• Apsara Theatre, tel. +855-63-963-363. [4]. The only air-con theater in town presents various traditional popular and classical dances and serves a set of local specialties. Booking recommended.

• Army Shooting Range (near Banteay Srei and Kbeal Span) - an "alternative" solution to temple fatigue, with armament and explosives availability apparently only limited by how much you're willing to spend. Even a short round is pretty expensive (US$30 minimum, prices vary based on supply), but listening to the soldiers-turned-used car salesmen put the hard sell on a new machine gun is almost worth the trip. Grenades are sometimes offered for US$30 and this is a true game of Russian roulette - fancy pulling the pin of a 30+ year old grenade and possibly getting the faulty one? Make sure that whoever is supervising you is also willing to stand next to you!

• Hidden Cambodia Dirt Bike Tours, tel. + 855 (0)12 934 412 or (0)12 655 201, [5]. Motorbike and 4x4 tours.

• Spend a Day In a Cambodian Village - a unique insider look to a real Cambodian life. Spend time with village kids at their school, harvest or plant some corn, and interact with villagers.

• Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation (SVC) Siem Reap is a hub of ecotourism and conservation efforts. SVC organizes eco-responsible tours to remote habitats, with the goal of promoting wildlife conservation and benefiting rural communities. Tours range in length from 1 day to 2 weeks.

• Cultural Village This giant historical park, located on National Road #6, features small tributes to all the cultures of Cambodia. A wax museum highlights major figures in Cambodian history, and there are miniatures of many national buildings and monuments throughout the gardens. Witness local dancing or a Khemer wedding ceremony at various stages throughout the park. Admission is $12 USD, and a guide an extra $5. (Guides are not necessary, but will add a lot of significance to the displays.)

• Cooking Classes Several restaurants throughout the city offer courses on Khemer cooking. For the true gourmand, check out the Paul Dubrule School of Hotel and Tourism, located on National Road #6. The school itself offers high-quality hospitality training to underprivileged Cambodians, who receive scholarships. You can support this by attending a 5-hour or full day cooking class on authentic Khemer food. At $40 a person, its definitely pricier than elsewhere, but the attention to detail, cleanliness and comfort are unparalleled. It is, after all, a school for hospitality. (Vegetarian- and vegan-friendly.)

The reason most people come to Siem Reap is the Angkor Archaeological Park, which is thoroughly covered on its own page. The town is worth strolling about for itself though and boasts quite a number of beautiful modern Buddhist temples.

• Landmine Museum, [3], 6 km south of Banteay Srey (31 km from Siem Reap). This tiny museum was set up by local deminer Aki Ra to educate locals and tourists about the dangers of land mines. Piles of defused mines and UXO lie around the site and the guides are mostly teenagers who were orphaned or injured by mines, many of whom live on site. A very worthwhile trip that brings home the scale of the problem and shows you a slice of "real" Cambodia. US$1 entry, and donations very welcome — everything will be used to provide support for land mine relief initiatives, education and victim assistance. NB: The museum moved in 2007, so make sure your motodop doesn't try to take you to the old location in a village near Angkor Wat.

• A short distance outside of the city center, there is a small bone stupa to mark the Khmer Rouge killing fields that were near Siem Reap. There is no cost to enter, but donations are requested, as the temple Wat Thmei that hosts the memorial is under expansion. For donations, use only the donation boxes in the temple altars or at the bone stupa. There are some cheaters standing at the temple entrance or on the graves on the right side, who will welcome you. After a short introduction they will ask you to give them directly donations/tips for their school in the temple. In fact they are not from the school and are trying to cheat on tourists.

• An alternative trip when you are feeling 'templed out' is to visit the Tonle Sap lake a few miles from town and take a boat trip past the floating villages. The fast hydrofoil to Phnom Penh also passes this way.

• The silk worm farm is worth the hike. Again, ask any tuk-tuk driver.

• Kampong Phluck, off the Highway to Phnom Penh, is only reachable by motorbike and then boat, and is a much more authentic 'floating village experience' than the one close to the Tonlé Sap-ferry harbour. Enquire at your local hotel for a day trip to this fascinating village on stilts. This day trip should cost around US$30 and it takes about 2 hours to reach the village, depending on the road conditions and water level.

