Cambodia
Finally Those day has come , 6 day 5 night Cambodia well planned Backpacker Trip , Covered most of the temples in Siem Reap as per our planned itinerary, got to know the people , their cultures , rich and powerful history of Cambodia. I should call it a pretty successful trip . Thanks to airasia again for the cheap ticket for two way that I bought for RM248 (Now Everyone can fly)
Cambodia is one of my all time favorite destinations . It may be a flawed , corrupt , barren country , but it is filled with some of the most amazing people and a lively nightlife .
Take off from KLIA2 at 1.20 p.m and reach Siem Reap International Airport At 2.20Pm ( Cambodia local Time ) mean malaysia time 3.20 p.m . it's take 2 hours flight and cambodia timezone is same as Thailand ( -1 hour ) . After Touch down to the ground , we need to walk a short runway to entered the building for luggage pick up and passport examination , While The immigration done verify the passport , the Immigration officer will ask for tips and only asking on guys .( Just Ignore The Immigration officer to get back own passport and just go away , they can't do anything about it )
Tareach Angkor Villa
We choose Tareach Angkor Villa With good deal RM266/Pax for 5 night and free airport transfer that been provided the Tareach Angkor Villa , Tareach Angkor Villa is A lovely clean villa 250 metres away from the hustle and bustle of Siem Reap but close enough to access if desired. The staff were amazingly helpful and the hotel is clean and tidy .
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Done the hotel check in , everyone get a quick toilet break or a quick bath then get ready as the driver(Tuk Tuk) was waitting us at the lobby to the next stop for get to buy our Angkor passes .
Angkor Conservation Ticket Pass
We decide to purchase 3 days pass USD40 . We didn’t want to rush it all in one day because we had 5 days in Siem Reap so we had plenty of time for this and I would recommend this to anyone that traveling to siem reap , I understand that all travellers have different needs . However in my opinion if you want to see the Angkor Temples properly , the 3 day ticket is a great option.You will ensure you don’t miss any of the major temples in the area .
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The best way to travel around town in Cambodia is by tuk tuk .
negotiate the price , stay safe, and get to your destination.
Everyone calls them tuk tuks. These two-wheeled carriages pulled behind a moto are a breezy way to travel and are marginally safer than going by motorbike mostly because they go at about half the speed . Maximum 4 person on a Tuk Tuk .
SOP , our Tuk Tuk driver for 4 days USD60/4 pax and he seemed very friendly and was not pushy or intrusive like some tuk tuk drivers out there . We contacted him tru FB before we visit Cambodia and try to pull out together with the plan we done . He was very helpful throughout the day, knew exactly where to take us and which order was the best way to see each of the temples and I will recommend him to anyone wanting to make their trip to Angkor Wat and Siem Reap a great and memorable experience visit with him .
You can see Tuk Tuk everywhere because it's was common in siem reap as tourist spots and there was Funny names on the Tuk Tuk like "Range Rover","RoyceRolls","Audi" and ETC ...
Phnom Bakheng
The First stop for the first day , we climbed up for almost 20 minutes, Sunset might be nice, but I don't think that it is so spectacular as, for example, there is no lake which you can see sunset on a lake. And maybe because it was dry season, the weather was cloudy and we didn't have a chance to observe it .
After done with the sunset at Phnom Bakheng , the day become dark and is time for dinner ...... Have you been to any bbq buffet joints in Cambodia? If you haven’t then I suggest you visit Hansa BBQ Buffet along Wat Bo Road.The BBQ buffet only cost USD $5 per person not including drinks and there’s a wide choices of ingredients for the BBQ .
Art Center Night Market
15 minute walk from Hansa BBQ Buffet dinner , have a walk and look around on what the vendors selling at Siem Reap Art Center but the stuff here was not really interested for us to buy . Everyone looks tired on the first in siem reap and 10 minute walk back to hotel , Good Night !!
DAY 2
Master Food , Siem Reap
Good morning !!!
