Siem Reap, located in the North-West of Cambodia, is the site of the famous World Heritage site of Angkor Wat, and is the most popular tourist destination in Cambodia. There is a wide range of accommodation, as well as many international restaurants to choose from. In addition to the magnificent Angkorian Period temples, there are trips to floating villages and bird sanctuaries, shopping, and a variety of other activities for the whole family......
The province of Siem Reap is located in the North-West of Cambodia, and borders Battambang, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom provinces. The largest fresh water lake in Southeast Asia, Tonle Sap, is also located in the province. Siem Reap is probably the best known, and most popular tourist destination in Cambodia. This is because the UNESCO World Heritage site of Angkor Wat is located near the town of Siem Reap. The magnificent, world famous temples constructed during the Angkorian Period from the 9th century to the 15th century are what tourists come to see.
When the French “re-discovered” Angkor in the 19th century, Siem Reap was only a small village. After the French took control of Siem Reap, Battambang & Preah Vihear in 1907, Siem Reap started to receive its first tourists. The temples of Angkor continued to draw visitors up to the late 1960s, until the advent of the Vietnam War. In 1975, Siem Reap, along with the rest of Cambodia, was plunged into darkness by the Khmer Rouge Regime.
After the defeat of the Khmer Rouge by the Vietnamese, Siem Reap started to recover in the late 1990s.
The town itself was originally a cluster of small villages which grew around a series of Buddhist temples along the Siem Reap River. The main town today is concentrated along Sivutha Street and Psar Chas, in the Old Market area. There are many old French colonial buildings in the Old Market area, and it is the main shopping, business and nightlife district for tourists. Across the river in the Wat Bo area, there are now many guesthouses, hotels and restaurants. Other developing areas are the road to the airport, the area of Psar Leu, and the main road to Angkor. Siem Reap now boasts an international airport about 6 km northwest of the city.
Siem Reap offers a wide range of accommodation, from 5-star hotels, and boutique resorts, to budget guesthouses. It also has a many restaurants offering Italian, Indian, French, German, Thai, Korean, Japanese, and of course Khmer food.
Nature also abounds here, and there are trips to fishing villages, floating villages, and bird sanctuaries. Siem Reap Province is part of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. There are also trips to craft workshops and silk farms, and cycling tours around the countryside.
Siem Reap is a major tourist hub, and is the fastest growing tourist destination in Cambodia. It is the gateway to the world famous Angkor temples, and supports world class hotels. However, in spite of these modern influences, Siem Reap still retains much of its culture and traditions.
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