12 must do’s in Siem Reap

Kimberly, one of my good friends, and I stayed in Siem Reap for 5 days, some would think that is not enough to see the whole city but we managed it. So if you are in a time budget and you want to discover Siem Reap, then make sure you keep on reading.

1) Currency

The currency in Cambodia is Riel (KHR) but you can also pay with dollars (they insist actually). For us it was a better deal to pay in Riel and here is why:

Every bill is given in dollars. When we wanted to pay in KHR, they used the following currency rate: 1$= 4000 KHR, but when you exchange dollars into KHR you get the following currency: 1$= 4700 KHR. Winning around 1000 KHR per dollar. Okay that’s not that much we’re losing, right? Well after 3 days, we did a balance check. Kimberly, that had always paid in Dollars (I paid in Riel), had spent at a given moment €50 more than me (and we ate and did always the same).

Tip: Sometimes it was better to pay in dollars (rare occasion), like when they used a higher exchange rate than from the office (>4700 KHR) and not the general one (4000 KHR)

2) Angkor Wat Complex

So first things first, you HAVE to visit the Angkor Wat temples in Siem Reap. Angkor Wat was a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu but was later on transformed into a Buddhist temple. You can now find the statue of Buddha and of Vishnu in Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat also contains two natural ponds on either side of the temple. If you want to take a photo of the temple complex with a mirror reflection, that’s the place to go 😉

Price: €20, this tour with GetYourGuide included Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Bayon temple, Pre Rup temple.

Fun fact: Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world this day. 

Tip: A one day pass will cost you $35. This pass will be personalized with your photo (taken at the desk). You must keep this on you! Before entering a temple, you will have to show your pass. Even for the Pre Rup temple. If you lose your pass, you’ll have to buy a new one. 

There are also some monks at the complex who provide blessings at any given donation. Women will have to put the bracelet on themselves, due to the fact that monks aren’t allowed to touch women. Here’s Edwin, someone from our tour group we befriended, getting a blessing.

You also have the opportunity to climb the towers of Angkor Wat. Make sure you’re early, there is a limit on the number of people allowed in the towers. Sometimes there can be a long queue.

3) Angkor Thom 

The last capital city of the Khmer empire was Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom has several gates and we entered through the south gate. Most statues are missing their heads due to the fact they were worth a lot of money back in the day. Now with UNESCO help, they are trying to restore the heads.

Sad fact: You can get an elephant ride at the south gate of Angkor Thom. Please DO NOT do this! Those animals are being abused, please don’t do this. 

Price: €20, this tour with GetYourGuide included Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Bayon temple, Pre Rup temple.

At the center of Angkor Thom lies Bayon Temple, a traditional Khmer temple. Archaeologists found this hidden gem covered in plants and trees. After the cleanup, they found out that the temple had over 216 Buddha faces.

Make sure to stroll around the Angkor Thom complex. Angkor Thom has a lot of temples (most important one is the Bayon Temple), so take your time! If you’re lucky you can even spot wild monkeys. 

4) Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm was built as a Buddhist monastery and university. This temple is so unique due to the fact that it is left that way it was discovered in the 21st century. The temple has merged with the jungle, having trees growing out of the ruins. This gives you a feeling that you are far away from the world.

Price: €20, this tour with GetYourGuide included Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Bayon temple, Pre Rup temple.

Say hello to Laure Croft!

Fun fact: The film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) has filmed a scene in Ta Prohm. Lara Croft, played by Angelina Jolie, finds a girl running in the ruins. The girl then shows Lara some Jasmine flowers, growing between the ruins.

5) Watch the sunset at the Pre Rup temple

Pre Rup temple is a Hindu temple on a mountain. It takes you 20 minutes to reach the top, once again only a limited amount of visitors are allowed at once. So if you want to have a good spot, or you want to be sure of your spot, come early.

Fun fact: You can spot Angkor Wat from the Pre Rup temple. 

Price: €20, this tour with GetYourGuide included Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Bayon temple, Pre Rup temple.

Our guide dropped us at 4.30 PM at the temple, 2 hours in advance of the sunset. We waited and waited but eventually thunder clouds arrived. We went back down and just as we entered the car it started to rain heavily. Eventually, the streets were blank.

6) Kompong Phluk & Tonle Sap Lake

This tour can be done on half a day. The trip starts with a 45-minute drive to the Tonle Sap Lake where you board a boat. The boat takes you to the floating village of Kampong Phluk. Every house, police station, hospital, church, schools, etc. float on the water.

Price: €40 with GetYourGuide

You are given the opportunity to take a smaller boat and discover the mangrove. 1 person costs 5$. We boarded a boat where the rower had brought her daughter with her. During the tour, we had the chance to get closer to the houses floating on the water.

Before we entered the mangrove, we passed by the floating market (what are the odds…). Every boat will hold on to your boat and will try to sell you what they have. We eventually bought our rower en her daughter some drinks, which they never drank (our guess is that they will bring it back to the seller).

