Visit Siem Reap - Cambodia

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Siem Reap, the homeland of the fabulous and world famous Temples of Angkor. A tourist destination in Cambodia full of history, charm and which, in the first half of 2013 alone, received 1.23 million visitors.

Beautiful structures made of brick and sandstone have survived the action of time and are located in a total area of 400 square kilometers (including the forest), such as the impressive - and very well preserved - Angkor Wat, considered the most important temple in the world. Southeast Asia. Nothing less than the largest religious structure in the world, built at the behest of King Suryavarman II, in the first half of the 12th century.

Although the Temples of Angkor (especially Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom) are the focus of those visiting the region, it should be noted that the charming Siem Reap is an excellent base city, with hotels of the most diverse categories, restaurants serving the best of Cambodian cuisine (at good prices), museums, spas, markets where everything is sold, among many other attractions.
In addition, in the vicinity of the city, visitors will find attractions such as the landmine museum and the interesting floating villages, such as Chong Kneas and Kompong Pluk. To fully explore the city and the region - inhabited by very simple and happy people - you will need at least three days.

Siem Reap is located on the banks of the river of the same name, just over 300km from the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Phnom Pehn. The local currency is the Riel, however the American Dollar is accepted by most establishments and service providers in the city. The country's official language is Khmer, but English and French are widely used in tourist areas.

In the city, you will also have the opportunity to meet extremely friendly people, receptive to tourists and who fight daily to forget a painful past, marked by three decades of conflicts, only in contemporary history. In addition, poverty is still present in the lives of many men, women and children in Cambodia, which ends up encouraging many visitors to help in some way, either financially or by acting as volunteers.

Siem Reap was nothing more than a small village when the first French explorers rediscovered Angkor in the 19th century, but it wasn't until the country took over the archeological park again that the city developed into what it is today, a full-fledged tourist destination. , which brings together excellent options for hotels, museums, restaurants and bars, markets and much more.

The Phsar Chas (Old Market) area, for example, is one of the oldest and most vibrant in the city. There is the bustling Pub Street, a street famous for the huge number of attractions such as bars and nightclubs, as well as massage parlors, including the fish spa type, a technique in which the feet are massaged by small fish that, in fact, are feed on accumulated dead skin. Not sore and super relaxing! Sessions from 3 USD.

Another night program option - mainly for those who want something more traditional and calm than the lively Pub Street - are the typical Cambodian dance shows. Among the most famous night performances in Siem Reap are Rosana Broadway (more glamorous, cabaret style and full of performances).

The Acodo orphanage promotes a typical Khmer dance show starring talented children who need a lot of encouragement - an excellent opportunity to get to know this beautiful artistic and social work up close.

Built in the late 12th century at the behest of King Jayavarman VII, Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Khmer empire. A monument city - which occupies an impressive area of nine square kilometers - where very important residences and administrative buildings were erected, but which, over time, were transformed into ruins.

In general, the first sight that one has of the place is that of the S Gate, fabulous towers with four faces, each one pointing to a cardinal point. When crossing this point, the visitor will see up close the impressive ruins of temples such as the famous Bayon, in the center of the city of Angkor Thom, 1,500m from the South gate.

Bayon is a Buddhist temple that impresses with more than 50 Gothic towers, decorated with 216 faces of Avalokiteshvara, bas-relief sculptures that portray Khmer life and also with the beautiful nature around.

Other highlights of Angkor Thom are:

- The Baphuon: a symbolic representation of Mount Meru. It is 200m northwest of Bayon;

- The Terrace of the Elephants: the terrace located in the Royal Square of Angkor Thom was used for public ceremonies;

- The Terrace of the Leper King: north of the Terrace of the Elephants is the platform that houses a nude statue, one of the mysteries of Angkor;

- Prah Palilay: temple dedicated to Buddhism and the artistic style of Angkor Wat. Surrounded by beautiful nature, the place has a very peaceful atmosphere and an excellent area to be explored on foot. It is situated north of Baphuon.

Angkor Wat is a giant temple, considered the heart and soul of Cambodia, erected in the early 12th century, at the behest of King Suryavarman. So important that it has become a national symbol, proudly stamped on the country's flag.

A place of veneration, Angkor Wat is the most sublime of the Khmer temples, in addition to being the largest religious monument in the world, which impresses with its sumptuousness and degree of conservation. Initially, it was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, but later it became a Buddhist temple.

At Angkor Wat, which means Temple City, creative ambition and spiritual devotion blend together. Everything there is grandiose, such as a 190m wide moat that surrounds it (forming a giant rectangle measuring 1.5km by 1.3km) and the five beautiful sculpted towers, even more beautiful during sunrise and sunset .

The interior part also draws the visitor's attention - made up of a large number of rooms, galleries, corridors and patios, with stairs at various levels -, in addition to the sculptures of Apsarás, nymphs of paradise on the walls of the place (according to information, there are at least least three thousand sculptures of the type).

Information about the visit

Many people choose to arrive there a little before sunrise and enjoy one of the most beautiful spectacles in Cambodia. The area in front of the temple, next to the food stalls (where you can have a good and cheap breakfast), is usually the most sought after by tourists and their cameras. Arrive early if you want to get a good seat.

Climbing the main tower

It is possible to climb to the top of the temple's main tower and enjoy one of the most beautiful views of the place. To enter, however, visitors must have their knees and shoulders covered.

Siem Reap is a small city, where many attractions can be accessed on foot (with the exception of the Temples of Angkor) or with the help of very cheap local taxis, the famous tuk-tuks. For this reason, being poorly located is something difficult to happen.

As an extremely touristic city, Siem Reap has hotels of the most diverse categories, and the good news is that the prices are not abusive. There, for example, it is possible to stay in two-star hotels paying USD 25 a day (for a couple), or four-star hotels, paying from USD 30 to USD 40 (a couple). All options include breakfast and various other perks.

A tip for those who want to enjoy good restaurants/bars and the city's night life - in general quite lively - is to choose hotels that are close to tourist attractions, such as the vibrant Night Market and the very busy Pub Street.

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