See Cambodia | Get in | Visas for detailed visa information.

By plane

Siem Reap - Angkor International Airport (IATA: REP | ICAO: VDSR) has frequent flights from Phnom Penh and several flights weekly to Sihanoukville. Internationally, there are direct flights to/from Korea (Seoul), Laos (Pakse | Vientiane | Luang Prabang), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Singapore, Taiwan (Kaohsiung | Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok | U-Tapao/Pattaya) and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City). Low-cost carriers Air Asia and Jetstar Asia now fly to Siem Reap from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore respectively, but the popular route to Bangkok is still monopolized by Bangkok Airways, which charges accordingly.

The airport is less than 15 minutes from the town centre by car (US$7) or motodop (US$4 or less). If you have an advance booking in a hotel, you can ask them for a free airport pickup (in one of their tuk-tuks). This way you can avoid the monopolistic taxi service in Siem Reap.

There are separate terminals for international and domestic flights. International departure tax is a steep US$25 (children US$13), payable after check-in and before clearing immigration. Often this can only be paid in cash, as the credit card facility is unreliable. Airport fee upon departure on national flights, to Phnom Penh, is US$6.

By plane: Easy contact by www.Bangkokair.com

By land

Cambodian highways have improved considerably in the last few years (although there's still plenty of room for further improvement) and some routes that were once epic adventures are now sealed roads. For most routes you have the basic options of chartering or sharing a Toyota Camry taxi, sharing a ride in a pickup truck, or if it's a sealed road, taking the bus.

From Thailand

The most popular overland route from Thailand, and the most direct from Bangkok and Eastern Thailand, is via the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing.

To reach Aranyaprathet from elsewhere in Thailand, see the Aranyaprathet article.

Most of the Poipet - Sisophon - Siem Reap road is not sealed; the condition of the unsealed sections varies seasonally and depends on when it was last re-graded - for recent reports see Latest Road Conditions between Siem Reap and Poipet.

Whichever route you take, beware of scams, touts and pickpockets at the Poipet border crossing. See the Poipet article for information on the irritating Visa on Arrival process. Once you're through all of that, take the free shuttle bus from outside the entry stamp office in Poipet to the transportation depot about 1 km away or find a taxi driver close by to begin bargaining.

The fastest and most comfortable way to get from Poipet to Siem Reap is by taxi. The cost of this trip varies accoring to your own bargaining skills. Payment can often be made in Thai baht if US dollars are not available. The cost should not exceed 1000 baht or roughly just over US$35, but corrupt police deal directly with the taxi stand "officials," increasing the price by $25 (and ticketing drivers who do not comply with the corruption). The entire trip from Poipet to Siem Reap, depending on various conditions, could take less than 3.5 hours on a good day. The transport monopoly in Poipet will not allow more than four tourists in one of these cars, although they often carry 10 or more Khmers at a time.

An alternative is to take the official bus for US$10/person. The bus leaves when full - and only then, even if it takes a few hours - and can take about 15 people, with all the bags on the back seat. Extra people will be squeezed onto the back seat if necessary, which might not be so comfortable. Two fold down seats in the centre aisle are also not so comfortable. The trip is advertised as taking 3-5 hours, but in reality it takes at least 6 hours when the road is not too bad. An enforced stop after 2 hours at a restaurant can add to the time of the trip, depending on how long the driver wants to stay. There is the possibility of additional delays (e.g. "mechanical faults") and these are almost certainly due to the same reasons as the Khao San scam-bus: getting you to Siem Reap late, tired and ready to take whatever guesthouse you're delivered to. If you are sharing a taxi it will cost only a few dollars more than a bus and will be a lot better.

If even this is too much, you can try to hop on the back of a pick-up truck for a fraction of the price, but these are now hard to arrange from Poipet, due to the travel monopoly operating there. Also, the ride is a lot more uncomfortable, takes longer and may require a change of vehicle at Sisophon.

