Every night tourists who visit Siem Reap end their day at Pub Street to eat, unwind, shop, people watch & have fun. Pub Street is where the bars and clubs are located, it is Siem Reap's party hub so going here is a must. We went here on our last night, although we are not the type who drink all the time, experiencing Pub Street was on our list since this rowdy area is one of the most iconic places in Siem Reap that is not a temple.
Our first dinner in Siem Reap should be memorable. As I had mentioned in my previous posts this trip was my birthday trip and because I turned another year older Mike decided to treat me somewhere special. And there is no dinner more special than a dinner in Cuisine Wat Damnak. Cuisine Wat Damnak if not the best, is one of the best restaurants in Cambodia headed by Frenchman Chef Joannes Riviere. This restaurant is included in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants according to www.theworlds50best.com. It is the only Cambodian restaurant included in the list so this place is quite remarkable that reservation is needed weeks before for you to be accommodated.
This was the fourth and last temple we visited at the Angkor Archeological Park in Siem Reap. We came in full circle as we started the temple tour by catching the sunrise at Angkor Wat and ended it by witnessing the sunset at Phnom Bakheng. Phnom Bakheng is a Buddhist and Hindu temple located on top of a hill famous for the magnificent viewpoint during dusk.
Ta Prohm was our last temple stop before we went back to our hotel to have lunch and freshen up. It was already10:30 am and Mike and I were both a little tired and hungry as we've been up since 3:30am (Read: Angkor Wat Siem Reap Cambodia and Bayon Temple Angkor Thom Siem Reap Cambodia) Ta Prohm was the temple I was most excited about as it is most popular for the huge trees going out of the ruins. Some scenes from Tomb Raider were shot here while Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie) roamed around the jungle temple.
Walk with ChaMike in Bayon Temple Angkor Thom Siem Reap
After appreciating the sunrise at Angkor Wat, our tuk-tuk driver drove us to our second stop, Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom which means Great City is the last capital city of the Khmer empire making it an important place to visit when you are in Siem Reap. At the heart of the ancient city you will see the Bayon Temple, itis also one of the most well-known temples in the Angkor Archeological Park.
Out of all the many temples in Siem Reap, Angkor Wat is the most famous. It was the only temple I knew before I did my research about Cambodia. It turns out there were A LOT! And if you are the type that would love to explore ALL the temples, you should spend several days in Siem Reap but if you would only like to explore the most prominent ones, one full day would be fine with Angkor Wat at the top your top list.
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. It is said to be one of the most important archeological sites in South East Asia as it was the center of the Khmer Kingdom. Tourists from different parts of the world travel to see the majestic ruins. It is also best viewed during sunrise.
Walk with ChaMike at La Rose Blanche Boutique Hotel Siem Reap.
Have I told you I love boutique hotels? Yes, I absolutely love staying in a boutique hotel that's why I felt so lucky I was able to book a good one in Siem Reap.
My trip to Siem Reap is five years in the making. Yup! After so many failed attempts, it finally came true and it came at the right time - my last foreign trip before I become Mrs Magsaysay. I'm glad Mike accompanied me even if he had zero plans of visiting this country and he didn't regret it afterwards! Both of us were mesmerized by the charm of Siem Reap. Siem Reap is the most famous town in the Kingdom of Cambodia as it is the gateway to the Angkor Archeological Park. This then-quiet-town-turned-major-tourist-attraction is being flocked by a lot of visitors from around the world for the mythical temples it offers. If you are into Indochina's rich history, religious temples, laid back community and pleasant locals you will surely enjoy discovering this quaint town. Here are the things that you should not miss when visiting Siem Reap.
Cambodia was the other half of ChaMike's Dual-Country trip, the other one was Thailand. Supposedly it was a TRI-COUNTRY adventure (Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand) but because I spent almost a month in Ho Chi Minh for work (Read Work with Cham in Ho Chi Minh Vietnam), I skipped it and pursued Cambodia-Thailand instead.
