Touring Temple Town - Siem Reap

In June 2016, we did a trip to Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat Temple. This was one trip that I was particularly looking forward to because I’d heard so much about it, topped off by the fact that the temple was voted #1 in The Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travelist.

Needless to say, the temple did not disappoint and was even more beautiful in real life. When you consider that the structure was constructed nearly 1000 years ago added to the intricate detail in the carvings, it’s truly breath taking. The photos honestly do not do the temple justice and if you haven’t already been, book your tickets NOW.

If you want to learn more about the temple, check out the information available on the UNESCO site.

Details

Where did I go: Siem Reap, Cambodia

How long did I go for: Friday – Sunday

Jetstar flight from Singapore to Siem Reap on the Friday at 1:55pm arriving in Siem Reap at 3:10pm (I took a whole day’s leave).

We took the 3:55pm flight back to Singapore on the Sunday, arriving in Changi at 7:10pm.

Here is the full list of flight times available from Singapore to Siem Reap and here from Siem Reap to Singapore.

Travel time: 6 hours

We purchased seats up front on Jetstar, therefore were through immigration in Siem Reap fairly quickly. I suspect if we hadn’t, our travel time would have been significantly longer. The hotel was only about 15-20 minute drive from the airport, so we were in the hotel checking in at around 5pm.

Visa Requirements: Yes (for British Passport holders)

If you’re not a British passport holder, you can use the link below to check if you need one.

If it transpires you do need a visa, read on: you can either apply online in advance or get one on arrival. For me, the latter was the best option (we left it rather late). Before you go, all you need is an up to date passport (obviously) with a blank page and at least 6 months validity. You will also need a passport photo to be given to the visa guys at the airport.

As mentioned above, we paid for seats on the plane so we could get off quickly and get ahead of any queues. Good job we did, as the queue grew significantly and very quickly! You will either be given the forms whilst you’re on the plane (ideal) or you will have to pick up the forms in the actual airport and complete there.

Tip: If you aren’t given forms to complete on the plane, make sure you have something hard (like a book or magazine) to lean on, and a pen, so you can grab the forms and complete them in the queue, saving time for yourself!

Where did I stay: Angkor Palace Resort and Spa

This hotel is definitely one of my best finds since we started our travels around Asia. The hotel was around SG$100 a night, and in this price was also included:

Transport to and from the airport
Transport in to Pub Street (basically the only place for eating / drinking)
A 55 minute Khmer Body Massage per person (you could change the massage and pay the difference)

There isn’t much that I can fault about the hotel, the room was huge and kept spotless throughout our stay. They had 2 pools (only 1 just would not do) which were perfect for unwinding and relaxing when you aren’t doing the touristy stuff.

The spa was also pretty special, decorated Balinese style with massive Buddha’s everywhere. Staff were very friendly and attentive and I received an excellent massage, which was only made even better in light of the fact that it was included in my room price!

Itinerary

Quad biking

Straight after we had checked in, and because we only had a short amount of time, we booked quad biking for 6pm that evening.

We used ‘Quad Adventure’, and they picked us up from our hotel at around 6pm before we were taken to the main office to be briefed on how to use the quads and where we would be going.

The total duration for the activity was 1 hour. We drove (on the quads) from the main office to the countryside and around the rice paddies before stopping briefly to watch the sunset. I would definitely recommend doing the quad biking as it’s a truly memorable experience and whilst the price is a little steep (for Asia) at USD32 per quad, I personally thought this was worth it.

Angkor Wat Tour

For the actual tour of the temple we got our recommendation from the owner of the Quad Biking place for a company called Blue Bird. This also coincidentally was the company I was recommended by a friend in Singapore too. I’ve looked around online for a website but unfortunately can’t seem to find one, however the cost was USD11 per person for the tour.

We were recommended and opted to do the sunrise tour which I would also recommend to anyone looking to plan a trip. Not only is watching the sunrise over the temple incredible but also the sun is brutal as the day goes on and the number of tourists flocking around the temple significantly increases as the day goes on. Even as early as 7am, it was quite difficult moving around. I was knocked on the head by people holding up umbrellas 3 times. Understandably they were trying to create some shade from the intensity of the sun, however if you’re tall, it doesn’t make for a pleasant experience!

We were picked up at 5am and driven to get our tickets. A one-day pass if USD20 and covers the whole day, so if you want to continue looking around after your tour is over, you can. A photo is taken of you for your ticket when you’re purchasing it and you’ll need cash to pay, as they don’t accept credit cards.

Our guide was a man called Vishnu, and he was in his early 20s and was born and bred in Siem Reap. He had lots of little stories and anecdotes to tell about not only the temples but also his life in Cambodia. He was a definite highlight of the tour, and brought the whole experience to life.

Below you’ll find the photos of the temples we visited which were:

Angkor Wat
Angkor Thom
Bayon Temple
Elephant Terrace Temple
Ta Phrom Temple (the Tomb Raider Temple)

Tip: Whilst Blue Bird comes recommended, I would also suggest just speaking to your hotel when you actually arrive to arrange a tour. It’s always cheaper when you’re in the actual country and you’ll be able to negotiate, but also there are lots of companies and the tour is exactly the same, so you don’t have to necessarily go with Blue Bird!

Pub Street

If you’ve been to Siem Reap, you’ll know that Pub Street is essentially a rite of passage. It’s that one street where everybody goes to party, whatever night of the week it is (similar to Uni days!). There really is no alternative: just Pub Street.

On Pub Street, you’ll find restaurants, bars, clubs, spas, currency exchange, tour operators. You name it, you’ve got it.

I’ve gone in to detail regarding the restaurants we visited below, however we also went to a bar (The Angkor What? Bar) and a club (The Temple Club). Music was ah-mazing. At both places. The Temple Club seemed to be THE place where all young locals were partying. Drinks are also ridiculously cheap, $1 beers and cocktails etc. So it basically just depends on what you’re in to.

You could walk around the area and get a feel for it. We wanted a night out, so we headed to a bar and a club. However there were also some live music places and even a piano bar, if that’s more up your street (no pun intended).

Food Highlights

Khmer Kitchen

On our first night, after the quad biking we went straight to Pub Street for dinner. Because we had an early rise the next day for the Temple Tour we decided to have an early dinner to call it a night early.

At the Khmer Kitchen, we ordered a Khmer Curry and a Pizza (clearly, embracing Asian life). The Khmer Curry was excellent and had a lot of similar flavours to Thai food. It came with rice, but I barely ate any because the curry was spectacular on its own. Unsurprisingly, the pizza was so-so. The base needed more time in the oven and this undercooked base let it down, but the Khmer Curry more than made up for it. Our bill came to about SG$40 including drinks (a beer and fresh Watermelon juice).

The Temple Club

Along with being a club for partying, the Temple Club also has a restaurant where they serve food. We went for the Lak Lak and the Khmer Curry. Again, both were amazing. Our bill again came to around SG$40 including a few beers.

Moral of the story? Have local food in Cambodia. Funny, that.