Planning Your Four Days Cambodia Itinerary? Read on to Learn about the Delights of Phnom Penh, the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap and More…
While a less popular option, Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia definitely warrants a visit too in my humble opinion. It’s from this capital city that I learned of their heartbreaking history in the 1970s.
This is a country that has a story to tell. A very sad and heart wrenching one, yes. But a very important one for sure. I am speaking of the Pol Pot regime that brought suffering to millions of Cambodians. There is much for us to learn and grief about. Every single one of them deserves to have their stories heard and the devastating history revealed. They deserve our prayers.
Despite their heart wrenching past, Cambodians have got to be one of the friendliest people I have ever met on my travels. My experience with some of the locals at the Central Market, Phnom Penh really touched my heart. Do read about that account below, under Day 1 – Central Market.
If you haven’t got much time, try spending at least a day in Phnom Penh. Otherwise, this article tells you why 2 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in the Cambodian capital.
Read on to discover my 4 days of adventure in the culturally-rich country of Cambodia which happened from the 20th to 23rd December 2019.
Just a few notes before we get started...
Money
Some important information before you begin your travel, let me start by mentioning that USD is widely accepted both in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (and probably throughout the country as well). The locals are able to quote prices in both the Cambodian Riel and USD.When you do a transaction and change has to be returned, usually it’s in Riel which you can use to pay for other goods and services. During my time there in Dec 2019, the equivalent of 1 USD was 4100 Riel.
Weather
October to April is the dry season in Cambodia with very little rain which is great for travels! But the heat during this dry season is no joke. Wear light clothing that will be comfortable even in the scorching sun and never venture out without applying copious amounts of sunblock. Hats, caps, sunglasses are truly your friends during this period. Rest of the year, it’s usually the wet season.Getting Around
The best way to get around Cambodia is by the tuk tuk. To get the best prices, and by that I mean making sure you don’t pay more than you have to, download the Grab app to book your rides.Tuk Tuk is perfect for 1 or 2 travellers. For a group of 3 or 4, you might want to book the remorque tuk tuk which is basically the bigger version of the normal Tuk Tuk though it cost slightly more.
Otherwise if you prefer not to be breathing in the smells of the road and exhaust, ‘JustGrab’ which are air-conditioned cars are also available. Renting a bike to travel around Siem Reap is also common though riding around Phnom Penh might be a little unwise as traffic is usually more heavy and chaotic.
At the airport, be sure to get your SIM card with data plan. It cost about 5 USD for 40 GB of data from Metfone. Some posts mentioned that you could get it for as little as 2 USD but I didn’t see such a plan even though I tried asking the staff at the various counters. If you need call features, it’s 6 USD for 21 GB and 15 minutes of call.
I left the killing field and S21 prison for Day 2 but if you are spending only a day in Phnom Penh, I recommend you visit those places first. Like I mentioned earlier, the people of Cambodia deserve to have their stories heard and our prayers dedicated to them.
I went all crazy enthusiastic with listing the attractions below but you may not be able to cover them all within a day.
Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo Morokat)
Entrance fee: 10 USD
Opening hours: 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. Reopens 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
A collection of buildings with splendid architecture and the main residence of the King of Cambodia. This also serves as a venue for court ceremonies since 1866 after Phnom Penh became the capital of Cambodia.
You could top up 10 USD per group for a guide which many say is totally worth it. A guide will probably give you better context while navigating among the beautiful buildings. We didn’t get one because of a shortage of time and so were a little lost while exploring the vast complex.
There is a dress code for this attraction so make sure you are dressed conservatively - long pants or long skirts/dress.
Be sure to check out the Silver Pagoda which is located at the Southern part of the Royal Palace complex. It is here the King meets with the monks and where royal ceremonies are performed.
The floor of the temple is made of 5329 silver tiles, hence the name was coined. Most of the floor is currently covered with carpet though.
Inside you will find various art objects, like the ‘Emerald Buddha’ and lots of priceless Buddhist objects made from valuable materials like gold, silver, bronze, diamond, etc. All gifts from the King and royal family, dignitaries and worshippers.
Independence Monument
This structure, built to commemorate Cambodia’s independence from France, is located in the middle of a busy roundabout so it’s a little hard to get to. Though honestly you don’t actually need to go to the Independence Monument, which is really just the single structure shown in the picture above.
