Siem Reap

Siem Reap (Khmer: ក្រុងសៀមរាប, pronounced [siəm riəp]; Thai: เสียมราฐ) is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and a popular resort town and the gateway to Angkor region.

Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market. In the city, there are museums, traditional Apsara dance performances, a Cambodian cultural village, souvenir and handycraft shops, silk farms, rice-paddies in the countryside, fishing villages and a bird sanctuary near the Tonle Sap Lake.

Siem Reap today—being a popular tourist destination—has a large number of hotels, resorts, restaurants and businesses closely related to tourism. This is much owed to its proximity to the Angkor temples, the most popular tourist attraction in Cambodia.

History

The name "Siem Reap" can be translated to mean "Defeat of Siam" (siem in Khmer), and is commonly taken as a reference to an incident in the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and Khmer kingdoms, although this is probably apocryphal. According to oral tradition, King Ang Chan (1516–1566) had named the town "Siem Reap", meaning "the defeat of Siam", after he repulsed an army sent to invade Cambodia by the Thai King Maha Chakkraphat in 1549. However, scholars consider this derivation to be simply a modern folk etymology, and maintain that the actual origin of the name is unknown.

The traditional tale claims that King Ang Chan of Cambodia tried to assert greater independence from Siam, which was then going through internal struggles. The Siamese King Chairacha had been poisoned by his concubine, Lady Sri Sudachan, who had committed adultery with a commoner, Worawongsathirat, while the king was away leading a campaign against the Kingdom of Chiang Mai. Sudachan then placed her lover on the throne. The Thai nobility lured them outside the city on a royal procession by barge to inspect a newly discovered white elephant. After killing the usurper, along with Sudachan and their newly born daughter, they invited Prince Thianracha to leave the monkhood and assume the throne as King Maha Chakkraphat (1548–1569). With the Thais distracted by their internal problems, King Ang Chan decided the time was right to attack. He seized the Siamese city of Prachin Buri in 1549, sacking the city and making slaves of its inhabitants. Only then did he learn that the succession had been settled and that Maha Chakkkraphat was the new ruler. Ang Chan immediately retreated to Cambodia, taking his captives with him. King Maha Chakkraphat was furious over the unprovoked attack, but Burma had also chosen to invade through the Three Pagodas Pass. The Burmese army posed a much more serious threat, as it captured Kanchanaburi and Suphanburi. It then appeared before Ayutthaya itself.

The Thai army managed to defeat the Burmese, who quickly retreated through the pass. Maha Chakkraphat's thoughts then turned to Cambodia. Not only had Ang Chan attacked and looted Prachin Buri, turning its people into slaves, but he also refused to give Maha Chakkraphat a white elephant he had requested, rejecting even this token of submission to Siam. Maha Chakkraphat ordered Prince Ong, the governor of Sawankhalok, to lead an expedition to punish Ang Chan and recover the Thai captives. The rival armies met, and Ang Chan killed Prince Ong with a lucky musket shot from elephant back. The leaderless Thai army fled, and Ang Chan allegedly captured more than 10,000 Siamese soldiers. To celebrate his great victory, King Ang Chan supposedly named the battleground "Siem Reap", meaning "the total defeat of Siam".

In reality, surviving historic sources make this folk tale appear very unlikely, since they date the decline of the Angkor kingdom to more than a century before this, when a military expedition from Ayutthaya captured and sacked Angkor Wat, which began a long period of vassal rule over Cambodia. The 1431 capture coincided with the decline of Angkor, though the reasons behind its abandonment are not clear. They may have included environmental changes and failings in the Khmer infrastructure.

From the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, infighting among the Khmer nobility led to periodic intervention and domination by both of Cambodia's more powerful neighbors, Vietnam and Siam. Siem Reap, along with Battambang (Phra Tabong) and Sisophon, major cities in the northwest of Cambodia, was under Siamese administration and the provinces were collectively known as Inner Cambodia from 1795 until 1907, when they were ceded to French Indochina. In fact, during the 18th century, under the rule of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, it was known as Nakhorn Siam (Siam's city), not as "Siam's Defeat".

