As the most popular tourist destination in Cambodia, Siem Reap has a lot of interesting things worth experiencing. Siem Reap province is located in northwest Cambodia. It is the major tourist hub in Cambodia, as it is the closest city to the world famous temples of Angkor (the Angkor temple complex is north of the city). The provincial capital is also called Siem Reap and is located in the South of the province on the shores of the Tonle Sap Lake, the greatest sweet water reserve in the whole Southeast Asia. The name of the city literally means Siamese defeated, referring to the victory of the Khmer Empire over the army of the Thai kingdom in the 17th century.
Although Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia, Siem Reap - the ancient capital is the destination chosen by almost tourists when visiting this country. Because the ancient capital of Cambodia converges both the ancient features of a glorious city in the past and the modernity of a tourist city. Coming to Siem Reap, tourists have many things to explore, in which the experiences below are extremely impressive.
1. Visit the Angkor ruins
It can be said that the Angkor temple complex is the most expensive tourist attraction of the tourist destinations in Siem Reap. Indeed, the one-day ticket price is up to 37 USD, 3-day ticket is 60 USD, and 7-day ticket is 72 USD. However, expensive but worthy.
Monks in Angkor Wat - Photo: Internet
It is reasonable that everyone visits Angkor after coming to Siem Reap. Thought time after time, the temples in Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom have been damaged, but its grandeur and majesticness cannot be denied. Looking at the ancient citadels, the ingenious sculpted walls and statues, it's difficult not to admire the miracles of the ancients.
A gate in Angkor Wat - Photo: Internet
The best time to visit Angkor is sunrise, when the magical light of the sun will help you see an extremely splendid and glorious Angkor. To do so, you should schedule a tuk tuk departing from about 4 am in order to witness the rays of sunlight starting to dawn.
2. Have fun at Pub street and night market
The funniest and most crowded place is the Pub Street and the night market. Pub Street is also a bit like the Ta Hien or Bui Vien streets in Vietnam, with crowded shops, bars, and cafes. The evening is the most lively time of Siem Reap when street vendors start selling, restaurants start cooking and music starts roaring everywhere.
Have fun in Pub street - Photo: Internet
Your job is just to choose some affordable delicious food, drop yourself in music and improvise a few dances. Certainly, in a pure tourist destination, everyone wants to relax themselves to enjoy the trip, no one will judge you about such funny actions. It is important that Pub Street is open overnight so you will not have to worry about where to play in Siem Reap.
3. Fish massage
Tourists will have to go a lot, so massage is always something you should do to pamper and relax your body, at least your feet. In Siem Reap, besides traditional massage service, there is also quite interesting fish massage service.
Have fish massage - Photo: Internet
Fish massage salons grow on both sides of the streets on Pub Street for only $2, including a non-alcoholic drink. The price is very reasonable for an interesting experience, right?
4. Enjoy food
Of course, tourists can not miss enjoying the local food during their trips. In Siem Reap, you can find many dishes, from traditional Cambodian food to Western style food for meeting the needs of customers.
Traditional Cambodian food - Photo: Internet
If you want to eat with cheap prices, you also have numerous options with fried noodles, bread, fried rice with an average price from only 1 to 3 USD. Fruit juices and smoothies are also cheap, only 1 to 2 USD and listed carefully.
5. Shopping at the Old Market
The old market, also known as Phsar Chas, is located in the heart of Siem Reap. The old market is a must-visit place to buy food and other goods. This market opens from early morning to late afternoon, normally sells local food in the morning and souvenir in the afternoon.
Here you can buy bandanas, T-shirts, spices, tea, sausages and silverware. In general, the sellers here are quite open and friendly, they can also speak a little English, so it is fairly easy for tourists to buy something there. However, you should remember to bargain down to about 30% of the price given by the sellers.
Goods in the old market - Photo: Internet
6. Watch Apsara dance
According to Hinduism, Apsara are fairies who dance for the gods. Previously, Apsara dance was a royal dance to serve the royal family and the mandarins. Hence, if you come to Siem Reap, you should spend time experiencing this culture. On weekends or festive days, you can watch Apsara dance in front of large temples in central Siem Reap.
Watch Apsara dance - Photo: Internet
On weekdays, you can choose to order dinner in Khmer restaurants with Apsara dance service to both enjoy dinner and watch these artistic dances. Dinner usually starts at 6:00 pm or 7:00 pm, and dance performance starts at 7:30 pm or 8:00 pm, including 4-5 dances in about 45-60 minutes. In Siem Reap, there are a number of restaurants that serve dinner buffet with Apsara shows for $ 12 per person. However, if you want to have a nice seat, you should buy tickets and book in advance from noon.
To book a tour to discover Siem Reap or anywhere in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar, you can contact Travel Authentic Asia via email: [email protected] or WhatApp: +84 912221442. Travel Authentic Asia is the tailor made tour operator based in Vietnam since 2011, which has delivered excellent travel experiences up to 4000 travellers over the world.