I’m getting wanderlust, so it’s time for another vacation. This time I will be going to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat and nearby temples. I will be driving from Phnom Penh, so I should have a little flexibility on where I go and what I see along the way.
Share your recommendations for things to do in the Phnom Penh, things to see along the route to Angkor Wat and any other must-visit places you can thing of. Thanks!
Have lunch at New Hope Restaurant in Siem Reap. It’s run by former sex worker, supports a school for at-risk kids, and a local free medical clinic. And it’s run by a former 5-star hotel chef.
Do Angkor Wat at sunrise. There other temples at various stages of restoration/ruin so check those out as well if that’s your thing.
Eat street food. Lots of street food.
Check out Battambang.
Wow, driving? I thought I was brave doing to do the cigarette boat from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. That was 2002 though, and things were more dangerous then. I do remember being impressed by the Tonle Sap from what I could see out the window. I’d explore that more if I had a chance.
In Siem Reap, Angkor Wat is obviously the biggest of the temples. I especially liked the nearby Bayon in Angkor Thom. Also, you have to see Tap Prohm to get the Tomb Raider feel. Banteay Srey is farther away, but less crowded. I liked it.
Get a guide for the temples in/near Ankgor Wat. It’s some of the best money you’ll ever spend.
We took a bus from Phnom Penh in 2010, and the roads seemed all right. (Our bus broke down, leaving us sitting at the side of the road for three hours while they got another bus, but that’s another story.)
On the way back from the Bantay Srei (the ‘Pink Temple,’) there’s a little museum/organization dedicated to land mine removal. We lucked out because an American who’d retired to Cambodia and volunteered for the organization full-time was there, and he gave us a really good overview of the museum, the problem, and the organization’s works. I’m not sure how amazing a stop it would have been without him, although the organization seems to do wonderful work.
In Phnom Penh, Tuol Sleng (a Khmer Rouge torture facility) and the killing fields a few miles outside of town are worthwhile and very sobering stops.
Agree with all of these.
Siem Reap is a fun place to walk around. There’s a restaurant on Pub Street called Khmer Family Kitchen that I adore. Sam Veasna Center in SR has birdwatching tours you can arrange in advance (including Angkor at dawn–excellent). You can do a day of volunteering, then get a foot massage in the Night Market that evening. The museum is great.
Phnom Penh–take a sunset boat trip on the river. Get a massage from a blind masseuse. Visit Monument Books (near the monument).
Blue Pumpkin (both cities) has air con and westernized Khmer food, as well as pastries.
I highly recommend this place in Phnom Penh. Be prepared for the stifling humidity. Also, make sure you have clean, crisp, uncreased bills to pay and tip people with. Many people there won’t accept worn currency. I’d also recommend seeing the Killing Fields, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and a rice paddy.
A very common scam.
The bus intentionally makes you arrive late so that they can limit your options of hotels by where they want you to stay, and from which they receive a commission .
Did you arrive late and they strongly encouraged you to stay at the hotel where they park ?
Thanks for the timely thread! We are also getting wanderlust at my house! And have decided Cambodia and Vietnam Nam will be our next destination!
How long will you be in Cambodia? Will you visit any other countries on your trip? What time of the year are you considering? (We are considering 6wks, overXmas and New Years!) We, just yesterday, bought the latest lonely planet guide to Cambodia!
(I am delighted with your thread as I considered starting such a one myself, so thanks!)
All these suggestions are good ones. Not only is dawn beautiful at Angkor Wat, but I couldn’t imagine being there in the heat of the day. Seriously, it’s balls hot.
The Khmer (generalization) are extraordinary people, I truly enjoyed the time I spent there.
Phnom Penh is a dynamic growing city.
There is a tremendous difference between Cambodia and Vietnam, something I was not expecting, but that’s my western ignorance. Wasn’t expecting the love of Americans in Vietnam, either.
Im on my way now. Currently sitting in the Centurion Lounge at Sea-Tac killing time before the long haul. I will be in Korea for a week and Cambodia for a week. Doesn’t sound like long, but I don’t get le lengthy vacations. And Im so used to doing weekend-long trips to Berlin or Prague or Paris… a whole week will seem like forever! I will definitely keep the thread updated as I go. Thanks for all the great tips so far!
Duplicate.
Well then, have an awesome time! Colour me jealous you’re almost there already! I can’t wait to hear your impressions, I’m especially interested in your best meal! Have you booked all of your accommodations in advance? Will you get to any beaches? Any river trips?
I know, too many questions!
Please keep us updated and have a really fabulous trip!
Never! I prefer to just figure things out when I get there!
Are there nice beaches? I would love a beach. Im a Florida beach boy living in Alaska, so I would definitely love a little time at the beach. River trips sound fun too. Especially a Heart of Darkness type trip into the jungle or old village something.
This is the first time Ive traveled since getting a dog. I miss him already.
There are some lovely islands off the south coast, with South Pacific beaches! I’ve been reading up!
Also there are rivers and all level of boat excursions available apparently. Sunset cruise on the Mekong, with beverages perhaps?
May I ask what your connections look like, to get you into Phnom Penh? Also what carrier?
I’ve not been to Cambodia for a long time, so I’m not up on anything recent. But the palace in Phnom Penh is okay. At least you can visit it, unlike the one in Bangkok. (I mean the real one in Bangkok where the king lives, Chitralada Palace. No one can go there. The old Grand Palace by the Temple of the Emerald Buddha is a tourist attraction but no one’s current residence.)
I always enjoyed hanging out at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club by the river in Phnom Penh. Nice views of both the river and the palace, and it has a real colonial feel. You don’t have to be a journalist, it’s a public bar and restaurant.
I believe there are still pink river dolphins in eastern Cambodia.
Oh, and of course there are the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh and the Killing Fields outside the city. Not exactly fun, but definitely a must.
The flight to Phnom Penh is nonstop from Seoul on Asiana.
In S Korea, if you have a long layover, take advantage of an airport transit tour–go out to see a temple or something. Also, there’s a free lounge area upstairs where you can get a blanket, take a cheap shower, etc.
Friends restaurant is good, and they have a sister restaurant nearby where you can get more authentic Khmer food (deep-fried tarantulas, fermented fish paste, etc.).
Things NOT to do in Cambodia.
Do NOT talk on your phone or browse the web while in the back of a local tuk tuk. Last time I was there a few months ago, a guy came alongside on back of a motorbike and attempted to grab my iphone, luckily I had a firm grip on it and didn’t let go and after a few seconds of tussling back and forth he gave up and rode off. Keep your phone safely inside a bag while travelling. In general petty street crime is much worse in Cambodia than in Thailand, Laos or Vietnam so keep aware at all times.
Also, don’t bother with Heart of Darkness in Phonh Penh, it used to be great but is now just an upmarket club for well off locals.
Wildlife alliance tour of the phnom tamao rescue wildlife park was amazing, totally worth a day trip from phnom penh. Don’t bother going to phnom tamao without the tour though - it’s not really set up for visitors just arriving to walk around.