Joanna James
Siem Reap is a popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia, especially for its breathtaking collection of ancient temples. Boasting expansive lakes, colourful cafes, and many other natural and manmade attractions, this quaint town of Cambodia has more to offer than just temple-hopping.
Any tourist that visits Siem Reap won't leave the town without visiting Angkor Wat. In fact, this treasured monument is what makes Siem Reap a popular tourist hotspot. Angkor Wat is an ancient Buddhist temple and a national icon of Cambodia, also displayed on the national flag. The stone-structured archways, marble stairs, and extensive stone carvings will offer you a glimpse into an ancient architectural world.
Spreading over 20,000 square meters and housing more than 1,000 Angkor and Khmer artefacts, Angkor National Museum is heaven for all the history buffs out there. The museum is divided into eight galleries, which will take you through a visual journey of the history and evolution of Angkor. Visiting this museum before Siem Reap's temple sites will help you to understand them better.
Located inside the Angkor Wat Archeological Park, the Cambodia Landmine Museum showcases a collection of landmines, weapons, and other remains of Cambodia's three-decade-long war. A visit to this museum will make you realize the dangers faced by the people of Cambodia, as there are over five million landmines yet to be found, buried throughout the country.
Take a break from temple-hopping and all the historical sites, and spot some butterflies at the Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre. Home to over a thousand species of butterflies, the BBC is the perfect place in Siem Reap to relax with your kids and family by soaking up the beauty of these colourful, free-flying creatures.
Soak up the culture, history, and ancient architecture of Siem Reap during the day and stroll through Pub Street for a relaxing evening. With plenty of clubs, bars, restaurants, and massage parlours, Pub Street is the perfect place to enjoy your nightlife in Siem Reap. You can party till you drop as it only stops the following morning.
To enjoy the best of this Cambodia's quaint town, consider staying at one of the boutique hotels in Siem Reap. There are many places for you to choose from, including the likes of Anantara Angkor Resort.
Widely known as the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, Tonle Sap Lake offers some of the most mesmerizing sceneries in Siem Reap. The most iconic thing about Tonle Sap Lake is its many floating villages. They will definitely make for some classic Cambodian snaps for your Instagram. Visit during the early hours of the day to witness hundreds of locals in their boats, fishing throughout the lake.
Locally known as Psar Chas, the Old Market is the best place to visit in Siem Reap to get a glimpse of the local lifestyle. While the locals come here to get food items for their home-cooked meals, the tourists can also shop their hearts out by visiting the many shops that sell street foods, clothes, handicrafts, and souvenirs.
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