Re-discovery of Angkor

Siem Reap was little more than a village when French explorers such as Henri Mouhot "re-discovered" Angkor in the 19th century. However, European visitors had visited the temple ruins much earlier, including António da Madalena in 1586". In 1901, the École française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO; French School of the Far East) began a long association with Angkor by funding an expedition into Siam to the Bayon. The EFEO took responsibility for clearing and restoring the whole site. In the same year, the first western tourists arrived in Angkor, a total of about 200 in just three months. Angkor had been 'rescued' from the jungle and was assuming its place in the modern world.

With the acquisition of Angkor by the French in 1907 following a Franco-Siamese treaty, Siem Reap began to grow. The Grand Hotel d'Angkor opened in 1929 and the temples of Angkor became one of Asia's leading draws until the late 1960s when civil war kept them away. In 1975, the population of Siem Reap, like all other Cambodian cities and towns, was driven into the countryside by the communist Khmer Rouge.

Siem Reap's recent history is coloured by the horror of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Since Pol Pot's death in 1998, however, relative stability and a rejuvenated tourist industry have revived the city and province.

Siem Reap now serves as a small gateway town to the world heritage site of Angkor Wat. It is a vibrant town with modern hotels and restaurants, still managing to preserve much of its culture and traditions. Siem Reap ranked fourth in the World's Best Cities of Travel and Leisure survey in 2014.

The Wats and the river

The Town is a cluster of small villages along the Siem Reap River. These villages were originally developed around Buddhist pagodas (Wats) which are almost evenly spaced along the river from Wat Preah En Kau Sei in the north to Wat Phnom Krom in the south, where the Siem Reap River meets the great Tonle Sap Lake.

The main town is concentrated around Sivutha Street and the Psar Chas area (Old Market area) where there are old colonial buildings, shopping and commercial districts. The Wat Bo area is now full of guesthouses and restaurants while the Psar Leu area is often crowded with jewelers and handicraft shops, selling such items as rubies and woodcarving. Other fast developing areas are the airport road and main road to Angkor where a number of large hotels and resorts can be found.

Economy

Tourism is a very important aspect of the economy of Siem Reap - it was estimated in 2010 that over 50% of jobs in the town were related to the tourism industry. The city has seen a massive increase in tourist trade in the couple of decades after the end of the Khmer Rouge era, and businesses centered on tourism have flourished due to the tourism boom. Visitor numbers were negligible in the mid-1990s, but by 2004, over half a million foreign visitors had arrived in the Siem Reap province that year, approximately 50% of all foreign tourists in Cambodia. By 2012, tourist number had reached over two million. A large number of hotels have sprung up in the city, these range from 5-star hotels and chic resorts to hundreds of budget guesthouses.

Most tourists come to Siem Reap to visit the Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, (about 6 km north of the city), and other Angkor ruins. There are also many shopping opportunities around the Psar Chas area, while the nightlife is often vibrant with a number of western-styled pubs and bars.

There are also a large number of NGOs and other not-for profits that operate in and around Siem Reap, and play a vital role in the economy, as well as helping to develop it for the future. Thousands of expatriates call the city home and also significantly impact the economy.

Tourism

Since Siem Reap is a major tourist destination, prices in many instances are higher than elsewhere in Cambodia. Expect to receive almost constant offers for motodop and tuk-tuk rides, along with everything else which drivers may be able to offer to you.

Be sure to pick up your free Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide and the equally free and useful Siem Reap Pocket Guide from your hotel/guesthouse. It contains lots of info on Siem Reap and the Angkor Archaeological Park, including hotel/bar/restaurant/shop info, travel info, and maps. For the eco-sensitive tourist, check out "Stay Another Day: Cambodia," a detailed guide with local spots that support the environment and community. Another address is the ConCERT tourist office, a local NGO committed to raising the standards of responsible tourism and ecotourism activities and providing information on the causes and effects of poverty in Cambodia, volunteering opportunities and ecotours.

APSARA (the acronym is based on the French for the "Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap" and also the Sanskrit for a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology) has a very informative website detailing the history and architecture (in 6 languages) and endorsed by the recently deceased King of Cambodia.

Attractions

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat (Wat temple) is the central feature of the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site containing the magnificent remains of the Khmer civilization. Angkor Wat's rising series of five towers culminates in an impressive central tower that symbolizes mythical Mount Meru. Thousands of feet of wall space are covered with intricate carving depicting scenes from Hindu mythology. The most important are the Carved Bas reliefs of the Hindu narratives. They tell a story about gods fighting demons in order to reclaim order which can only be achieved by recovering the elixir of life known as amrita. The gods and demons must work together to release it and then battle to attain it.

