Siem Reap

Siem Reap Trips

Although Siem Reap is probably best known as the place to stay when visiting nearby Angkor Wat, it is a beautiful, culturally rich place in its own right. And despite an influx of visitors, the city has a surprisingly peaceful atmosphere. There is colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter and around the Old Market. In town, explore craft shops and watch Apsara dance performances.

While you're here, try traditional Khmer dishes like fish amok – a curry with steamed river fish – and stuffed frogs’ legs. Head to buzzy, colourful Pub Street for reasonably priced drinks afterwards. Beyond the temples, Siem Reap trips offer the chance to visit Tonle Sap Lake, with its floating fishing villages, and the waterfall on the sacred Kulen Mountain (where the Angkor Empire began), as well as silk farms, rice-paddy countryside and a bird sanctuary.