|
It goes without saying that Siem Reap tourism industry's main attraction is Angkor Wat and its other Angkor Temples. But you can only see so many temples without getting cross-eyed! Sooner or later you'll be looking for other things to do around town. Not to worry, because there are a whole lot of non-temple activities available, thanks to the booming Siem Reap tourism industry. So lets see what they have provided us. They're roughly divided in to 4: - Semi-temple activities - Angkorian ancient temples with a twist.
- Non-temple activities - Everything else but temples.
- Museums - No, not as boring as you thought. Some are interesting.
- Shopping! - Places to spend your money.
Semi-Temple ActivitiesAlthough these are still temple related, there is a twist to them, which makes the whole temple visiting experience unique. For example, you wouldn't mind an early morning walk at Ta Prohm, even if you have visited Ta Prohm 5 times during the daylight! The peaceful and mysterious ambiance among the old relic truly makes for a magical experience.
- Hike through the forest to Kbal Spean waterfalls and 1000 linggas - a great way to go deep into a Cambodian jungle. A 40 minutes hike ends at the river with 1000 linggas and a small waterfalls.
- Phnom Kulen and its waterfalls - a very sacred site for Cambodians. This mountain is their pilgrimage site.
- Sunset watching from Phnom Bakheng temple - apart from the sunset, the 360 degree view of Siem Reap and the tourist phenomenon is a sight to be seen. This is undoubtedly one the most popular activities in Cambodia.
- Morning walk at Ta Prohm - the lack of visitors and the quietness of the temple makes it a magical morning walk.
- Sunrise at Angkor Wat - set that alarm clock and get your camera ready. Sunrise at Angkor Wat is where great pictures come from.
- Balloon ride over Angkor Wat - a 12 minute ride on a tethered balloon.
- Helicopter ride over Angkor Wat - 5 minute rides and up. You can even take it to Beng Melea. Website 1, website 2
- Elephant ride at Angkor Thom - it looks fun, but elephants are slow, smelly, and not really comfortable.
| 
Ta Phrom 
Phnom Bakheng sunset 
Angkor Wat sunrise Back to Top | Non-temple ActivitiesThese activities are great ways to see more of Cambodia, and prevent, or cure, temple burn out. They are easily done in between your temple visits, because most of them are around town.
Some of them are 'natural' attractions, so they're not made up by the Siem Reap tourism industry just to please visitors.
- Kampung Phluk - a large village of stilted house by the Tonle Sap lake. Another of my favorite cambodia activities. Website
- Kampung Khleang - an even larger village of floating and stilted houses by the great lake.
- Chong Khneas - the most visited floating houses village, due to its short distance from the town.
- Tonle Sap Lake and cruise - see how the largest lake in South East Asia controls the livelihood of many Cambodians.
- Prek Toal bird sanctuary - a haven for birds, a heaven for bird enthusiasts.
- Apsara dance and dinner show - see those temple carvings of Apsara dancers come to live during dinner time. Lots of places to choose from, but Angkor Village is one.
- Spend a day in a Cambodian village - an unusual look in to Cambodian village life. Get to be a Cambodian for a day!
- Visit social foundations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) - see what kind of projects they are currently doing. Here is the website for Trailblazer, whose project is water filtering system
- Dirt Bike motor tour - since you cannot drive in Cambodia, maybe this would help somehow? Website
- Bicycle around Siem Reap - Great way to get to know the town, and pretty easy to do due to the flat terrain. Most bicycles are available for rent though the hotel or hostels. Click here to read more about cycling in Cambodia.
- The silk farm - visit the farm to see how those lovely Cambodian scarves are made. A comprehensive tour from start to finish on how Cambodian silk is made. Website
- The stone quarry for Angkor temples - see the river where stones were carved and imagine how they were transported downstream to the temple construction site.
- Visit a Buddhist monastery - you will probably stumble into one, because there are many of them as 99% of Cambodian are Buddhist.
- Incense factory - see how incense sticks are made by visiting this small family operation
- Crocodile farm - Cambodians sure do have lots of crocodiles. They're fun to watch, but they smell bad!
- Horseback riding - ride to the lesser known temples around town. You can choose between 1 hr trip to half day or an all day trip. Website
- Free cello recital at the Children's Hospital - performed by Dr. Beat Richner, a Swiss pediatrician working at the hospital. Donation accepted. Website
| 
Kompong Phluk 
Kompong Khleang 
Cambodian village scenery 
Stone quarry 
Silk cocoon 
Cambodian incense 
Do crocodiles count as a Siem Reap tourism item? Back to Top | MuseumsIt looks like Cambodia is getting so popular, that the Siem Reap tourism board decided to make the upscale Angkor museum. The Landmine museum is also great, though small and a little bit out of the way.
- Landmine Museum - a small museum by Aki Ra, a former Khmer Rouge soldier. He defused land mines and put them all in the museum. Website
- Angkor National Museum - just opened late 2007, and it's all posh and fancy. You'll see many artifacts here. Website
- Cambodian Cultural Village - a wax museum and a mock up of Cambodian village. Website
- Civil War Museum - you can see more weaponry that was used during the last Civil War.
| 
Defused land mines Back to Top | ShoppingWho doesn't like this particular Siem Reap tourism attraction? Haggling is alive and well at traditional markets. You may want to shop around and compare prices, because they all carry similar stuff. The Siem Reap tourism business seems to be growing, because they recently opened up a new Night market. - Central Market - the market for souvenirs and Cambodian trinkets. Best prices.
- Old Market - medium sized market selling clothes and souvenirs. Okay prices.
- Night Market - geared towards tourists. Stays open until midnight. Highest prices. Website
- Artisans d'Angkor - the leading Cambodian silk company. Unbelievably gorgeous stuff, but expect Western 'prices', and no haggling. Website
- Angkor Market - supermarket for groceries and the likes
- Boutique shoppes around Pub street - from arts and crafts, to silk clothes and trinkets. These small shops are fun to visit.
| 
One of Siem Reap tourism leading industries: Artisans d'Angkor silk Back to Top | So In Short...There you have it, a list of Siem Reap tourism attractions and activities to get you started. There are so many things to do there that you won't want to leave! Who knew that there are so many Cambodia attractions in and near Siem Reap? And I use the term attractions loosely, because for some of the activities listed above, you will be the only tourist at they time you're visiting! Considering that Cambodia is visited by millions and millions of people, getting a temple just for yourself is an unbelievable treat. Click to Return to top of this page Siem Reap: A Lovely Small Town
Siem Reap town. What is it like? It's a small and lovely tourist town. Shopping areas? Check. Dining areas? Check. Easy transportation? Check. Long list of attractions other than the temples? Check! Return from Siem Reap Tourism: Attractions and Activities to Holiday In Angkor Wat (homepage)
|
