Twenty years ago it would have been quite
impossible for this lovely cultural city to have been featured on any travel
list, but now it is open and welcoming to curious travelers. Siem Reap serves
as a wonderful gateway to the Cambodian culture, history, architecture and the
famous temples of Angkor Wat whilst also offering modern hotels and great
shopping. Craft shops and silk farms abound, offering the chance to bring home
some beautiful fabrics and hand-made jewelry. Take time to explore the Colonial
and Chinese-influenced architecture of the Old French Quarter of Siem Reap and
enjoy the cultural music and colorfully costumed Apsara dancers. The city dates
back to 800AD and its temples and monuments are among the world's premier
architectural sites.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site at Angkor Wat
The highlight of any visit to Siem Reap will
undoubtedly be time spent at the nearby Angkor Wat temple complex. Built in the
early 12th century, when other cultures still lived in simple, temporary
buildings, 25,000 workers labored for 37 years to create this temple city.
Imagine then, that after the fall of the Khmer Empire in 1431, it remained
unknown to the outside world for centuries, until French botanist, Henri
Mahout, stumbled upon it deep in the jungle, in 1860. Surrounded by a 570-foot
wide moat, Angkor Wat has a central
pointed tower surrounded by four smaller towers and is embellished with
gorgeous statues, carvings and works of art carved in bas-relief. The lesser
attraction of nearby Bayon, the last great temple built at Angkor, has 54
towers which peer incongruously through the dense Cambodian jungle, still
awaiting rescue.
Things to do in Siem Reap
The city of Siem Reap is built along the banks of
the Siem Reap River. It is made up of a series of villages, each with their own
Buddhist pagoda, called a Wat. Although Siem Reap is attracting increasing
numbers of tourists, is it so far retaining its cultural identity. An
international airport, new hotels and international restaurants make a visit
palatable to those used to a first world lifestyle, but generally there is no
conflict between serving tourists' needs and maintaining the established way of
life. These can all be enjoyed on a boat trip to see the local fishing
villages; a bicycle tour around the paddy fields; eating at a local market food
stall;
supporting the work of local craftsmen and enjoying a cultural evening
with dinner and an Apsara Dance display. A somber reminder of the recent reign
of the Khmer Rouge can be experienced with a visit to the Cambodia Landmine
Museum, a cause dear to the heart of the late Princess Diana. There is also a
newly opened National Museum in the city containing unique and wonderfully
crafted artifacts and 1000 Buddha images in the 8 purpose-built galleries,
which are well-worth seeing.