Siem Reap
A Lovely Small Town
Most of us have never heard of Siem Reap until they plan to visit Angkor Wat. After that, we naturally want to know more about the town that practically houses the grand temple. Siem Reap is a tourist town. And for now, it's still a lovely tourist town. It is also well equipped to handle visitors demands. If you need to get anything at all, some basic items or necessities, you will be able to find it here. Just don't be too particular about models, brands or prices. It's a small town, so people live simply. 
Siem-Reap river flowing through the heart of the city. © Vanina W.
Since the town is so close to Angkor Wat (8 km away), it is the natural base town for travelers to shop, relax, and explore the area. During the high season, you will see tourists everywhere, and you will see them excited, happy, and enjoying the slow paced life at SiemReap*. Although Angkor Wat is the major draw for tourism, SiemReap itself offers plenty of attractions and activities. This is a good thing, because although Angkor Wat is magnificent, you will get 'templed' out sooner or later. This is always the case for travelers who cram in many temple visits in a short time. But you can't really fault them. The Angkor Wat temple entrance fee is not exactly cheap, and the tickets must be used on consecutive days. AttractionsThere are plenty of 'attractions' in Siem Reap, and you can also go on day trips or mini Cambodia tours to farther places. For example, I loved Kampung Phluk and the Tonle Sap lake the most. Next is the Silk Farm, and then the Land mine Museum. Shopping at the local markets are also fun, as well as having a relaxing dinner at Pub Street. 
Dinner at Pub Street in downtown SiemReap.© C. Hong.
You might also want to visit the rural villages to see a glimpse of their daily life. Most Cambodians love visitors, and are very hospitable. AccommodationsThe growth of tourism is also clear from the increasing number of hostels, guest houses and hotels in Siem Reap. At every turn of the corner, you can see signs for accommodations. They range from $3/night to $5,000/night. Your choice. ATMs/MoneyIf you are ever short of cash, there are ATM machines around. The machines will even spit out US dollars instead of Riel, the official Cambodian currency. Doesn't that tell you something about Siem Reap tourism? Why You Should Visit SoonSomething to note about this town: it might not stay 'lovely' for long. | As Cambodia becomes a more and more popular travel destination, you can expect its 'loveliness' to decrease. Which is tragic, because I really like this town. It's safe, it's small, it's cute, it's walkable, it has so many of interesting stuff, it's easy to get around in, and its people are nice. | 
Siem Reab" traffic", very quaint. I love it. © Bryan. | My suggestion? Go there as soon as you can. There was an article talking about how Angkor might be closed to visitors for a major renovation. And yet another article about how tourist visits are now higher than ever. So the sooner you visit, the better your Angkor experience will be. 
Downtown Siem Reap: totally walkable. © Mike.
*Siem Reap is sometimes spelled Siemreap, Siem Reab, or Siemreab.
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