Second day morning that we wake and meet with our driver at 8a.m , the 1st day visit for Angkor Wat and the journey begin , we ask our driver to bring us where locals having their breakfast normally . Master Food restaurant is look a like our "mamak" stall in malaysia , totally served food of taste local cambodians .
(FOCO) , Siem Reap
After done with the breakfast , Our "tuk tuk" driver brought us here that we discuss in facebook earlier , we donate those stationery indeed of cash that we bought all the way from malaysia . Total Of 29 Orphanage age from 3 years old to 12 years old that stay here in (FOCO) .
Banteay Kdei Temple
Let's begin the ancient mystery discovery , Banteay Kdei , meaning "A Citadel of Chambers" , also known as "Citadel of Monks' cells , is a Buddhist temple that Built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries , The Banteay Kdei, one of the many Angkor temples, is located in the Angkor Archaeological Park of 400 square kilometres (150 sq mi) area .
Temperatures begin to creep up through 40'c , During these months river and lake levels are very low, generally making boat/river ferry travel much more difficult, less reliable and can greatly increase travels times dramatically . It is less breezy at this time of year, the sun can be quite intense and the air becomes hazier with the rising humidity. Though sometimes quite hot, the lack of rain still leaves this a good time of year to visit the temples .
Ta Saom Temple
Next Temple , Ta Som is a small temple at Angkor , built at the end of the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII. It is located north east of Angkor Thom and just east of Neak Pean .
Preah Khan is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built in the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII. It is located northeast of Angkor Thom and just west of the Jayatataka baray, with which it was associated .
Neak Pean
Last Stop For The day , Neak Pean is one of the temples that make one dream of the olden days of luxury and beauty. It was worth while to the overpowering temples of Siva that men and armies repaired; but it was at the tiny temple of Neak Pean that eager princesses laid their lovely offerings of wrought gold and pungent perfumes .
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| Four seater in a bike is legal at Siem Reap. |
From morning 11a.m till afternoon takes us about five hours To visit just a part of temple in siem reap and the weather was up to 40+'c . I was sweating all the time under the heat sun and drank about 3 litter of water . LeT call it a day and my leg is killing me , need bed and a refreshing bath so badly ....
Food Stall
Hungry and tired after visit part of the temple for today , done with the bath and went down to the street for early dinner after that explore the street .
Magic Stick Ice Cream
Getting cool Desert on the Street , During my stay in Siem Reap I have found something that i have seen in sunway but haven't tried before. It’s not a tube and it’s not ice cream. It is tube ice cream. Also known as cornflour ice cream or Magic stick ice cream in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Made out of cornflour these tubes are handmade .
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| The CLONE of seven eleven , SEVEN QUICK!! |
The Blue Pumpkin , One of Cambodia's best loved cafes and One of Cambodia's most popular cafe restaurants, Blue Pumpkin's offers more than delectable pastries and tasty snacks . We walk around for desert and found out this Blue pumpkin that viral in media and a must try desert when you are in cambodia .
Pub Street , Siem Reap
Heading on The Pub Street , think that there is not much to do after dark, would be wrong. After all, this is a tourist town. The liveliest areas in Siem Reap after dark are Pub Street, the Old Market area, the alley and lane off Pub Street, and the Night Market area .
This was their locals beers with 5% vol , Angkor Beer and Cambodia has a full rich flavour, light and hoppy with just the right bitterness. It's aroma and smoothness gives a distinctively pleasant after taste .
The Moon Villa & Cafe
Last stop before heading back to hotel , A cafe that nearby our hotel from walking distance and drop by hang out awhile till everyone felt sleepy end of day . Tomorrow gonna be a great adventure ahead . Nitez....
DAY 3
For god sake , we need to wake up at 4 a.m in the morning for Sunrise at Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat , Siem reap
Watching the sunrise at Angkor Wat is an iconic travel experience , was ready to attempt an early morning jaunt to the temples. Most things that involve a 4am start, a torch and a dark jungle . The sunrise trip to Angkor Wat is a road well travelled and the journey from Siem Reap to Angkor was filled with a steady stream of travellers all hoping to capture a magnificent sunrise over the temples .
