Siem Reap: Top 5 things to do
14-Sep-2018
Siem Reap-1000 years of history in stone attracts more than one million travelers every year to explore the world-famous Angkor temple complex heritage, wherein its centuries-old architecture and art give meaning to Cambodia's tourism campaign "Kingdom of Wonder." Walking the grounds of the temple ruins amid the dense forests and fields will make you feel like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft. But there’s more to Siem Reap than just the temples.
Here are some of the essential Siem Reap experiences:
Sunrise at Angkor Wat
No trip to Siem Reap would be complete without seeing the ancient stone city of Angkor. There are hundreds of temples, each with impressive architecture and art. Some temples are better-restored than others, but each has a unique charm.
The most famous of the temples is Angkor Wat. Built in the 12th century, Angkor Wat was built as a temple for the Hindu god Vishnu.
Visit the Angkor Wat at sunrise. The majestic spires are bathed in early morning glow making it a very memorable sight. Going in the early morning is also a good idea to avoid the heavy crowds, especially during the weekend.
For a unique experience, go on a balloon ride for an aerial view of the Angkor complex.
Other Angkor temples are no less impressive than the Angkor Wat.
In Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple stands in the center of the walled city. It is known as a complex of "face towers," or towers with huge stone faces of Buddha. Ta Prohm, a temple-monastery built in the late 12th to 13th century, is perhaps best known as the location for the "Tomb Raider" movie. There are huge trees growing on top of the temple ruins, giving it an eerie but romantic atmosphere.
Bayon Temple
Banteay Srei, which means Citadel of Women, has a unique beauty that lives up to its reputation as "Jewel of Khmer Art." The buildings, which were built in the second half of the 10th century are made of red sandstone and decorated with intricate wall carvings.
Your inner Indiana Jones will be unleashed when you go to Beng Melea, located about an hour and a half's drive from downtown Siem Reap. Built in the middle of the 12th century, Beng Melea is still largely unrestored with collapsed towers and galleries. You might find yourself crawling and climbing up large chunks of stone. It can be quite exhausting, but worth the experience.
Cambodia's national dish, fish amok (fish curry), is a must try. Usually it is served in banana leaf, but the version we tried was served in a coconut. The curry is lightly spiced but flavorful, and perfect with steamed rice.
Another must try dish is Khmer curry. The red curry might give the impression it is spicy, but it is surprisingly not since the red chili is tempered by the coconut cream.
Cambodian noodle dishes are also quite tasty. Mee ketang is a Cantonese-style noodle dish with wide rice noodles, vegetables, mushrooms in oyster sauce.
Lok lak, stir-fried marinated beef served with a fried egg on a bed of lettuce and tomatoes, was a bit disappointing. The beef wasn't tender and dipping it in a sauce of black pepper, salt and lime juice didn't help. Depending on the restaurant, it can be served with French fries or rice.
Cambodian dish Lok Lak
The green mango salad, which has carrots, mango, onion and basil in fish sauce, was a refreshing surprise. The fresh spring rolls, with its raw vegetables, thicker rice paper and not-so-sweet peanut sauce, was bland. Fried spring rolls, with cabbage, carrots and taro, are a much better choice.
Freshly cooked sticky rice with a slice of jackfruit wrapped in banana leaves may remind Filipinos of "suman", but it still has a unique Cambodian flavor.
If you want to try the most Cambodian dishes in one sitting, head to Koulen II restaurant which offers a buffet with Apsara traditional dance show. If you want to learn how to make Khmer dishes, there are cooking classes offered at Temple, along Pub Street.
Search for Cambodian souvenirs
Tourists can get a feel for a traditional Cambodian market at the Phasar Chas (Old Market). But after a day at the temples, most tourists head to the night market. There are several night markets in Siem Reap, but don't worry about getting lost since there are big flashing signs of "Night Market" everywhere.
The night market offers a wide range of souvenirs, such as T-shirts, keychains, ref magnets, silk scarves, silver accessories and wood carvings. Haggling is a must!
