Siem Reap

[LEGENDARY]

How about Siem Reap? For those guys who have been there, can you share some special info?

[Bobcock]

It's really good.

[wasabi]

Make sure you research the scam bus from Poi Pet to Siem Riep. (Lonely Planet)
Tuk Tuks are two a penny,so just don't accept the first one that quotes you a temple tour rate. Shop around. They want US dollars only.

[Phuketrichard]

i have been 8 or so times in last 5 years, I enjoy it cause have friends an love photographing Angkor,
town is FULL of tourists most of the year, ( Chinese/Koreans/Japanese make up the majority)

More 4-5 star hotels than anywhere else in Cambodia, Some very good restaurant, shopping an than for all u ex Kao san road crowd there is Pub street

loney planets is years out of date.

easy to grab a taxi ($40-50) for Poi Pet to sr
bus station is not at the border so u need negotiate a moto to it.

Tuk tuk for the day ( for temple tour or out to Tonle sap lake) $12-14/day

Photos of Camboida with a sub section for SR an the temples, Richard Reitman Photography | Cambodia

Angkor is worth seeing !!!

[dirk diggler]

I spent some time there with the Ex around 2009/10.

We stayed in a hotel next door to The Nest Restaurant which was awesome.

We paid $15 for a day with the tuk-tuk driver all around the Angkor temples.

We got out into the rural areas a bit, one time on an all day quad bike tour which stopped at some orphanages and temples along the way. I forget how much it cost but cheap enough to have forgotten.

We also got out on the Horses from The Happy Ranch which was good too, got a good gallop on. Again very cheap.

Pub street was a let down, all restaurants with one pub and a 'club' accross from it. Then a large Bar X up on the hill at the end.

[dirk diggler]

The Nest Restaurant was awesome, I imagine the hotel was average, can't remember.

[LEGENDARY]

Thanks for the replies, Guys. I noticed everyone put denominations in US Dollars. Can I get by with Thai Bhat and Riel?

[dirk diggler]

Forget it, bring dollars. You'll get some riels back in your change which can be used.

I changed about 16k baht at the airport into riels and about 4 envelopes later I was on my way with about 10k baht's worth of riels. cnuts

[Necron99]

Bring dollars in small denominations. The dont want baht and will screw you on fx.
Really tidy and clean town, tons of hotels, not sure about nightlife.
Angkor is a bucket list job, but dont do it all in one day, its stinking hot and hard work.

[theduderule]

went last year and stayed in the Golden Temple Villa guesthouse. Walking distance to PUB street and the nightmarket(about 500m away). Very nice guest house. Small room but with air/Tv/fridge for $13.00 a night. They arranged a free pick up at bus station(or airport). They organize Tuk Tuk drivers to Angkor(I had the same driver that collected me at bus stop- assume the free pick up is made up by you using him as your driver to the Temple.) Tuk Tuk priced $12-15 depending on which temples you will visit. This take the hassle away of trying to find a fair price(some people paid $30 for same trip) My driver had a cooler box with water for me.

[brisie]

I was there for 2 weeks 9 months ago probably 11 days to long but was waiting on a friend to arrive.
There's only a few freelance bars the rest is faggy restaurants some have live bands with white mans music that are ok ish and there are restaurants that try and do night club thing so the tourists try to pickup and fuck each other without having to pay the local working girls.

You can get a tuk tuk for $10 that will take you to a small creek from there you can take an old boat for $20 each person that will take you 7Klm down the river and you get to look at a lot of houses on 10 meter stilts until you get to the big lake then you do a Uturn and come back. The whole boat adventure would have to last a whole 30-40 minutes.
I was talking to another couple about how I got ripped off and they said the did a 1 day tour of the lake for $30.
I was told Barang (Cambodian for Farang) are banned from hiring motor bikes in SR the only way around it is you buy the bike then sell it back.

If you want to look at temples go there, If you just want to drink sleaze and be a total slut SR isn't the place for you take a bus to Phnom phen is only about $8 + 6-8Hrs

[dirk diggler]

Better off taking the boat between SR and PP, much faster at about $30. My ex got it cheaper as I said she was a local.

[Phuketrichard]

Better off taking the boat between SR and PP, much faster at about $30. My ex got it cheaper as I said she was a local.

NOT true at all;
bus is quicker by about an hour, and that does not count time involved in picking u up and taking you where the boat waits till everyone shows up. so its an all day trip .
siting inside the boat is terrible so u end up on the top an for the first hour its ok and than 4 1/2 hours of nothing but boredom until u reach the outskirts of PP

PLUS it costs $20 more than the bus ( and u get a lunch stop).

The boat trip out to the Village of Kampng Phluk is well worth it!! an from the entrance till ur back is about 2 hours trip.

Kampong Phluk


Brisie; seems like u should have stayed home

[dirk diggler]

I couldn't actually remember how long it took, but I'll still prefer the boat. You can walk around, go outside and smoke and chat away with others. A smoother ride too.

I think if you're gonna do the trip only once, you have to take the boat up the Mekhong. At one point it was so big I got all confused and thought we'd gone into the ocean.

