Tips for travelers to Siem Reap

[Moses]

Good planning is important

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.

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[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

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.