyota Camry taxi, sharing a ride in a pickup truck, or if it's a sealed road, taking the bus.
From Thailand
The most popular overland route from Thailand, and the most direct from Bangkok and Eastern Thailand, is via the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing.
Paving of the infamous Poipet-Sisophon-Siem Reap road was finally completed in April 2009 and, for time being, it's a very smooth ride that can be covered in under three hours. How well the road will stand up, especially once the monsoon hits, is another story...
The newest route heads from Phnom Penh to the Hat Lek International border crossing; as the crossing has less trafic, the time to clear immigration on both sides is much faster. This route offers a scenic trip trough one of the last old growth forests in Asia, passing through 3 different densely covered watersheds. The road is in excellent condition, and the time to Bangkok is nearly the same as the above routes, on regularly scheduled air con buses. You can also transfer and get to and from Sihanoukville, Cambodia's main beach city.
Whichever route you take, beware of scams, touts and pickpockets at the Poipet border crossing. See the Poipet article for information on the irritating Visa on Arrival process. Once you're through all of that, take the free shuttle bus from outside the entry stamp office in Poipet to the transportation depot about 1 km away or find a taxi driver close by to begin bargaining.
The fastest and most comfortable way to get from Poipet to Siem Reap is by taxi. The cost of this trip varies according to your own bargaining skills. Payment can often be made in Thai baht if US dollars are not available. The cost should not exceed 1000 baht or roughly just over US$35, but corrupt police deal directly with the taxi stand "officials," increasing the price by $25 (and ticketing drivers who do not comply with the corruption). The entire trip from Poipet to Siem Reap, depending on various conditions, could take less than 3.5 hours on a good day. The transport monopoly in Poipet will not allow more than four tourists in one of these cars, although they often carry 10 or more Khmers at a time.
An alternative is to take the official bus for US$10/person. The bus leaves when full - and only then, even if it takes a few hours - and can take about 15 people, with all the bags on the back seat. Extra people will be squeezed onto the back seat if necessary, which might not be so comfortable. Two fold down seats in the centre aisle are also not so comfortable. The trip is advertised as taking 3-5 hours, but in reality it takes at least 6 hours when the road is not too bad. An enforced stop after 2 hours at a restaurant can add to the time of the trip, depending on how long the driver wants to stay. There is the possibility of additional delays (e.g. "mechanical faults") and these are almost certainly due to the same reasons as the Khao San scam-bus: getting you to Siem Reap late, tired and ready to take whatever guesthouse you're delivered to. If you are sharing a taxi it will cost only a few dollars more than a bus and will be a lot better.
If even this is too much, you can try to hop on the back of a pick-up truck for a fraction of the price, but these are now hard to arrange from Poipet, due to the travel monopoly operating there. Also, the ride is a lot more uncomfortable, takes longer and may require a change of vehicle at Sisophon.
Alternatively, you could join the backpacking masses and pay a couple hundred baht for an uncomfortable bus ride directly from Khao San Road all the way to Siem Reap; any travel agent in Bangkok will be happy to sell you a ticket. Buses leave Khao San Road around 8AM and arrive in Siem Reap between 5PM and 3AM. How long it takes exactly does not really depend on road conditions, but on the mood of the driver. Because he can "sell" you to a guesthouse in Siem Reap he will try to arrive there as late as possible, because if you are tired and afraid of walking around in Siem Reap late at night, his chances increase that you will stay at the guesthouse of his choice. (There is no obligation to stay, regardless of what the guesthouse owners tell you.) Even if you start in Bangkok on a big aircon bus, you will almost certainly find yourself in the back of a pickup or stuffed minibus for the Cambodian part of the journey. For the return trip, expect to pay around US$11.
If you arrive in Poipet the Khao San Road buses, you'll be swarmed by offers of extra help and assurances that you're better off paying 1000 baht (US$30) or even more for the visa - which should cost US$20. Stand your ground - the bus won't leave without you, because the driver wants the guesthouse commission you represent.
From Phnom Penh
There are several bus companies that you can take to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The most popular bus companies with tourists include Capitol Transport, GST, and Mekong Express. Each bus company leaves from a different location, although there are many located around the Central Market. Nearly all of the bus companies have buses leaving at 7:30AM - 2:00PM, and the trip costs US$10-11. Expect to get to Siem Reap in 5-7 hours. In contrast to the Siem Reap-Poipet road, the entire road is paved, making for a much more comfortable ride. If you're driving yourself, watch out for the make-shift patrol petrol stations next to the road, selling petrol in old 2 litre Coke bottles. Much cheaper than the real thing, but who knows what the quality is...
