Angkor WHAT? 5 Siem Reap must-dos
Mention Siem Reap to someone and you may be met with a blank stare. Tell them it’s in Cambodia and the blank expression may become one of concern. But despite its hardship, Cambodia is a safe, inspirational country to visit, and Siem Reap is its most popular destination. Check out my five Siem Reap must-dos, then tell me you’re not planning a trip.
1. Explore the Temples of Angkor
Temples, temples galore! Angkor Park is a 400km sq World Heritage site that’s home to the ruins of the Khmer Empire. The most famous temple, Angkor Wat, was built around 1200 A.D and is believed to be the world’s largest religious monument.
Angkor Wat. Not my own photo, but I loved the reflection and had to share
After Angkor Wat, some of the most popular sites are Angkor Thom (where you’ll find the Bayon and Baphuon temples) and Le Petit Circuit, which includes the famous Ta Prohm. You may recognise it from the Tomb Raider movie.
Ta Prohm, minus Angelina Jolie
Temples and ruins galore
Hire a tuk-tuk for a day and you can easily see all of these. It’ll only cost you US$15 – US$20 (USD being the main currency in Cambodia), and the drivers are brilliant tour guides. Mine helped me find monkeys!
Monkeys! Oh, and me.
Honestly, the temples deserve a blog post all of their own. Get a 3-day pass for US$40 to see some of the less visited temples (highly recommended!), or even a 7-day pass for US$60 if you’re a Pokemon fan who’s gotta catch ’em all.
2. Shop handmade and fair trade
There’s no shortage of shops and markets to explore in Siem Reap, but for a truly unique souvenir or gift opt for something handmade and fair trade. A number of businesses employ and train young, rural, and disabled Cambodians. Some of my favourites are:
• Artisans d’ Angkor for arts, crafts, fashion, and accessories. The stone and polychrome statues are fantastic!
• Senteurs d’Angkor for beauty, indulgence, and foodie treats. Take home some spices, then try out their recipes.
• Samatoa for tailor-made silk clothing in 24 hours. If you’re lucky enough to shop for business as well as pleasure, they also do a range of wholesale products.
• Rajana Crafts for clothes, jewellery, homewares and more. I love my amethyst ring – it reminds me of my trip every time I wear it.
Siem Reap bling
3. Eat fish amok
If Cambodia has a national dish, this is it! White fish seasoned with galangal, garlic and chilli, then wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed in creamy coconut milk. I have no way of expressing how good it is other than Homer Simpson-style drooling noises.
Fish amok. My own meals never survived long enough for a photo
Head to Amok restaurant on Street 9 to enjoy some of the best food in Siem Reap. At US$13.50 per person, the Cambodian Discovery degustation is a perfect introduction to Khmer cuisine.
Khmer cuisine is light, fresh and zesty, but usually not spicy. Try everything – you won’t regret it!
4. Take a daytrip to Kbal Spean and Banteay Srei
I’m a lazy, lazy person, but the best day I spent in Siem Reap involved hiking through the jungle in 40 °C heat. Why?
Waterfall carvings
The riverbed at Kbal Spean is home to thousands of Hindu carvings, all dating back to the 11th century. That would be cool enough, but being 25km away from the main temples also makes this a much quieter site to explore. With no-one else around, you feel like you’ve discovered it yourself (even if you did follow a well-signed path!).
Kbal Spean
Near Kbal Spean is Banteay Srei, also known as the Citadel of Women. The carvings here are particularly intricate and really stand out on the red-black sandstone.
Worth the heat stroke – Banteay Srei
Finish your day at Banteay Samre, my absolute favourite Angkor temple. As I mentioned in 5 Romantic Places to Propose, it can be almost deserted in early mornings and afternoons. My partner and I only had to share it with one eccentric, half-naked American man, who told us how he’d moved to Siem Reap a few months earlier. That day was his 50th birthday and he’d gone back to Banteay Samre because it was his favourite place too.
My favourite place – Banteay Samre
5. Feed your significant other to fish
Wander down Pub Street or through the Night Market and you’ll find a dozen (or more!) fish massage tanks. There’s no way I’d ever do this – anyone who knows me will tell you how much fish freak me out – but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t intrigued.
This does not reassure me!
Either out of love or some sort of disturbing masochism, my partner agreed to have a go so I could take a closer look at the process. These pics are the stuff of my nightmares.
Argh!
What else should you do in Siem Reap? Travel onwards and see more of Cambodia! The Great Gate to Angkor is an incredible place to visit, but as a city built entirely around tourism it’s not the most genuine Khmer experience. Check out neighbouring Battambang or head south to the capital, Phnom Penh.
Have you been to Angkor? Leave us a comment to tell us what you loved!
Interesting pictures, interesting heritage … I am actually surprised that the Khmer Rouge, for all their brutality and backwardness left these temples well alone, unlike what the Soviets did to the old treasures of the orthodox church, the Chinese to Tibetan temples or the Taliban to the Buddha statues at Bamian?!
This is such a great Blog!