It looks good from a distance especially at night. Try visiting the park nearby during the evening or stroll around the area at night. Makes for a very scenic view.
Central Market (Phsar Thmei)
The building housing the central market was erected in 1937 and have a dome-shaped structure with an Art Deco design.
Here you will find stalls selling a wide variety of goods ranging from jewelries, clothes, handicrafts, gadgets, etc., bustling with activity.
There is a section of wet market area selling fresh seafood and another section with food and drinks where we had our lunch.
We shared a table with a family of locals, ordering a plate of fried noodles (7000 Riel) and choosing a cup of passionfruit juice (1 USD) that we saw the family having.
What touched me the most was how friendly they were to tourist like us, making suggestions to add olive oil to the noodles so it becomes tastier.
When the mum of the family saw that I was watching her curiously while she bought some dessert from a walking vendor, she offered me one of the desserts without thought and absolutely refused when we tried to pay her for it.
Most of these happened without much conversation. I believe most of them couldn’t speak English except for the daughter who engaged in some casual conversation with me. But of course, they didn’t let something as small as a language barrier get in the way of their kindness.
Wat Phnom
Entrance fee (only for foreigners): 1 USD
Opening hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Also known as ‘hill temple’, this Buddhist temple is located at the highest point of Phnom Penh. It is by no means the most impressive temple you will see in Cambodia but it was a peaceful detour for me amidst the bustle of the city.
Apparent, there is a shrine beside the temple that’s dedicated to a widow, Lady Penh, who legend has it discovered four Buddha statues which she later placed on the hill on which Wat Phnom was built.
Incidentally it is where Phnom Penh, meaning ‘hill of Penh’, got its name from. You could say this is sort of the birth place of Phnom Penh!
Also, if you have the time, get a look of the temple at night. It looks gold and stunning.
Night Market
There are several of these in Phnom Penh. The one we went to is located a short walking distance from the Wat Phnom, close to the Tonle Sap River, so you could visit Wat Phnom right before your night market sojourn.
Here you will find a wide range of goods – clothes, bags, souvenirs etc. I always hear people saying that we should bargain before making a purchase from the markets but we honestly didn’t have much luck with bargaining here.
Most of the stall owners flat out refused to engage in any form of bargain. We had much better luck bargaining at the markets in Siem Reap.
Aeon Mall
If you have extra time on hand and missing your city life, check out Aeon Mall. One of the biggest malls in Phnom Penh, this is perfect if you wish to spend your day lazing around indoors doing a spot of shopping.
Of course, with countless malls back home, I didn’t spend too much time here.
Most are located to the right of the map close to Tonle Sap River and Mekong River.
S21 prison
Entrance fee is 5 USD. For 8 USD you get an audio guide.
Opening hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
My recommendation is to visit the S21 prison first, also known as the Tuol Sleng Prison or the National Genocide Museum. It gives you a detailed overview of the Pol Pot /Khmer Rouge’s regime that happened between the 1975 and 1979.
It is totally worth it to get the audio guide as it’s packed with loads of information.
Honestly walking through the prison without the guide doesn’t quite give you a full understanding of the brutal mass genocide because the exhibits are not accompanied by written explanations.
Choeung Ek Killing Fields
Entrance fee: 3 USD
Opening hours: 7.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
A former orchard and mass grave of the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime that saw more than 17,000 people brutally murdered and buried.
It didn’t feel right for me to take pictures while walking around so I don’t really have many to show. There are signs like the one below scattered about to give a brief guide.
For a quick introduction of the place do read Pommie Travel’s article on the Killing Field. The article contains some pictures too.
Massage
You could end off your day with a massage like we did. Afterall the day’s event probably hasn’t been easy for you too. Bopha Spa was a great place with good prices. We choose the 60 minutes Khmer massage without oil that cost 9 USD.
Alternatively, you could check with your hotel if they can arrange a massage session for you at the hotel room itself like our hotel provided. Of course these will cost a little more.
Catch the Giant Ibis’ Night Sleeper bus to Siem Reap at either 11 p.m. or 11.30 p.m. I personally didn’t take this but I wish I had. It has some great reviews plus it will save you a whole 6 hours of daytime travelling which you can then spend on your exploring! Extra bonus: you get to save on one night hotel cost!
Estimated time of arrival in Siem Reap on the night bus is around 6 a.m. The problem is that you need an early check-in at your hotel so be sure to inform them earlier so that they can try to make arrangements for you.
