Siem Reap and Angkor Wat – everything you need to know

Siem Reap is famous for it’s proximity to Angkor Wat. There’s no doubt that if you’re heading to Siem Reap, that’s your primary reason. But there’s more to enjoy in this thriving little city. Read on to find out about Siem Reap’s busy shopping scene, its many gorgeous cafes and the one of the best sunsets you’ll ever see.

How long should you spend in Siem Reap

I would suggest spending at least 3 full days in Siem Reap. This would give you the time to do the Angkor Wat Grand Tour (see below) and Tonle Sap Lake. As Tonle Sap only starts in the afternoon, you’d have time that morning to visit one of the land mine musuems, do a bit of shopping, and relax in one of Siem Reap’s many gorgeous cafes. .

If you have extra time, adding another day would make you feel less rushed. There’s plenty to do in Siem Reap, and most hotels also have pools, which are great for a couple of hours of downtime. If you do the Grand Tour of Angkor Wat, it’s pretty full on. Having the extra time will help you to rest after an intense couple of days of temple hopping.

How to get to Siem Reap

Air

Siem Reap has its own international airport, Siem Reap Angkor International. This is a new airport that opened in 2023 and isn’t to be confused with the old Siem Reap International, which is now closed. Super confusing, I know. .

This is a brand new airport, built for an international tourist crowd, so it’s likely to have excellent facilities in both departures and arrivals. I didn’t use it though, so I can’t confirm that. .

Siem Reap Angkor International is further away from the city than the old airport. art of the reason this closed was due to the damage plane pollution was causing to Angkor Wat. The new airport is about 1 hour from central Siem Reap. There are a number of ways you can get from the new airport to town, including shared shuttle services bookable on 12goasia for around £9. .

Official airport taxis should cost $35, and there will be lots available as you exit. If you want to use Grab, prices start from $19 depending on the time of day etc. .

While there is a bus, there aren’t many departures, and it doesn’t drop you in the centre of the city. You’ll still need to get a Grab or taxi to the main part of the city. If you are on a budget, I’d recommend the shared shuttles.

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How to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

It’s super easy to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The easiest and cheapest way is by bus. It’s about 6 hours and the type of bus can really vary. Think about your budget vs your comfort levels while picking the vehicle type, as there’s a big difference in 6h journey in a minivan compared to a bus with wide, reclining seats! If your budget allows, I recommend the Vireak Buntham/VET airbus (see below). .

Buses will drop you at a variety of different points in Siem Reap – usually their offices – rather than a central bus station. You’ll then need to take a taxi or Grab or tuktuk to your hotel. These will usually be waiting around for the buses to arrive. If you’re taking a tuktuk or taxi outside of Grab, negotiate the price in advance. .

You can also fly from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, which is a 45 minute flight. Remember that while this might feel short, it’s likely to take nearly as long once you factor in travel to/from the airports, and check in times. Flights are available with Air Asia and Cambodia Angkor Air. .

Also visiting Phnom Penh? Check out my guide Phnom Penh – Everything you need to know to visit this historic city.

Other land destinations in Cambodia.

Cambodia has an extensive bus network that covers a wide variety of destinations across the country. You can travel to Siem Reap from destinations including Battambang (c3 hours) and Kampot (c.10 hours)..

As above, check out the vehicle type and reviews to see if you’re getting the level of comfort you want, especially for longer journeys. .

From Laos

Many people will also arrive in Siem Reap from Pakse or Don Det in Laos. This is a slightly more complex journey as it involves crossing a land border, as well as some not very good roads. .

There are two companies offering this service, and I would recommend using one of them to make this long journey as seamless as possible:.

• Asia Van Transfer – they are the OG of the Cambodia-Laos border crossing. They offer a through service that gives you a van from Pakse or Don Det to the Laos border. You then leave Laos immigration, cross the bridge and go through Cambodian immigration. A mini van then takes you to a restaurant in Stung Treng, the nearest town to the border. After a short wait, you pick up another van to take you to Siem Reap. The final hour of the journey back to Siem Reap is on dreadful roads. I recommend taking medicine if you experience travel sickness. .

I did this journey going the opposite way and will write a detailed guide soon..

• VET Airbus – this is a new option, which started around October 2023. I only found out about this after I’d booked my Asia Van Transfer ticket, which was non-refundable. If I’d been able, I’d have taken the VET Airbus. While I can’t comment on whether they are as good at getting you across the border, I can confirm that the bus is much more comfortable. They also use the same bus to go right through, which suggests that the journey will be shorter and less drawn out. You might even have the bus take you across the bridge, which, given the heat, would be amazing!

