Siem Reap, Cambodia is a place that will fascinate you, shock you, and inspire you. It’s filled with one thousand ancient temples, a history that will pull at your heartstrings, nightlife, and it has refreshingly affordable accommodations. So, in this Siem Reap travel guide, we’ll show you the must-see attractions to explore in this ancient city.
Angkor Archaeological Park
The bulk of your trip will be spent at Angkor Archaeological Park. This place is huge with one thousand temples spread out over 400 acres.
Tickets
We knew we weren’t going to be able to see it all, so we bought a 3 day pass ($62 USD) to try to see as much of possible. Tickets can not be bought online. They can only be bought in person at the official ticket office.
Tours
Our first day we booked a full day guided tour through Trip Advisor. This tour was convenient as it included hotel pick-up and drop off, and a guide to learn more about the history of the area.
We saw the most famous sites of the park including Angkor Wat, South Gate, Bayon Temple, the Elephant Terrace, and Ta Prohm.
It was a very interesting tour and only $20 USD per person.
Wat Thmey Killing Fields Museum
We visited the Killing Fields Museum to learn more about the atrocities that happened during Pol Pot’s Khmer rouge regime. This exhibit is terribly sad and will truly pull at your heart strings as you read in great detail how two million Cambodians were killed in the 1970’s. You’ll see the weapons used and the final remains. It’s a chilling history that is important not to forget.
Preah Promrath Temple
Next, we visited Preah Promrath Temple, which is a colorful Buddhist temple with a statues, a lovely garden, and dozens of colorful murals.
Koulen Restaurant
For night life, you can enjoy a dinner buffet and show Koulen Restaurant. They have a very nice Apsara Dance show which is the traditional dance of Cambodia. Apsara are female deities that have come down from heaven to entertain the gods, kings, and mere mortals like you and I. It’s a fun way to spend an evening.
Price: Buffet and Show $12 per adult
Pub Street & Art Market
Pub street is also a great place to get dinner, to do some shopping at the night art market. You can enjoy popping in and out of different bars and clubs playing a variety of live music or nightclub dance music. There’s dozens of venues to choose from loud and lively to quiet and chill. There’s something for everyone on pub street.
This area also has a large art night market. This night market is great place to stroll and do some souvenir shopping. There is a large selection of shops from clothing, to jewelry, to artwork. And some places even have fish foot massages where you can get your feet tickled by fish. There is fun for everyone at the art night market.
Getting Around Siem Reap
For getting around to all of these places, I recommend hiring a tuk tuk driver. Your hotel can help you book one and it’s an easy way to see all of these attractions and anything else that may interest you in Siem Reap.
Accommodations in Siem Reap
We enjoyed our stay Reveal Angkor Hotel. The staff here was so nice and friendly and the food was delicious!
The best part was the salt water pool. After a long day of touring, taking a dip in the salt water pool was so refreshing.
Price: King rooms starting at $34 per night
Want to see Siem Reap come to life?
Check out our full YouTube video travel guide below!
Want to see even more while your are in Siem Reap? Check out the cities below! They are just a quick hour flight away!
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