siem reap

Travel Guide and Tips: Siem Reap

Siem Reap is a popular tourist town, located a short distance from the Angkor temples. 

Things to do

Explore Angkor and surrounding temples 

Honestly, the biggest attraction for this town are the Angkor temples. Spend a day or three exploring these beautiful architectural wonders. It costs $20 USD for a one-day pass or $40 USD for a three-day pass. You can get there by booking a tuk tuk for the day or renting a bike! 

Here are the top three you need to visit:

1) Angkor Wat

The infamous Angkor Wat is a definite must-see. It's best to see this one first, before the crowds come in. Most tours offer a sunrise or a sunset option.

2) Ta Phrom

AKA the Tomb Raider temple! It's a good second stop after Angkor Wat. 

3) Bayon

This is the main temple in Angkor Thom. It's known for the huge stone faces. 

Pub Street

Located in the centre of town, Pub Street is a tourist street filled with restaurants and bars. It's really nice to see at night since the lights are on. 

Old Market and Night Market

The Old Market, Psar Chas, is filled with produce. You'll see dried and fresh meats, as well as fruits and vegetables for sale. 

Head to the multiple Night Markets if you want to shop. From clothing and souvenirs to artwork and paintings, the night market has it all. We found shops selling tourist pants and tops for around $2 USD. 

Where to eat

Pub Street

Head to Pub Street for an abundance of food options. It offers Mexican, Cambodian, Indian and Italian cuisine. Although, Pub Street is pricier than the restaurants located further out. Typical pricing for Cambodian dishes were around $5 USD. International restaurants were pricier.

Night time is when the food carts come out. Try the ice cream, leek rice cakes and lot chaa. If you're adventurous, look for the cart selling fried crickets, spiders, snakes and water insects. 

Meng's 

This little local restaurant was located two doors down from our hostel. It was very affordable. We managed to get two appetizers, two entrees and one dessert for under $10 USD. We were also given one free beer/soft drink included with our meal.

Where to Stay

HI Siem Reap

We stayed here because we noticed that the private room was cheaper than dorms. The basic private room is $15 USD and dorms are $8 USD/bed. Granted, the private room doesn't have A/C whereas the dorm does. We stayed in both the private room and dorms. Both were quite pleasant.  

They have a pool table and offer free breakfast (coffee, tea, eggs, fruit, toast, butter and jam). You also have access to their other hostel, HI Siem Reap Deluxe, which has a swimming pool. 

Happy Travelling! 

Transit Guide: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

Siem Reap is a popular town, since it houses the infamous Angkor Wat. 

How to get there?

We booked a bus from our hostel out of convenience. It cost us $11 USD, including pick-up from the hostel. However, since we left on Lunar New Year, we didn't get the free pick-up. But, an employee from the hostel took us on a tuk tuk to the bus stop for free. 

When you book, there will be different options for busing companies. We heard the Mekong Express is the most reputable company, but it costs a bit more ($15 USD). Since it was fully booked, we ended up going with Capitol Express. 

The ride takes between 6-7 hours, with several stops along the way for food and washroom breaks. You'll get dropped off at the bus station in Siem Reap. 

Happy Travelling!