Siem Reap is located in the north of Cambodia and is the main tourist attraction in the country thanks to the Angor Wat temples. However, Cambodia offers many interesting places to visit and if you are thinking of traveling to this fascinating country you will not miss the complete travel guide to Cambodia.
The chaotic city of Siem Reap is located between rice fields and jungle in the middle of the Angkor region. To visit the region we recommend a minimum of 4 days. Although it is advisable to add some more to enjoy calmly and not miss anything.
In this post I will tell you about the 15 best things to see and do in Siem Reap and I will add links to other articles so that you know the different temple routes to visit in Angkor, which will help you complement your own travel guide.
Let us begin!
15 ESSENTIAL THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
1. Visit the temples of Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is the main reason why millions of travelers have come to Cambodia in recent years wanting to see the country. The archaeological complex is the most essential place to visit in Siem Reap and to get to know it completely I have published a complete guide, where you will find the temples to visit and the routes, ticket prices, tips, how to get around the temples, etc. I recommend that you spend 3 days of your trip to visit Angkor Wat.
2. Visit a floating village on Lake Tonlé
A great activity to do in the afternoon is to visit the floating village on Lake Tonlé. Lake Tonlé is a huge lake where several floating villages are located. The best option to enjoy it is to take a boat ride in the afternoon, just before sunset, and enjoy the sunset.
3. Enjoy Cambodian massages
As in many countries in Southeast Asia, massages are part of the perfect activities to do after a day touring the temples and visiting the city.
In Siem Reao you can find places to get a very cheap massage. In Pub Street there are some centers that specialize in foot and leg massage, although they have massages of all kinds. The price of a 30-minute foot and leg massage is between 3 and 5 euros.
4. Visit Phnom Kulen National Park
Phnom Kulen is a spectacular national park filled with incredible waterfalls and plenty of trails through the Cambodian jungle. The park is only an hour and a half from Siem Reap and if you decide to visit it I recommend that you get up early and leave the city around 4:30-5:00am. In the park you can bathe in the pools that are created under the waterfalls and it has designated areas for picnicking.
The park is considered a sacred place in Cambodia and attracts many who seek healing in its holy waters, especially the Kbal Spean waters because they are said to help couples conceive.
5. Marvel at the private museum of antiquities
We did not even know that this museum existed. Once in Siem Reap, our usual tuk tuk driver told us that there was a very original museum to see in his city and that few foreign tourists visited.
When we arrived I completely fell in love with the colonial house. It is a private museum, it is the house of the former police chief of the city, and in it you will find a large collection of antiques of all kinds; motorcycles, cars, bicycles, banknotes, coins, photography and video cameras, utensils...
I have no idea how to locate it, honestly. But it is very close to the center. Check with your hotel or with a tuk tuk driver and they will surely know how to take you.
6. Pub Street and market night
The area with the most atmosphere in the evening/night is Pub Street and the surrounding streets. It is the best area to eat something at night, get a massage or buy a souvenir. In this area is the central market / market night. It is full of shops with souvenirs, food stalls, clothes...
7. Wat Svay Dongkum
Wat Svay Dongkum is a Buddhist temple and you will find it in the center of the city, very close to Pub Street. It is a very beautiful place of worship that is worth visiting. In it you will be able to contemplate the temple and the part of the cemetery where the tombs stand out with their small golden, red domes...
8. See a show by Phare, the Cambodian circus
If you want to see a show in Siem Reap you can enjoy the Cambodian circus show. It is a combination of theater, music, acrobatics and traditional dances of the country.
9. Wat Bo Temple
Crossing the river you will find the Buddhist temple of Wat Bo Temple. It is a temple of daily worship where you can appreciate the Buddhists doing their day to day in it. As in all Buddhist temples, you must take off your shoes if you want to visit it inside.
10. Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chorm Shrine
This temple is located within the grounds of the Royal Palace of Siem Reap. Although the Palace cannot be visited, you can access its garden and visit the small temple. It is usually a very crowded temple and daily worship. In the only temple where we have been "demanded" money to enter. It is the will, but you will be forced to leave some money in the pot. As in all, you must be respectful, enter with your legs and arms covered and without shoes. Even though you can take photos and videos, show respect.
11. Other temples to see in the center of Siem Reap
The city is full of temples, each with its own charm, although very similar to each other. Some of the lesser known but very beautiful temples are: Wat Reach Bo, Wat Damnak, Wat Kong Moch and Wat Preah Enkosey Monastery.
12. Wat Athevear Temple
This temple is located very close to the city center of Siem Reap and will completely remind you of the temples of Angkor. It is a Hindu temple built in the 12th century. Currently, it is still an active temple and cemetery.
13. The Angkor Wat National Museum
If you want to learn more about the history of the Khmer and the temples of Angkor, I recommend that you visit the national museum. You will get to know the history as you contemplate sculptures, models of what temples were like in ancient times, objects, etc...
14. Siem Reap Bike Tour
If you feel like doing a different activity, this Siem Reap bike tour allows you to choose between two routes, the rural one or the one that crosses the jungle of the Angkor temples. It is an opportunity to get to know the rural areas of the city, small villages, the jungle, rice fields, some farms...
15. Excursions to do from Siem Reap
From Siem Reao you can make some excursions to see interesting places near the city. It is a good option so as not to be organizing more transfers and changes of accommodation, despite the fact that being more remote areas you will have a lot of transportation time.
These excursions include an English-speaking guide, transportation, and some of them meals and entrance fees. I leave them so you can see if any of them interest you:
SIEM REAP ARTICLES YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Cambodia a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!