Angkor Thom

This magnificent inner royal city was built by the end of the 12th century and is renowned for its temples, in particular the Bayon. Other notable sites are Baphuon, Phimeanakas, The Terrace of the Elephants and The Terrace of the Leper King. The city can be accessed through 5 city gates, one on each cardinal point and the Victory Gate on the eastern wall.

Other temples

A number of significant temples are dotted around Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom within the Angkor Archaeological Park, including Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, Banteay Kdei, Phnom Bakheng, Ta Keo, Ta Som, East Mebon, Pre Rup and Neak Pean. These temples may be visited along the grand circuit or the small circuit routes. Other sites are the Roluos group of temples located to the east of Siem Reap. (See Siam Reap Province)

The Cambodia Landmine Museum and Relief Center

The Landmine Museum offers tourists and Cambodians the chance to see (safe) landmines up close, understand how they work, and what they can do to help rid Cambodia and the world of their continuing threat. It is located approximately 25 km north of Siem Reap (30 minutes by tuk tuk), just 7 km south of the Banteay Srey Temple complex in Angkor National Park. On the way to the museum there are quaint countryside villages, rice paddies and wide views of locals working their fields, as well as local handicrafts "outside the hussle and bussle of town." Some two dozen at-risk Khmer children are educated and live, along with staff, at the Relief Center located on the museum property. The organization has plans for building a farm behind the Center sometime in 2016.

War Museum Cambodia

The War Museum Cambodia covers the last three decades of the 20th century when the Khmer Rouge was active in Cambodia. There is a vast array of vehicles, artillery, weaponry, landmines and equipment on display. The museum is making use of guides who are war veterans who fought for the Cambodian army, the Khmer Rouge or the Vietnamese army.

Angkor National Museum

Angkor National Museum, 968 Charles de Gaulle Blvd, Tel +855 63 966 601 (info@the-anm.com), Daily 8:30-18:00. While the website states that the museum opens at 8:30, it may actually open at 9:00 due to construction (May 2016). Exhibits covering the history of the Angkor complex as well as Khmer culture and clothing using high tech displays and video screens. Some say the 1,000 Buddhas room is as impressive as it sounds. Exhibits cover Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom rather well; however the museum does not function as primer to the whole Angkor Archaeological Park. US$12.

Angkor Handicraft Association, Road 60, Trang village, Sangkat Slorkram, Tel +855 78 34 14 54. Workshops, demonstrations and a wide range of authentic handicraft products. AHA is an NGO working with the artisans from the rural areas of Siem Reap Province, promoting only authentic and certified handicrafts. Friendly staff and lots of interesting traditional items and activities to see. 

McDermott Gallery, FCC Angkor, Pokambor Avenue (On the river next to the Royal Residence), Tel +855 (0)12 274 274. 10am-10pm. The exhibition by legendary photographer John McDermott shows photographs of the temples of Angkor before crowds of tourists arrived. For those of us who came too late to see the temples in solitary splendor, this is a chance to go back in time. The New York Times calls them “the defining images of Angkor.” The visit is free and the staff is friendly and helpful. Gifts and cards also for sale. The New York Times Capturing Angkor Before Tourism Works Its Changes $0

Senteurs d'Angkor Workshop, Airport road (3km from Caltex Station, airport direction on the National 6), Tel +855 (0)63 966 733. 7:30 am - 6:00 pm. This visit introduces the different workshops where around 100 artisans are working in the middle of a tropical garden. A provided guide will welcome you at the entrance, she will explain to you all the manufacturing steps of the Senteurs d’Angkor product range. From the eco friendly boxes made from palm tree leaves to handmade soaps, natural cosmetics, candles and incense. You will also discover how to mix local spices to obtain the traditional Curry or Amok. Do not leave without a free tasting of Rattanakiri coffee or flavored tea! There is also a shop there to buy the products. You can get a free tuk tuk from their shop opposite of the Old Market to take you there. $0.