Alternatively, you could join the backpacking masses and pay a couple hundred baht for an uncomfortable bus ride directly from Khao San Road all the way to Siem Reap; any travel agent in Bangkok will be happy to sell you a ticket. Buses leave Khao San Road around 8am and arrive in Siem Reap between 5pm and 3am. How long it takes exactly does not really depend on road conditions, but on the mood of the driver. Because he can "sell" you to a guesthouse in Siem Reap he will try to arrive there as late as possible, because if you are tired and afraid of walking around in Siem Reap late at night, his chances increase that you will stay at the guesthouse of his choice. (There is no obligation to stay, regardless of what the guesthouse owners tell you.) Even if you start in Bangkok on a big aircon bus, you will almost certainly find yourself in the back of a pickup or stuffed minibus for the Cambodian part of the journey. For the return trip, expect to pay around US$11.

If you arrive in Poipet the Khao San Road buses, you'll be swarmed by offers of extra help and assurances that you're better off paying 1000 baht (US$30) or even more for the visa - which should cost US$20. Stand your ground - the bus won't leave without you, because the driver wants the guesthouse commission you represent.

From Phnom Penh

There are several bus companies that you can take to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The most popular bus companies with tourists include Capitol Transport, GST, and Mekong Express. Each bus company leaves from a different location, although there are many located around the Central Market. Nearly all of the bus companies have buses leaving at 7:30am and 12:30pm, and the trip costs US$10. Expect to get to Siem Reap in 5-7 hours. In contrast to the Siem Reap-Poipet road, the entire road is paved, making for a much more comfortable ride. If you're driving yourself, watch out for the make-shift patrol pertol stations next to the road, selling petrol in old 2 litre Coke bottles. Much cheaper than the real thing, but who knows what the quality is...

By boat

Fast, Soviet style Hydrofoils also make the journey from Phnom Penh across the Tonle Sap lake. Asking price for a "foreigner" ticket is typically US$20-25, US$15 is a good price to pay. There are also services between Siem Reap and Battambang (asking price US$15, pay US$10).

These can be fantastic trips which give travelers the opportunity to view life on the lake, floating houses, fishermen going about their work, and to get a sun tan if you choose to sit on the roof of the boat. However if you travel on a windy day and you have not kept waterproofs and sunscreen out of your luggage you could be in trouble. These journeys take anywhere from five to eight hours and without waterproofs and sunscreen you will become incredibly cold and will be burned by the sun at the same time. As the boat is generally packed with travelers, those on the roof will have to stay up there, and once your bags are in the hold, they stay there.

If you are planning a week long trip in Siem Reap, the boat journey is fine, but if you are only planning two to three days, I would advise taking the bus. If you are specifically taking the boat to see the floating village, don't. The floating village is at the very end of the boat journey. You could ride the bus from Phnom Penh, get a guest house, take a tuk-tuk to the port, tour the floating village, and be back in Siem Reap before your friends arrive from Phnom Penh by boat.

A word of caution: If you find yourself taking the boat/bus and person asks for your name to have his friend pick you up, he is in actuality selling your name to a tuk-tuk driver in Siem Reap. This is a fairly convenient way to get from the port to Siem Reap, just be prepared for an extremely hard sell to one of his select guest houses, restaurants, etc. If you just "roll with it" he will take you to a guest house and you will quoted US$10 for a normally priced US$6-8 room. Since the tuk-tuk driver has now pinned you for a "sucker", he will try to sell you on his services to the temples for about US$15-20 a day. Be firm, and negotiate, they will bend towards the market rate. You'll never really be ripped off, but keep in mind that if you are staying for longer than four days, that tuk-tuk surplus would be much better served through a charitable donation.

On foot

Most of the sights in Siem Reap can be seen on foot. For the foot-sore and sun-weary, you'll have plenty of offers from locals on motorbikes. Only the longest rides should be more than US$1 though prices go up at night. Simply agree a price and hop on the back.

By bicycle

Many guesthouses provide bicycles free for "round town" use, or US$1/day (single speed) and from US$2/day (with gears). It's also a good way to see Angkor on your own - the terrain is flat and most roads are decent - but leave early to avoid the mid-day heat. As of 2008, the electric bicycle renting agency is no longer in business.

By motorbike

You can hire a motodop (motorbike taxi with driver) for a full day for US$8-10 or so. Some motodops may be able to provide you with a helmet if you request one in advance.

The rental of motorbikes to tourists in Siem Reap is prohibited. However, foreigners can ride motorbikes they've rented elsewhere (e.g. Phnom Penh).

