visiting the Siem Reap to see Cambodia’s world famous Angkor Wat

I am visiting the Siem Reap to see Cambodia’s world famous Angkor Wat and other ancient temples taste its authentic Cambodian BBQ learning about its scarred history biking around to taking in all the local sights and sounds not to forget bargain shopping and experiencing its cultures All done, safely, inexpensively and easily Anything I can do, you can do… According to the oral history during the reign of King Ang Chan in the 1500s he named the city Siem Reap.

Means the defeat of Siam former name for Thailand Today, it's home to a population of quarter million and site of Cambodia’s most famous tourist destinations, the Angkor Wat Temple There are many options in getting to Siem Reap Buses is the least expensive option and are available from the capital Phnom Penh and other Cambodian cities

Buses are also available from Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam But beware of the VISA Scam you can get visa on arrival for a flat price with no processing fees Do not pay any official pay processing fees or tips as encourages corruption Given time constraint, I flew in and took the official flat rate airport ride to downtown I am on a Tuk Tuk right now

It cost $5.00 U.S. Dollars that will take you directly to your hotel As of 2016, the flat rate is $7.00 for a taxi, $5.00 for Tux Tux motorbike and $2.00 on the back of a motorcycle. However, most hotels will offer complimentary pick up if arranged in advance. I recommend you stay close to Pub Street the home to local markets, night market and many foreign and local pubs and restaurants

I like to special thank to my host here the Norwegian owner Katrine of the Babel Guesthouse for accommodating me during filming of this episode The best of all breakfast is included with all your stay We’ll start by visiting on foot to The Pub Street the center of the Siem Reap’s nightlife comprises of lively bars, cocktail lounges, and restaurants catered to foreigners This includes budget travelers such as $1.00 or fewer beers and cocktails during the happy hours

and many open late until 4 in the morning But let’s eat something first the price for most street food and desert stalls cost around $2.00 or less and $1.00 for drinks, such as fresh juice and smoothies So this is my first street food experience here in Siem Reap This is what I got it's stirred fried noodles with beef and that is $2.00 U.S. Dollars Its sweet and spicy not too bad Not far away is the Old Market or Phsar Chas geared towards both locals and foreigners
So, this is actually one of the two markets here in Siem Reap and normally this one is the Local Market and close around 6 o'clock but tonight is Saturday it close little later so the best option for us is to check the Night Market across the street Established in 2012

The Siem Reap Night Market consist of 240 souvenirs shops designed in smoothly laid out huts built from natural materials and designed beautifully in Khmer style This is where you can find traditional Cambodian-made handicrafts such clothing silk painting
photography jewelry wool and stone carvings so here is the second market The Night Market

Just keep in mind one thing though when you pay in U.S. Dollars they will give you back change in local currency which is the Riel and the exchange rate is pretty much fixed and have your calculators ready
and make sure they give you back the right change because $1.00 U.S. Dollars get you a ride anywhere on a Tuk Tuk pretty much in the city now another thing is... there is no price on anything so, you just have to do a good job of bargaining another reason to bargain... seriously!!!

One of the interesting things you can see behind me is actually... something calls the fish massage where you put your feet in and the fish will actually bite off the dead skins Alright $2.00 for half hour

But you can get it cheaper if you bargain! So make sure you bargain really hard Siem Reap is easily accessible by foot throughout the downtown core if you want to venture far to visit the nearby temples and museums you can also rent a bicycle for only $2.00 a day Taxi to anywhere in the city on the back of a motorcycle or Tuk Tuk only cost $1.00

However, to visit Angkor Wat and other temples inside Angkor Archaeological Park especially for the sunrise I recommend you book a Tuk-Tuk as dawn is dark and you can easily get lost and be ending up in long ticket queues, By the way, bring a flash light The Angkor Wat or the Capital Temple is largest religious monument in the world
with the site measuring 162.6 hectares Originally constructed as a Hindu temple of god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple toward the end of the 12th century As the best-preserved temple at the site it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation The temple is based on the classical style of Khmer architecture.

It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag and currency When I was a little boy I played Socom, the U.S. Navy Seal one of the levels is that I have to come to this exact temple and eliminate Khmer Rouge is also my dream as a child to come here in person and today I am here... Angkor Wat is famous for its extensive decoration with the inner walls bearing a series of large-scale scenes mainly depicting episodes from the Hindu epics The admission ticket includes access to all of the temples and other sites within the Angkor Archaeological Park we are going next to another well-known temple so this is the Bayon Temple another one of the very important sites here in Siem Reap.

Built in the late 12th or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and smiling stone faces on the many towers I am most impresses about all these temples are its stone masonry they are so precise The inner gallery is raised above ground level and has doubled corners with canvases decorated with scenes from Hindu mythology

One level higher is the upper terrace the home to the famous "face towers" of the Bayon each of which supports two, three or most commonly four gigantic smiling faces The number of faces is approximately 200 but since some are only partially preserved there can be no definitive count.