Most tour buses stop for a break half way between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh at Kompong Thom.
By boat
Fast, Soviet style Hydrofoils also make the journey from Phnom Penh across the Tonle Sap lake. Asking price for a "foreigner" ticket is typically US$35. There are also services between Siem Reap and Battambang (asking price US$15, pay US$10).
These can be fantastic trips which give travelers the opportunity to view life on the lake, floating houses, fishermen going about their work, and to get a sun tan if you choose to sit on the roof of the boat. However if you travel on a windy day and you have not kept waterproofs and sunscreen out of your luggage you could be in trouble. These journeys take anywhere from five to eight hours and without waterproofs and sunscreen you will become incredibly cold and will be burned by the sun at the same time. As the boat is generally packed with travelers, those on the roof will have to stay up there, and once your bags are in the hold, they stay there.
If you are planning a week long trip in Siem Reap, the boat journey is fine, but if you are only planning two to three days, take the bus. If you are specifically taking the boat to see the floating village, don't. The floating village is at the very end of the boat journey. You could ride the bus from Phnom Penh, get a guest house, take a tuk-tuk to the port, tour the floating village, and be back in Siem Reap before your friends arrive from Phnom Penh by boat.
A word of caution: If you find yourself taking the boat/bus and person asks for your name to have his friend pick you up, he is in actuality selling your name to a tuk-tuk driver in Siem Reap. This is a fairly convenient way to get from the port to Siem Reap, just be prepared for an extremely hard sell to one of his select guest houses, restaurants, etc. If you just "roll with it" he will take you to a guest house and you will quoted US$10 for a normally priced US$6-8 room. Since the tuk-tuk driver has now pinned you for a "sucker", he will try to sell you on his services to the temples for about US$15-20 a day. Be firm, and negotiate, they will bend towards the market rate. You'll never really be ripped off, but keep in mind that if you are staying for longer than four days, that tuk-tuk surplus would be much better served through a charitable donation.
Getting around
On foot
Most of the sights in Siem Reap can be seen on foot. But be aware that most of the streets around town degrade into small swamps of muddy water and potholes of unknown depth following rain (almost daily in the wet season), making the roads a challenge to navigate.
By bicycle
Many guesthouses provide bicycles free for "round town" use, or US$1/day (single speed) and from US$2/day (with gears). It's also a good way to see Angkor on your own - the terrain is flat and most roads are decent - but leave early to avoid the mid-day heat. By motorbike
For the foot-sore and sun-weary, you'll have plenty of offers from locals on motorbikes. Only the longest rides (within town) should be more than US$1 though prices go up at night. Simply agree a price and hop on the back.
You can also hire a motodop (motorbike taxi with driver) for a full day for US$8-10 or so. Some motodops may be able to provide you with a helmet if you request one in advance.
The rental of motorbikes to tourists in Siem Reap is prohibited. However, foreigners can ride motorbikes they've rented elsewhere (e.g. Phnom Penh).
By tuk-tuk
Tuk-tuk drivers can be hired for US$13 - $15/day for temples within the main part of the archaeological park. For temples or sights further afield, such as Banteay Srei, Beng Mealea or Kbal Spean, there will be an additional surcharge. The driver will arrange meeting places with you or wait where you tell them to. They are a great way to see the surroundings without the barrier of a car window. It should not be hard to find a tuk-tuk, as the service is offered anywhere you walk on the streets, especially in the touristy areas such as Pub Street. A word of advice: pay them for their services only after everything you have arranged is completed. For example, if you arrange for a later trip to the airport and pay them beforehand, chances are that you will have to find another ride. Although you can also bargain on the fees in advance please think of the fact that an extra dollar or couple of dollars is a great deal of money for your driver and his family.
By car
Guesthouses can usually arrange a driver and car for you; this works out at about US$25-30 per day and is a good way to visit the temples if time is short.