The Bayon
After watching the sunrise in Angkor Wat, we took a short tuk-tuk ride to the walled city of Angkor Thom . check out the gigantic smiling faces of Bayon Temple , The Bayon is another well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor, and is built in the late 12th as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII .
Ta Keo
Its particularly massive appearance is due to the absence of external decorations , as carving had just begun when the works stopped , besides an elaborate use of perspective effects .
Ta Prohm
The temple of Ta Prohm was used as a location in the film Tomb Raider . The trees growing out of the ruins are perhaps the most distinctive feature of Ta Prohm , n fantastic over-scale .
Thommanon
Thommanon is a smaller temple that is worth a quick stop. It seemed a little cooler here as there was more shade available. It's across the road from a similar temple .
All angkor temples Opening for visit time from 5.30 a.m to 5.30 p.m for last call everyday .
We asked tuk tuk driver bring back to angor wat temple to get this bamboo stick rice , only there was selling this bamboo stick rice along the road .
Blue Wave Restaurant
Late Lunch after Temple visit for the day , actually only five to six hour of temple visit per day that can makes us tired and hot . This Blue wave Restaurant is located next few door from our hotel , we decide to try out their local foods .
Khmer Kitchen Restaurant
Get a short rest at hotel and back to the Pub street to had our dinner and found this out "pumpkin cheese bake".... from one of the famous Restaurant "Khmer Kitchen Restaurant" ...
Snow Yogurt serves tasty soft-serve yogurt made from low fat fresh milk . Put together our own ice cream treat!
The original yogurt flavor is the most popular , but try one of the other fruit-flavored options including strawberry , kiwi , honeydew , mango and blueberry, all of which cost $1.50 for 100 grams and can be enhanced with a variety of fresh fruits or candy toppings .
Angkor Night Market
The First Night Market In Cambodia , Near Sivatha St , this is a popular place on the Siem Reap shopping scene. It’s packed with stalls selling a variety of handicrafts, souvenirs .
Chill out a while with the live band , Triangle Restaurant lounge bar also has one of the best view on downtown Siem Reap and Pub Street, which you can admire from the one .
Street Foods
Oh Yeah , before we going for bed let's get a little supper with BBQ chicken wings and livers .
DAY 4
Getting ready for temple visit , don't need to wake early as yesterday , we up and went out with our tuk-tuk driver at 9 a.m .
LY LY Restaurant
The Restaurant that recommended on internet , LY LY Restaurant offer the great and worth breakfast in the town . Fill up our tummy and get going .
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| what your fist sight when you look to this picture?? |
First Stop at Prasat Pre Rup , Pre Rup is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built as the state temple of Khmer king Rajendravarman and dedicated in 961 or early 962. It is a temple mountain of combined brick , laterite and sandstone construction .
Sea coconut didn’t come from the sea…
Most will not fall in love with it on first sight as it looks suspiciously like brown worms. But, because of its sweet flavour and half-crunchy-half-jelly like texture, it is one of the most popular local dessert toppings . We are talking about sea coconut . For those casual fans of the fruit and those who don’t know what it is , sea coconuts do not come from the sea . It has a black husk that carries three sockets of oval jelly seeds inside. Peeling off the thin beige skin reveals the sweet , pale-white , semi-translucent jelly an unusual texture , The name “sea coconut” came about perhaps because their seeds were once believed to be dispersed by the sea .
Banteay Samre
This monument that takes its name from the Samre people is found to the east of the earth embankment forming the eastern wall of the East Baray . There is a legend connecting the naming of this monument with a farmer who mistakenly killed the king then ascended the throne .
Banteay Srei or Banteay Srey is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in the area of Angkor in Cambodia. It lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25 km (16 mi) north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom . Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today .
Cafe Latino
Late lunch early dinner , We found the pizza here was special and worth to try out since the price was reasonable .
My laundry is done and picked up at the hotel Reception when i'm back , in siem reap it was conviniece for all those backpakers like me to find a laundry shop to settle and it cost USD$1 per KG .