By tuk-tuk

• Tuk-tuk drivers can be hired for US$12-25/day to take you wherever you like, they will arrange meeting places with you or wait where you tell them to. They are a great way of see the surrounds without the barrier of a car window! A word of advice, pay them for their services after everything you have arranged is completed. For example, if you arrange for a later trip to the airport and pay them, chances are that you will have to find another ride.

By car

Guesthouses can usually arrange a driver and car for you; this works out at about US$20-25 per day and is a good way to visit the temples if time is short.

An additional and very convenient way to get around the area, and also get to and from the airport, is to use an 'official taxi', which are available at the airport for the fee of US$7 to the city and payable to the counter at the airport. Whilst in the taxi you will be offered the services of the car and the driver for US$25/day, which is very good value if you want to visit several temples in one day. They also have the added luxury of air conditioning, which you will be craving after walking around temples for a couple of hours The US$25/day is payable directly to the driver, who will speak English, have had training, will have a proper driving license and also have knowledge of the temples and surrounding area.

The Tourist Transport Association [2] also have an office just behind the tourist information office in Siem Reap, which you can contact if you have any questions or queries. All other services and prices are listed on the back of the receipt you receive when you pay the US$5 at the airport for the trip into town.

By rickshaw

Unlike Phnom Penh, bicycle rickshaws are almost non-existent.

As usual in Cambodia, dollars and even Thai baht are preferred over riel for all purchases except the very smallest. There are a number of large, flashy souvenir shops around town, complete with temple-style decorations and a surplus of staff, which happily charge 2-5x the going price elsewhere in town and are best avoided.

Despite what you may be told at the Thai border, international ATMs in Siem Reap are plentiful, and banks can do cash advances from credit cards.

• Angkor Market, Sivatha Blvd. Siem Reap's closest thing to a supermarket, offering a good range of food, snacks, alcohol and even some souvenirs. Clearly marked, non-negotiable but reasonable prices.

• Psar Chas (Old Market), to the south of town. Sells a reasonably attractive collection of artifacts and tourist junk. Please don't buy anything purporting to be antique; it probably isn't, but it's stolen if it is.

• Central Market, at the corner of Sivatha Blvd and Achamean Street. Offers an eclectic collection of clothes and trinkets for good prices. Don't forget to bargain down the price. Most stalls carry the same selection so you can shop around and find the cheapest price. Many of the goods here cannot be found in Thailand.

There are many hundreds of restaurants in Siem Reap, and you will have no trouble finding something which suits your tastes and your budget. If you don't want to go out, most guesthouses have a basic restaurant attached, and can quickly whip up a decent fried rice.

For something a bit more special, head into town. There are whole streets catering for the travellers tastes, with pizzas, hamburgers, or tasty westernised offerings such as Amok and 'Khmer curry'. Many of the most authentic Karaoke-style restaurants are hidden in the backstreets, though your moto or tuk-tuk driver will no doubt know where to take you. He will be happy to wait (or join you) if you are really out in the boonies.

Budget

The street directly west of Pub Street is lined with lots of stalls offering simple yet filling meals for about a dollar apiece, though with not much more than a choice between several types of fried rice and fried noodles. The hawkers seem to have two menus with different prices and simply hesitating in front of a stall and tends to earn a like-it-or-get-your-money-back offer. The food seems to be fairly clean. The markets also offer local Khmer fare, but hygiene can be dubious.

• Angkor Famous on the small alley parallel to pub street offers tasty Thai and Cambodian fare at reasonable prices. Two-for-one beer specials and friendly staff.

• Chiang Mai and Chivat Thai 2 on Wat Bo Rd offer basic Thai fare. Lunch sets start at US$1.50, dinner costs a bit more.

Mid-range

Pub Street is best known as a watering hole, but it has also many nice restaurants that won't break the bank. Nearby you'll also find a whole range of pizzerias, including the original Happy Herbs Pizza and newcomer "Ecstatic Pizza", which depending on how the police are feeling that day either may or may not sell you cannabis-laced "happy" pizza. Don't try the "extra happy" unless you know what you're doing, and note that they will not sell you any herb without the pizza.

• Blue Pumpkin, Pub Street. Upscale, clean, air conditioned, wifi connection.

