Siem Reap travel guide beyond the temples
Siem Reap has more to offer than Angkor: countryside cycling, the Tonle Sap villages, a lively food scene, a circus, craft workshops and easy day trips.
In this guide
Most people come to Siem Reap for Angkor, but the town itself rewards an extra day or two. It has a relaxed riverside centre, one of Cambodia's best food scenes, live performances and countryside that begins a few minutes from the hotels.
The town in brief
Siem Reap grew around the small Siem Reap river. The Old Market area and nearby Pub Street form the busy tourist core, while the Wat Bo neighbourhood across the river is calmer, with guesthouses and cafes. The town is small enough to cross by tuk-tuk in ten or fifteen minutes.
Things to do when you're not at the temples
- Cycle the countryside. Rice fields, village pagodas and stilt houses lie just outside town. Many guesthouses rent bicycles, and guided rides are widely available.
- See a show. Phare, the Cambodian Circus, mixes acrobatics with storytelling; apsara dance is performed at several venues around town.
- Visit the Tonle Sap. Stilt villages such as Kampong Phluk and Kampong Khleang show how people live with the lake's seasonal rise and fall.
- Learn to cook. Cooking classes usually begin with a market visit and end with lunch.
- Watch artisans at work. Workshops in town train young Cambodians in stone carving, lacquerware and silk.
- Visit the museums. The Angkor National Museum gives useful background before or after the temples.
Eating and drinking
Siem Reap has everything from Khmer street stalls to modern Cambodian restaurants. Try fish amok, lok lak and num banh chok noodles in the morning. Pub Street is loud and busy at night; the streets around it and across the river are quieter.
Day trips
- Phnom Kulen, the sacred mountain with waterfalls and riverbed carvings.
- Beng Mealea, a partly collapsed temple in the forest.
- Kbal Spean, a short jungle hike to carvings in a riverbed.
- Koh Ker, a former capital with a pyramid-shaped temple, best as a long day.
How long to stay
Three days covers the main temples. Add one or two days for the countryside, the lake and a show. Many travellers find that a slower pace makes the temples more enjoyable rather than less.
Getting around
Hire a tuk-tuk by the day for the temples, or use ride-hailing apps in town. Bicycles and e-bikes are a good way to see the countryside and some temples, especially in the cooler months.
When to visit
November to February is the busiest and most pleasant season. The rainy months are greener and quieter, and the moats and reservoirs at Angkor look their best.