Along the roads you can find many sheds, where families also sell fuel for different purposes. There is no sign or hint for that. for motorcycle as well as for Tuk Tuks the fuel is prefilled in glass bottles. Bottle by bottle people fill content of the bottle in your tank and you hope it is a kind of fuel, which drives you home.
Rohatt Cafe
Without any Rest , We head back and conquer the street by using the maps , walk around and around and look for this Cafe for Tea time while sunset . It's located on the breezy Siem Reap River Front with plenty of greenery around , just across the road from the big Water Wheel and at the very entrance of King's Road. The Siem Reap city centre is only a few minutes walk away .
Street Food Hunt has begun again , we walk along the river and spotted this noodle stall was crowded with locals , it looks mouth watering .
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| Local Snack |
Time To sleep , It's was still crowded in Pub Street on late night .
DAY 5
Today we gonna travel for four hours one way journey by car to the famous history place between Cambodia and Thailand border . Start at about 7:30 am by private vehicle from Siem Reap to Preah Vihear Province. The road is perfectly paved .
Preah Vihear
The war History Temple , Upon arrival at the foot of Preah Vihear it is necessary to transfer into the back of a pick-up truck (operated by the local community) for the climb up the spectacularly steep mountain road .
Koh Ker
Koh Ker is a remote archaeological site in northern Cambodia about 120 kilometres (75 mi) away from Siem Reap and the ancient site of Angkor. It is a very jungle filled region that is sparsely populated .
Done visiting Koh Ker temple and Preah Vihear Temple , Drive back to siem reap and it's take about 5 hours journey period .
BBQ CHICKEN
Dinner Time , The batter for these seemed a bit thicker than the regular chicken. It is mildly sweet, but pretty bland overall . I wasn't impressed with these. I even think my simple ol' Garlic Chicken Wings have more flavor .
Roasted Street Food
The holy trinity of roast meat , Siew Yoke/Siu Yuk 燒肉 (Roast Pork), and Siew Ngap 燒鴨 (Roast Duck) . Despite the well-known dialect dish names which pay homage to the Cantonese region where the recipe was perfected . most only excel in one particular roasted meat and the other two are just average. Few stalls do everything well and hence this article aims to list the stalls that are the most all-rounded in each meat .
Triangle Restaurant Lounge Bar
The Triangle BBQ is a great dining experience. At the peak of the triangle, everyone can sit and enjoy the sumptuous BBQ meals. The atmosphere is exciting, we can watch the people go by and never more than an arm’s length from the action .
The Red Piano is one of Angelina Jolie's favorite restaurants. While filming Tomb Raider, this place has become her hangout spot together with her crew and Brad Pitt. This was their second home during their long shoots at the temples of Siem Reap, Cambodia .
DAY 6
The day to say Goodbye for Cambodia , The temple visits and foods that we going through was awesome and people here was friendly , helpful.Siem reap is was my first time visit and i'm not gonna visit again because of the place or people , it was I have complete visiting all the temples and nothing to do anymore in siem reap if I do visiting in the future . maybe I will think about visiting phnom penh soon .
The wonderful breakfast before leaving the land of monument , we spot another Blue Pumpkin at the airport Departure hall , it was too early for us for the awesome ice cream that we had The Blue Pumpkin earlier at heart of the city few days back , this time we having their delicious and awesome breakfast .
We have absolutely fallen in love with the Cambodians or the Khmers …at least here in Siem Reap. They are so soft and gentle and polite and always smiling . It is funny how everything here is quoted in US dollars. There is the Cambodian Riel but we have not seen in used on price tags anywhere. For $1 you get 4,200 riel so that might be one of the reason but it must be hard for them not to use their own currency that fluctuates according to their economic situation not because of some outside reasons.
I’m not an expert on Siem Reap but I do hope that you find this post is useful. I’m sharing all of the things that I learned from my trip . If you have any suggestions or simply want to share your own experiences, then please feel free to do so in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you . My journals in Siem Reap have developed my passion for exploring and immersing myself in another country’s culture and way of life. I initially passed on the opportunity to wander in this beautiful city. I wouldn’t have discovered a lot if it weren’t for this trip .
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