An additional and very convenient way to get around the area, and also get to and from the airport, is to use an 'official taxi', which are available at the airport for the fee of US$7 to the city and payable to the counter at the airport. Whilst in the taxi you will be offered the services of the car and the driver for US$25-30/day, which is very good value if you want to visit several temples in one day. They also have the added luxury of air conditioning, which you will be craving after walking around temples for a couple of hours The fee is payable directly to the driver, who will normally speak good English, have had training, and will have a proper driving license along with a good knowledge of the temples and surrounding area.
The Tourist Transport Association also has an office just behind the tourist information office in Siem Reap, which you can contact if you have any questions or queries. All other services and prices are listed on the back of the receipt you receive when you pay the US$5 at the airport for the trip into town.
Things to see
The reason most people come to Siem Reap is the Angkor Archaeological Park. The town is worth strolling about for itself though and boasts quite a number of beautiful modern Buddhist temples.
The Angkor National museum, with it's 1000 Buddhas is without a doubt of the most modern museums in all of Asia. Besides the already mentioned 1000 buddhas this museum shows the history of the Angkor complex as well as Khmer culture and clothing using high tech displays and video screens. The entrance fee is a bit steep ($12 for foreigners) , but what you get in return is so worth it.
Landmine Museum, 6 km south of Banteay Srey (31 km from Siem Reap). This tiny museum was set up by local deminer Aki Ra to educate locals and tourists about the dangers of land mines. Piles of defused mines and UXO lie around the site and the guides are mostly teenagers who were orphaned or injured by mines, many of whom live on site. A very worthwhile trip that brings home the scale of the problem and shows you a slice of "real" Cambodia. US$1 entry, and donations very welcome — everything will be used to provide support for land mine relief initiatives, education and victim assistance. NB: The museum moved in 2007, so make sure your motodop doesn't try to take you to the old location in a village near Angkor Wat.
A short distance outside of the city center, there is a small bone stupa to mark the Khmer Rouge killing fields that were near Siem Reap. There is no cost to enter, but donations are requested, as the temple Wat Thmei that hosts the memorial is under expansion. For donations, use only the donation boxes in the temple altars or at the bone stupa. There are some cheaters standing at the temple entrance or on the graves on the right side, who will welcome you. After a short introduction they will ask you to give them directly donations/tips for their school in the temple. In fact they are not from the school and are trying to cheat on tourists.
An alternative trip when you are feeling 'templed out' is to visit the Tonle Sap lake a few miles from town and take a boat trip past the floating villages. The fast hydrofoil to Phnom Penh also passes this way.
The silk worm farm is worth the hike. Again, ask any tuk-tuk driver.
Kampong Phluck, off the Highway to Phnom Penh, is only reachable by motorbike and then boat, and is a much more authentic 'floating village experience' than the one close to the Tonlé Sap-ferry harbour. Enquire at your local hotel for a day trip to this fascinating village on stilts. This day trip should cost around US$30 and it takes about 2 hours to reach the village, depending on the road conditions and water level.
Things to do
Apsara Theatre, tel. +855-63-963-363. The only air-con theater in town presents various traditional popular and classical dances and serves a set of local specialties. Booking recommended.
Army Shooting Range (near Banteay Srey and Kbeal Span) - an "alternative" solution to temple fatigue, with armament and explosives availability apparently only limited by how much you're willing to spend. Even a short round is pretty expensive (US$30 minimum, prices vary based on supply), but listening to the soldiers-turned-used car salesmen put the hard sell on a new machine gun is almost worth the trip. Grenades are sometimes offered for US$30 and this is a true game of Russian roulette - fancy pulling the pin of a 30+ year old grenade and possibly getting the faulty one? Make sure that whoever is supervising you is also willing to stand next to you!
Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation (SVC) Siem Reap is a hub of ecotourism and conservation efforts. SVC organizes eco-responsible tours to remote habitats, with the goal of promoting wildlife conservation and benefiting rural communities. Tours range in length from 1 day to 2 weeks.
Cultural Village. This giant historical park, located on National Road #6, features small tributes to all the cultures of Cambodia. A wax museum highlights major figures in Cambodian history, and there are miniatures of many national buildings and monuments throughout the gardens. Witness local dancing or a Khemer wedding ceremony at various stages throughout the park. Admission is $12 USD, and a guide an extra $5. (Guides are not necessary, but will add a lot of significance to the displays.)
