Siem Reap - springboard to Angkor!

Siem Reap perhaps appears an unremarkable town in itself but it is undoubtedly overshadowed by the 1,000 year old ruins of the Khmer Empire which are known today as the Temples of Angkor. Visitors have been coming here to visit the Temples for over 100 years and it has grown from a cluster of small villages into one of the world’s major tourist destinations. Today it provides a range of hotels, restaurants and tourist services for the millions of visitors who flock to the UNESCO World Heritage site.

If you have time following your visit to the Temples, try to take advantage of your stay in Siem Reap to enjoy some of the traditional Cambodian way of life in the area. It is easy to visit silk farms and rice-paddy countryside, take a boat trip on the Tonle Sap Lake to fishing villages and bird sanctuaries or enjoy traditional dance performances. It may be hard to believe, but there is much more to Siem Reap and Cambodia than Angkor and it has never been more accessable to the individual traveler.

There are direct international flights to and from Siem Reap from Bangkok, Singapore*, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur and Vientiane. There are also regular domestic flights from Phnom Penh and a daily river ferry from the capital as well. If you arrive by air, transport from the airport to town is easy. A motorcycle taxi costs $1 and a car taxi $5. If arriving by ferry, the dock is actually 12 kilometres south of the town but there is an abundance of local transport available to bring you the rest of the way. A motorcycle taxi will charge $2 and cars $5 but you may get a slightly lower fare if you bargain hard!

* In January 2005, Silk Air announced the introduction of thrice-weekly direct flights from Singapore to Da Nang, Vietnam. The return flight is via Siem Reap.

The growing number of tourists has ensured that the amount and quality of accommodation in Siem Reap continues to grow to cater for the requirements of travellers with all tastes and budgets. There are now a handful of 4 and 5-star international standard hotels and resorts in the city. Mid-range rooms are plentiful and range in price from $15 to $60, depending upon your requirements. There are dozens of budget, often family-run guesthouses for travellers on a budget which range in cost from $2-10 per night.

Likewise, Siem Reap offers a wide variety of dining out possibilities, ranging from fine dining experiences in sophisticated and refined environments, to casual international-style restaurants and cafes. With all that to choose from, don't forget to try the excellent, local cuisine which is available at a price to suit all budgets.

The free, 2007 Editions of the on-line Thailand and Vietnam Travel Guides are now available in English. Other Travel Guides will be available in the near future.

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