Siem Reap

Siem Reap is the base for visiting Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. The archaeological park covers around 400 square kilometers and takes in far more than Angkor Wat itself: the faces of the Bayon at Angkor Thom, jungle-wrapped Ta Prohm, and dozens of smaller temples, with 1-, 3-, and 7-day passes sold by the official Angkor Enterprise. Back in town, evenings center on Pub Street, the Old Market, and the night markets around them, and Phare, The Cambodian Circus puts on a nightly show performed by graduates of a Battambang arts school. Further out, the stilt villages on the Tonle Sap lake make a good half-day trip.

The dry season, roughly December to February, brings the most comfortable temple weather and also the biggest crowds and highest room rates. March to May is the hot stretch, with temperatures that can climb past 40°C, and mid-April brings Khmer New Year. The rainy green season runs from about May to November: showers rarely last all day, the countryside turns lush, crowds thin out, and according to Lonely Planet it’s the best time to see the Tonle Sap villages, when the water is high.

Getting around is mostly by tuk-tuk. They wait on almost every corner in town, and many visitors hire a driver for the day to tour the temples. Bicycles and e-bikes are another popular way to explore Angkor at your own pace, since the roads through the park are flat. Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, which opened in October 2023, is about an hour or more from town by road, so it’s worth arranging the transfer before you land.