Alternatively, take the day bus like I did but the earliest timing I found for the Giant Ibis bus is 8.45 a.m. which will get you to Siem Reap only at 3 p.m.!! Which waste a huge chunk of your day especially if you are short of time. This will cost you 15 USD similar to the night bus. You could book your tickets through Klook as I did.
There are other bus companies as well but I found the Giant Ibis had the best reviews and based on my experience, it’s a safe ride.
You are provided with a bottle of drinking water and a small snack, chocolate bun for me. WiFi and power outlets are available on the bus though I couldn’t connect to the WiFi on some leg of the journey.
The bus stops twice during the journey, the first is a short 15 minutes stop at a souvenir store where you could make a quick visit to the loo. The second is a slightly longer 30 minutes lunch stop at a restaurant. I didn’t eat the food there so can’t really comment on it but it looked like regular food with regular prices. 4 USD for beef rice etc.
If neither of those arrangements sounds good to you, you could check with your hotel if they can make arrangements for a private trip on a mini bus/van. Especially if you are a small group of say 4 to 6 people. Usually these trips take a shorter time of approximately 5 hours, maybe lesser.
Our hotel was able to do it for 14 USD per pax but we had already booked the bus by then. So check with your hotel first if they can make arrangements for you.
Otherwise, book the mini bus on your own. A company I was considering was the Cambodia Post VIP Van which seemed to have overall good reviews.
So do take advantage of this service and inform them beforehand of your arrival plans! Usually these transfers cannot be exchanged for free departure transfer.
We stayed at the Araya Angkor Residence for 2 nights and had a wonderful stay there! The staff were super friendly and helpful and the rooms were wonderful to live in. If you haven’t got a place to stay yet, check this one out.
It’s a bit of a distance from the downtown area though the hotel provides free tuk tuk rides to the Old Market area from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily. From there it’s a short walk to the popular pub street.
We spent the day exploring the town of Siem Reap and left Angkor Wat for the next day.
Doing this have several benefits – firstly, you can make whatever necessary arrangements you wish for your visit to the temple complex such as hiring a driver or booking a tour with your hotel etc. And secondly, um… ok there is no secondly...
If landing in Siem Reap today and going off to see the Angkor Wat today itself is what you want to do then go right ahead. There isn’t any major disadvantage to that.
Now if Angkor Wat isn’t in your plans today…
ATV Ride
Get on an ATV to explore the countryside of Siem Reap with Cambodia Quad Bike. They come highly reviewed so do check them out.
The tour consist of driving through the countryside of Siem Reap seeing the animals, rice fields, sunset (if you opt for a sunset tour).
It was simple enough to book through their website, a confirmation email will be sent requesting for your hotel details. Pick-up and drop-off is available.
Just to be sure of your safety, someone will determine if you can handle the vehicle independently. Otherwise, you could ride with your companion or one of the guides.
Markets – Old Market, Angkor Night Market, Noon Night Market
There are many markets you could visit in Siem Reap and a lot of them are at walking distance to each other. The Old Market (Phsar Chas), Angkor Night Market and Noon Night Market are just a few of them worth visiting.
You can find lots and lots of items here from artistry works like paintings and sculptures to inexpensive souvenirs, clothes, bags, jewelries, etc. If you have any souvenir shopping to do, this is the best place to do it. Better than the Night Market at Phnom Penh (here you are definitely expected to bargain).
Pub Street
Looking for bars, cafés, restaurants and cheap beer? Pub street is definitely the place to be! This short street is filled with lively music and constantly bustling with activity, making it a delightful place to just stroll along especially at night. It does get particularly crowded with tourists though.
If you are looking for beer, make sure you don’t pay more than 50 cents for it! There are lots of places that sell them this cheap.
Should you desire a massage, there are plenty of massage parlours around. Walking to adjacent streets will bring you to more of them. All at really affordable prices.
For cheap and good ones, try out Master Feet Massage and Spa at 2 Thnou Street, very close to Pub Street. There we got a 60 minutes foot massage for 6 USD. They have other kinds of massages too but we didn’t try those.
Alternatively, you could try Pidor Massage and Spa where I did the 60 minutes full body oil massage for 10 USD. A full body massage without oil cost 8 USD. Those were also good.
In fact I am sure most of the massage places should be more or less the same. Just pop into one that doesn’t look too shady and clarify with them properly what exactly the massage entails and you should be good.
