Siem Reap is not just about Angkor Wat. Although it is not a surprise if you would confuse the two for each other because Angkor Wat and the rest of the archaeological park was amazing. We ended our one day Angkor Wat tour early at around 2:30 P.M., giving us ample time to explore the town itself before we proceed to Bangkok that same night. Here are my top 10 things to do in Siem Reap beyond the Angkor Wat.
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| The Siem Reap river runs in the heart of the town. |
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| Chocolate mint ice cream from Blue Pumpkin |
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| Behind Blue Pumpkin are stalls selling local products |
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| Mats and rugs made from recycled cellophane |
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| At the War Museum |
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| Fresh fruit smoothies and shakes from a street stall |
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| Fried noodles with egg from another street stall |
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| Small cafes dot the road along the Siem Reap river |
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| A striking art work sold at the old market |
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| A store selling local products |
1. River walk. The town of Siem Reap is located along the Siem Reap river. Along the river, you would find many cafes and restaurants, most of which are hip and cool and Instagram-worthy, but could be expensive for Filipino tourists because prices are in U.S. dollars. If you are on a tight budget, don’t fret, enjoy the views and take lots of snaps of the many interior design and architectural inspirations along the river.
2. Temple visit. I know it may seem too much. I mean, after seeing Angkor Wat, could there be any temple as magnificent or worth to visit as Angkor Wat? Well, the answer is yes and no. If you are not keen on visiting another Buddhist temple and is interested in Angkor Wat for its engineering and architecture, then, of course that is fine. But if you are interested in the Buddhist faith, you would learn that there are other temples in Siem Reap worth the visit. Because we are interested in Angkor Wat for its engineering and architecture, we did not visit other temples but I saw at least two temples along the Siem Reap river.
3. Museum visit. After our one day tour at the Angkor archeological park, our guide, Kim, took us to the War Museum. Cambodia was plunged into extreme poverty and hardship not too long ago because of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge and this war museum commemorates that. Entrance fee to the war museum is $5. There is a national museum located near the area where we buy the Angkor day pass and I believe that museum focuses on the Angkor ruins. Entrance fee to the national museum is $12.
4. Shopping at old market. The old market near the river offers tourists and travelers many goods to bring home. My favorites would be the basket bags (priced $10-$20), wooden plates, essential oils, and Cambodian coffee ($7 one pack). I would prefer to shop at the old market for souvenirs than at the Angkor park. Although I find that most shops and sellers are pushy to let me buy more than one piece an item. Also, beware because some of the goods sold in Cambodia are not made in Cambodia.
5. Shopping for local arts and crafts. If you are more on helping the physically handicapped and promoting local arts, head to the other side where Blue Pumpkin is located and you will find small stalls selling silk and cotton scarves, more basket bags, local brand clothes and resort wear, woven fabrics. My favorites are the small hand-painted elephants ($5 for 3) and the paper products.
6. $0.50 Beer. My brother had a $0.50 beer drinking spree after we have finished our one-day Angkor archaeological tour. And, if you enjoy beer, a taste of Cambodia’s local beer at $0.50 per glass is not bad at all.
7. Ice cream and coffee. We took refuge from the heat at Blue Pumpkin. It was just accidental as we were just walking around looking for a place to cool down. Blue Pumpkin is quite popular for its ice cream/gelato. One scoop costs $1.60 (+ 10% service charge) and my husband treated me to my favorite choco-mint ice cream. I noticed many cute cafes along the river, including the also famous Sister Srey coffee shop.
8. Pinoy band at Hard Rock Cafe. We discovered that there is a Pinoy band at the Hard Rock Cafe and they perform every Friday night. It would be nice to enjoy music by Filipinos. We were advised to come back to enjoy their music, but sadly, we were already off to Bangkok that Friday night.
9. Takyan game near the river. Sepak takraw is a popular game in our family and we enjoyed passing our time watching a takyan game among Cambodians in the side walk. They were so chill playing that we just had to stop and watch. I took this video of the takyan game.
10. Street food and people watching. I love that Siem Reap allows you to do both of these activities at one time. They set up tables and chairs along the river where you can eat and watch people. At the end of each day in a foreign land, I love to people watch, and Siem Reap was no exception. I love observing how locals do their thing. I took this video of a major Siem Reap street. I noticed that despite the volume of vehicles in a small street, it was not “noisy” at all, and I thought it was because no one seems to honk.
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