Siem Reap | ក្រុងសៀមរាប
Most people come to Siem Reap for Angkor Wat, and for very good reason. It is definitely the star attraction in Siem Reap and a must visit for anyone coming to Cambodia for the first time. But even Angkor Wat itself is bigger than you might expect, with its outer wall running for around 3.6 km. And, Angkor Wat is only one part of the 400 km² Angkor Archaeological Park, which has hundreds of temples.
Often we get asked what else is there to do outside the temples and of course there is plenty in Siem Reap. In town you can go shopping in the old market, pick up some souvenirs at the made in Cambodia market or take a walk along the river to the Royal Residence and Royal Gardens which also leads you to the Angkor Museum. If you’re there in the evening, grab a bite to eat along the riverside where the night market pops up each evening, catering to the people sitting on little red chairs by the river. After dinner, you are not far from Pub Street, where you can take a seat and people watch, or leave it for later in the night and join the party.
On the other side of the river you have Wat Bo and Wat Damnak areas which are great for trying some of Siem Reap’s popular cuisine, getting a cup of coffee in one of the many cafes in the area or wandering through their pagodas. This is also the starting point for the Kulen Elephant Forest, which houses the former Angkor elephants.
There’s also a more artistic side to Siem Reap. You can visit Artisans Angkor, make your own pottery or head a little further out to see Phare, the Cambodian Circus.
Many of the day trips from Siem Reap can easily be paired with, you guessed it, another temple, so it’s worth thinking about this when deciding whether you need a 1, 2 or 3-day Angkor pass. If you’re heading towards Banteay Srei, you can also visit Phnom Kulen, the Cambodia Landmine Museum, Kbal Spean or the butterfly centre.
Around Bakong Temple, you can continue down to Kampong Phluk floating village or add it to a trip to the Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium. And then there are places like West Baray or Phnom Krom, which is great for watching the sunset.
If you’re travelling to or from Phnom Penh, Kampong Kdei is a great place to break up the journey and see its ancient Angkorian bridge. Or, if you’re heading northeast from Siem Reap, make a stop at Beng Mealea, with its moss-covered temple ruins.
We expect that Siem Reap is probably already on your itinerary, as it should be, but hope that you save a little time to see some other areas of Siem Reap while you’re there.