• Curry Walla Indian Cuisine (Halal) on Sivatha road serves all kind of Vegetarian & Non-vegetarian Indian fare starting From $ 2.50. They offer free internet access to all customers as well as a whole range of guide books to look at. In addition, the food itself is very authentic in Indian taste as the owners/chefs have come from India and have Indian species constantly being shipped to them from India. The restaurant is within walking distance of the many markets and shopping areas of Siem Reap.

• Kama Sutra, Pub Street (opposite D's book shop). Authentic, yet slightly upmarket Indian food. US$7.

• Khmer Family (formerly The Temple). Tasty and cheap local grub, although it's rather toned down for the foreign palate and often tastes like Thai food without the chillis. Pleasant, breezy second-floor balcony. Mains US$2-4.

• Khmer Kitchen, located in the alley behind bar street. Good value and very popular.

• Red Piano, Pub St. It has a well-known "Tomb Raider" cocktail and a good selection of Khmer as well as international dishes for US$3-5.

• Silk Garden, Walking Street. The first Western business on this fast moving street. Enjoy cocktails in a tropical garden, this fine place is longing to be discovered. The Garden of Eden waits in this street for the hungry traveler.

• Socheata I & II If you're not dissuaded by plastic chairs or a few geckos, check out Socheata on Pub Alley. Huge menu, good service, meals starting at $2-3USD. For the more adventurous, you can also get frog dishes here.

• Ecstatic Pizza, Opposite Province Hospital. See the section intro for the source of the name. US$4-7

• Viroth's Restaurant, Ph Wat Bo. Mains $5-8 USD. Very good Khmer restaurant, always quite full with foreigners (be prepared to book or to wait to get yourself a table). A very extensive menu with Vegetarian options wherever possible.

• Viva, Pub St. Siem Reap's first and only Mexican restaurant, with a menu containing just about everything you'd expect in your local TexMex restaurant. Good food, reasonable prices.

There are a few good options elsewhere in town. The numerous Karaoke restaurants offer a real authentic experience of modern Khmer dining. Try to sit far from the speakers, and prepare for mozzies. There is often no english menu, but one of the staff will no doubt be happy to help you order. Try phnom pleurng, a delicious cook-it-yourself beef barbecue. Another sensational dish, which is only available at these types of restaurants, is the trei bung gancheyt - a whole fish bubbling in a tasty peanuty sauce with green veggies.

• Café Moi Moi, Angkor Rd (to the left, after Meridien, before ticket booth). An unpretentious alfresco restaurant with a delightful little garden, serving up Khmer dishes, some traditional, some with a Japanese twist. Their version of amok, the classic dish of fish stewed in coconut milk, is cheap and tasty (US$3.50), while more adventurous diners can opt for minced pork mixed with the pungent Cambodian fish sauce prahok (US$3) and served with sliced raw onion to ease the pain. Nibble some pickles and sweet peanuts, try their famous pumpkin pudding for dessert and wash it all down with a large beer.

• Samapheap is a large and popular restaurant pleasantly located on the eastern riverbank a short hop down from Route 6, catering to both Khmers and tour groups. The menu is extensive, service is quick, prices are reasonable (most mains US$2-5) and the food is good.

• Butterflies Garden Restaurant [www.butterfliesofangor.com] On the east side of the river, in the Wat Bo area, is a small garden enclosure filled with butterflies and excellent fare. The restaurant employs local disadvantaged youth to catch butterflies, which are released at 11am Mon-Thu into the garden. Private dining areas in the garden are a lovely venue. Extensive menu, vegetarian-friendly. Meals from $3-6 USD.

Splurge

• Abacus. Beautiful garden setting and a temple-stone bar. Renauld, the Maitre 'd, adds flair and style, and the excellent menu is a real treat. At around US$10 for a main, you might not be eating here every night, but it is well worth splashing out at least once.

• L'Angelo, Le Meridien. Probably Siem Reap's most daring restaurant, serving fusionesque Italian cuisine like foie gras on a bed of white asparagus and balsamic vinegar ice cream in a setting so achingly modern that the only decoration is a cloud of black dots on the white wall. There's a price to pay though: a full meal with a glass or two of wine on the side can easily set you back around US$100 for two.

