FROM Pub St to the largest religious building ever constructed, there is plenty to squeeze in during 48 hours in Siem Reap.
Set near the glory of empires past, Siem Reap is a welcoming town
in northern Cambodia an attractive, neat and interesting town easy to
settle into once you get your bearings.
in northern Cambodia an attractive, neat and interesting town easy to
settle into once you get your bearings.
Luxury hotels abound as
the town welcomes visitors to the splendour of Angkor Wat, but it is
also firmly on the backpacker trail. The city’s river makes it easy to
find your way if you like to walk, or tuk-tuks are cheap and plentiful.
US dollars are accepted everywhere. Sights to see over a couple of days
include:
the town welcomes visitors to the splendour of Angkor Wat, but it is
also firmly on the backpacker trail. The city’s river makes it easy to
find your way if you like to walk, or tuk-tuks are cheap and plentiful.
US dollars are accepted everywhere. Sights to see over a couple of days
include:
Angkor Wat
A wonder of the world,
and the area’s premier tourism drawcard. The Angkor archaeological park
is 401sq km, the world’s largest World Heritage site. In it are the
ruins of dozens of stone temples of extraordinary size and intricacy.
Massive gates, moats and walls which once protected the ancient capital
Angkor Thom still stand, with enormous stone carvings of elephants,
demons, lions, people and more. The 12th-century Bayon temple is the
largest within Angkor Thom, with stone walls carved with intricate
scenes of hunting, cooking, battles, animals, armies and family life.
When the capital shifted south in the 15th century, the jungle began to
reclaim many temples, and today massive trees with huge root systems are
entwined in much of the stonework. It is quite eerie, with an Indiana
Jones feel.
A wonder of the world,
and the area’s premier tourism drawcard. The Angkor archaeological park
is 401sq km, the world’s largest World Heritage site. In it are the
ruins of dozens of stone temples of extraordinary size and intricacy.
Massive gates, moats and walls which once protected the ancient capital
Angkor Thom still stand, with enormous stone carvings of elephants,
demons, lions, people and more. The 12th-century Bayon temple is the
largest within Angkor Thom, with stone walls carved with intricate
scenes of hunting, cooking, battles, animals, armies and family life.
When the capital shifted south in the 15th century, the jungle began to
reclaim many temples, and today massive trees with huge root systems are
entwined in much of the stonework. It is quite eerie, with an Indiana
Jones feel.
But, for all the splendour of the area, the crowning glory is Angkor Wat
itself. Built in the 12th century, first as a colossal Hindu shrine,
then later used as a Buddhist centre, it is grandeur on a massive scale.
You walk 200m across a causeway over a river-sized moat to reach the
gateways through the towering outer walls, one for the king and others
for commoners. Once through these, there is a 350m walk across grounds
symbolising the journey to heaven.
itself. Built in the 12th century, first as a colossal Hindu shrine,
then later used as a Buddhist centre, it is grandeur on a massive scale.
You walk 200m across a causeway over a river-sized moat to reach the
gateways through the towering outer walls, one for the king and others
for commoners. Once through these, there is a 350m walk across grounds
symbolising the journey to heaven.
The main building is set over
three storeys, topped by five towers, the highest at 65m. As well as
tourists, friendly Buddhist monks and nuns are drawn to the building.
While its sheer size is hard to comprehend a stroll around ground level
is more than 1km so are the details. Extraordinary stone carvings,
bas-relief and stonework are a tribute to the artisans’ skills and tell
all manner of stories. For instance, there are more than 2000 carvings
of the Apsara a supernatural woman each with a different facial
expression. The building has its own aura of power and serenity and a
style unique to the Khmer world.
three storeys, topped by five towers, the highest at 65m. As well as
tourists, friendly Buddhist monks and nuns are drawn to the building.
While its sheer size is hard to comprehend a stroll around ground level
is more than 1km so are the details. Extraordinary stone carvings,
bas-relief and stonework are a tribute to the artisans’ skills and tell
all manner of stories. For instance, there are more than 2000 carvings
of the Apsara a supernatural woman each with a different facial
expression. The building has its own aura of power and serenity and a
style unique to the Khmer world.
Angkor Wat is about 5km from
Siem Reap and entry to the archaeological park is about $20 for a day. A
suggestion take a morning to see other temples in the park, have a
break for lunch as the heat and humidity can take their toll, then set
aside the afternoon for Angkor Wat.
Siem Reap and entry to the archaeological park is about $20 for a day. A
suggestion take a morning to see other temples in the park, have a
break for lunch as the heat and humidity can take their toll, then set
aside the afternoon for Angkor Wat.
Pub St
A
lively avenue of restaurants, bars, stalls and entertainment, this is a
great place to settle in for some people-watching, while enjoying a
great meal at ridiculously low prices. Most of the buildings are two
storeys, with open-air upper levels so you can keep an eye on the
action. An odd drawcard in the street are the large fish tanks offering
fish massages sit with your feet in the tanks and tiny fish nibble away
at dead skin. It is quite a funny sight to see two or three people
chatting away while fish give their feet a treatment. Each evening the
street is blocked to traffic, adding to the festival feel as people
promenade up and down. Some restaurants feature traditional Cambodian
music and dancing as well as dishes such as amok try fish coated in
coconut milk and curry, wrapped in banana leaf and steamed.