Bus companies I used in Cambodia:

• Vireak Buntham – the biggest provider of buses in Cambodia, with extensive routes and times. Vireak Buntham offer different vehicles – check the vehicle type before you book tickets. I used their minivan, which was very comfortable, and a mid-sized bus called a Coaster which was less so..
• Vireak Buntham VET Airbus – I also used Virek Buntham’s new airbus to go from Phnom Penh to Battambang. This bus is available from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. This is a new service, clearly designed to mimic Vietnam’s famous VIP buses. The bus was serious luxury – like travelling business class. The hostess even brought me a coffee! If you want to travel on these, book in advance – they get sold out quickly!.
• Giant Ibis – a smaller company which offers certain routes. Grand Ibis made a point of saying on their website that they always have two drivers on board, and encourage drivers to drive slowly to promote safety.

Where to stay in Siem Reap

There’s absolutely no shortage of places to stay in Siem Reap for any budget. Siem Reap is a city made for tourists, and it shows in the proliferation of hotels across the city.

My recommendation would be to stay near to, but certainly not next to, Pub Street. This is the beating hub of the city, whether you love it or hate it, and the city spirals out around it. Pub Street is als near the Old Market and the river. .

Siem Reap Comforts Hostel – this is definitely a hotel, rather than a hostel, but it is a budget offering with a pool. Near to the centre, with a glorious noodle restaurant almost next to it, I really loved staying here. Rooms were huge, it was clean, and the staff were great. My only quibble was that I had to hold the shower head, but that’s Asia. .

Smiley’s Guesthouse – offering budget rooms with a pool, this guesthouse is a little further out of the centre of town, but still only a 12 minute walk to Pub Street. Reviews suggest it’s quiet, but that there are cafes and restaurants close by. Note that the cheapest rooms don’t have aircon. .

Siem Reap Urban Boutique Hotel – right in the centre of the action, this mid range hotel has excellent reviews and a pool. .

Golden Temple Residence – this luxury complex was highly rated by people I met on my Angkor Wat tour. In the same area of Siem Reap, it offers real luxury with a not too huge price tag. My new friends spoke of tiny little details that made their stay special, like little stories delivered as part of their turn down service each night. .

Where to eat in Siem Reap

My two absolute favourite places to eat in Siem Reap were: .

• Angkor Hand Pulled Noodles and Dumplings – this unassuming noodle spot has incredible stir fried noodles and noodle soup. With a 4.9 on Google Reviews from over 500 reviews, you know it’s going to be good!.
• The Brother Bong Restaurant – this little street food spot on the river front was busy every night in Siem Reap. Make sure to stop by for incredibly cheap, tasty food. You’ll feel like a local, as the restaurant was filled with both tourists and families from Siem Reap.

What to do in Siem Reap.

Angkor Wat

Top of any list of things to do in Siem Reap is Angkor Wat – it’s almost certainly what you came for. I won’t devote too much time to describing Angkor, as it’s overwhelming and best experienced first hand. .

Tips

• While you can go to Angkor independently, I strongly recommend a guided tour. It’s not super expensive, and without a guide you won’t get nearly as much out of the experience. There is so much to see across the different complexes, but without context, it all becomes a bit samey. Your guide will draw out the history and the detail, and they’ll also know the best photo spots. .
• I highly recommend this tour with Journey Cambodia. Our guide was so knowledgeable, he was funny, and he brought everything to life. He brought an ipad, and could show us pictures of bits of Angkor that now reside in different museums around the world. He was excellent finding the right spots for photos, and took us to quieter spots to get really beautiful shots without people in them. .
• Many tours will be via tuktuk. While this sounds romantic, remember that Cambodia can get really, really hot. Consider doing your tour in a minivan so that you get aircon breaks – this saved us, particularly on the longer tour day.

Grand Tour vs Small Tour

You can choose between a 1 day and 2 day option. I did the two day option, and while it was grueling, it was worth it. .

The Small Tour takes you to Angkor Wat itself, the stunning Tomb Raider Temple (the trees here were an unexpected joy) and Angkor Thom. I fell in love with the Tomb Raider temple far more than I expected to, and Angkor is of course one of the great wonders of the world. If you only have a short amount of time in Siem Reap, this is of course the tour you should prioritise.

The two day tour takes you to the less touristy spots (although some will still be busy). On our extra day, we saw the beautiful pink Banteay Srey, and Neak Pean, which I absolutely loved. This man-made island is set in a huge reservoir, and after you’ve crossed the busy bridge, you get a real sense of how peaceful this island would have been in it’s heyday. Doing the Grand Tour felt much more off the beaten track, and if you have time, I would recommend this option. It’s a long day though – be prepared to sweat a lot!

See the most beautiful sunset on Tonle Sap Lake

Visiting Tonle Sap lake is another must-do in Siem Reap. This huge lake fluctuates in size each year as the Mekong floods and recedes, but you can visit year round. The best way to visit is to take a boat trip out for sunset, but morning options are also available if that fits your schedule better. I also used Journey Cambodia for this tour..

Tonle Sap is famous for it’s floating villages, where people have lived for generations. These villages are now moving into the 21st century – while the locals are keen to stay in their traditional villages, these now have running water and electricity. Your boat trip will also take you past schools and hospitals, all floating on the lake. Visiting the floating villages is a unique experience to see a completely different culture to Siem Reap. .

