| Page Views: 119 Last Visit to Phumi Siem Reab: November, 2008 | Siem Reap by ValbyDK - last update: Dec 28, 2008 |
|  | SIEM REAP - FACTS Siem Reap is located 315km north of Phnom Penh and serves as a gateway town to the world famous Angkor temples. The name means “Siam Defeated” referring to an old battle between the Khmer and Siamese Empires.
The Siem Reap area had been inhabited since the beginning of the 9th century when the first Angkor temples were built – but Siem Reap was only a small village when the first French explorers discovered Angkor in the 19th century. In 1907, Angkor was returned to Cambodia (from Thailand) and Siem Reap began to grow in the following years; the Royal Residence was built, tourism started to develop slowly and the first hotels were built.
In 1975, the population of Siem Reap was evacuated by the Pol Pot regime and driven into the countryside. After 1979, resettlement programs were launched to create housing areas for the surviving and returning citizens.
Today it is the capital of Siem Reap Province and has a population of around 140000. The city has developed quickly in the resent years, and many new hotels, guest houses, bars, restaurants have opened around town. Siem Reap is the tourist capital of Cambodia and the tourism sector is of great importance for the local economy.
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| | MY VISIT I stayed three nights at the Casa Angkor Hotel in November 2008 – and the main reason for my visit to Siam Reap was to see the fantastic Angkor temples.
The Angkor temples were an amazing experience – and the highlight of my Cambodia trip, but if you have the time you should also check out the city of Siem Reap. The suburbs are nothing special, but there is a nice small town atmosphere in the old part of the city - and in the daytime all other tourists are at the temples, so you almost have the whole city for yourself.
You can easily walk around in the city centre, but else a tuk-tuk is a good and cheap form of transportation. There are several other sights apart from the Angkor temples; the brand new Angkor National Museum, the Royal Gardens and Wat Rajabo to mention a few – and a couple of kilometres outside town you’ll find the War Museum and Wat Thmey with the local Killing Fields.
At dinner- and night time, the tourist hot spot is the area around the old market – especially along the “pub street”. If you want a more local flavour you could visit the area where the “Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo” was held in 2006. I only passed by, but saw a long line of small food stalls - and was told, that it is here the locals hang out in the evening.
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| In A Nutshell: | "THE ANGKOR TEMPLES..." |
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 Comments for ValbyDK about Phumi Siem Reab | | | | |
SLLiew Wed Jul 15, 2009 13:30 UTC
Another great page of Cambodia. | marielexoteria Thu Jan 1, 2009 15:33 UTC
Good tips, neighbor :) now, when are you coming up to visit me? :D |
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