The Best Things to Do in Siem Reap
Visiting the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap is a bucket list destination for many. Watching the sunrise and sunset at Angkor Wat is truly a mesmerizing experience, even if it is full of tourists due to its popularity. The Angkor Wat is located within the Angkor Archaeological Park and the park is full of breath-taking monuments. Apart from Angkor Wat, there are also many other things to discover in Siem Reap, including visiting the floating villages and going on a sunset cruise on the Tonle Sap Lake.
How to Get to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh
By Bus
There are many day and night buses operating between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. I took the bus with the Giant Ibis – it is safe and takes about 6 hours to reach Siem Reap. It is also reliable and easy to book a seat online for Giant Ibis. A one-way ticket is USD 17. Giant Ibis company also operates buses between Siem Reap and Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, so if you travel onwards to Thailand or Vietnam, this company is also an option.
By Flight
Cambodia Angkor Air operates direct flights between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The journey takes less than an hour by plane. If you want to avoid the long bus journey, taking the flight can be an option. The cost for a flight start from about USD 70 one way.
The Best Things to Do in Siem Reap
Watch the Sunrise at Angkor Wat
Visiting the Angkor Wat is the most breath-taking and important stop in Siem Reap. Most people will come to Siem Reap and Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat.
For me, it was one of the most beautiful experiences in my life to see the sunrise over the Angkor Wat. To be honest, I did not know beforehand that there would be so many tourists, so I had to move around to find the perfect spots for the best views and photos. After the sunrise, you get the day to discover all the other monuments in the Angkor Archaeological Park.
Price of ticket to the Angkor Archaeological Park:
- 1-day pass: USD 37 (you can use it one time within a 5-day period)
- 3-day pass: USD 62 (you can use it 3 times within a 10-day period)
- 7-day pass: USD 72 (you can use it 7 times within a 30-day period)
Opening times of Angkor Wat: Every day: 5:00 am – 5:30 pm
Tips for visiting Angkor Wat:
- Buy your ticket the day before: If you have time to buy the ticket the day before, it will be the best option. If you buy the ticket in the morning, you will be very tight on time to make it to Angkor Wat by sunrise.
- If you buy your ticket in the morning on the day of your visit: get to the ticket office early, before they even open. The ticket office opens at 5:00 am – if you get there a little bit before, you will be the first one in the line and you will be able to make it to Angkor Wat for the sunrise.
- Have cash to pay for the ticket (in case card payment is down): When I was there, the card payment was down and they were not able to accept card payment. Make sure you have enough in USD to pay for the ticket in case card payment is down.
- Book a tuk-tuk to drive you to the site the day before: The driver will meet you early morning and take you to buy the tickets first (if you do not have the ticket yet). Make sure you go as early as possible, otherwise the queues for the tickets will be long and it will take a long time to get your tickets.
- Take a headtorch with you: It will still be dark when you get to the Angkor Archaeological Park in the morning and you will need some light to show the path. You can also use the torch on your phone to make light on the path.
Discover the Angkor Archaeological Park
Although Angkor Wat is the most famous temple in the archaeological park, the park complex is quite massive and there are lots of other beautiful temples you can discover during your trip. There are about 72 major temples and additionally over 100 minor temples in the park complex. Most of the temples were built between the 9-15th century.
Opening times of the Angkor Archaeological Park: every day 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
How to get around the Angkor Archaeological Park:
- By tuk-tuk: The easiest way to get around the park will be if you book a rickshaw for the day. You can select which sites you’d like to visit within the park and the driver will take you one by one to each, waiting for you while you visit each site.
- By cycle: you can also rent a bicycle and discover the Angkor Archaeological Park at your own space. However, just keep in mind that the park is quite big and it can get very hot during the day, so don’t forget to take sunscreen and water with you.