• Meric, Hotel de la Paix, tel. +855-63-966-000. Acclaimed by some as the best Khmer restaurant in all Cambodia, it is set in a chic hotel with a minimalist modern feel. You are liable to forget where you are. The chefs here painstakingly source out the freshest (and strangest) ingredients to build their multi-course seasonal menu (US$28). A typical set will have you dining on dried snake salad and grilled frog, but rest assured, it all actually tastes good. Arrive before 9.15 PM for the four course prix-fixe Khmer meal with wine selection. Sit in airconditioned comfort, or outside tables and lounge furniture. The hotel also has a modern bar with local art displayed.

Most of Siem Reap's watering holes are concentrated in a few lanes north of Psar Chas (the old market), mainly on a street known appropiately as "Bar Street" or "Pub Street". Drinks usually US$2 and up, although most if not all bars have happy hours before 8 PM and draft Angkor often goes for as little as US$.50.

• Angkor What?, Pub Street. The pub that started it all, still going strong after ten years and covered in years of scribbled notes from travellers to prove it.

• Blue Chilli too, Walking Street. Meet the friendly boys of Cambodia, and meet the blind English owner John when he is in town.

• The Dead Fish Tower: Near CCB Bank, Phsar Chas. This trendy spot features live crocodiles, a full menu of both western and local dishes, and great entertainment. The Dead Fish is a laid back bar/restaurant, where patrons sit on the floor. A night at the Dead Fish could likely include some combination of live western acoustic guitar music, followed by a Khmer traditional dance performance.

• FCC Angkor, (west river bank next to post office), [6]. Opened in October 2002, this is far and away Siem Reap's hippest place for a bite and a drink. A branch of the legendary Phnom Penh Foreign Correspondents' Club, the FCC offers food (~US$5) and drink (~US$3) in a marvelous blend of modern style and colonial architecture... if at a fairly steep price, at least by Cambodian standards.

• Giddy Gecko, Walking Street. Western run bar and lounge with an eclectic array of music and a chilled out atmosphere. The up and coming real pub street of Siem Reap.

• Laundry Bar A popular French-owned expat hangout with a sophisticated setting and chilled atmosphere, this is definitely a late-night bar. It features a huge selection of music albums for sale at US$5 for 7 albums (on one MP3 disk). Free pool table.

• Le Tigre du Papier, Pub Street. Free movies most evenings, a huge selection of used books upstairs and cheap shots of the aniseed liquor pastis. French-run.

• Linga Bar, the only 1 of 2 gay-friendly bar in the village that attracts gay and straights alike. In the words of the owner, your grandmother would feel comfortable here. Great drinks opposite the markets, parallel to the "bar" street.

• Martini, a lively Khmer nightclub with great local music, some shows, and lots of activity. No entry charge, a token parking charge for bikes, and a flat rate of US$2 a beer.

• Siem Reap Night Bar, Walking Street. The new bar in town, long happy hours, low priced house spirits, 2 baby crocodiles and free internet. Mostly English speaking expat bar but all are made welcome. Western owned and run but with lovely Cambodian staff, becoming highly popular as each month goes by. A refreshing change from the loud noise of Pub Street. High profits are not what its all about here.

• Soup Dragon, Pub Street. A restaurant/bar on one of the corners of the "bar" street in the old part of town. Great sunset vista from their rooftop with the added bonus being it is the same time as happy hour - two for one cocktails, drinks range from US$2-4. The food is mostly Vietnamese, good and cheap plus they make their own ice cream.

• Sports Bar, Alley Street. The only Sports Bar in Siem Reap. A good range of beer for 1,00 US$. Its fun relaxed and friendly, great toilets. Free pool table.

• Temple Club, Pub Street. A popular western-orienated (But Khmer owned) nightclub featuring Angkorian decor, three free pool tables, and a rocking dance floor, it's not uncommon for this place to be open until sunrise. Inexpensive drinks hide the fact that the beer is watered down and the glasses are small sized. You may have to wait some time at the bar for a drink, the bigger the club gets the less care there is for the customer.

• Warehouse/The Art House. Two bars for the price of one: downstairs has an appropriately warehouse-y feel with lots of red brick and a "Service Entrance", while upstairs is a clean white art gallery that also happens to serve drinks. Free draft beer offered at various times on Friday, though courtesy dictates you have a drink or two before or afterwards or dine from the food menu.