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat, known also as ‘City of Temples’ in Khmer was built by King Suryavarman II during the Khmer Empire in the early 12th century as a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple then became a Buddhist one in the later part of the 12th century.
Take note that Angkor Wat is just one of the Angkor Temples, all located within the Angkor Archaeological Park.
First off, purchase your admission pass to the Angkor Archaeological Park. This allows you to visit the hundreds of monuments and structures of the Khmer Empire that is spread over 400 square kilometers / 163 hectares of land. There are 3 types of passes:
1 Day pass - 37 USD
3 Day pass - 62 USD
7 Day pass - 72 USD.
The ticket counters are opened 4.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Tickets have to be purchased directly from the ticket counter as the pass will contain a photo of you which will be taken on-site.
Always carry the pass on you whenever you are within the Angkor Archaeological Park as the guards will regularly check for them. The closing time for most of the temples is 5.30 p.m. though some might stay open until 7 p.m. to allow visitors to watch the sunset.
If this is the only day you will be visiting the Angkor Temples, I strongly recommend that you engage a guide to help you better appreciate the beauty of the temples within this short time frame. In fact, it is a good idea to engage a guide, at least for a day even if you plan to spend days exploring the temples.
We took the small group sunrise tour which we purchased off GetYourGuide for 30.59 USD and there were 9 pax in our group. Hotel pick-up and drop-off was included.
I found the tour very informative and our guide, Mr Saroun was super enthusiastic, going the extra mile to take good photos for us and always enquiring if we wish to stay longer at certain sites.
The tour covers 3 of the popular temples – Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and The Bayon as well as Angkor Thom City, within which the Bayon is situated.
We started off at Angkor Wat, watching the sunrise from there. It was no joke getting up as early as 3.45 a.m. all for the chance to witness it.
The sun was not rising at the ideal center position but twice a year, during the equinox (when day and night are of equal length) the sun rises directly above the tallest tower of the Angkor Wat, on the 20th of March and 23rd of September. Save those dates if you wish to witness that perfectly symmetrical phenomenon!
Honestly, will I watch another sunrise at Angkor Wat? Not really. It’s much too early to get up plus the area gets very crowded with everyone jostling for the best spot to get their camera in the perfect position. But hey, you just might enjoy the experience.
The temples though were another story altogether. They were fascinating and the architecture beautiful. You can see lots of thought and attention to details went into its construction.
Ta Prohm
Remember the Tomb Raider film starring Angelina Jolie? This temple was featured in it.
It’s distinctive for the huge trees (from the surrounding jungles) that have grown over the walls and roofs of the temple structure, becoming one with the temple itself.
One gets the feeling of a mystical, long forgotten temple. It was truly an amazing feeling walking amongst the temple with rubbles of stones lying around, as if abandoned.
One interesting thing our guide pointed out was the carving of a dinosaur, a Stegosaurus to be exact, on one of the walls of this temple. I'm not saying it truly is. There are lots of hypothesis thrown around about what it could be.
Angkor Thom
Not just another temple, Angkor Thom is actually a city to the North of Angkor Wat built by the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII. Its name means 'Great City’ in Khmer which is kind of fitting given that it’s one of the longest enduring cities of the Khmer Empire.
The Bayon
This is an easily recognizable temple, located right in the middle of Angkor Thom. You will see many huge faces carved into the towers of the temple. These smiling faces are said to resemble that of King Jayavarman VII.
Of the 49 towers initially built, only 37 are still intact today, with more than 200 of these faces available. The Bayon truly had many photo-taking opportunities. So snap away while marveling at the wonder of this temple - its construction and its survival since the early 13th century!
In fact, a lot of them Angkor temples have survived from even earlier times. Truly amazing!
And with that...
We ended our tour of some of the prominent temples of Angkor. There are many more beautiful temples to check out if you have more time. Don't just stop with these.
After spending a day walking among the magnificent Angkor Archaeological Park, you should definitely reward yourselves with a foot massage like we did. As mentioned above, heading to the area around pub street will bring you to numerous options for massage parlours.
Pokambor Street Food
If you feel slightly peckish after your long day, you could head to Pokambor Avenue, which is very close to the Old Market and just beside the Siem Reap River.
There, you could take a pick from a large variety of food stalls that operate quite late into the night. Be sure to try their chocolate banana pancake if you are craving for something sweet.