Visit the Cambodian Cultural Village
Opening times:
- Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 18:30 pm
- Saturdays – Sunday: 8:00 am – 20:00 pm
The Cambodian Cultural Village is a cultural museum in Siem Reap. It is a great place to learn about Cambodian culture, history and traditions. Within the cultural complex, there are recreations of historical buildings in miniature structures, gardens, sculptures, replicas of floating villages and also a wax museum. The whole area is quite big and it takes about 3 hours to get around the whole cultural village.
Go on a Boat Trip to Tonle Sap and See the Kampong Phluk Floating Village
The Tonple Sap Lake is nearby Siem Reap and you can easily book a boat trip to see the floating villages. The floating villages are mainly fishing villages and you will see lots of boats and fishing equipment around. During the tour, you will take a boat tour around local villages and will also disembark the boat to walk around the villages.
Best time to visit the floating villages: It is best to visit during the monsoon season as only during that time will the water level be high enough for the houses to look like they are floating. If you visit at other times, the water levels will be too low and you will see the houses only on the planks.
See the Sunset at Tonle Sap
The Tonle Sap also provides beautiful sunset views. Usually, if you book a tour to see the floating villages, you will also get to go on a sunset view boat tour. The boat will go further out in the lake and stop for people to take in the sunset views.
Discover the Mangrove Forests on a Boat Trip
You can also book a boat trip to discover the mangrove forests in Tonle Sap. You can also combine the floating village and sunset tour with the option to get off the boat and take a short canoe trip down a mangrove forest.
Watch a Performance at Phare Circus
Phare Circus is an incredible experience of theatre and music that perform stories about the Cambodian history. The performers at the Phare Circus are all former students from the Phare Ponleu Selpak school. The school is a non-profit for arts and circus school, founded by 9 young men coming from a refugee camp after the Khmer Rouge regime ended. They founded the school in Battambang to help deprived youth to access free education and also to gain skills in art, music and theatre. The Phare Circus offers a place for students to work, earn a decent wage and also to showcase their skills.
Hang Out at Pub Street
After a day of visiting the Angkor Archaeological Park, what is better than going to Pub Street and enjoy some good food and drinks? Pub Street has many great restaurants and lively bars full of other travellers. This basically where all the travellers hang out and get together after a day of sightseeing. There are also street vendors nearby that sell very tasty and cheap street food.
Learn About Landmines at the Cambodian Landmine Museum
- Entry fee: USD 5
- Opening times: Monday – Sunday: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Although the Cambodian Landmine Museum is a little bit further out from Siem Reap, it is totally worth visiting. Here, one can learn about the landmines in Cambodia and the process of clearing landmines. Usually, they have tours in the museum and the staff working there are all people who have survived landmine explosions.
Buy Souvenirs at a Market in Siem Reap
Old Market
The Old Market in Siem Reap is best for souvenirs, clothes, accessories and also for buying food, and fresh fruits and vegetables. It is great to discover the different items sold, and if you feel like bargaining, this is place.
Siem Reap Art Centre Night Market
There are lots of stalls here selling souvenirs, clothes, food and drinks. You can also get handcrafted items, paintings and gemstones here. Like in other markets, if you are up for it, bargaining here is also acceptable.
Take a Yoga Class
There are lots of places in Siem Reap that offer yoga classes. Sign up for a yoga class to recharge your body and mind. The Baby Elephant Boutique Hotel runs yoga classes, sound baths, spa treatments and they also have a pool. You can sign up for a one off class or get a class pass if you are staying longer in Siem Reap.
Visit the War Museum Cambodia
- Entry fee: USD 5
- Opening times: Monday – Sunday: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm
The War Museum in Siem Reap showcases a collection of military equipment (weapons, planes tanks). It is not so well maintained and most of the equipment of display are all old. There is not much information available about the collection on display so it is not so informative. I think it can be a good stop if you have already visited the more famous spots in Siem Reap and you still have some time to discover other places. The unique thing about the museum is that you can touch and even climb over all the equipment.
