Tips for travelers to Siem Reap

[Moses]

Good planning is important http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.png

Tips:
1. Start your daily trip to Angkor as early as it is possible. Best time is 7 - 7:30, you will be after crowd watched sunrise and before main caravan of buses with groups
2. Hire AC car, not tuk-tuk: you will have relax in car btw temples - usually such trip takes 5-10 min and this time you will be cooled by AC, also you will find yourself and clothes clean after travel (red dust from roads is hard to wash out), also good car companies supply cars with cooled complimentary water and cold towels.
3. Don't waste your time in Angkor to lunch: food is overpriced, low quality, poisoning is possible, bring with you bottle of water 1-2 apples/bananas,
4. Don't hurry up. Better to have 4-5 days of wonderful vacation than 2-3 days of maraphone. Daily start at 7AM, return to hotel at 1-2PM, chill body in pool at peak of heat and take a lunch after, then short nap and you will be fresh again to sunset.
5. Sunrise and sunsets in Cambodia are whole year almost at the same time - about 6/18 +/- 20min.
6. Don't spend time at "sunrise in Angkor" show - it is overcrowded, no, OVERCROWDED. You will find yourself in noisy crowd of excited people instead of romantic silence of the great show of Nature.
7. Don't miss sunset at Tonle Sap (lake) - sunsets there is colorful and sometimes is much more colorful than most known sunsets in Kenya. Bring your lovely boy with you and make as many pictures as you can - light at time of sunset is magical for best photography.
8. Woman's temple Beantey Srei is a MUST. It is 30 km from Siem Rap, but only Angkor Wat can compete with it. On the way back you can visit land mine museum.
9. Best folk dance Apsara show is on the second floor in restaurant (sic!) next (to right) to Khmer Soup restaurant at Pub Street. It is free if you take a table and ordering meals. Don't agree to far tables - better to reserve first row table at next day. Restaurant has a group of good trained artists, they make good quality show daily. Most other places with "Apsara show" in town - overpriced traps for tourists.
10. Siem Reap has real European quality gay bar since past year - Barcode, show is so so, but interior, atmosphere and drinks are super, best time is after 9PM, but better to come early - to take a seats and table.
11. Best dinners with local cusine and reasonable prices - already mentioned Khmer Soup (Pub street, right side if you are going from Blue Pumpkin)
12. Khmer have no idea what mean word "coffee". The only place in town with good coffee - Blue Pumpkin and it's branches.
13. Don't forget to visit Cultural Village in town - you will see silk farm and art crafting.
14. All moneyboys are mostly straight and lazy. The best place to meet really willing boy is Men's sauna btw 6pm and 8pm, it has dark room and labirinth with cabins. There are bar and kitchen also in Mens, but kitchen is so so (very so so).

Please feel free to ask questions, but only about Siem Reap - I don't like PP.

[paperboy]

yes one of my fav places of all time, also found it easy to pick up boys nearly anywhere. Always boys avaiñable in Temple disco late at night, for a few drinks hes all yours.
cant wait for my next visit in June

[Andaman!]

Mr Moses - This is a most useful and well thought out guide. I have visited Siem Reap on a couple of occasions and am adding to your comments below in CAPITALS.

Siem Reap remains my favourite destination in Asia. Rambutan is a great place to stay.


Good planning is important http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.png