There you have it! A four days trip to Cambodia of Southeast Asia, covering the capital Phnom Penh and the town of Siem Reap. I never thought I would have so much to take back with me but I truly fell in love with this beautiful country.
Cambodia - with its beautiful temples, warm people and sad history.
**If you are looking for another short trip within Asia or Southeast Asia, why not read a weekend trip to Bintan.
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| Us on a Remorque Tuk Tuk |
Otherwise if you prefer not to be breathing in the smells of the road and exhaust, ‘JustGrab’ which are air-conditioned cars are also available. Renting a bike to travel around Siem Reap is also common though riding around Phnom Penh might be a little unwise as traffic is usually more heavy and chaotic.
Day 1 - Explore Phnom Penh City
Start your journey in Phnom Penh as I did. To be honest, I did it because it was cheaper to fly into Phnom Penh and out from Siem Reap but I was glad to keep Siem Reap for later as I felt it was the more relaxing leg of the journey and a perfect way to end my Cambodia trip.At the airport, be sure to get your SIM card with data plan. It cost about 5 USD for 40 GB of data from Metfone. Some posts mentioned that you could get it for as little as 2 USD but I didn’t see such a plan even though I tried asking the staff at the various counters. If you need call features, it’s 6 USD for 21 GB and 15 minutes of call.
I left the killing field and S21 prison for Day 2 but if you are spending only a day in Phnom Penh, I recommend you visit those places first. Like I mentioned earlier, the people of Cambodia deserve to have their stories heard and our prayers dedicated to them.
I went all crazy enthusiastic with listing the attractions below but you may not be able to cover them all within a day.
Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo Morokat)
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| A section within the Royal Palace Complex |
Entrance fee: 10 USD
Opening hours: 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. Reopens 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
A collection of buildings with splendid architecture and the main residence of the King of Cambodia. This also serves as a venue for court ceremonies since 1866 after Phnom Penh became the capital of Cambodia.
You could top up 10 USD per group for a guide which many say is totally worth it. A guide will probably give you better context while navigating among the beautiful buildings. We didn’t get one because of a shortage of time and so were a little lost while exploring the vast complex.
There is a dress code for this attraction so make sure you are dressed conservatively - long pants or long skirts/dress.
Be sure to check out the Silver Pagoda which is located at the Southern part of the Royal Palace complex. It is here the King meets with the monks and where royal ceremonies are performed.
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| A not very good picture of the Silver Pagoda |
The floor of the temple is made of 5329 silver tiles, hence the name was coined. Most of the floor is currently covered with carpet though.
Inside you will find various art objects, like the ‘Emerald Buddha’ and lots of priceless Buddhist objects made from valuable materials like gold, silver, bronze, diamond, etc. All gifts from the King and royal family, dignitaries and worshippers.
Independence Monument
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| Independence Monument - Quick snap while I was in a JustGrab car |
This structure, built to commemorate Cambodia’s independence from France, is located in the middle of a busy roundabout so it’s a little hard to get to. Though honestly you don’t actually need to go to the Independence Monument, which is really just the single structure shown in the picture above.
It looks good from a distance especially at night. Try visiting the park nearby during the evening or stroll around the area at night. Makes for a very scenic view.
Central Market (Phsar Thmei)
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| See that building in the background. That's the Central Market. |
The building housing the central market was erected in 1937 and have a dome-shaped structure with an Art Deco design.
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| The inside of the Dome-Shaped Roof |
There is a section of wet market area selling fresh seafood and another section with food and drinks where we had our lunch.
We shared a table with a family of locals, ordering a plate of fried noodles (7000 Riel) and choosing a cup of passionfruit juice (1 USD) that we saw the family having.
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| Lunch! |
What touched me the most was how friendly they were to tourist like us, making suggestions to add olive oil to the noodles so it becomes tastier.
When the mum of the family saw that I was watching her curiously while she bought some dessert from a walking vendor, she offered me one of the desserts without thought and absolutely refused when we tried to pay her for it.
Most of these happened without much conversation. I believe most of them couldn’t speak English except for the daughter who engaged in some casual conversation with me. But of course, they didn’t let something as small as a language barrier get in the way of their kindness.
Wat Phnom
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| Temple on the Hill |
Entrance fee (only for foreigners): 1 USD
Opening hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Also known as ‘hill temple’, this Buddhist temple is located at the highest point of Phnom Penh. It is by no means the most impressive temple you will see in Cambodia but it was a peaceful detour for me amidst the bustle of the city.