Ceramic classes

Angkor Pottery Center (Traditional Khmer Pottery Workshop and Pottery School), Wat Atwear Village (3.5 km South of Old Market on Main Road 63), Tel +855 12 755 286. 08:00-17:00. Daily pottery classes for beginners as well as professionals in pottery making, carving and glazing by Siem Reap’s most famous local potter, Mrs Paruth Hann. Make your own design and take your glazed pot home as a souvenir. Enjoy a truly khmer experience and support an enterprise creating fair wage jobs for the poor village women in Siem Reap. $7-20.

Pottery Classes & Painting classes, Tel +855 (0)63 210 004 (resa@khmerceramics.com). Pottery class and clay class course, you can make your own ceramic artifact on the potter wheel. You can feel the potter’s sensation. After you finish your piece, you can add different designs to it with special tools. Paint your own Pottery course, you can draw and / or paint your own design on a pot. $20

Cooking classes

Asana Khmer Cocktail Class, Street 7 / The Lane, Tel +855 12 508 248 (booking@asana-cambodia.com). Khmer cocktail principles and techniques taught by the Manager of Asana (Old Wooden House). Hands on classes for a maximum of six people - unless you book well in advance for a private group. Booking is required. US$15.

Beyond Unique Cooking Class, cnr of Sivutha Bvld and Alley West, Tel +855 77 562 565. Cambodian Cooking Classes in a village location 10 min from town. Classes include a visit to a local family and information on Cambodian cooking customs and beliefs. Hands on classes for a maximum of six people - unless you book for a private group. US$22. 

Cultural performances

Apsara Theatre, Wat Bo Rd, Tel +855 63 963561. 20:00-21:30. A flashy performance of traditional, popular dances.

Bambu Stage, (Open-air performance space set amid the lush and intimate garden of the Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa), Tel +855 95 88 00 20 (tickets@bambustage.com). Bambu Stage has set up our 2016 residence in the gardens. It is only five minutes from Pub Street. We have built a simple outdoor stage under the stars seating up to 40 seats. There is a covered pavilion as a backup in case of rain. Both shows take forty minutes. You can book a show, minimum ten people. Check out our Facebook page for other spot performances, which happen almost every week.

Performances by Cambodian Living Arts (Cambodian Living Arts), Wat Bo Pagoda, Tel +855 (0) 17 998 570 (events@cambodianlivingarts.org). Show Time: 19:00 Monday (Sounds of Angkor) & Saturday (Wat Bo Shadow Puppet Troupe). New Performances by Cambodian Living Arts. Cambodian Living Arts will host weekly performances set in the heart of Siem Reap, at the Wat Bo Pagoda. Witness rare art forms revived from temple walls. During an hour, the artists will lead you through 15 centuries of Cambodian music and arts. This experience will allow you to reflect on your encounters with Cambodia's ancient wonders. Adults: $15, Children: $6 (Discounts available for large groups).

Rosana Broadway, (Rosana Broadway), National Highway 6, Tel + 855 63 769 991 (sales@rosanabroadway.com, fax: + 855 63 769 994). Show Time: 5:45 PM/7:30 PM Daily (The schedule may subject change). Famous Cambodian Traditional Dance and International Cabaret Show which provides a unique mix of entertainment on stage. The Stunning Performers are trained by a Professional Choreographer to bring you several varieties of dancing, with magnificent costumes to sweep you away on a magical and musical journey of song and dance. US$35-$45.

Phare, The Cambodian Circus, Comaille Rd (behind Angkor National museum, in front of Angkor Century Resort and Spa), Tel +855 15.49.94.80 (ticketing@pharecambodiancircus.org). daily, 19.30, gates open at 19:00. "Unmissable" -Lonely Planet. Siem Reap's most unique, authentic, home-grown, top-rated (TripAdvisor) evening entertainment. Has Khmer essence, vibe, energy and emotion. An extension of the NGO school Phare Ponleu Selpak Artistic Center in Battambang, but here the show is different, professional and daily performed. The New York Times 36Hours in Siem Reap.

