5 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Siem Reap

What to do in Siem Reap? Here are 5 places and activities not to be missed on your next visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Cambodia holds a special place in my heart, since it is the country from which my parents fled from to take refuge in France. So it was with great pleasure that I returned after my first time in 2011, this time with my little family.

The Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Siem Reap

Beng Mealea

In a setting where the jungle has regained and retained its right, Beng Mealea is one of the most mysterious temples in Angkor. Built on the same level as the famous Angkor Wat, it is a little smaller than the latter, but no less impressive.

Beng Mealea

Banteay Srei

The temple of Banteay Srei, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, means “women’s citadel”. Sculpted with extreme finesse in pink sandstone, this temple is the jewel of all Angkor temples. Although it is one of the oldest temples, it has stood the test of time like no other.

Banteay Srei

Le grand circuit

The visit to the main site of Angkor is divided into two circuits, the large and the small, which can be explored in one day each, aboard a tuk-tuk. The main temples of the great circuit are Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, Mebon Oriental, Pre Rup and Banteay Kdei.

Preah Khan

Ta Som

East Mebon

Banteay Kdei

Srah Srang

The small circuit

The small Angkor circuit is the most popular, as it includes the 3 most famous temples:

• Ta Prohm, the most photogenic of all temples, made famous by the Tomb Raider movie;
• Bayon and its famous towers with multiple faces;
• Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s most iconic temple.

Ta Prohm

Angkor Thom Victory Gate

Bayon

Bayon

Terrace of the Leper King

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Crafts and tradition

We took advantage of our free time to visit the Artisans d’Angkor, who are renewing the traditional know-how of Khmer craftsmanship, such as wood and stone carvings and weaving with yarn made from silkworm.

Artisans d’Angkor

Artisans d’Angkor Silk Farm

Our time in Siem Reap was also highlighted by wonderful encounters with families around the world and other great travellers. To mix pleasure and tradition, we held one of these meetings in a restaurant presenting a show of traditional Khmer dances.

Khmer Traditional Dance

For a better preparation

Itinerary

Our visit to Cambodia lasted 10 days, which seemed to pass very (too) quickly. We stayed only in the Siem Reap region, combining 3 days of visits to the Angkor temples, city walks, meals with travellers and afternoons by the pool.

Lifestyle

Here is a little anecdote to illustrate the spirit of corruption that prevails in Cambodia. During my first visit to Cambodia in 2011, the customs officer asked me if I was Khmer. As I answered yes, he trusted me and granted me free permanent residency in Cambodia. When I arrived this time with my family, my permanent visa was simply renewed on my new passport and permanent visas were granted to Mateo and Luka, after an exchange of good practice. “You help me, I help you,” said the customs officer. I never thought I would be so happy to bribe an agent with a small $10. Although Jessica had to pay $30 for her visa, I had just saved 90, not to mention free access to all Angkor sites ($62 for a 3-day pass)! I speak in dollars because in Cambodia, although the official currency is the Riel, everything can be traded in American dollars.

Accommodation

We stayed 10 nights at the PO Residence Siem Reap, an excellent hotel with breakfast included, a beautiful swimming pool, and a friendly and helpful staff.

PO Residence Siem Reap

Transportation

For the visit of the temples, a rickshaw pulled by a motorcycle with a driver can be rented at a fixed daily rate. For city walks, we used tuk-tuks, which we called with the Grab application.

Riding a rickshaw

Food

As eating is part of travel, we ate scorpions, tarantulas, silkworms, crickets, ants and other insects at Bugs Café!

Food at Bugs Cafe

Food at Bugs Cafe

Cambodian cuisine was not the most renowned, so we often fell back on Chinese food.

Chinese Noodles

Expenses

We have not made any futile expenses. The cost of our stay for our family of 4 is:

• 1200.00 USD;
• 120.00 USD per day;
• 30.00 USD per person and per day.

In detail:

In a nutshell

Conclusion

As we visited the Bagan plain in Burma a week earlier, I had the fond wish to relive the atmosphere of the temples I had known in Angkor 7 years earlier. But when I arrived at Angkor, my hope of reliving this sweet memory quickly vanished. Angkor has indeed changed a lot since 2011. More developed, richer, more touristic, more organized and unfortunately also less unspoilt, less picturesque, less peaceful, less enchanting. Despite all this, Angkor still remains an incredible place to visit!

Next destination : Vietnam!

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