Siem Reap – So Much More than Temples!

By: Gabi Yetter

“Where you from, lady?” a small voice piped up next to me on the street.

“England,” I replied.

“Your prime minister is David Cameron. Before him was Gordon Brown then Tony Blair, then John Major then Margaret Thatcher”.

The little fellow delivering this information stood no higher than my hip. Around his neck was a harness loaded with dozens of photo-copied books. His face broke into a cheeky smile as he talked.

“You want to buy book?”

In Siem Reap, even the kids are business people. Instead of sitting in a classroom, this young boy, along with dozens more like him take to the streets each morning, brazenly approaching tourists all day long with their clever street patter, in a desperate attempt to make a sale.

When visitors come to Cambodia, Siem Reap is statistically their first – and sometimes only – stop. Drawn by the stunning temples of Angkor Wat, tourists pour in by the thousands (last year saw 1.6 million visitors) and a new international airport is in the works to be completed around 2015.

Cambodia Highlights

By: Willem van Gent

Our ―and most visitors’ ― first destination in Cambodia is Angkor Wat, the famous temple complex. It is advisable to buy a three day-ticket, because the temple grounds are very extensive and one day simply isn’t enough to take this place in. Most visitors stay in the town of Siem Reap, a lively place with international cuisine and colorful markets. Despite the many tourists there is a pleasant atmosphere. In November you can enjoy the yearly water festival with boat races and music.

There are several roads leading from Siem Reap to Battambang, the second largest town after the capital. By far the most attractive route is by water. We took a wonderful day trip over rivers and lakes with floating villages and farms along the way. Local people get in and out of the boat as we travel.

Battambang, still a quiet town, is one of those cities that will grow on you. Once installed, you will discover the restaurants and cafés in the lively centre. Rent a tuktuk to explore the surroundings. There is a lot to see and experience in this town, cheerful sights such as the bamboo train and less cheerful ones, like a temple where the Khmer Rouge took many people’s lives. If you can find him choose the tuktuk driver who looks like Nelson Mandela, a friendly man who speaks English very well. He knows a lot about the history of the environment and also has a gripping personal story to tell about his own life under the Khmer Rouge.