For high quality products, go to Artisans d' Angkor which showcases silk fabrics, stone and wood carvings, silver plating and lacquer items. A social business, Artisans Angkor has helped revive Khmer arts and crafts, as it established workshops that educates and trains young, disadvantaged Cambodians.
Workshop at Artisan d'Angkor
Visit the Landmine Museum
The Cambodia Landmine Museum is a reminder of the horrors that landmines have caused in the country. In fact, if you look closely, some of the temples have signs that say the area has been cleared of landmines.
Aki Ra, a former Khmer Rouge child soldier, is at the forefront of de-mining efforts, having established the museum and the NGO Cambodian Self-Help Demining. The museum gives visitors a closer look of how landmines work, the destruction it inflicted and what they can do to help rid the world of landmines.
It's a sobering look at Cambodia's past, and gives visitors a sense of just how much suffering Cambodians went through. Visitors can donate to the Museum Relief Center, a shelter for some Cambodian children who were injured or orphaned due to landmines.
Relaxing Khmer-style
After a long day of trekking at the temples and shopping, relax by getting a Khmer massage. There are several places offering massage and reflexology treatments along Pub Street and even in the night market.
There's also several "fish foot massage" stalls, where fish nibble at the dead skin on your feet. It may feel ticklish at first, but you'd be surprised at how clean your feet look after. Try fish foot massage with a can of Angkor or Cambodia beer.
(abs-cbnnews)
Related
Hue ancient citadel tops tourist destinations in Viet Nam
2018-06-29 10:51:24
Man-made ‘beach’ to open soon in Ha Noi
2018-06-29 10:56:01
Siem Reap's Unlikely Culinary Treasure
2018-06-28 17:22:56
Top 5 Tips for a Safe Beach Holiday in Halong Bay
2018-06-28 17:13:19
Vang Vieng "The fun capital of Laos" happy pizzas & Tubing
2018-06-28 15:08:06
Electric Tram Tours of Chiang Mai City
2018-06-28 17:18:30
“Have just returned from 15 day trip through Southeast Asia by JTA Tour. From first contact with JTA to returning to the UK at the end of the trip everything was organised exceptionally well. Stayed in a great variety of hotels, nine in total, all of which were unique in their own way and very comfortable....”
“Wonderful trip to Halong Bay and Ninh Binh. JTA Tour put together a wonderful few day in Halong Bay and Ninh Binh in 7 days for us. Our guide Hoa was very knowledgeable and friendly made our first visit of Halong Bay and Ninh Binh tour a very memorable one. Extra touches and stories about Vietnamese...”
“My husband and myself have just returned from a Taste of Vietnam tour. Our private tour which included Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City was organized by Mr. Thang from JTA Tour who really went out of his way to meet our requirements. Our guides and drivers in the north and center were...”
“We traveled to seven different places within Vietnam and Cambodia tour in just a little over 13 days and it was pretty much stress free since we used JTA Tour. I've never used a tour company before but this really worked out perfectly for us. Thang was my contact point and he did a great job communicating....”
“We are back home from Vietnam and full of gratitude for the 12-day trip of a lifetime. We have been to many places and experienced many unique experiences. But for what we like and enjoy, we couldn’t have had a better experience. The outline/plan/destination selection was excellent. The hotels were...”
“I together with 3 friends have just completed my 9 day trip to Vietnam by JTA Tour. The trip took us to various places of interest in Hanoi, Pu Luong, Halong Bay and Ninh Binh was well-planned and balanced to allow us to have an enjoyable, seamless and relaxed vacation. No rushing or aimlessly running...”
“BEST VACATION: We traveled to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. This trip was very interesting and enjoyable. Na Na and the whole team were very helpful and available to answer any questions at any time. The Guides in all the countries were knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. We highly recommend this...”
“We did a 7-day tour in Hochiminh, My Tho & Mekong Delta. The trip was very well planned out, hotels were very comfortable and clean. Travel guides were extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and Ms Na Na was very helpful and informative about organizing everything. Overall, all of us had a great time,...”
“Hi Rose, I am sorry to late answer to you. I am now safe at home, I had a small problem we lost luggage at the Singapore airport but everything is fine right now. I truly cannot imagine having planned this 8-day trip to Vietnam without all of Rose Nguyen's guidance and knowledge- and cannot imagine...”
