i need advice on visiting siem reap, cambodia.?

Question

am quite familiar with the significance and history of angkor wat but not the area of siem reap! the people, hotels, hangouts, going during the monsoon season...etc
any tips would help especially that am going alone.

Answer 1

If you can hold off until late Fall, you will be much happier -- it is cooler and no rain. There are so many hotels in Siem Reap that you shouldn't have a problem finding one. The best place to stay is the Raffle Grand Hotel d'Angkor if you want to break the bank. Otherwise, pick a mid-range hotel like the Angkor Holiday Hotel or Angkorland Hotel. They will be comfortable and air conditioned.

You should definitely hire a guide while you are there, particularly since you are alone. For $20 you will get a driver and a personal guide for the day. We hung out at the Foreign Correspondence Club for some lunches and dinners. There are also a great dinner show with traditional Khmer dancing. Your hotel can get you reservations on short notice. Unfortunately there isn't much nightlife outside of hotel bars and restaurants.

The central market is useful for any type of supplies and souveniers. Just be prepared for very aggressive vendors that follow you down the aisles trying to get you to buy their wares. (Learn the cambodian phrase for "I have already" and they will immediately turn around and go away.)

Good luck and enjoy the trip!

Answer 2

Siem Reap is a nice little city especially after spending a couple of days in Pnom Penh. The people are friendly and welcoming. The hotel that we stayed at was very nice and any taxi driver will help you find a place that suits you needs and budget. They are more than happy to do this as they do get a commission from the hotel, but that is the usual practice. Again ask the taxi drive for advice on night life and stay close to where you want to go out at night. Not that the place is that spread out.

As far as going alone, there are so many tourists there you will not be alone for long unless you want to be.

Answer 3

You will not have a problem finding a place to stay. Once you get there there will be swarms of motorcycle drivers trying to get you to go to their hotel. You should watch the LonelyPlanet show of Cambodia 2006. Check out www.lonelyplanet.com It will give you a good insight of what it will be like when you arrive. Unless you go from Bangkok. If you take a bus, they tend to have (secret) deals with certain backpacking places and will just drop you off at a guesthouse. Andeveryone on the bus just stays were they drop you off because it is easiest. I stayed at the Mahogany Hotel and really liked it. It is small but they have a cool front porch were all the guests hang out at night. Also the owner is very nice and will help you with anything you might need, including getting a car or motorcycle. Some people can afford getting a car but I used a Motorcycle driver for three days and it was only like 4USD a day. Be wear of the any food with the name "happy" in it. Pretty much means there is drugs in it. I didn't know that until another traveler told me that. So thank God I didn't order that "happy" pizza!!!!One more thing, I was alone also but you will be more likely to meet other travelers to hook up with if you stay in a guesthouse verus a hotel. It is more fun to be with someone when you are walking around the temples.

Answer 4

Hi, I went to Siem Reap some two years ago with a cousin.

I personally feel that getting around alone is no big problem. But it will be good to hire a car during your stay so that you can move around comfortably (aaaaairrrcon..!!!) and easily.

With car, you can arrange to visit slightly further temples such as Banteay Srey, go catch sunrise at Angkor Wat and sunset at Lake Tonle Sap (MUST GO!! After few days of temples sighting, you will enjoy the beautiful lake :)

[Tip: You might want to ask the driver to help you get boat ticket and join you for the tour.. ]

There are many cheap accomodation near town but we wanted to stay in comfort. We checked into a hotel called Angkor Hotel. The hotel room was quite comfy and the staff were very friendly. If i did not remember wrongly, it was about USD30-40..

Food-wise, you must try their local food! They are great. Esp the sweet sour fish!! The fishes are from Tonle Sap. Try the local restaurants. The food offered by roadstalls were not so fantastic. Too sweet for my taste. And you must try Angkor Beer. So smooth so sweet and delicious. Even a non-beer drinker like me fell in love with it.

Shopping-wise.. i do not think Siem Reap a cheap place. You can get similar stuff in Thailand for 1/3 of the price. But, errr.. i did not get any good bargains probably because i do not know the arts to bargaining. :P

The locals are generally very friendly and helpful. They went through Khmer Rouge period and know peace and happiness don't come easy. They appreciated how tourism can improve their lives and are all very committed to boost tourism in this part of Cambodia. They are friendly and eager to befriend foreigners. Many locals speak very fluent English and several can speak Mandarin and Japanese.

Enjoy your trip there!

P/S: If you like, i will ask my cousin to email me the contact details of the driver who took us around. His English is ok and he was very protective of us.

Answer 5

the purely project to do there is visit the interior sight Angkor Vat historic temple ruins. replaced into there in October with my GF and positioned Siem Riep quite boring. similar with Phnom Penh too.

Answer 6

get a travel guide book. learn some common language there like price n numbers, hello etc... formalities. not advisable to travel there alone unless u have a guide/fren there. it would be quite hot at this season but will rain occasionally. pple there would be friendly n mostly Buddhist.