We just got back from a fabulous trip in cambodia, so I thought I would share my top tips!
1. Start with the small, less crowded temples. We saw Banteay Kdei first, and it was a magical way to begin, so accessible with no crowds and ability to see the artwork up close. After several more small temples like Ta Prohm and Ta Keo, we saw the Bayon at the end of the first day and that was a perfect way to begin ramping up.
2. We saw Angkor Wat first thing in the morning second day. Good way to start before the bad heat, as the complex is huge and filled with tour groups. However, we decided NOT to wait in the one hour line to climb the last stairs to see the view, as we climbed the stairs at several of the smaller temples with NO line and decided that was perfect substitute.
3. Don’t worry about lunch at the temples; there are restaurants throughout and our tuktuk driver knew which ones were suited for Western sensibilities. We had delicious food (even air-con and wifi at one) and spent about $25 for 3 people each time. Tuktuk driver also could direct us to Western toilets whenever we needed it.
4. See the museum first morning of your visit. It does give context and doesn’t need to take more than 1-2 hours. We got the audio guide but we knew the basics of Buddhism and Hinduism already so felt the details were a little more than we needed. There probably is enough info on the captions and short movies if you want to keep your visit relatively short.
5. Airport is great, with relatively short lines even for Visa on Arrival. Don’t worry about passport photos; they just charge you $2 per person extra (and don’t actually take a photo—who is pocketing that extra fee?)
6. American $ are king here—accepted everywhere. Small bills are particularly useful for tuktuks and souvenirs. The ATMS do provide a choice of $US as well as Cambodian reils, though for some reason it spit out $100 bills for us that we had to be strategic about finding a place to break.
7. The tuktuks are a perfect way to see the temples and this town—lovely breeze when you are moving, and you get a chance to really look around. They can take around 4 adults.
8. We stayed on the Privileged Floor at Lotus Blanc and were so glad we did. Along with airport pickups, this special package meant we had a special assistant, Nato, who helped us with everything from booking restaurants and arranging transport, to deciding which museums to visit, to obtaining salve at 11 pm for my daughter’s mosquito bites. It was great to have someone to answer every question no matter how small.
9.Be aware the sunsets may not be all they are cracked up to be. First, our weather turned overcast so not much to see. Second, at Phnom Bakheng, which is supposedly a contemplative site, we walked up the hill about 15 minutes to the base of the site, only to discover that it was already full (300 people is the limit they let up the stairs) and hundreds were waiting in line to enter. As we walked down from the mountain after deciding not to wait, hundreds more were walking up; they were facing certain disappointment .
10. Finally and most importantly, DON’T MISS Bambu Stage if you like authentic connections when you travel, and want another perspective on Cambodia, its culture and its history, guided by westerners who have been in Asia for decades. We enjoyed our dinner and show so much and feel like we made new friends with the hosts. Truly memorable and delightful!
Top 10 tips for a great trip to Siem Reap
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Great recommendations and I agree with all except #8 and I don’t disagree with it I just have never stayed there. I usually stay at Rambutan which would be my #8.
Also to expand on #10 Bambu Stage last year offered three different programs depending on which night it was. For a new comer I would say first go to National Museum and second Bambu Stage for the Angkor Wat presentation if your timing matches that weekly show.
Nice report Fareastour!
Also to expand on #10 Bambu Stage last year offered three different programs depending on which night it was. For a new comer I would say first go to National Museum and second Bambu Stage for the Angkor Wat presentation if your timing matches that weekly show.
Nice report Fareastour!
I would recommend Phare circus, and also concentrating on Angkor wat rather than secondary temples. Lotus blanc is a good choice of hotel, but the extra money required by privilege floor is probably nor worth it.
The top level of Angkor Wat, called Bakan, and previously available only to the king and the high priest is one of the greatest places in the world and worth any lineup. Most tourists use it merely as a view point , and for that the ballon or top of some other mountain temple would be an equivalent choice (without the lineup).
The top level of Angkor Wat, called Bakan, and previously available only to the king and the high priest is one of the greatest places in the world and worth any lineup. Most tourists use it merely as a view point , and for that the ballon or top of some other mountain temple would be an equivalent choice (without the lineup).
Thanks for a wonderful report & all the suggestions. We are going to SE Asia in 5 weeks & will be there for 5 weeks.
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Thank you for sharing!! I would like to visit all this beautiful places
Thanks for the tips, do you also have like "security tips"? i mean it there some dangerous situations to stay for away from ?
I bought a 7 day pass good for 30 days last year..My Khmer wife gets in free.
We had been before several times but this time we were able to spend extra time at places we loved the most and got to visit places we had overlooked or did not get out to... Sometimes, it pays to keep walking and you may discover a back gate with an amazing tree...
getting caught in the rain was fun actually.
A separate trip I loved in 2017 was going to Kulen Mountain and getting behind the upper waterfall and then going down to the lower falls...the reclining Buddha temple was superb too.
We loved Siem Reap so much we moved here and could not be happier.
We had been before several times but this time we were able to spend extra time at places we loved the most and got to visit places we had overlooked or did not get out to... Sometimes, it pays to keep walking and you may discover a back gate with an amazing tree...
getting caught in the rain was fun actually.
A separate trip I loved in 2017 was going to Kulen Mountain and getting behind the upper waterfall and then going down to the lower falls...the reclining Buddha temple was superb too.
We loved Siem Reap so much we moved here and could not be happier.
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