Tips:
1. Start your daily trip to Angkor as early as it is possible. Best time is 7 - 7:30, you will be after crowd watched sunrise and before main caravan of buses with groups. ALSO ASK YOUR GUIDE TO TAKE YOU IN BY THE BACK ENTRANCE SO YOU ARE WALKING AGAINST RATHER THAN FOLLOWING THE CROWD WHO HAVE NOT SEEN THE SUNRISE DUE TO A CLOUDY OR HAZY SKY. THIS WAY YOU GET MUCH OF THE COMPLEX VIRTUALLY TO YOURSELF.
2. Hire AC car, not tuk-tuk: you will have relax in car btw temples - usually such trip takes 5-10 min and this time you will be cooled by AC, also you will find yourself and clothes clean after travel (red dust from roads is hard to wash out), also good car companies supply cars with cooled complimentary water and cold towels. IF THE WEATHER IS GOOD TUKTUK WITH THE BREEZE BLOWING IN YOUR FACE CAN BE QUITE FUN TOO. PROBABLY NOT SUITABLE FOR THE ELDERLY WITH PROSTATE TROUBLE THOUGH DUE TO THE BOUNCING THROUGH THE OMNIPRESENT POTHOLES
3. Don't waste your time in Angkor to lunch: food is overpriced, low quality, poisoning is possible, bring with you bottle of water 1-2 apples/bananas, I ENJOY THE LUNCH STOP AND A TREAT TO BUY GUIDE AND DRIVER LUNCH TOO AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT THEIR LIFE IN CAMBODIA - ALTHOUGH I HAD ONE GUIDE WHO SPEND ENTIRE LUNCH QUIZZING ME ABOUT IVF (A TOPIC ON WHICH I KNOW VERY LITTLE!) AS AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF MARRIAGE HE HAD FAILED TO INSEMINATE HIS WIFE!!! FOOD QUALITY NOT BRILLIANT BUT I WOULD FAR PREFER AS OPPOSED TO A PACKED LUNCHEON OF APPLES, BANANA AND WATER.
4. Don't hurry up. Better to have 4-5 days of wonderful vacation than 2-3 days of maraphone. Daily start at 7AM, return to hotel at 1-2PM, chill body in pool at peak of heat and take a lunch after, then short nap and you will be fresh again to sunset. 100% AGREE
5. Sunrise and sunsets in Cambodia are whole year almost at the same time - about 6/18 +/- 20min. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT BUT MUCH BETTER TO VISIT NOVEMBER TO MARCH IN DRY SEASON. MY FIRST VISIT WAS LATE APRIL / EARLY MAY AND IT WAS VERY WET AND MUDDY UNDERFOOT.
6. Don't spend time at "sunrise in Angkor" show - it is overcrowded, no, OVERCROWDED. You will find yourself in noisy crowd of excited people instead of romantic silence of the great show of Nature. AS STATED ABOVE, GO IN AT THE BACK ENTRANCE AT THIS TIME AWAY FROM THE CROWD AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE ANGKOT TO YOURSELF
7. Don't miss sunset at Tonle Sap (lake) - sunsets there is colorful and sometimes is much more colorful than most known sunsets in Kenya. Bring your lovely boy with you and make as many pictures as you can - light at time of sunset is magical for best photography. BEAUTIFUL TRIP - WELL WORTH IT
8. Woman's temple Beantey Srei is a MUST. It is 30 km from Siem Rap, but only Angkor Wat can compete with it. On the way back you can visit land mine museum. UNMISSABLE AND SO ORNATE BUT NEED AN EXTRA DAY TO INCLUDE BANTEAY SREI
9. Best folk dance Apsara show is on the second floor in restaurant (sic!) next (to right) to Khmer Soup restaurant at Pub Street. It is free if you take a table and ordering meals. Don't agree to far tables - better to reserve first row table at next day. Restaurant has a group of good trained artists, they make good quality show daily. Most other places with "Apsara show" in town - overpriced traps for tourists.
10. Siem Reap has real European quality gay bar since past year - Barcode, show is so so, but interior, atmosphere and drinks are super, best time is after 9PM, but better to come early - to take a seats and table. ONLY OPENED SINCE MY LAST VISIT AND LOOK FORWARD TO EXPERIENCING ON NEXT TRIP
11. Best dinners with local cusine and reasonable prices - already mentioned Khmer Soup (Pub street, right side if you are going from Blue Pumpkin) KHMER SOUP IS A FANTASTIC RESTAURANT AND GOOD VALUE
12. Khmer have no idea what mean word "coffee". The only place in town with good coffee - Blue Pumpkin and it's branches. I DID NOT FIND A COFFEE PROBLEM IN SIEM REAP BUT PROBABLY MORE ITALIAN OR FRENCH STYLE THAN THE STARBUCKESQUE BLUE PUMPKIN
13. Don't forget to visit Cultural Village in town - you will see silk farm and art crafting. INTERESTING BUT VERY TOURSIT ORIENTATED
14. All moneyboys are mostly straight and lazy. The best place to meet really willing boy is Men's sauna btw 6pm and 8pm, it has dark room and labirinth with cabins. FUN TO BE HAD HERE. There are bar and kitchen also in Mens, but kitchen is so so (very so so) - GO TO PUB STREET TO EAT AND ALSO TRY MASSAGE AT LINGA SPA WHICH HAD ONE VERY CUTE AND NAUGHTY MASSEUR.