The last temple we’ll visit is the Ta Prohm Temple Built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries however the temple was abandoned and neglected during the 15th century Now before you having a temple fatigue you have to check out this one this is the same temple that Angelina Jolie actually shot the Tomb Raider in and the... it's pretty interesting... as with all the temples well, can't tell what's different but you paid for it, you should really enjoy it The trees growing out of the ruins are perhaps the most distinctive feature.

The two species predominate are the larger is the silk-cotton tree The size is incredible and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants Despite my belief in supporting the local economy I urged all of you not to ride any animals that appear mistreated This is part of responsible travel and we should never tolerate animal cruelty I like to re-emphasise from many of my previous episodes that I do not support giving money to children or buying from them.

Doing so will only encourage them not to attend school and robbing them of a future for short-term monetary gain However I do support giving donation to many music bands consists of physically disabled or blind members who are victims of landmine Don’t spend more than half day visiting temples, as there are many interesting attractions waiting for you to explore This is exactly I am going to do by visiting the Royal Gardens also a short walk from Pub Street This is actually the Royal Gardens right now.

There is really not much to see here at this moment but they are proposing to build a Royal Residence here so it will be interesting in few years what happens Right next to the garden is a Preah Ang Chek and Ang Chom Shrine It contains the statues of two sisters thought to have been Angkorian princesses
and have been hidden from the eyes of invaders and treasure hunters by successive generations of monks Finally, in 1990 the statues have been moved to the current shrine The legend of the two sisters, which are said to bring good luck when worshiped Each day the worshipers offers the sisters with flowers and wash the hands and feet of the statues with small bowls of blessed water Especially Ang Chek the taller, more slender of the two statues whose outstretched palm displays a Sanskrit protection symbol Also a few minutes away is the home to Angkor National Museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, and presentation of Angkorian artifacts Including educating the art and culture of Khmer civilization, However, the admission is $12.

Which we felt is excessive in our opinion and camera is not allowed Along the way to the next destination, we pass by the Angkor Shopping Center This is where you can see various handcraft gemstones and jewelry For those who want to learn about Cambodian culture the Cambodian Cultural Village is definitely must see.

The theme park covers 210,000 square meters with eleven village presenting miniature versions of important historical buildings and structures with local customs, However, its $12.00 U.S. Dollars I decided to pass on and visit the next attraction just right across the street So, I am here at the War Museum here in Siem Reap.

It's normally I do not go to museums but I haven't been to any in a long time so I might as well just check it out it's only $5.00 U.S. Dollars and I am already seeing the airplanes on this side so, what the heck, let's just get going.

The War Museum covers the last three decades of the 20th century during the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror Opening in 2001 on 2 hectares land the collection on display was gathered from provinces in which the most savage fighting of the Cambodian Civil War took place and is mostly made up of a mix of Chinese, American and Soviet hardware I actually never see so many weapons, tanks, and machine guns I guess this is the legacy of Cambodia's bloody Civil War it's actually little scary but I think it's important to learn about the country's history to know why people are the way they are There are two aircraft on display including a Chinese-made Shenyang F-6 fighter used by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 – 1979 and participated in ground attacks during Kampuchea-Vietnamese border clashes Another aircraft on display is the Soviet produced Mil MI-8 medium twin-turbine helicopter.

The museum also display smaller weapons such as machine guns, and RPG or rocket-propelled grenades and uniforms Well, it's not every day you get the hold a rocket-propelled grenade It also dedicate a large showcase to the horror of landmines and to victims as it is a major problem in present day Cambodia especially in rural areas.

Cambodia has one of the most concentrated landmines countries in the world most of the landmine are actually not planted by themselves and the... and the... you know by the foreign powers there is not much interest wanting to clean their own mess they leave behind

After a long day, there is an off beaten path attraction that is suitable for relaxing out the town of Chong Khneas or referred to as the floating village Just 15 km south of Siem Reap located on the banks of the Great Lake Tonle Sap the largest fresh water in South East Asia and 90% of its population earn a living by fishing and farming Oh yeah, don’t forget to support the local economy by trying out their tasty inexpensive food, However, if you are still hungry... Don’t worry, you can try the authentic all you can eat Cambodian Khmer styled BBQ or “Phnom Pleung” translated to Fire Mountain bunch of meats here seafood... you pick your own then you go back put it in the pot and grill it yourself that's try it out that is my selection for now.

Now, this is excellent... let me tell you how you do it that's fat put this over and then you put you put the meat on top that is how the Cambodian BBQ are suppose be done Off course, no meal will be completed without a local desert Next morning, I return to the airport the same way on a Tuk Tuk The cost for this 20 minutes ride is $5.00 and you can arrange it thru your hostel With that being said, I hope you enjoy your stay and find this guide useful.