Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
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- Strung Treng
Travel Cheap
Siem Reap is known for it Angkor Wat temples. It gets is name, which literally means, “Siamese defeated” from the seventeenth century victory of the Khmer Empire over the army of the Thai Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Angkor and the surrounding area (now known as Siem Reap) stopped being the capital in 1431 after a seven-month siege from the Thais. Henri Mouhot is generally credited with “discovering” the temple ruins of Angkor Wat.
Siem Reap, a major tourism hub, has recently expanded in the past few years and has more hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions. Although Angkor Wat (which is thought to be the largest religious structure in the world by most people) is the most popular site in Siem Reap, other popular sites are Angkor Thom, Banteay Srei, Ta Prohm, and hundreds of other temple ruins.
Lay of the land
Siem Reap is located in northwestern Cambodia and includes twelve districts, 100 communes, and 907 villages. It is bordered by: Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear on the north, Kompong Thom to the south east, the Tonle Sap Lake to the southwest, Battambang to the west, and Banteay Meanchey to the west.
What to see and do
The temple ruins of Angkor Wat (which means Capital Temple) are the most popular tourist attraction in Cambodia. You can get a one day, three day, or week long pass (days run consecutively) ranging from US$20 to US$60.
The Angkor National Museum and War Museum are the most popular museums for first time visitors in Siem Reap. A couple of eye-catching places free to the public include Wat Bo, Artisans D’Angkor, and Wat Dam Nak. You can even visit a crocodile farm, located on the south end of town, with over 300 crocodiles of various size and kind, for US$2.
Siem Reap’s restaurant and bar scene is one of the most interesting in Cambodia. The Angkor What? Bar is very popular for its cheap buckets of Mekong whiskey and graffiti covered walls, while the X-Bar contains Cambodia’s first skateboarding half pipe in its backyard.
Getting around
Like most Cambodian rentals, the average for a moto-taxi is US$6-8 a day, or a single trip in town is between 1,000 and 1,500 riel. Also, like other Cambodian rentals, negotiation is an option is the driver’s price is too high. A tuk-tuk single ride is usually US$1-2 or US$7-10 a day. A car rental is approximately US$25 a day and restaurants and hotels can arrange car taxis. Most guesthouses and hotels also rent out bicycles.
Unlike other Cambodian provinces, the government in Siem Reap bans tourists from renting motorbikes. Some say it is for the safety reasons, but others believe it is to monopolize the tourists’ transportation scene in the area. Tourists are still allowed to rent motorbikes in neighboring provinces and ride through the area.
Favorite Nighlife in the Area Favorite Events in the AreaAround Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
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Angkor Until 1861, the ruins of the ancient city of Angkor, capital of the Khmer kingdom, existed only in myth. One of the world's marvels, and the worlds largest religious monument, it's a vast and mysterious complex of carved sandston.... |
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Battambang Battambang is the capital of the Battambang province and the second largest city in Cambodia. Battambang literally means “disappearing stick,” and was named after a powerful stick that a legendary Khmer King used to gain and m.... |
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Ko Kong Many people are confused with Koh Kong because they are unsure of whether it is an island, a town, or a province, but it is actually all three. Here’s a little information to help with the confusion: the province of Koh Kong, wh.... |
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Kompong Cham Full of ancient sites, a lively Mekong River island life, and a beautiful waterfall, Kampong Cham is a traveler’s dream destination. Because of its location, it is an ideal trade and transportation hub. During the colonial perio.... |
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Kratie The riverside town of Kratie is the best place in the world to see the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins. Along with its picturesque sunsets on the Mekong River, most of the town’s action is along the east bank of the Mekong River a.... |
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Phnom Penh A capital city once deserted in a matter of hours, Phnom Penh has a history unlike any city in the world. It is a city which has seen the greatest of good, and the blackest of evil. Founded in the middle of the 14th century by the.... |
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Sihanoukville Cambodia’s only international deep-sea port Sihanoukville (also known as Kampong Som) has become well known for its uninhabited beaches, fishing spots, and scenic trails. The French and Cambodians created Sihanoukville to give t.... |
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Strung Treng Once called Xieng Teng, Stung Treng was originally part of the Khmer Empire. It became part of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, then the Lao kingdom of Champassack, until the French Indochina period when it was surrendered back to Cam.... |