Smile of Angkor, Smile of Angkor Grand Theatre (Angkor COEX) (North east outskirts of Siem Reap, direction to Angkor turn right to Apsara Road), Tel +855 97 595 0075 (info.smileofangkor@gmail.com). 19:15-20:25 nightly. Things to do in Siem Reap ? It is the first Grand Epic show that recreates the Angkor Civilization in all its glorious aspects. A production of Cambodian traditional dances equipped with multimedia large screen, featuring Angkor civilization. Grand epic show that revives the Angkor dynasty in all aspects; from foundation to prosperity, tale to folk customs, past to present. The performance expresses the traditional Cambodian culture with the latest technology. The performance contains traditional Cambodian dances such as Apsara Dance, Peacock Dance, Shiva Dance, Bokator (traditional Khmer martial art). You can dinner on place US$25-37 booking online.

The Champions Performances by the Local Disabled Community, Night Market (back of Night Market adjacent to Island Bar), Tel +855 12 676826. M-Sa 20:30-21:15. A two act play written and performed by participants who share with great feeling what it is like to be disabled in Cambodia and the challenges of their lives. As many of the performers are in pursuit of education to better their lives they appreciate donations of school materials such pens and writing books. Free, Donations encouraged.

Markets

The Old Market or Psah Chas is located between Pub Street and the Siem Reap River, and offers a mixture of souvenirs for tourist and a variety of food produce and other items meant for the locals.

Supported by the Shinta Mani Foundation in order to create jobs, the Made in Cambodia Market (initially called "Well Made in Cambodia") is a night market in Siem Reap where all the products sold should be made in Cambodia. The market hosts daily shows and other animation.

Other markets in Siem Reap include the Angkor Night Market which is located off Sivutha Street, Phsar Kandal (The Central Market) located at Sivutha Street which mainly caters to tourists, and Phsar Leu (The Upper Market) which is located further away along National Road 6 but is the biggest market of Siem Reap used by the locals.

Artisans Angkor

Angkor Silk Farm (Artisans Angkor), Puok District (National Road 6 (20 minute drive from the centre)), Tel (+855) 63 5555 768. 8am-5pm. Close to Siem Reap centre yet located in the lush and charming countryside, Angkor Silk Farm is a great place to go to when you want to take a break from visiting the Angkorian temples. Discover at Angkor Silk Farm how incredible the silk-making process is: from a silk worm to a cocoon, from a simple thread to a high-quality fabric, you will go through all those different stages by understanding the traditional Cambodian weaving techniques. Free shuttle buses depart at 09.30 and 13.30 from Artisans Angkor's main center in Thmey Street (2 minute walk from the Old Market). The visit is free. 0$. 

Cambodian Cultural Village

Opened on 24 September 2003, the Cambodian Cultural Village assembles all the miniatures of famous historical buildings and structures of Cambodia. There are 11 unique villages, which represent different culture heritages, local customs and characteristics of 21 multi races.

Notable sites near Siem Reap

A number of notable sites further away from Siem Reap are also accessible from the town.

Phnom Kulen

The Phnom Kulen National Park is about 48 km from Siem Reap and contains a number of attractions such as its two waterfalls and the Kbal Spean's "river of 1000 lingas".

Floating Villages

There are three floating villages around Siem Reap - Kompong Khleang, Kompong Phluk, Chong Kneas, with Kompong Khleang considered the most authentic.

Tonlé Sap

The Tonlé Sap, Khmer for "Vast Body of Fresh Water" and more commonly translated as "Great Lake" is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia. It is located in the heart of Cambodia about 30 minutes south of downtown Siem Reap and has many attractions. The area around the Tonle Sap including the province of Siem Reap is part of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. From here you can take boat trips to visit the floating villages or go to Phnom Penh.

Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei is a 10th-century temple located about 30 km northeast of Siem Reap. It is notable for its fine intricate decorative carvings on rose pink sandstone.

Local specialty

Sombai

Sombai Infused Cambodian Liqueur (Sombai) is a local beverage produced in Siem Reap. This beverage takes inspiration from the Sraa Tram (or soaked wine) that Cambodians drink traditionally and the infused rums from the islands. The particularity of the bottles of Sombai is that they are hand-painted making it attractive to tourists visiting Cambodia.

The workshop and its tasting parlour installed in a traditional Khmer wooden house, has become a tourist attraction in town.

Get around Siam Reap Town

Travel to and around the Angkor Archaeological Park is extensively covered in its own article (See Ankor Wat). The following is a discussion of travel within Siem Reap.

On foot

The city centre is fairly compact and flat.