[Phuketrichard]

first u were never on the Mekong but the Tonle Sap river.
two that's a lake

IF your going to take it, take it DOWN the Tonle Sap when the river flows south (rather than when it reverses its direction in nov to Flow North INTO the Tonle Sap lake) The ONLY river in the world that does this.

Walk around??? I took it once in 2006 when it was only $20 and thought that was expensive.

[brisie]

Brisie; seems like u should have stayed home

I think I got rapped prety hard.

[dirk diggler]

That's all fair enough. It said Mekong on my ticket. No big deal.

My point is, for a long trip either way, I'd rather be on the boat.

I found that, travelling with others that were willing to pay the extra $20 for the luxury, I found my new companions to be of the slightly cleaner variety, willing to pay for beers and had their own cigarettes.

[LEGENDARY]

I was there for 2 weeks 9 months ago probably 11 days to long but was waiting on a friend to arrive.
There's only a few freelance bars the rest is faggy restaurants some have live bands with white mans music that are ok ish and there are restaurants that try and do night club thing so the tourists try to pickup and fuck each other without having to pay the local working girls.

You can get a tuk tuk for $10 that will take you to a small creek from there you can take an old boat for $20 each person that will take you 7Klm down the river and you get to look at a lot of houses on 10 meter stilts until you get to the big lake then you do a Uturn and come back. The whole boat adventure would have to last a whole 30-40 minutes.
I was talking to another couple about how I got ripped off and they said the did a 1 day tour of the lake for $30.
I was told Barang (Cambodian for Farang) are banned from hiring motor bikes in SR the only way around it is you buy the bike then sell it back.

If you want to look at temples go there, If you just want to drink sleaze and be a total slut SR isn't the place for you take a bus to Phnom phen is only about $8 + 6-8Hrs

Thanks, Everyone. I probably will not have enough time to go down-lake and visit PP. This trip is basically an in and out to SR, with an additional three days checking the main Angkor temples... Wouldn't mind some female company, though, so I'll keep an eye open for those freelance bars.

[Phuketrichard]

go an buy ur 3 day ticket ( $40) after 4:30 an get a sunset thrown in for free!!!

Just head straight to the temples an then head to the front of Angkor Wat

I also suggest you go to the Museum in town, will give u a good overview an history of the temples
and when u visit the temples pick up a copy of "Ancient Angkor" $5-10 from one of the kids selling them everywhere.

[dirk diggler]

Fuck that, 1 day is enough. You'll be all templed out before you know it. The Angkor Watt is impressive, but there's nothing exciting about it. Bring a hat.

[LEGENDARY]

go an buy ur 3 day ticket ( $40) after 4:30 an get a sunset thrown in for free!!!

Just head straight to the temples an then head to the front of Angkor Wat

I also suggest you go to the Museum in town, will give u a good overview an history of the temples
and when u visit the temples pick up a copy of "Ancient Angkor" $5-10 from one of the kids selling them everywhere.

Great tip about the ticket/pass, Phuketrichard. Thanks! ... Dirk: most everyone says it can't be done comfortably in a day and I move slowly as it is, so I'll try the 3-day pass and see the 7 major temples.

[Fondles]

go an buy ur 3 day ticket ( $40) after 4:30 an get a sunset thrown in for free!!!

Just head straight to the temples an then head to the front of Angkor Wat

I also suggest you go to the Museum in town, will give u a good overview an history of the temples
and when u visit the temples pick up a copy of "Ancient Angkor" $5-10 from one of the kids selling them everywhere.

Great tip about the ticket/pass, Phuketrichard. Thanks! ... Dirk: most everyone says it can't be done comfortably in a day and I move slowly as it is, so I'll try the 3-day pass and see the 7 major temples.

After you see the first temple you might as well leave the place and go drink beer somewhere as they all look the same.

A trip out to some sorta floating village was pretty cool though.

[Bobcock]

as they all look the same

I guess that's valid if you did give up and go drinking beer after the first one..... in reality though that statement is total tosh....

[Fondles]

as they all look the same

I guess that's valid if you did give up and go drinking beer after the first one..... in reality though that statement is total tosh....

Well actually I was with my Mother who flew out specially to go there...... she binned it after the 5th one.

[Phuketrichard]

go an buy ur 3 day ticket ( $40) after 4:30 an get a sunset thrown in for free!!!

Just head straight to the temples an then head to the front of Angkor Wat

I also suggest you go to the Museum in town, will give u a good overview an history of the temples
and when u visit the temples pick up a copy of "Ancient Angkor" $5-10 from one of the kids selling them everywhere.

Great tip about the ticket/pass, Phuketrichard. Thanks! ... Dirk: most everyone says it can't be done comfortably in a day and I move slowly as it is, so I'll try the 3-day pass and see the 7 major temples.

After you see the first temple you might as well leave the place and go drink beer somewhere as they all look the same.

A trip out to some sorta floating village was pretty cool though.

8 trips to Siem rep in past 5 years, each with a 3 day pass and each time see something new, then if u dont like temples.. why go even one day??

agree Kampon Phluk is worth the trip.