“We had a wonderful 9-day trip from north to south in Vietnam. JAT tour helped organize the trip online. They were very helpful & speedy in providing suggestions on places to visit in the planning stage. The only hiccup of the entire trip was that we didn't have an e-visa as expected. Fortunately,...”
“This was my tour with JTA tour. Last year I toured the north of Vietnam with my guide Ms Shi. My most recent tour was with Mr. Tuan Vietnam Central Highlands trip. What a great experience, my guide was very knowledgeable and showed me many interesting things in the central highlands. Tasted a lot of...”
“JTA Tour talked with us about our dreams for the trip to Vietnam and Cambodia and was able to create a perfect itinerary. From the beginning, Thang asked all the right questions to tailor our experience exactly to what I wanted. He helped us develop an itinerary that met our goals and included: comfortable...”
“We have traveled quite a bit and have worked with some different travel companies over the years, and as a result, I feel confident in sharing our highest praise of Thang and the JTA team. Our JTA Tour experience was reflective of quality, integrity and professional service. We love 9 day Vietnam tr...”
“We have been so upset to lose a wonderful trip to Vietnam and Cambodia due to Covid 19. We should have been home by now with wonderful memories. Since we began our planning in the Spring of 2019, Thang has been brilliant to deal with. He spent a lot of time with us at the outset perfecting our itinerary...”
“As many others we were clients of JTA on holiday in Vietnam in March. We had 4 wonderful days in Hanoi, Lan Ha Bay and then Hoi An . We can strongly recommend the half day rice planting experience organised by JTA Tour - informative and hilarious as we were helplessly put through our paces by Phuong,...”
“Please find enclosed the questionnaire filled in and commented. Sorry for the delay. I would like to thank you for all the efforts you have done, we really appreciate your support regarding the organization of our trip. All members of my small group are really satisfied and keep many pleasant memories...”
“We had an absolutely fantastic time! I think the absolute best tour we’ve ever been on. You made everything incredibly easy and smooth for us and we really appreciate everyone’s responsiveness. The guides were great and young and fun and energetic which is exactly what we needed. Few random thoughts: Really...”
“What can I say about this tour operator, but FANTASTIC!! From the time it took us to decide where and when to tour up until the actual tour Ms. Phuong kept us so well informed with great suggestions and quick responses to all questions mailed to her (and there were many). Nothing was too much trouble...”
“I wanted to praise JTA Tours for they commendable services. From trip planning to services on the our Vietnam holiday, it was meticulously planned. A show of appreciation to Ms Nhung for your outstanding service, I really appreciated all your hard work as the trip turned out really really well. It was...”
“We are returning from a journey for 17 days in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam which we had entrusted the organization, JTA Tours. Knowing that we wanted to avoid the places invaded by too many tourists, they have prepared a dream itinerary with very good hotels and very competent guides. We were well...”
“With 3 weeks to discover Vietnam, everyone was surprised that we had seen so much. No double thanks to the travel agency that had organized everything from the smallest detail. The price was very reasonable. During the trip, we would have revised some routes, days to take the time for visit other...”
“Quite frankly, we were bowled over from start to finish, the itinerary is jam-packed but it was an entirely stress free trip. JTA Tours ensured all airport meetings and transfers were seamless, private travel arrangements and guides were of a high standard. We began our trip in Siem Reap, and travelled...”
“We corresponded extensively before booking the trip and were given lots of suggestions and alternatives to this tailor made holiday. We started in Hanoi where we were met at the airport and taken to our Hotel as a tour guide. The guides have a good grasp of English and extensive knowledge of their country....”
“Hello Nguyen, Yes we are all settled back home in Australia now. Thank you so much for organising this tour for us. We were very well looked after. While all the accommodation in Vietnam was really good, I wouldn’t recommend the Juliana hotel in Phnom Penh, it was too far away to walk to...”