By bicycle

• The White Bicycles, ☎ +855 92 332 730. Well maintained bicycles can be hired through various guest houses affiliated with this local charity that uses hire proceeds to fund youth education and clean drinking water projects in villages around Siem Reap. The website lists location where the bikes are available. US$2/day.  

Many guest houses will lend you bicycles either for free or cheaply (US$1-3).

Mountain bikes starts from US3$ (you need to look for a couple of renting shops before finding this price as many charge for more).

By E-bike

"Green E-bikes" can be found throughout the city. $10 per 24 hours, open 7-7. There are designated charge points within the small and big tour sections of Angkor. One hour charge gives you 5 km. Full charge is 42km. They will need your passport

By motorbike

Motodops (motorbike taxi) abound and will make sure you know where they are. Rides within town should only cost US$0.50 or 2,000 riel, although prices can double at night or during bad weather. Agree a price first. Full day can be arranged for ~US$10. Helmets for passengers are rare though may materialize if requested in advance.

Renting a motorbike is prohibited for foreign visitors to Siem Reap, though motorbikes rented elsewhere are permitted.

Petrol stations vary from first world forecourts to roadside stalls selling fuel of dubious quality in old drinks bottles.

By tuk-tuk

Tuk-tuks, like motodops, will call to tourists from nearly any street corner.

A trip within Siem Reap should cost US$1 regardless of how many people pile on, though many drivers now try for $2 and getting them down to $1 can be challenging. Most tuk-tuks can convey four people comfortably though the extra weight can make the low-powered bikes laboriously slow. Prices can double at night or during bad weather.

Ensure both you and the driver is in crystal clear agreement on the destination and total fare before departure. Payment is made on arrival and doesn't increase if the driver got lost or had to take a circuitous route. Most drivers are honest and don't try to overcharge.

By car

Cars with drivers can be hired for single or multiple days. While all drivers are familiar with the area and happy to suggest good routes, most speak little English and are not actual tour guides. Licensed tour guides charge US$45-US$50 per day for a driver and English speaking guide. Drivers will likely ask for US$5-US$10 extra for trips to further temples such as those of the Big Circuit, Banteay Srey and more for remote sites like Beng Mealea.

The taxis (US$7 fixed cost) from the airport to Siem Reap proper may provide a full day of touring for US$25-30.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Siem Reap features a tropical wet and dry climate. The city is generally hot throughout the course of the year, with average high temperatures never falling below 30 C in any month. Siem Reap has a relatively lengthy wet season which starts in April and ends in November. The dry season covers the remaining four months. The city averages approximately 1500 mm of rainfall per year.

Get in

Visa

You can obtain a visa on arrival at the airport. Bring US dollars to pay for it, as proffering other currencies will result in a large "conversion fee". Bring a passport-sized photo also. Immigration and Customs staff are possibly the most unfriendly Cambodians you will meet on your trip: grin and bear it, as entry procedures don't take long.

Border location

Poipet hosts Cambodia's main border crossing with Thailand, which links north-western Cambodia to Aranyaprathet, and hence Bangkok. Cross-border activity has made the town grow to be larger than its provincial capital, Sisophon.

It is located on the fully paved National Highway 5 which runs to Sisophon and then further on the south side of the Tonle Sap Lake to Battambang and Phnom Penh. At Sisophon, National Highway 6 branches off to provide a fully paved arterial route along the north of the Tonle Sap to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

The nearest Thai town is Aranyaprathet, about 6 km from the border. The border is in central Poipet. The border is open 07:00 - 22:00. There is no time difference between Cambodia and Thailand.

Immediately next to the Thai immigration facilities is Rongkleu Market, which host banks, cafes, a convenience store, money exchangers and buses.

Cambodian visas are available on arrival. The official building is just after the bridge, to the right of the Traditional Style Arch (see map). Tourist visas cost $30 and permit one stay of up to 30 days.

Cambodian Immigration

• Queues are greatest at around midday when many buses arrive. Arriving earlier or later will let you sail through.
• The paperwork is very simple. It requires no assistance, regardless of what touts may say.
• Forms should be available at the counter to the left of the visa window, although a "helpful" tout will likely offer you one as soon as you approach the office. Take the form and otherwise ignore the tout.