After visiting the floating village, you’ll have an opportunity to take a short boat ride through the mangrove forest. This is not usually covered in the tour price, and costs an extra $5. It’s completely worth it. The journey through the mangroves at sunset was completely magical, with golden light filtering through the trees. The money also goes directly to the villagers, primarily women, who are rowing the boats.

After a quick visit to a crocodile farm, you’ll then float out into the main part of the lake for sunset, watching as the sun disappears behind the horizon. If you fancy a beer as you relax, locals will arrive with little shops on their boats.

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Visit one of Siem Reap’s landmine museums

While Cambodia’s dark modern history isn’t as evident in Siem Reap as it is in Phnom Penh, there are still opportunities you should take to understand the impact of the Khmer Rouge, civil war and the Vietnam war on Cambodia. .

Siem Reap has two excellent museums showcasing the impact land mines still have on the country today, and I recommend visiting at least one of them while your there:

• Apopo – you’ll see signs for this museum everywhere in Siem Reap. The famous Apopo rats are trained to seek out landmines, helping trained workers to destroy them across Cambodia. I didn’t end up visiting Apopo, but I heard universally great things about the experience.
• Cambodia Landmine museum – this museum, which is within the Angkor complex, is far less advertised and less shiny than Apopo. However, what it lacks in branding is made up in raw emotion. It’s run by a former Cambodian child solider, Aki Ra, who was orphaned very young and ‘joined’ the Cambodian army at 10. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge, he dedicated his life to removing land mines across the country, initially on his own with no specialist equipment. The museum is essentially the story of his life, and how this diy approach to land mine removal is now much safer and fully in line with international safety standards. This was an enormously emotional visit – Aki Ra was there himself, as were members of his family who now help to run the museum.

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Visit Siem Reap’s social enterprise cafes

Cambodia’s recent history means that there are a number of amazing NGOs and social enterprises working across the country. In Siem Reap, I visited two amazing cafes which funnel their profit back into the local community:.

• Sister Srey – this famous cafe has a beautiful spot on the riverfront. Offering delicious western brunch-style food as well as coffee, Sister Srey funnels all it’s profits back into the Apopo land mine project. .
• Common Grounds – over in a slightly less touristy part of town, Common Grounds provides jobs and training to young Cambodians, mostly from remote villages. In addition, their profit goes back into humanitarian projects. This cafe was much quieter than Sister Srey, and when I was there, there were lots of locals using it to work.

Go shopping

Siem Reap is a great place to do some souvenir shopping, with options for any budget. Take some time out of your busy temple hopping schedule to visit a couple of the different options. .

• Old Market – this big market complex on the bank of the river is everything you’d expect from a market in South East Asia. The stalls around the outsides are full of tourist wares while those further in are aimed at locals. This is a great place to get your elephant pants, or a cover up for visiting Angkor. There are stalls selling clothes, souvenirs, jewellery and everything else you could want to take home with you. My favourite was a little further inside: a small eco soap stall selling handmade soap, shampoo bars and face wash bars. .
• Made in Cambodia market – this beautiful little spot is a bit further away from the centre of town. It’s full of higher end, handmade Cambodian wares. If you have the budget and you’re looking for really unique, high quality gifts, this is the place for you..
• Kandal area – this is a small street away from the main tourist centre of town, full of high end stores. Here you can find hand made textiles and jewellery for the really top end of a budget.

Visit some of Siem Reap’s Instagram-worthy cafes

Beyond the two social enterprise cafes mentioned above, Siem Reap has a thriving cafe scene. There’s tons of cafes which are great for digital nomads as well being really beautiful, and these were my top 3:.

• Red Fox – in the Kandal area, this gorgeous cafe is set over multiple floors. It has excellent aircon (a must while I was in Siem Reap) and great food. .
• Brolaom – this newer cafe, on the other side of the river, was a beautiful quiet oasis. It had great coffee and was a great place to do some work. It also had a wide selection of coffee drip bags, which are one of my favourite travel items because they let me make a coffee in bed in the morning!.
• Biolab – a big space also on the other side of the river, Biolab is absolutely great for working. It even offers printing services! I loved the coffee here but was a bit underwhelmed by the food – definitely one that’s more for a morning working. .

Soak up the vibes on Pub Street

Like it or not, Pub Street is the heart of tourist Siem Reap. This pedestrianised street is full of pubs and restaurants aimed at the Angko crowd, with many offering outside seating. It comes alive at night, with lights, bars and parties until the early hours. However, that’s not my scene, and I most enjoyed sitting here for a late afternoon beer, watching the world go by as the sun set.

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Siem Reap and the iconic Angkor Wat truly are among the most incredible destinations in South East Asia. Let me know in the comments if you preferred the Small Circuit or the Grand Circuit for your tour of Angkor!