Massage Several Khmer massage parlours can be found in Siem Reap. Unlike their namesake counterparts in Bangkok, these are generally genuine massage parlours and not a front for sexual services. The Khmers believe that the Thai massage is derived from Khmer massage - which is just as relaxing (and requires less twisting and turning) as a Thai massage. A good 1-hour massage costs about USD 10.
Things to buy
As usual in Cambodia, dollars and even Thai baht are preferred over riel for all purchases except the very smallest. There are a number of large, flashy souvenir shops around town, complete with temple-style decorations and a surplus of staff, which happily charge 2-5x the going price elsewhere in town and are best avoided.
Despite what you may be told at the Thai border, international ATMs in Siem Reap are plentiful, and banks can do cash advances from credit cards.
Heritage Watch, a non-profit organization, has launched a campaign that aims to encourage support for Cambodia's arts, culture, heritage and development. Businesses that are giving back to the community are certified as Heritage Friendly by the independent organization and permitted to display either a gold or silver Heritage Friendly logo.
Psar Chas (Old Market), to the south of town. Sells a reasonably attractive collection of artifacts and tourist junk. Please don't buy anything purporting to be antique; it probably isn't, but it's stolen if it is.
Central Market, at the corner of Sivatha Blvd and Achamean Street. Offers an eclectic collection of clothes and trinkets for good prices. Don't forget to bargain down the price. Most stalls carry the same selection so you can shop around and find the cheapest price. Many of the goods here cannot be found in Thailand.
Eating
There are many hundreds of restaurants in Siem Reap, and you will have no trouble finding something which suits your tastes and your budget. If you don't want to go out, most guesthouses have a basic restaurant attached, and can quickly whip up a decent fried rice.
For something a bit more special, head into town. There are whole streets catering for the travellers tastes, with pizzas, hamburgers, or tasty westernised offerings such as Amok and 'Khmer curry'. Many of the most authentic Karaoke-style restaurants are hidden in the backstreets, though your moto or tuk-tuk driver will no doubt know where to take you. He will be happy to wait (or join you) if you are really out in the boonies.
Budget
The street directly west of Pub Street is lined with lots of stalls offering simple yet filling meals for about a dollar apiece, though with not much more than a choice between several types of fried rice and fried noodles. The hawkers seem to have two menus with different prices and simply hesitating in front of a stall and tends to earn a like-it-or-get-your-money-back offer. The food seems to be fairly clean. The markets also offer local Khmer fare, but hygiene can be dubious.
Mid-range
Pub Street is best known as a watering hole, but it has also many nice restaurants that won't break the bank. Nearby you'll also find a whole range of pizzerias, including the original Happy Herbs Pizza and newcomer "Ecstatic Pizza", which depending on how the police are feeling that day either may or may not sell you cannabis-laced "happy" pizza. Don't try the "extra happy" unless you know what you're doing, and note that they will not sell you any herb without the pizza.
There are a few good options elsewhere in town. The numerous Karaoke restaurants offer a real authentic experience of modern Khmer dining. Try to sit far from the speakers, and prepare for mozzies. There is often no english menu, but one of the staff will no doubt be happy to help you order. Try phnom pleurng, a delicious cook-it-yourself beef barbecue. Another sensational dish, which is only available at these types of restaurants, is the trei bung gancheyt - a whole fish bubbling in a tasty peanuty sauce with green veggies.
Drinking
Most of Siem Reap's watering holes are concentrated in a few lanes north of Psar Chas (the old market), mainly on a street known appropiately as "Bar Street" or "Pub Street". Drinks usually US$2 and up, although most if not all bars have happy hours before 8 PM and draft Angkor often goes for as little as US$0.50.
Accommodation
Accommodation ranges from towering air-conditioned hotels by the airport (mostly for get-in-get-out all-inclusive tours) to local rooms-for-rent and a range of modest guesthouses in town, particular on and around Wat Bo road.
If you arrive with a tour bus or van you will be taken to a "suggested" guesthouse. Usually these are not too bad and you'll probably be too tired to argue.
If you arrive by plane, you may wish to contact a guest house or hotel in advance. They will then usually arrange for free transportation to their place. Otherwise just take a motorbike (US$1) or a taxi (US$2) to town. If you don't know any place to go to, they will ask for your budget and will then suggest the one that pays them the best commission.
Contact
Internet cafés abound in Siem Reap, prices being US$.75-1.50/hour. Speed of connection, and speed of PC, very much depends from place to place.
