Siem Reap is the laid-back Cambodian town that guards Angkor, the vast temple city built by the Khmer Empire. Beyond the crumbling sandstone spires and jungle-swallowed ruins, it's a place of buzzing night markets, riverside cafés and some of Southeast Asia's warmest hospitality.
Days are spent chasing sunrises over Angkor Wat and dusk over the Tonlé Sap; evenings dissolve into Pub Street and bowls of fragrant Khmer curry. Everything stays cheap, unhurried and surprisingly easy to travel.
Be at Angkor Wat before dawn to watch the towers ignite over the reflecting pools, then explore its galleries as the crowds thin. Continue to the walled city of Angkor Thom for the smiling stone faces of the Bayon, and finish at Ta Prohm, where strangler figs devour the ruins.
Drive out to Banteay Srei, a miniature temple carved from pink sandstone with the finest detail at Angkor. Loop back through the quieter grand-circuit temples like Preah Khan and Ta Som, then climb Pre Rup or Phnom Bakheng for a sweeping sunset.
Spend the morning on the Tonlé Sap, gliding through a stilted floating village and the flooded forest by boat. Back in town, browse the Old Market, cool off with a spa treatment, then dive into Pub Street and the night market after dark.
The largest religious monument on Earth, a 12th-century temple-mountain of five lotus towers ringed by a vast moat. Come at dawn to watch it silhouette against a pink sky, then lose yourself in kilometres of bas-relief carvings.
At the centre of Angkor Thom, this temple bristles with more than 200 giant serene faces gazing from its towers. Explore the maze of galleries and narrow stairways carved with lively scenes of everyday Khmer life.
The famous jungle temple left as explorers found it, with colossal fig and silk-cotton roots prising apart the stones. Its tangle of ruins and trees is one of Angkor's most atmospheric and photographed corners.
Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, whose stilted and floating villages rise and fall with the seasons. Take a boat through Kampong Phluk's flooded forest to see a way of life shaped entirely by the water.
The neon-lit spine of Siem Reap's nightlife, a pedestrian strip of bars, street food and 50-cent draught beer. Loud, cheerful and unashamedly touristy — dive in for a night, then retreat to quieter lanes.
The town's original market, a warren of stalls selling spices, silk scarves, krama cloths and sizzling Khmer snacks. Come hungry, haggle gently, and try a fresh coconut or a plate of noodles between the stalls.
The beating heart of town, a knot of narrow lanes around the Old Market packed with stalls, tuk-tuks and street food. Steps from Pub Street, it's the handiest base for first-timers who want everything on their doorstep.
A quieter, leafy quarter on the east bank of the river, dotted with boutique hotels, spas and an old working monastery. Ideal if you want charm and calm but are still a short tuk-tuk from the action.
A small, stylish strip of converted shophouses turned cafés, concept stores and cocktail bars. The hub of Siem Reap's creative scene and the best place for slow coffee and local design.
The forested temple zone just north of town, where Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and dozens of ruins spread over 400 square kilometres. Not a place to sleep but where you'll spend most daylight hours.
Cambodia's signature dish: freshwater fish steamed in a banana-leaf cup with coconut, lemongrass and kroeung spice paste until silky and mousse-like. Order it at a proper Khmer restaurant rather than a tourist buffet.
Cubes of marinated beef seared fast and piled over lettuce and tomato, served with a lime-and-Kampot-pepper dipping sauce and a fried egg. Comfort food that locals eat at any hour.
The classic Khmer breakfast: soft rice noodles drowned in a green fish-and-lemongrass gravy, topped with raw banana flower, cucumber and heaps of herbs. Hunt it down from a morning market stall.
The crisp, easy-drinking lager brewed in Sihanoukville and poured everywhere from riverside terraces to Pub Street. Ice-cold at happy hour, it's the unofficial toast of the temples.
The dry season from November to March is the sweet spot: warm days, cooler nights and clear skies for sunrise over Angkor. April and May are brutally hot, while the June–October wet season brings short downpours but also lush jungle, full moats and far fewer crowds.
Tuk-tuks (motorbike remorks) are the way to get around, and hiring one with a driver for the day is the standard way to tour the temples. The town centre is small enough to walk, bicycles suit the flatter inner temples, and the new Siem Reap–Angkor airport sits about 40 kilometres east, linked by taxi.
A realistic daily budget per person, in three styles.
Siem Reap offers a range of affordable options for travelers.