Apparent, there is a shrine beside the temple that’s dedicated to a widow, Lady Penh, who legend has it discovered four Buddha statues which she later placed on the hill on which Wat Phnom was built.
Incidentally it is where Phnom Penh, meaning ‘hill of Penh’, got its name from. You could say this is sort of the birth place of Phnom Penh!
Also, if you have the time, get a look of the temple at night. It looks gold and stunning.
Night Market
There are several of these in Phnom Penh. The one we went to is located a short walking distance from the Wat Phnom, close to the Tonle Sap River, so you could visit Wat Phnom right before your night market sojourn.
Here you will find a wide range of goods – clothes, bags, souvenirs etc. I always hear people saying that we should bargain before making a purchase from the markets but we honestly didn’t have much luck with bargaining here.
Most of the stall owners flat out refused to engage in any form of bargain. We had much better luck bargaining at the markets in Siem Reap.
Aeon Mall
If you have extra time on hand and missing your city life, check out Aeon Mall. One of the biggest malls in Phnom Penh, this is perfect if you wish to spend your day lazing around indoors doing a spot of shopping.
Of course, with countless malls back home, I didn’t spend too much time here.
Partial map of Phnom Penh
I have included a map of the city below so you could see where all the sites are in relation to one another.Most are located to the right of the map close to Tonle Sap River and Mekong River.
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| Map credit: Google maps |
Day 2 - Discover a little of Cambodia's History
Leave the killing field and S21 prison for your second day. Usually it requires a little planning since the killing fields is about a 45 minutes drive away from Phnom Penh and you probably need to make arrangement for a driver.S21 prison
Entrance fee is 5 USD. For 8 USD you get an audio guide.
Opening hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
My recommendation is to visit the S21 prison first, also known as the Tuol Sleng Prison or the National Genocide Museum. It gives you a detailed overview of the Pol Pot /Khmer Rouge’s regime that happened between the 1975 and 1979.
It is totally worth it to get the audio guide as it’s packed with loads of information.
Honestly walking through the prison without the guide doesn’t quite give you a full understanding of the brutal mass genocide because the exhibits are not accompanied by written explanations.
Choeung Ek Killing Fields
Entrance fee: 3 USD
Opening hours: 7.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
A former orchard and mass grave of the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime that saw more than 17,000 people brutally murdered and buried.
It didn’t feel right for me to take pictures while walking around so I don’t really have many to show. There are signs like the one below scattered about to give a brief guide.
For a quick introduction of the place do read Pommie Travel’s article on the Killing Field. The article contains some pictures too.
Massage
You could end off your day with a massage like we did. Afterall the day’s event probably hasn’t been easy for you too. Bopha Spa was a great place with good prices. We choose the 60 minutes Khmer massage without oil that cost 9 USD.
Alternatively, you could check with your hotel if they can arrange a massage session for you at the hotel room itself like our hotel provided. Of course these will cost a little more.
Travelling to Siem Reap
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| Picture Credit: Klook |
Catch the Giant Ibis’ Night Sleeper bus to Siem Reap at either 11 p.m. or 11.30 p.m. I personally didn’t take this but I wish I had. It has some great reviews plus it will save you a whole 6 hours of daytime travelling which you can then spend on your exploring! Extra bonus: you get to save on one night hotel cost!
Estimated time of arrival in Siem Reap on the night bus is around 6 a.m. The problem is that you need an early check-in at your hotel so be sure to inform them earlier so that they can try to make arrangements for you.
Alternatively, take the day bus like I did but the earliest timing I found for the Giant Ibis bus is 8.45 a.m. which will get you to Siem Reap only at 3 p.m.!! Which waste a huge chunk of your day especially if you are short of time. This will cost you 15 USD similar to the night bus. You could book your tickets through Klook as I did.
There are other bus companies as well but I found the Giant Ibis had the best reviews and based on my experience, it’s a safe ride.
You are provided with a bottle of drinking water and a small snack, chocolate bun for me. WiFi and power outlets are available on the bus though I couldn’t connect to the WiFi on some leg of the journey.
The bus stops twice during the journey, the first is a short 15 minutes stop at a souvenir store where you could make a quick visit to the loo. The second is a slightly longer 30 minutes lunch stop at a restaurant. I didn’t eat the food there so can’t really comment on it but it looked like regular food with regular prices. 4 USD for beef rice etc.
