• Land Area: 10,299sq km
• Population(2007): 903,030
• Area Code: (855) 063
• Accessibility:

By Overland :
Thailand to Siem Reap (465km): Some visitors make their way to Siem Reap overland from Thailand via the Aranyaprathet / Poipet border crossing and passing Sisophon, taking about 10 hour trip.

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: Bus travel is now the most popular means of overland transport between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The road (National Route #6) is paved and smooth 310km, taking only 5 or 6 hours to make the trip.

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) to Siem Reap (550Km): The direct bus leaves from Ho Chi Minh at 7:30am and arrives in Phnom Penh at 12:30pm, then leaves Phnom Penh at 1:00pm, and gets to Siem Reap at 7pm.

By Flight:
Siem Reap is accessible by direct flights from Phnom Penh, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hong Kong, Seoul-Incheon, Pusan, Kunming, Kaohsiung and Taipei,

By Boat:
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (251km, 4-6 hours): Bullet Boat departure 7am from the Phnom Penh Port on Sisowath Quay. Travel is best during the wet season (June-November). Dry season low waters can mean smaller, less comfortable boats and occasional groundings.
Battambang to Siem Reap: ferry departs Battambang for Siem Reap at 7:00am. It's a picturesque, 4 - 6 hour journey on Sangker River and across the Tonle Sap in the wet season, but can be considerably longer (8-11 hours) in the dry season due to low water levels.

Introduction

Siem Reap province is located in northwest Cambodia. It is the major tourist hub in Cambodia, as it is the closest city to the world famous temples of Angkor (the Angkor temple complex is north of the city). The provincial capital is also called Siem Reap and is located in the South of the province on the shores of the Tonle Sap Lake, the greatest sweet water reserve in whole Southeast Asia. The name of the city literally means "Siamese defeated", referring to the victory of the Khmer Empire over the army of the Thai kingdom in the 17th century.

At the turn of the millennium Siem Reap was a Cambodian provincial town with few facilities, minor surfaced roads and little in the way of nightlife. Tourism industry catered largely to hardy backpackers willing to brave the tortuous road from the Thai border on the tailgate of a local pick-up truck. There were a couple of large hotels and a handful of budget guesthouses. Tuk-tuks and taxis were non-existent and the trusty motodup was the chosen means of touring the temples of Angkor.

The proximity of the Angkorian ruins turned Siem Reap into a boomtown in less than half a decade. Huge, expensive hotels have sprung up everywhere and budget hotels have mushroomed. Property values have soared to European levels and tourism has become a vast, lucrative industry. The Siem Reap of today is barely recognizable from the Siem Reap of the year 2000.

Climate :

• Cool season: November- March (23-29c)
• Hot season: March- May (27c -37c)
• Rainy season: May - October (24-33c, with humidity up to 90%.)

Angkor Archeological Park

The Angkor Archaeological Park is home to the magnificent Khmer temple ruins of Angkor, including the legendary Angkor Wat, Bayon and dozens of other ancient ruins of the Angkorian-era (9th-13th centuries) Khmer Empire. The Park encompasses more than 400 square kilometers just outside Siem Reap City in northwestern Cambodia and is a World Heritage Site.

The temple ruins of Angkor contained within the Angkor Archaeological Park represent the remnants of the millennium-old Angkorian-era capitals of the ancient Khmer Empire. The Khmer people were and are the dominant ethnic group in Cambodia. The name 'Angkor' refers to the Angkorian-era Khmer Empire that stretched across much of mainland Southeast Asia between the 9th and 15th centuries A.D., and also refers to the capital city of the Empire that was centered north of Siem Reap Cambodia. The Angkor Archaeological Park encompasses the main temple ruins of the Angkorian capitals located in the Siem Reap area. Most of these temples were constructed between the 9th and 12th century A.D. and represent the pinnacle of ancient Khmer architecture, art and civilization. At its height, the Age of Angkor was a time wealth and power for the Khmer Empire. The capital city at Angkor was populated by more than a million people, Khmer kings constructed vast waterworks and grand temples and the Empire's military, economic and cultural dominance held sway over the area of modern Cambodia, as well as much of Thailand, southern Vietnam and Laos.

The area of Angkor has many significant archaeological sites, including the following: Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Baksei Chamkrong, Banteay Kdei, Banteay Samre, Banteay Srei, Baphuon, the Bayon, Chau Say Tevoda, East Baray, East Mebon, Kbal Spean, the Khleangs, Krol Ko, Lolei, Neak Pean, Phimeanakas, Phnom Bakheng, Phnom Krom, Prasat Ak Yum, Prasat Kravan, Preah Khan, Preah Ko, Preah Palilay, Preah Pithu, Pre Rup, Spean Thma, Srah Srang, Ta Nei, Ta Prohm, Ta Som, Ta Keo, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, Thommanon, West Baray, West Mebon.

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat (Angkor temple) is the central feature of the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site containing the magnificent remains of the Khmer civilization. Angkor Wat's rising series of five towers culminates in an impressive central tower that symbolizes mythical Mount Meru. Thousands of feet of wall space are covered with intricate carving depicting scenes from Hindu mythology.

