Siem Reap is a popular tourist town, located a short distance from the Angkor temples.
Things to do
Explore Angkor and surrounding temples
Honestly, the biggest attraction for this town are the Angkor temples. Spend a day or three exploring these beautiful architectural wonders. It costs $20 USD for a one-day pass or $40 USD for a three-day pass. You can get there by booking a tuk tuk for the day or renting a bike!
Here are the top three you need to visit:
1) Angkor Wat
The infamous Angkor Wat is a definite must-see. It's best to see this one first, before the crowds come in. Most tours offer a sunrise or a sunset option.
2) Ta Phrom
AKA the Tomb Raider temple! It's a good second stop after Angkor Wat.
3) Bayon
This is the main temple in Angkor Thom. It's known for the huge stone faces.
Pub Street
Located in the centre of town, Pub Street is a tourist street filled with restaurants and bars. It's really nice to see at night since the lights are on.
Old Market and Night Market
The Old Market, Psar Chas, is filled with produce. You'll see dried and fresh meats, as well as fruits and vegetables for sale.
Head to the multiple Night Markets if you want to shop. From clothing and souvenirs to artwork and paintings, the night market has it all. We found shops selling tourist pants and tops for around $2 USD.
Where to eat
Pub Street
Head to Pub Street for an abundance of food options. It offers Mexican, Cambodian, Indian and Italian cuisine. Although, Pub Street is pricier than the restaurants located further out. Typical pricing for Cambodian dishes were around $5 USD. International restaurants were pricier.
Night time is when the food carts come out. Try the ice cream, leek rice cakes and lot chaa. If you're adventurous, look for the cart selling fried crickets, spiders, snakes and water insects.
Meng's
This little local restaurant was located two doors down from our hostel. It was very affordable. We managed to get two appetizers, two entrees and one dessert for under $10 USD. We were also given one free beer/soft drink included with our meal.
Where to Stay
HI Siem Reap
We stayed here because we noticed that the private room was cheaper than dorms. The basic private room is $15 USD and dorms are $8 USD/bed. Granted, the private room doesn't have A/C whereas the dorm does. We stayed in both the private room and dorms. Both were quite pleasant.
They have a pool table and offer free breakfast (coffee, tea, eggs, fruit, toast, butter and jam). You also have access to their other hostel, HI Siem Reap Deluxe, which has a swimming pool.