• A passport photo is required for the visa. A 200 baht fee applies if you don't have a 4x6 photo.
• You can also pay in Thai Baht, but the visa fee of US$30 will translate to 1000 Baht. Better stock up in US$ before the border or change money outside the building, where you’ll get slightly better rates.

Once you have your visa, brush off the touts and head down the street to get an entry stamp into Cambodia. The arrivals office is on the right (south) side of the street, after the last casino. Some lurkers may tell you otherwise. You will need to fill in an Arrival /Departure card which will be offered to you by touts for a fastback fee of 200Baht to avoid waiting in the stifling got.

Free shuttle busses or so called government buses or minibuses await tourists emerging from immigration. They go to an inconvenient out of town transportation depot: the Poipet Tourist Passenger International Terminal. They cease running at about 6pm. Overpriced food is available while one waits for an overpriced bus or shared taxi. Be sure to stock up in cash US$ before, as there is no ATM at the depot and paying in other currencies results in highly inflated rates. However slightly overpriced this is the best way to go.

From the Tourist Passenger International Terminal a bus to Siem Reap costs $9 per person and takes around three hours. You may arrive a couple of kilometers outside central Siem Reap, where tuk-tuk drivers pay the cartel for access to arriving tourists. They recoup their money by taking tourists to commission paying accommodation, which they may offer to do very cheaply, perhaps for free. Their big money however comes from temple trips and they will implore you to hire them on for this. This is not necessarily bad but make sure you know the correct rates. If you value your independence, pay the tuk-tuk driver a fair rate ($2 is acceptable, perhaps generous) for the trip into town, make sure you are dropped where you want to be dropped and then have nothing more to do with him.

Taxi An 'official' taxi to Siem Reap costs an offensive US$48 or US$12 (500 Baht) per passenger. While posted in written form, this may be subject to change. The police-enforced cartel takes its share per taxi and trip, probably about one third of the price. Negotiation is very difficult but should be possible given that a taxi outside the cartel should cost about US$30. Negotiate the price in dollars, baht prices tend to be inflated. There are no rules against introducing yourself to fellow travelers and sharing the ride.

Caution: Drivers that work for the cartel will generally deliver tourists to wherever they choose in Siem Reap without any problems. Though possible tricks include being dropped in a dusty parking lot out of town or at a commission paying guesthouse (which is most of them) or the driver pretending to not know the destination and needing to ask at his "office", where you’ll be dropped off to change into Tuk-tuks. Simply do not pay until you are happy with the destination. Do not believe that taxis are prohibited from entering the center of Siem Reap.

Wherever you end up, tuk tuk drivers will be waiting. A fare within town should be $1; though Siem Reap is easily covered on foot.

Transportation

Fly

The town is 7 km from the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (IATA code REP). Siem Reap is accessible by direct flights from many Asian cities and by land from Phnom Penh and the Thai border. A new airport is planned 60 km from Siem Reap.

The airport is around 7 km from the town centre. Prepaid taxis cost US$, see the prepaid booth just outside the terminal. Prepaid tuktuk rides for slightly less are also available. Thrill seeking solo travellers without much baggage can save a few dollars by opting for back of a motodop for US$2. Most hotels offer a free airport pick-up if you've booked in advance.

Drive/Taxi from Bangkok

It is possible to get from Bangkok to Siem Reap via Poipet. The road from Poipet to Siem Reap is newly paved and sealed as of 2013. If travelers take a taxi from Bangkok to Poipet and from Poipet to Siem Reap, it is possible to complete the whole journey in 6–10 hours, depending on border-crossing times. This journey is also possible by bus and minibus. The tickets can be bought online via the official Nattakan website.

By train

From Bangkok to Aranyaprathet station, tuk tuk or taxi to the border crossing then a bus or shared mini-buses or taxis to Siem Reap. The train to AranyaPrathet from Bangkok leaves twice a day and costs only 48฿ in 3rd class. As of April 2014, Thai citizens’ travel free which means the train is often crowded and sometimes late.

Bus

Major companies include Phnom Penh Sorya Transport, Capitol Tours, Giant Ibis and GST Express. Mekong Express comes highly recommended for its safety record and because the staff checks your ticket before giving you your luggage back (preventing theft).