Please feel free to ask questions, but only about Siem Reap - I don't like PP.

[christianpfc]

3. Don't waste your time in Angkor to lunch: food is overpriced, low quality, poisoning is possible, bring with you bottle of water 1-2 apples/bananas.
I second that. A very poor lunch for two was 9 USD (originally miscalculated as 10 USD).

Going from SR to AW by bicycle is possible, and I did so when I went in 2014. However, I would not recommend. Time spent cycling is lost for sightseeing; exhaustion, dust, sun, sweat, possibility of technical problems, rain.

[Aux1010]

Thanks for the tips Moses. If I wanted to visit Angkor Wat in the evening as opposed to the morning, can anyone recommend what sort of time would be preferable to start / finish the tour (I'd prefer to avoid being out in the sun too much if possible, plus I'm not a morning person!)? I'll be visiting for about five days in November (and yes, I'll be seeing if Sareth is available for a couple of those days).

[Moses]

Angkor Wat is opened for visitors only from 6am till 6pm, so you should to start tour not late than 1pm

[fedssocr]

You definitely pay what I call museum prices at the restaurants inside the park. My meal was OK, but nothing special and overpriced as noted.

My guide last time I was there (last December) was in tune with my photography wishes and took me to the temples in an order to maximize my shooting opportunities. So we did Angkor Wat last in the later afternoon.

Also did the trip out to Preah Vihear which was interesting. It's a long ride from SR though so we did an overnight near PV and stopped along the way at Beng Mealea and Koh Ker.

[dinagam]

fedssocr,

Did you do the Preah Vihear trip by private car?

The last time I was in Siem Reap I couldn't get any tour company with the minimum number of people to share the expenses for a day trip on my chosen dates.

[loke]

Anyone know if you can take your car with Thai plates into Cambodia ? Do you need some special documents ?

[Moses]

fedssocr,

Did you do the Preah Vihear trip by private car?

The last time I was in Siem Reap I couldn't get any tour company with the minimum number of people to share the expenses for a day trip on my chosen dates.

Siamroads.com do Preah Vihear. Prices are: $80 guide (per car), $135 AC car (3 pax max), also you will pay $15 for ticket in temple. It is full day tour.

[Old git]

I've been to Siem Reap a few times as a visa run destination, but to be honest I doubt I'll be going back any time soon.

Great if you're into temples and the local culinary variants, but if you want to wake up with a cute local boy in your bed, forget it - the MBs have almost all left town (to Pattaya, I was told..)

[colmx]

posted this on the GB board - and thought it was worth repeating here...

As others posted above, the Rambutan Resort was formerly known as the Golden Banana. Just be careful that you don't book the current Golden Banana.

Its on the same alleyway as the Rambutan, and owned by the same people... but its a complete dive.

Myself, BF and an farang friend stayed in 2 rooms at the GB back in January. On first impression the reception area and garden seemed very nice.

We were then taken to our room, which involved a rickety (and very steep) wooden ladder that you had to climb to get into the first floor room.

The room itself looked like a broom cupboard or converted rice storage room... and nothing at all like the website pics.