Most hotels will have cable TV with many international channels (BBC, CNN etc.) as well as those from surrounding countries. There are several FM radio stations, which include international broadcasters BBC World Service on 99.25MHz and Radio France International on 92.0MHz.
Staying safe
Generally the Siem Reap area and the temples of Angkor are relatively safe, however the usual cautions still apply as with any town or city. Whilst visiting the temples, however, beware of off-duty police officers, who are in uniform, that start walking beside you and start showing you around the temples. At this point either say that you would like to see the temples yourself, or agree on a price at the start. Several people have been requested for a fee of over US$10 at the end of the temple tour and you are not going to argue with a member of the police force! The official wage for a police officer is very low, so they can easily double their salary by being tourist guides.
Within the temple complex, as well as the town of Siem Reap itself, street vendors and beggars are present in notable numbers. Due to the competition for generous travelers' money, some have developed cunning, if underhanded, techniques to get your attention. The most notable are the "beggar army" normally located around the South/West end of Pub Street. Young children will come up to you in the crowd and grab your hands, leading you to a store where they will then try and have you buy food/milk/water for them. Sounds like a more humanitarian way to help than simply giving them money, right? But once you leave the store, the goods you bought for them end up being resold to other locals, with their handlers getting the cash. In addition to these children, other children or young women will often walk around with younger children cradled in a krama. If you want to make a difference for the people of Siem Reap, consider visiting the Handicap International site near the Hospital, the Children's Hospital, or donate through an International Charity like Red Cross.
Also, within the town, young adults may try and pass themselves off as representatives and donation-collectors for orphanages around Cambodia. They will show photos of themselves in the orphanage, claim to be volunteer workers themselves, etc. Again, do not donate direct to these "collectors" as none of your goodwill will make it to those who need it - instead deal with a recognised charity.
Staying healthy
As Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world, reliable medical facilities, doctors, clinics, hospitals or medication are scarce, especially in rural areas.
Care / Treatment
However, in Siem Reap, the Royal Angkor International Hospital owned by the Bangkok Hospital Group has opened and caters specifically to tourists. The care is not cheap, but it is of a very high standard. There is a fully stocked pharmacy, General Surgeon, Orthopedic Surgeon, Pediatrician, etc. Fractures, intestinal problems, medicines, etc. shouldn't be a problem.
For more serious ailments it is very advisable to get to Bangkok, or to Saigon as more specialists are available and repatriation to your own country is easier. Make sure that you have travel insurance which covers flying you to a city where you can be treated.
Local hospitals and clinics in Siem Reap (and in the rest of Cambodia) can be in very poor condition and badly equipped and medicines are often past their sell-by date or made up of local mixtures of flour and sugar.
In local clinics, avoid getting an infusion to treat dehydration, as there is a risk of septicemia which is caused by bacteria entering their blood during infusions. The same goes for blood transfusions.
Precautions
Although no health certificates or vaccinations are required by visitors to Cambodia, it is recommended that you get vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, meningitis, a polio booster and especially gamma globulin shots (against hepatitis A). In addition to this, you should take a course of malaria tablets, as well as a mosquito net. The mosquitoes come out in force in Siem Reap at dusk. Take a medical kit including panadol, antihistamines, antibiotics, kaolin, oral rehydration solution (ORS), calamine lotion, bandages and band-aids, scissors, DEET insect repellent, etc.
The most common ailment for travelers is diarrhea, which can deteriorate into dysentery, resulting in dehydration. Avoid untreated water, ice made from untreated water and any raw fruit or vegetables that may have been washed in untreated water. Basically, the local water supply is not drinkable, so avoid. Bottled water is available everywhere and is very cheap and you should try to drink 3 liters a day if possible. Take water purification tablets with you or iodine crystals to sterilize water if you plan to go more rural areas.
If you do get severe diarrhea and become badly dehydrated, use an oral rehydration solution to help you overcome it as well as plenty bottled mineral water. However, if you have a lot of blood or mucus in your stools get to a doctor as you probably have dysentery and will need antibiotics.
In the hottest months, March and April, the temperature can rise to 35°C, so use sunscreen and always wear a hat to avoid sunstroke.
Consult your doctor a few weeks before you leave to get the most up to date advice on which inoculations you need and what to take with you.
Please be aware that the local ladies of the night carry with them, many STD's. The official HIV rate within the prostitute population is 34%.
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