Angkor National Museum

The Angkor National Museum is located on Charles de Gaul Boulevard heading north towards the Main Entrance to Angkor Wat. The new National Museum in Siem Reap has recently opened and features the Angkor National Museum itself plus a Cultural Mall and shops. The museum's 8 main galleries contain original artifacts restored by Angkor Conservation and a collection of 1000 Buddha statues. Other galleries focus on ancient clothing styles; the four principal kings of Angkor; the extant written material from the Angkor temples and the history and religion of pre-Angkor period. Innovative mixed-media displays tell the story of the Angkor civilization and multi-lingual tour guides and audio units are also available.

Beng Mealear Temple (Temple lose in Jungle)

Beng Melea is located 63km east of town. The road is now in good condition and the trip from Siem Reap takes 1-2 hours. Sprawling jungle temple covering over one square kilometer, the temple is largely overrun by vegetation and very lightly touristed, giving it an adventurous, 'lost temple' feel. Photographers: trees growing from the broken towers and galleries offer some of the best 'tree in temple' shots aside from Ta Prohm. Constructed in a distinctly Angkor Wat style under the same king that built Angkor Wat, Beng Melea preceded and may have served as a prototype of sorts for Angkor Wat. Though there are some lintel and doorway carvings, there are no bas-reliefs and the carvings are comparatively sparse. When the temple was active, the walls may have been covered, painted or had frescos. In its time, Beng Melea was at the crossroads of several major highways that ran to Angkor, Koh Ker, Preah Vihear (in northern Cambodia) and northern Vietnam.

Chong Khneas Floating Village

Chong Khneas is the floating village at the edge of the lake closest and most accessible to Siem Reap(11Km). If you want a relatively quick and easy look at the Tonle Sap, boat tours of Chong Khneas are available, departing from the Chong Khneas boat docks all day long.
The boat trip will probably point out the differing Khmer and Vietnamese floating households and the floating markets, clinics, schools and other boatloads of tourists. Chong Khneas, while interesting, is over-touristed and is not as picturesque and 'unspoiled' as floating villages further from Siem Reap. The boat trip usually includes two stops: one at a touristy floating 'fish and bird exhibition' with a souvenir and snack shop, and the other at the very highly recommended Gecko Environment Centre, which offers displays and information introducing the ecology and biodiversity of the lake area.

Kampong Phluk

Kampong Phluk is a cluster of three villages of stilted houses built within the floodplain of the Tonle Sap about 16 km southeast of Siem Reap. The villages are primarily Khmer and have about 3000 inhabitants between them. Flooded mangrove forest surrounds the area and is home to a variety of wildlife including crab-eating macaques. During the dry season when the lake is low, the buildings in the villages seem to soar atop their 6-meter stilts exposed by the lack of water. At this time of year many of the villagers move out onto the lake and build temporary stilted houses. In the wet season when water level rises again, the villagers move back to their permanent houses on the floodplain, the stilts now hidden under the water. Kampong Phluk's economy is, as one might expect, based in fishing, primary in shrimp harvesting.

Civil War Museum

Locates in Kasekam Village off of National Route No. 6 on the way to airport. A limited display of guns, mines, tanks and other military hardware. Open everyday from 8am to 5:30pm. Do not confuse this museum with the Mine Museum.

Crocodile Farm

There is a crocodile farm on the south end of Siem Reap and they have about 300 crocodiles of various sizes and dispositions. You can buy stuffed crocs on the premises. Just head south on Sivutha Street, cross the bridge and it's down another 0.5 km from there.

Kulen Mountain

Phnom Kulen is a holy mountain in Cambodia locates 60 km to the North East of Siem Reap on which in 802, King Jayavarman II has been declared a god-king. An exquisite mountain region of waterfalls and riverbed carvings. Hundreds of images have been carved into the sandstone floors along a shady brook.

The Khmer Rouge used the mountain as a final stronghold for two decades after losing power in 1979, so nothing is left from the temples which were built at the time of Javayarman II and successors.

You will for sure enjoy the most beautiful section of the thousand lingas river cascades, where a majestic sunlit waterfall streams through dense jungle.

Kbal Spean

Locates 49km north of Siem Reap
A river of 1000 lingas' is at Phnom Kulen. There are also carvings of Buddha and Buddhist images in the rock that date from a later period than the lingas. Entrance to the area closes at 3:00PM. Combine with a visit to Banteay Srey and allow a half-day for the two. Take the road straight past Banteay Srey about 12km. Look for the sign and parking area on the left side. Requires a moderately easy 45-minute uphill walk though the woods.

Cambodia Land Mine Museum or Akira Museum

Founded by Mr. Akira, a former soldier and de-miner, this museum is a fascinating testament to Cambodia's violent past, and to Aki Ra's personal survival. It documents the story of Aki Ra's life and experiences through a quarter of a century of war, and houses one of the world's largest collections of decommissioned mines and other ordnance. Aki Ra is constantly seeking donations, and has recently founded an NGO, in cooperation with CLMMRF, to maximize his vision of "making my country safe for my people". The museum is home to several young landmine victims taken in by Akira and his wife. This is a unique museum and a thoroughly worthwhile project that deserves your support. The museum is open from 7am to 6pm. Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted and much appreciated. The Mine Museum is now on the right hand side of the road leading from Siem Reap to Banteay Srey about 30Km.

Cambodian Cultural Village

Locates on National Route No. 6, the museum displays Cambodian history and culture in a kind of over-priced theme park. Good displays of traditional dance performed with vigor and enthusiasm by the exponents. There is also a wax museum. Avoid the crass and distasteful Judgment Tunnel, especially if you have small children.