The 13 Best Things to Do in Siem Reap

Take a Day (or Three) to Explore the Angkor Temples

Despite so many other things to do in Siem Reap, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat is still the primary draw for tourists. Constructed in the 12th century by the Khmer people working under Jayavarman II, the temples of Angkor Wat must be seen to be believed.

Scores of temples - some restored and some still overgrown with jungle vines - make up the Angkor temple complex, about 4 miles north of Siem Reap. (Many travelers staying at one of the hostels or hotels around Siem Reap hire a tuk-tuk to take them around the temple complex.)

The scale of Angkor Wat is overwhelming; while a one-day pass is enough to reveal the highlights, you can buy a three- or even a seven-day pass to explore the Angkor temples in microscopic detail.

Enjoy a Thousand-Year-Old Apsara Dance After Dark

The lithe young female dancers performing the "apsara" traditional dance draw from a tradition as old as the carved Angkor Wat dancers they're named after.

The millennia-old Khmer traditional dance was almost wiped out during the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime. Fortunately, a few survivors managed to pass on the art to a new generation of apsara dancers, whose students, in turn, now perform on stages across Siem Reap, wearing form-fitting clothing and golden headdresses.

Visitors looking for authentic apsara performances should avoid the usual dinner-buffet-dance performances and head to the Divine Sala to watch the "Sacred Dancers of Angkor," the only apsara dancers under royal patronage.

"Sacred Dancers of Angkor" shows take place at the Divine Sala on Wednesdays and Sundays from 7 p.m. onward, captivating viewers with an intricately-performed Khmer dance performance infused with a spiritual presence lacking in the city's other apsara shows.

Wander Through the Angkor National Museum

Opened in 2007, the Angkor National Museum houses thousands of artifacts recovered from Angkor Wat and the surrounding areas in an impressive building.

Relics from the ancient Angkor Empire—including over 6,000 lintels, assorted statues of Hindu gods, Buddhist bodhisattvas, and sandstone reliefs—tell the fascinating story of the Angkor Empire's beginnings eventual downfall.

Visit the museum before you check out Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples, and you'll visit the latter with significantly more insight into the culture that brought it ​into existence!

To get the most out of your visit, rent a portable media player (available at the entrance) to get an audio explanation of some of the more obscure items on display. When you're done, stop by the 86,000-square-foot duty-free mall to take back a tiny part of Angkor with you. 

Take in a Show at the Phare Circus

Founded by eight Battambang performers, Phare Ponleu Selpak operates a big-top-style extravaganza that interprets Cambodian culture through a raucous blend of comedy, dance, and acrobatics reminiscent of Cirque d' Soleil.

Despite its modern look, Phare Circus taps deep into a historic Khmer tradition of acrobatics, making this fun romp just as authentically Khmer as the apsara dance. Any speaking parts are performed in the Khmer language, though subtitles in three languages are projected on a screen to help the narrative along.

Performing at the Phare Circus is a dream come true for many PPS students, who train for years before getting a shot at the stage. For tickets and show information, visit the Phare official site.

Wing It at the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary

The 31,000-hectare Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary has become one of Southeast Asia's most important breeding grounds for endangered water birds.

Located in the marshes of Tonle Sap Lake around Battambang province, this bird sanctuary provides a chance to tour by boat and see rare large waterfowl outside of captivity: storks, ibis, pelicans, and much, much more.

Travelers between the dry months of December and March see untold thousands of local and migratory birds fishing and mating in Prek Toal's waters.

If this is your kind of nature experience, make arrangements to visit Prek Toal through your guest house or hire a boat from the Phnom Krom/Chong Khneas boat dock. You'll be dropped off at the Prek Toal Environmental Research Station, where you can pick up more information about the area's wildlife and plant life or book a boat tour of the sanctuary.

You can even book an overnight stay at the Station—all the better to see the area's "fowl" play after dark! 

See Siem Reap's Countryside from Way, Way Above

Take a seat behind one of Cambodia’s most experienced microlight pilots to see the Cambodian countryside from a bird’s eye view. Eddie Smith’s Microlight Cambodia takes paying passengers on a selection of flight patterns.

The company’s Pegasus Quik microlight seats two (pilot and passenger) and flies at a cruising speed of about 68 mph and an altitude of 1,500 feet.

Some 3,000 passengers have already flown with Eddie, taking up to one hour to see the floating villages on Tonle Sap; the storks inhabiting the waters around Kampong Phluk; and an aerial temple route that covers the Roluos Group, Banteay Samrei, Sra Srang, and Angkor Wat.

(The latter route takes in the view from a distance of 1.7 nautical miles from the temple sites; microlights are not allowed to fly directly over the Angkor temples.)

Microlight Cambodia flies seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., then later in the afternoon from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Custom itineraries are available upon request.  