A
lively avenue of restaurants, bars, stalls and entertainment, this is a
great place to settle in for some people-watching, while enjoying a
great meal at ridiculously low prices. Most of the buildings are two
storeys, with open-air upper levels so you can keep an eye on the
action. An odd drawcard in the street are the large fish tanks offering
fish massages sit with your feet in the tanks and tiny fish nibble away
at dead skin. It is quite a funny sight to see two or three people
chatting away while fish give their feet a treatment. Each evening the
street is blocked to traffic, adding to the festival feel as people
promenade up and down. Some restaurants feature traditional Cambodian
music and dancing as well as dishes such as amok try fish coated in
coconut milk and curry, wrapped in banana leaf and steamed.
For
all the fun, groups of elegantly dressed men busking in the street are
reminders of Cambodia’s grim past – they are landmine victims trying to
make a living. A bookseller without arms, but with a huge smile used his
stumps to thrust a note in my hands. It said his name was Douk; he
could not speak English, but that he lost his arms in a landmine
explosion would I like to buy a book? With a sales pitch like that, and
that huge smile, how could you say no?
all the fun, groups of elegantly dressed men busking in the street are
reminders of Cambodia’s grim past – they are landmine victims trying to
make a living. A bookseller without arms, but with a huge smile used his
stumps to thrust a note in my hands. It said his name was Douk; he
could not speak English, but that he lost his arms in a landmine
explosion would I like to buy a book? With a sales pitch like that, and
that huge smile, how could you say no?
Markets
The
Night Markets, a short walk from Pub St, have dozens of stalls selling
clothing, jewellery, arts and crafts and other curios at
bargain-basement prices. The quality appears good and you can haggle,
bearing in mind that as Australians, a few cents means a lot more to the
seller than the buyer. The Central Market is a huge complex selling the
usual market items, as well as loads of fresh fruit, vegetables and
other delicacies. The seafood section is a treat, plenty of live
creatures for sale, from frogs to eels, which makes for fascinating
browsing. The food markets get busy later in the day as locals buy their
daily provisions for dinner. There is also the Old Market, again with
numerous stalls packed with all manner of clothing, watches, shoes,
jewellery and other bargains. English is widely understood and, like Pub
St, the markets feel very safe.
The
Night Markets, a short walk from Pub St, have dozens of stalls selling
clothing, jewellery, arts and crafts and other curios at
bargain-basement prices. The quality appears good and you can haggle,
bearing in mind that as Australians, a few cents means a lot more to the
seller than the buyer. The Central Market is a huge complex selling the
usual market items, as well as loads of fresh fruit, vegetables and
other delicacies. The seafood section is a treat, plenty of live
creatures for sale, from frogs to eels, which makes for fascinating
browsing. The food markets get busy later in the day as locals buy their
daily provisions for dinner. There is also the Old Market, again with
numerous stalls packed with all manner of clothing, watches, shoes,
jewellery and other bargains. English is widely understood and, like Pub
St, the markets feel very safe.
Foreign Correspondents Club
For
a change of pace from Pub St, the elegant Foreign Correspondents Club
next to the royal residence is a must-see stop. With an old-world feel
harking back to the French colonial era, it is a stylish place for a
cool drink amid the humidity, to have a meal and imagine the stories
that the walls could tell. There also is a sister FCC in Phnom Penh, in a
building overlooking the Mekong River.
For
a change of pace from Pub St, the elegant Foreign Correspondents Club
next to the royal residence is a must-see stop. With an old-world feel
harking back to the French colonial era, it is a stylish place for a
cool drink amid the humidity, to have a meal and imagine the stories
that the walls could tell. There also is a sister FCC in Phnom Penh, in a
building overlooking the Mekong River.
Victoria Angkor
There
is no shortage of places to say, for all budgets, but this is a gem.
Built in French-colonial style, but relatively new, this 5-star resort
and spa has all modern conveniences and even an alligator pond for the
endangered Mekong alligator. A nice touch is the collection of three
vintage Citroen cars by the entrance, setting the scene you are
entering. A classy retreat.
There
is no shortage of places to say, for all budgets, but this is a gem.
Built in French-colonial style, but relatively new, this 5-star resort
and spa has all modern conveniences and even an alligator pond for the
endangered Mekong alligator. A nice touch is the collection of three
vintage Citroen cars by the entrance, setting the scene you are
entering. A classy retreat.
Angkor National Museum
This
showcases the golden era of the Khmer empire, with treasures and
artefacts spread through eight galleries. An interesting insight into a
culture which was once among the most powerful in South-East Asia,
extending its rule and influence into today’s Laos, Vietnam, Burma,
Malaysia and Thailand as it flourished from the ninth to the 13th
century. Source from https://mexcamb.wordpress.com
This
showcases the golden era of the Khmer empire, with treasures and
artefacts spread through eight galleries. An interesting insight into a
culture which was once among the most powerful in South-East Asia,
extending its rule and influence into today’s Laos, Vietnam, Burma,
Malaysia and Thailand as it flourished from the ninth to the 13th
century. Source from https://mexcamb.wordpress.com
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