However, a new company "NATTAKAN (Cambodia) CO., LTD" started operating a direct bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok for $28 including pick up from the hotel. You still need to get off the bus at the border, go through customs and get the visa but it is a lot smoother and scam-free as compared to the options in the past, you ride the same bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok. The bus departs from their office along Sivatha Road near KFC restaurant where tickets can be purchased.

Try to book at least the day before travel. Travel agents and guest houses will do this for a US$1-2 fee. Buses tend to leave in the morning or early afternoon. There are also night buses on some routes.

Most buses terminate at an out of town bus station to the east of Siem Reap, from where tuk-tuks are needed to get into the town. Mekong Express also drops you at an out of town bus depot but, if there are local Cambodians on your bus, they will provide a shuttle bus into town which drops you direct at your hotel and only costs $1. They will try to dissuade foreigners from using this by saying the bus ticket is $5. However, it is only $1. A tuk tuk into town costs about $3 to $4.

If arriving from the west, your bus will probably by-pass Siem Reap and still drop you off at the bus station to the east of town.

Domestic services

• Phnom Pen ($7-$15 taking 7-8 hours - Jan 2014; long stretches of the highway are being repaired or Phnom Penh widened as it's a slow journey at present)
• Kompong Thom ($7 taking 3.5 hours - Jan 2014; buses to Phnom Penh will drop you off in Kompong Thom, but you have to pay the full fare to Phnom Penh)
• Kampong Cham ($9 taking 7 hours - Oct 2013)
• Soung
• Battambang (US$3.75)
• Sisophon (US$3.75)
• Poipet (for Aranyaprathet, the main route into Thailand) (US$3.75)
• Anlong Veng (for Ban Pakard in Thailand) (US$4)
• Koh Kong (via Phnom Penh, a long journey)
• Sihanoukville Direct Sleeper Bus (be aware of scam about Hotel Bus for US16$ as people said they not only weren't with WiFi and toilet, but with changes of bus from sleeper to regular seats). Should cost US13$ with free pickup from hostel/guesthouse.

International services

Laos

• Pakse (US$30)
• Don Det in the 4,000 Islands region (US$35)

Be wary of the sleeper bus from Siem Reap to Vientiane. A second payment may be sought for travel onward after stopping for the border crossing. Unscheduled trip delays and an unexpected change to a different service may occur on-route. Be alert to issues of personal security and watchful concerning your possessions and luggage, especially whilst sleeping.

Thailand

• To Bangkok: The ticket is valid for the whole journey but you will change buses in Poipet (US$8)
• From Bangkok: Agents in Kao San Road offer tickets to Siem Reap from 300 THB. These are often part of a scam, and the journey can take more than twelve hours.
• To/from Bangkok there is a direct bus run by Nattakarn Bus Company that leaves Mo Chit bus station at 8am. You do not change buses in Poipet, but must alight to go through border formalities. The cost is around 900฿ ($28) Arrival and departures in Siem Reap are from outside KFC on Sivatha Rd, where the company maintains an office.

If travelling independently to the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border, see those towns' articles for advice on how to reach the border, survive immigration and avoid the "Government" bus scam.

Vietnam

• Ho Chi Minh City (US$18-US$25)

By boat

• A more expensive and more time consuming option from Phnom Penh ($35, 6 hr) or Battambang (US$20-25, 5 hr) is to take a Soviet style Hydrofoil across the Tonle Sap Lake. These can be fantastic trips giving you the opportunity to view life on the lake, floating houses, working fishermen, if you choose to sit on the roof of the boat you will need lots of water and sun screen and a hat, it is extremely hot..  However, the trip can be ruined due to bad weather. Remember to use sunscreen and take a waterproof jacket. You will not be always able to access your luggage during the journey (sometimes the baggage is available, sometimes it is not). If you have the time, it is better to visit the floating villages as day trips from Siem Reap than to see them from the boat. In the dry season the journey can take a lot longer; sometimes the boat gets grounded due to a lack of water.

By helicopter

Helicopters can be chartered to go nearly anywhere in the country. They seat 5-6 people. Prices start at US$1,000 for trips to some of the temples north of Angkor Wat. Companies include Helicopters Cambodia and Helistar Cambodia.

• Battambang (US$1600/helicopter)
• Phnom Penh (US$4700/helicopter)

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siem_Reap

http://wikitravel.org/en/Siem_Reap

http://wikitravel.org/en/Poipet