If neither of those arrangements sounds good to you, you could check with your hotel if they can make arrangements for a private trip on a mini bus/van. Especially if you are a small group of say 4 to 6 people. Usually these trips take a shorter time of approximately 5 hours, maybe lesser.
Our hotel was able to do it for 14 USD per pax but we had already booked the bus by then. So check with your hotel first if they can make arrangements for you.
Otherwise, book the mini bus on your own. A company I was considering was the Cambodia Post VIP Van which seemed to have overall good reviews.
Day 3 - Explore Siem Reap Town
Most hotel in Siem Reap should provide a one-way transfer from the airport/ bus station/ ferry terminal or whatever other means that got you into Siem Reap.So do take advantage of this service and inform them beforehand of your arrival plans! Usually these transfers cannot be exchanged for free departure transfer.
We stayed at the Araya Angkor Residence for 2 nights and had a wonderful stay there! The staff were super friendly and helpful and the rooms were wonderful to live in. If you haven’t got a place to stay yet, check this one out.
It’s a bit of a distance from the downtown area though the hotel provides free tuk tuk rides to the Old Market area from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily. From there it’s a short walk to the popular pub street.
We spent the day exploring the town of Siem Reap and left Angkor Wat for the next day.
Doing this have several benefits – firstly, you can make whatever necessary arrangements you wish for your visit to the temple complex such as hiring a driver or booking a tour with your hotel etc. And secondly, um… ok there is no secondly...
If landing in Siem Reap today and going off to see the Angkor Wat today itself is what you want to do then go right ahead. There isn’t any major disadvantage to that.
Now if Angkor Wat isn’t in your plans today…
ATV Ride
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| Him on the ATV! |
The tour consist of driving through the countryside of Siem Reap seeing the animals, rice fields, sunset (if you opt for a sunset tour).
It was simple enough to book through their website, a confirmation email will be sent requesting for your hotel details. Pick-up and drop-off is available.
Just to be sure of your safety, someone will determine if you can handle the vehicle independently. Otherwise, you could ride with your companion or one of the guides.
Markets – Old Market, Angkor Night Market, Noon Night Market
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| A night visit to one of the Markets! |
There are many markets you could visit in Siem Reap and a lot of them are at walking distance to each other. The Old Market (Phsar Chas), Angkor Night Market and Noon Night Market are just a few of them worth visiting.
You can find lots and lots of items here from artistry works like paintings and sculptures to inexpensive souvenirs, clothes, bags, jewelries, etc. If you have any souvenir shopping to do, this is the best place to do it. Better than the Night Market at Phnom Penh (here you are definitely expected to bargain).
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| I couldn't stop staring at some really beautiful paintings for sale! |
Pub Street
Looking for bars, cafés, restaurants and cheap beer? Pub street is definitely the place to be! This short street is filled with lively music and constantly bustling with activity, making it a delightful place to just stroll along especially at night. It does get particularly crowded with tourists though.
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| Ok.. A really bad picture of the street but trust me, it's worth going to! |
If you are looking for beer, make sure you don’t pay more than 50 cents for it! There are lots of places that sell them this cheap.
Should you desire a massage, there are plenty of massage parlours around. Walking to adjacent streets will bring you to more of them. All at really affordable prices.
For cheap and good ones, try out Master Feet Massage and Spa at 2 Thnou Street, very close to Pub Street. There we got a 60 minutes foot massage for 6 USD. They have other kinds of massages too but we didn’t try those.
Alternatively, you could try Pidor Massage and Spa where I did the 60 minutes full body oil massage for 10 USD. A full body massage without oil cost 8 USD. Those were also good.
In fact I am sure most of the massage places should be more or less the same. Just pop into one that doesn’t look too shady and clarify with them properly what exactly the massage entails and you should be good.
Day 4 - Roam the Temples of Angkor
And finally, the reason most of you probably planned to visit Cambodia for…Angkor Wat
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| Us with the Angkor Wat |
Take note that Angkor Wat is just one of the Angkor Temples, all located within the Angkor Archaeological Park.