“We have had great experience with JTA Tours. When we had private tour: Highlights Of Vietnam Tour - 11 Day arranged by Ms. Phuong. We had a long e-mail correspondence prior to it with her, she being highly professional and helpful. The tour itself was exactly what we wanted, hotels were to our satisfaction,...”
“Booked this tour in Myanmar through internet. Must admit when first booked we were a little worried, but from the moment we arrived in Yangon everything ran smoothly with JTA Tours. Tour guides in all areas were very helpful and informative especially "Khin Thet Mar" our guide in Bagan. All hotels...”
“Our family of 4 people just finished a 2 weeks holiday from vietnam to cambodia, we honestly highly valuate the professional organization & meticulous cares of JTA Tours. From the beginning, we emailed to them to customize a suitable trip with a combination between sightseeing & beach relaxation...”
“We had an absolutely amazing time in Myanmar, thanks to JTA Tours and our Guide Aung Aung, the sites we saw were incredible. We want to thank Aung Aung for being so good to us and making this trip worth every minute we were on it. For his expertise in Myanmar history and for always doing his best in...”
“The tour was fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed the walking routes each day, with the mountain from Sapa, the walk at Lao Chai & Ta Van, and the day walk at Hoian/trip to Halong bay my personal highlights. The first nights meal at the winery, and the last 2 at the family at Mekong were amazing. Our...”
“This agency was recommended by my friend - Mr Jito and they really provide good service. Mr Thang helped us all the way from the moment we touch down the airport until the last day we go home, he never disappoint us and we really enjoy very much. all the itinerary they planed for us never go wrong. this...”
“Many thanks Jito for your kind support! My and husband's dream to visit Ha Long Bay was finally fulfilled. Tham from JTA Tours provided a good deal and clear itinerary during for visit Ha Long Bay. It was a last minute deal since we were already arrived in Hanoi and seems most good cruise was no longer...”
“Hi Suharjito, we are now fine in Indinesia. Thanks so much for amazing trip to the north of Vietnam including Hanoi, Halong& Ninh Binh also. Excellent experience and very high-level service. JTA Tours took amazing care of us from the moment we landed. Were very open for changes and for every...”
“Dear Thang, we have now returned back to Australia and the chores of work! – We have very pleasant memories of the sights, sounds, food and people of Vietnam….. We shall treasure for a lifetime I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of our group to say we had a wonderful time – the...”
“Hi Thang, I do apologize that it has take me so long to email you and thank you for yet another super lot of organization on your part which helped to make our time in Vietnam so enjoyable. We really do appreciate so much your professional and reliable services which make our job in taking our small...”
““Our trip to Vietnam and Cambodia was superbly organised by JTA Tours. We were met promptly and efficiently by very friendly and helpful guides at each stage of our holiday. Our hotel in Seam Reap, Hoian & Hanoi was lovely. The trips were well organised and in formative. The floating villages were...”
““We wanted to write to you personally to let you know how much we enjoyed our holiday in Myanmar and to thank you for organizing this memorable trip. We had such an amazing time discovering your diverse and beautiful country, it's people and of course the strange food. We found your tour was...”
“Hi Mr. Thang, “BEST SELLING VIETNAM FAMILY TOUR - 17 DAYS" with JTA Tours, just a quick note to say thank you for an amazing experience! Our participants commented on how wonderfully it was organized and we received lots of positive feedback (along with a few suggestions but it was overwhelmingly...”
“I search into Goggle for Vietnam & Cambodia tours, I contacted approximately 5 different companies, it was my contact with Ms Na Na that made me select your agency. She was superb in every way and a pleasure to work with, she had excellent suggestion for myself and three Granddaughters. She is truly...”
“Hi, thank you for your note. I would also like to make special mention of two of your staff – Mr Thang who prepared the tour for us and the second tour guide that we had, who I only knew as Phuong (he was our guide in both Dalat and Nha Trang). The service we received from both of these people was...”
“Hi Mr. Thang, We are doing fine. We want to let you know that our guide Mr Nam was excellent. He saw to all of our needs and had us back to our hotel on time for our dinner with or tour group. I would highly recommend Mr Nam to anyone that needed a private guide while visiting Vietnam. And, thank...”