When we finally entered the mangrove, I felt a bit odd. I’ve visited many mangroves before (Florida, Senegal, Kenya) and this mangrove was not the same. Maybe due to the fact this was freshwater and not saltwater. Nevertheless, it was gorgeous! Birds chirping, the sound of water, am I in the movie Anaconda? So surreal!

Scary fact: There are spiders hanging on branches. Sometimes you have to bend over, to avoid branches covered in webs (and maybe spiders). 

Your last stop will be leaving the mangrove and go out in the open space of the lake. You can’t see the border of the lake!

7) Kulen mountain 

A one day trip to the Kulen mountain and the Phnom Kulen National Park in Siem Reap is worth a visit. Your first stop is at the Kbal Spean, also known as the Valley of a Thousand Lingas. Locals carve out Lingas into the rocks of the riverbed. We visited the place in the wet season so there was a lot of water, which makes it harder to see the Lingas.

Price: €45 with GetYourGuide

Fun fact: Locals believe the water becomes holy when it flows over the Lingas.

After the Lingas, you’ll be able to visit an 8 meter tall reclining Buddha. The Buddha is carved out of 1 giant rock.

Fun fact: There is also a giant footprint of the Buddha to behold. Believe it or not.  

You can end your day at the Kulen Mountain by visiting the 2 main waterfalls. The first one is about 5 meters tall and quite wide. The second waterfall is taller and contains a swimming area.

Tip: The mountain is crowded on Saturday due to the fact that locals go up the mountain to get blessed by monks and the holy water. 

8) Cooking class 

Taking a cooking class is a must. You learn to cook local dishes and you can even eat them afterward! We decided to take a cooking class at Lily’s secret garden. The cooking class takes about 4 hours. You can take the cooking class in the morning or in the afternoon.

First, we got picked up by Chris and his tuk-tuk. During the ride, we spoke to the other participants who were from Australia, the UK, and Malta. Our first stop was a local market that is open 24/7. Chris took the time to explain the ingredients that we needed and what type of fruits there are in Cambodia.

When we had all the ingredients, we went back to the house of Chris and his wife Lily. There we met Chef Dawson who was going to teach us everything. The menu was as followed: Green mango salad chicken, Curry chicken, Banana or pumpkin in sweet coconut cream & tapioca. Yumm!

Fun fact: You’ll get a certificate afterward and you’ll even get the recipes of the 3 dishes and of the other 3 dishes of the morning class. 

Tip: DON’T rub your eyes, even if you’ve washed your hands with soap and water. I did it and boy I was crying my eyeballs out. To solve it, just put a cold towel against your eye and it will be fine. Don’t put water in your eye (or cry) because that makes it worse.

9) Phare Circus in Siem Reap

Patrick and Daisy, two fellow Instagrammers we met in Bangkok, told us to see the Phare Circus in Siem Reap. We went and we were not disappointed. You can see that the acrobats enjoy themselves performing in front of people. Many of them have undergone abuse and were able to put those frustrations into hard work.

Price: €17 with GetYourGuide

Fun fact: No animals are being used in the show. 

10) Khmer massage

So in Bali, you have the Balinese massage, in Thailand, you have the Thai massage and in Cambodia, you have the Khmer Massage. So, of course, I had to try the Khmer massage. I’ve asked the lady the difference between the Thai and Khmer massage and she told us that the Thai massage is more about cracking joints than massaging the muscles. The Khmer massage is also without oil. I’ve asked her if I could get it with oil and that was no problem. Conclusion? It seemed like the Khmer massage was the same as the Balinese one. I really enjoyed it and so should you!

Tip: There are a lot of massage places down in Pub Street with prices between 7-9$ for a full body massage. 

11) Pub street in Siem Reap

Pub street is a street filled with bars, clubs, and restaurants. At night, the street is car- and tuk-tuk- free. Guys will hand out flyers for their clubs, make sure to accept them because every flower gives you a free shot. During the day the bars and restaurants are still open, but the street is open for tuk-tuks and cars.

Tip: Taking a tuk-tuk to pub street will cost you around 1-2$ depending on the distance. 

Pub street is also a great place to meet fellow backpackers. On every tour we’ve been to, we met fellow backpackers who were so nice. We even met up at Pub street to dance the night away. They were so nice and I hope I’ll meet them again someday!

Tip: YOLO bar has a nice atmosphere for backpackers. Beer pong, little games are arranged in order to set the mood and to meet other fellow backpackers. 

Tip: Red Piano is a Belgian restaurant where you can eat vol-au-vent and even meatballs. Belgian beers included. 

12) Sleeping in Siem Reap

We stayed at the Rose Royal Boutique Hotel in Siem Reap. The hotel has its own swimming pool and is near Pub Street. Our adventure with a rat and cockroach was a bummer.

Noah, a fellow backpacker we’ve met, stayed at the Funky Flashpacker hostel which seemed quite nice! They organize theme nights, parties, beer pong challenges, etc. Noah did say he was happy he had a private room and that he didn’t have to share a dorm.

I hope I inspired you to give Siem Reap a chance in your future travel plans. I’ll definitively come back someday and I’ll hope I’ll get to see the rest of Cambodia too! See you later Alligator!

Life of a Passion