Buy Upscale Cambodian Culture at Kandal Village

Don't let the name fool you; Kandal "Village" isn't some secluded rural hamlet but a cunningly-rebranded street south of Siem Reap's French Quarter. Hap Guan Street is a 500-foot shophouse-lined avenue that has become ground zero for Siem Reap's hip and upscale set.

Take an afternoon to explore Kandal Village's clutch of culturally-conscious establishments. The proprietors traffic in repurposed Cambodian culture, from the lacquerware and textiles at Louise Loubatieres to the Buddhas with modern paint patterns at Niko's Studio.

Trunkh sells clothing and home decor with Khmer and modern influences, while the heavenly-scented Saarti boutique hawks beeswax candles from Angelina Jolie's foundation.

End your trip with a turmeric-and-ginger-infused coffee at the Little Red Fox. For something more substantial, try the authentic Italian pasta at Mamma Shop.

See Authentic Village Life at Kampong Phluk

About 13 miles from Siem Reap, Kampong Phluk is a fishing village constructed on stilts in the swamps around Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Cambodia.

Only a handful of tourists make the journey by boat or bus to Kampong Phluk, which has helped the village retain much of its authenticity. This is the place to see daily Khmer life away from the influence of heavy tourism; come on any regular day, but try to schedule your visit to coincide with the Cambodia festival calendar.

Read about etiquette in Cambodia to enhance your visit to Kampong Phluk.

See the Ruin of War at the Land Mine Museum

Like the rest of Cambodia, Siem Reap suffered heavily under the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and the Vietnamese occupation in 1979. Despite largely recovering from those national traumas, the horrors of the past still lie beneath the surface—quite literally.

Millions of land mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) remain from those deadly years, occasionally maiming or killing locals even today. 

To warn of the dangers of UXO, the Cambodia Land Mine Museum was founded by a former child soldier whose parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge. In the present day, it's staffed by victims and orphans of mines.

Visitors are charged $5 (adult rate) to enter. The funds support a relief center and school attached to the museum. Tours can be booked on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in English and Japanese. 

Buy Souvenirs at the Old Market

The riverside psah chas, or old market, combines shopping for tourists and locals alike. The half of the market bordering the riverside stocks tourist tchotchkes from floor to ceiling: silverworks, T-shirts, brass sculptures, jewelry, handbags, and art.

A whole arcade sells pearls, gold, and silver, though the buyer should beware when browsing through the valuables in this part of the market.

The other half of the market caters to locals, especially in the “wet market” that bisects the Psah Chas complex at its center. At this market, locals haggle for raw meat, vegetables, and processed food products. Tourists interested in Khmer day-to-day life can visit this part of the market and watch the wives banter and buy. 

Shudder at Relics of Human Cruelty in Wat Thmei

Siem Reap suffered horribly under the Khmer Rouge, and the area's victims are commemorated today in Wat Thmei.

A glass-walled stupa on the premises holds a mass of bones belonging to massacre victims. Like its counterpart Tuol Sleng in Phnom Penh, Wat Thmei provides a stark reminder of the insanity that ruled Cambodia in the 1970s.

It's not all bones and death here, though; the large monastery here houses a good number of monks and orphans under their care. (Wat Thmei is not part of Siem Reap's unfortunate orphanage tourism circuit—here's why orphanages in Cambodia should not be tourist attractions.)

Get Buzzed over Rice Liqueur at Sombai

Sombai's workshop, set in a traditional Khmer wooden house, offers a modern take on a heritage tipple. Marrying the conventional Cambodian sraa tram ("soaked wine") with modern flavored rums, Sombai sells the result in hand-painted bottles or serves it in cocktails for your pleasure.

About eight flavored liqueurs make up Sombai's product line: the tasting parlor allows you to taste and pick your favorite flavor combination. From the Pina-colada-inspired coconut and pineapple to the fiery ginger and red chili liqueur, no two products have the same flavor or impact on your taste buds.

To get the most out of your visit to Sombai, book a tour from their website: you'll be guided through their workshop and infusion room to see the liqueurs (and the bottles) come to life, then taste samples of all available flavors. Come in sober, leave riding that sraa tram buzz!

Party or Shop After Dark at the Pub Street & Night Market

After dark, it's less about the authenticity and more about getting soused: thus the draw of Pub Street and the neighboring Night Market for Siem Reap's tippling visitors.

Drink an Angkor Beer (or a good number of decent Southeast Asian beers, for that matter) at one of the many neon-lit bars down this pedestrianized corner of the city.

The best place to start: the graffiti-covered Angkor What?, the bar that launched Pub Street into the Siem Reap stratosphere when it opened in 1998. Its incredible energy, cheap drinks, and late hours keep it a Pub Street mainstay for both long-timers and newcomers alike.

The Night Market across Sivatha Street from Pub Street offers some excellent bargains, from Kampot peppers to obscenely-carved ashtrays to counterfeit branded clothing. Shop for souvenirs among the Night Market's warmly-lit Khmer hut-styled stalls.