The air-conditioning didn't work properly, so we were told to use the ceiling fans... Trouble is the ceiling fans were not secured to the ceiling and were hanging by their electrical cables! I couldn't sleep knowing that those giant rotating blades were gyrating 2.5 metres above my head!

There was at least a 1cm gap down both sides of the front door in both rooms, so as you can imagine the mosquitoes loved that.

The curtain rail was set 4 inches out from the window. as a result there were a 4x4 inch light gaps filling the room with sun from dawn to dusk

The bathrooms were filthy with mould growing everywhere... easily fixed by some bleach

There was a 9 year old manning reception in the evening, nice way for him to practise his English... but not very practical from a security standpoint.

When we went to the bar the staff didn't know how to make a Vodka Tonic. Handed me a shot class of Vodka and a can of Tonic water!

To top it all when my friend complained about the faeces on the wall in his bathroom and the rubbish accumulating outside his bedroom window - he was advised that he should have booked a deluxe room... and this was by the owner!

If that's the owners attitude - then I will be staying away from all his "resorts" in the future and you would be well advised to do the same

Have also stayed an River Queen guesthouse in SR in recent years, whilst its far from perfect... its a million times better than the Golden Bananna.

The River Queen ex-owner certainly was an interesting character... and an interesting blog!
Reminded me of an extra from Priscilla Queen of the desert!
The new nae for the place is '84 hotel
http://year84.com/

It ain't the Ritz.... but its sure better than the 'Banana!

After we left SR we hit Phnom Penh and stayed at Saravoan Royal Palace www.saravoanroyalpalace.com, the welcome we received there was so vastly different to the Golden Bananna. The owner really cares about his hotel, his guests and their experience.

I can not sing the praises of Saravoan Royal Palace enough

[frequent]

The River Queen was also covered in this post http://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?16803-My-SE-Asian-sojourn-(Siem-Reap)

[FarangRuMak]

Re. Golden Banana.
I used to stay there in the early days of its existance.
Back then it was the leading place to be and the staff and management were great.
From what you have experienced it has now become the resort from hell.
The owners just kept buying out the nearby properties and now it’s all a bit confusing.
What turned me off was how quickly the management embraced the straight snow-white scrawny women and their boyfriends/girlfriends and thus turned their backs on their original customer base- the ‘gays’.
Manor House in PP did the same but now I hear it has reverted back under new ownership.

[colmx]

Re. Golden Banana.
I used to stay there in the early days of its existance

Same here, BF and I stayed in the GB on our first Cambodia trip back in 2003
My understanding is that the old GB is now the Rambutan resort, and the current GB is a neighbouring business they took over


straight snow-white scrawny women and their boyfriends/girlfriends
My experience in Cambodia was more of FWCs (Fat White Cows) who love to hang out with gay boys... but sneer down their nose at the farang the gay boys try to pick up, whilst whispering and tut-tutting "sex tourists" to each other!

[Dalewood]

http://year84.com/[/url]

It ain't the Ritz.... but its sure better than the 'Banana!



Is the '84 still gay?

[paulo15]

"its on the same alleyway as the Rambutan, and owned by the same people... but its a complete dive."

Lets's clear this up.
The Golden Banana B&B started life 17 years ago, built and run by a Dutch guy and his Khmer partner. As it became popular, Dirk built a Boutique hotel next door (Golden Banana Boutique Hotel). Several years later on the other side of the original B&B Dirk built The Golden Banana Resort. All three places were in the same lane.
Some years later Dirk and his partner split up and they decided to split the properties with Dirk keeping the Boutique and Resort and his partner keeping the B&B and some land they had acquired opposite the B&B.
Dirk rebranded his properties to Rambutan and the ex partner built 2 more GBs, the GB superior and there's a third overspill property.
The GB hotels are cheaper and Khmer owned and run, the Rambutan properties and not cheap and European owned and managed. There is a world of difference.