First off, purchase your admission pass to the Angkor Archaeological Park. This allows you to visit the hundreds of monuments and structures of the Khmer Empire that is spread over 400 square kilometers / 163 hectares of land. There are 3 types of passes:
1 Day pass - 37 USD
3 Day pass - 62 USD
7 Day pass - 72 USD.
The ticket counters are opened 4.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Tickets have to be purchased directly from the ticket counter as the pass will contain a photo of you which will be taken on-site.
Always carry the pass on you whenever you are within the Angkor Archaeological Park as the guards will regularly check for them. The closing time for most of the temples is 5.30 p.m. though some might stay open until 7 p.m. to allow visitors to watch the sunset.
If this is the only day you will be visiting the Angkor Temples, I strongly recommend that you engage a guide to help you better appreciate the beauty of the temples within this short time frame. In fact, it is a good idea to engage a guide, at least for a day even if you plan to spend days exploring the temples.
We took the small group sunrise tour which we purchased off GetYourGuide for 30.59 USD and there were 9 pax in our group. Hotel pick-up and drop-off was included.
I found the tour very informative and our guide, Mr Saroun was super enthusiastic, going the extra mile to take good photos for us and always enquiring if we wish to stay longer at certain sites.
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| One of the creative pictures he took! |
We started off at Angkor Wat, watching the sunrise from there. It was no joke getting up as early as 3.45 a.m. all for the chance to witness it.
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| Sunrise at Angkor Wat! |
The sun was not rising at the ideal center position but twice a year, during the equinox (when day and night are of equal length) the sun rises directly above the tallest tower of the Angkor Wat, on the 20th of March and 23rd of September. Save those dates if you wish to witness that perfectly symmetrical phenomenon!
Honestly, will I watch another sunrise at Angkor Wat? Not really. It’s much too early to get up plus the area gets very crowded with everyone jostling for the best spot to get their camera in the perfect position. But hey, you just might enjoy the experience.
The temples though were another story altogether. They were fascinating and the architecture beautiful. You can see lots of thought and attention to details went into its construction.
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| Numerous of such carvings can be found throughout all the temples |
Ta Prohm
Remember the Tomb Raider film starring Angelina Jolie? This temple was featured in it.
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| Us at Ta Phrom! |
One gets the feeling of a mystical, long forgotten temple. It was truly an amazing feeling walking amongst the temple with rubbles of stones lying around, as if abandoned.
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| Stone rubbles scattered about the temple structure overgrown with trees |
One interesting thing our guide pointed out was the carving of a dinosaur, a Stegosaurus to be exact, on one of the walls of this temple. I'm not saying it truly is. There are lots of hypothesis thrown around about what it could be.
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| Third animal from the bottom |
Angkor Thom
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| The City of Angkor Thom! |
Not just another temple, Angkor Thom is actually a city to the North of Angkor Wat built by the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII. Its name means 'Great City’ in Khmer which is kind of fitting given that it’s one of the longest enduring cities of the Khmer Empire.
The Bayon
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| The faces of the Bayon |
This is an easily recognizable temple, located right in the middle of Angkor Thom. You will see many huge faces carved into the towers of the temple. These smiling faces are said to resemble that of King Jayavarman VII.
Of the 49 towers initially built, only 37 are still intact today, with more than 200 of these faces available. The Bayon truly had many photo-taking opportunities. So snap away while marveling at the wonder of this temple - its construction and its survival since the early 13th century!
In fact, a lot of them Angkor temples have survived from even earlier times. Truly amazing!
And with that...
We ended our tour of some of the prominent temples of Angkor. There are many more beautiful temples to check out if you have more time. Don't just stop with these.
After spending a day walking among the magnificent Angkor Archaeological Park, you should definitely reward yourselves with a foot massage like we did. As mentioned above, heading to the area around pub street will bring you to numerous options for massage parlours.
Pokambor Street Food
If you feel slightly peckish after your long day, you could head to Pokambor Avenue, which is very close to the Old Market and just beside the Siem Reap River.
There, you could take a pick from a large variety of food stalls that operate quite late into the night. Be sure to try their chocolate banana pancake if you are craving for something sweet.
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| Fried Rice for about 1.50 USD |
There you have it! A four days trip to Cambodia of Southeast Asia, covering the capital Phnom Penh and the town of Siem Reap. I never thought I would have so much to take back with me but I truly fell in love with this beautiful country.
Cambodia - with its beautiful temples, warm people and sad history.
**If you are looking for another short trip within Asia or Southeast Asia, why not read a weekend trip to Bintan.
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