How To Spend One Day In Siem Reap

Angkor Wat

One day in Siem Reap is not enough. But that’s all the time we have available before we board the CFM Toum Tiou 2 Mekong Riverboat to cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam.

Angkor Wat is a “Must See”

While there is more to do in Cambodia than visit Angkor Wat, it would be remiss not to explore the historic World Heritage Site. And so, we spend our one day in Siem Reap “Temple Hopping.”

To fit everything in and to see the sun rise behind the five towers we start early. As our guide quips “The sunrise doesn’t wait for us.”

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

There’s some sort of delay at the ticket checkpoint. Vans, cars and remarques (what Cambodian’s call tuk-tuks) filled with eager travellers stream past our stationary van. Thoughts of going back to bed fly through my head. Recalling that in Cambodia time slows, I breathe and enjoy watching the passing parade. “Go with the flow,” I tell myself.

It all sorts itself out and soon we’re walking, torches lighting our way along the straight sealed road. The gathering of early risers builds, but we easily find a seat on a low wall alongside the moat. A red waterlily flower pokes through the surface of the still water.

The growing crowd produces a gentle murmur as the sky gradually lightens. Except for the voice of our guide imparting historic and architectural knowledge, which seems to annoy the woman next to me. She huffs and puffs as he drones on.

Translated from the Khmer, Angkor Wat means “City Temple.” Built in the 12th century, it faces west, unlike other temples. They face east. Bamboo rafts, ox carts, slaves and 40 000 elephants transported the sandstone and laterite used in construction of Angkor Wat which covers an area four times that of the Vatican City.

A soft breeze ripples on the water as a silhouette of the five towers emerges. Pastel blues and pinks colour the sky. A stray dog trots up and licks the man sitting next to me. Clad in bright orange lycra, a cycling club whizzes past.

Entering Angkor Wat

We walk along the stone causeway to the central gate. Bullet holes, one still housing a bullet remind us of the atrocities of Khmer Rouge. Blackened with age, intricate carvings of apsaras at the entrance provide an indication of what is to come.

Getting into the swing of things, a group of five tourists, all wearing matching “I love Cambodia” t-shirts and happy pants gather at a pool for selfies. Hawkers surround us with cries of “you want a coffee? Breakfast? Sir?” The coffee smells inviting, but we refrain.

Spend Time Appreciating the Detail

Our guide launches into an explanation of the intricate bas relief carved into the temple wall. The story, carved over more than thirty years, is detailed and long. Too long with the sun beating down relentlessly. Finally, we are released to explore on our own.  

The detail in the carvings, to quote the cliché, must be seen to be believed. Little flowers decorate the chest plates worn by warriors; the weave of their loin cloths clearly visible. Smiling apsaras wear subtly different headdresses, their hands in a delicate dance.

I opt to climb up to the third level, the highest level open to visitors. There’s a short wait and then stepping onto the first of many narrow wooden steps. I grip the metal handrail and slowly but surely, I ascend. The line of people behind me means no stopping. At the top I take a minute to catch my breath.  

The view makes the climb worthwhile.

Angkor Thom

It’s confusing. Angkor is divided into Angkor Thom, the city, and Angkor Wat, the temple complex. But Bayon Temple is within the walls of Angkor Thom. 

We enter Angkor Thom via the Thonle Om or Southern Gate. The face of Buddha carved into the archway over the road welcomes us. Fifty-four stone giants form a guard of honour on either side of the causeway. Those on the left smile slightly. They represent ‘good.’ The menacing faces of those on the right represent ‘evil’.

Bayon Temple

Most of our group agrees that of the temples we visit today, Bayon is our favourite. On one wall, intricate bas-reliefs depict a Khmer army on the march complete with attendant families, oxcarts and elephants. Another wall is devoted to naval pursuits and the sea. One particularly detailed carving shows a crocodile grasping a person around the waist.

Two hundred and sixteen faces once adorned 52 temple towers (four on the face of each tower). Today 37 towers with 173 faces remain. Our guide jokes “Everywhere Buddha is keeping an eye on you.” Looking carefully, I see large carvings of lotus flowers resting on their heads.

Scary Monkeys

A group of photographers feed a troupe of monkeys. The monkeys become aggressive as we pass, making our walk to the Phimeanakas Temple in the Palace Complex fraught. Trees provide welcome shade from the oppressive sun. Birds twitter in their branches. Butterflies flutter from plant to plant. It’s peaceful here. Once we’ve passed the monkeys, that is.

Palm Boo Restaurant

Lunch in the airconditioned Palmboo Restaurant is light and tasty. Traditional fish amok (a Cambodian seafood curry) and other tasty dishes including deep fried spring rolls and Siem Reap sour soup create a delicious feast.

The restaurant gives left over food to the village children who crowd around as we leave, trying to sell us trinkets. We’ve been advised not to buy from them as the practice discourages them from going to school.

Ta Prohm or the Tomb Raider Temple

Out last temple visit is high on the list of most travellers. It’s Ta Prohm, or as film buffs call it “The Tomb Raider Temple.”

The smooth wrinkled roots of fig, banyan, and kapok trees crawl over sandstone walls, like long gnarled fingers reaching into the ground searching for treasure. Only a fe

Many of the structures are unsafe. Large blocks of stone could be dislodged. It’s best to stick to the path, which nevertheless means crawling through archways supported by steel rods. An Indian team of archaeologists is working to restore the temple.

Introducing Cambodian Culture

Throughout our temple tour, our guide imparts snippets of general knowledge. Number nine is a lucky number in Cambodia. Steps to homes are built in groups of nine. Temples always have an uneven number of towers.

Cambodians don’t shake hands. Bringing the hands together as if in prayer, with a slight bow, they perform ‘sampeah.’ Depending on the standing of the person they are greeting, the tips of the fingers may reach their chest, chin, nose or for a god, even higher. An offering at Angkor Wat

He describes some of the many uses of the Khmer krama (pronounced crumb-are), a long wide scarf usually with a gingham pattern. Wrapped around the head it protects women from the sun, worn around the neck, men use it to wipe the sweat off their brow when labouring, mothers shape them into a hammock to carry young infants, and women roll them into a ring to place on their head to support pots of water. 

Another Delicious Khmer Meal

Whoever said that Cambodian food isn’t great didn’t eat at Palate Angkor Restaurant. There we dine on yet another fabulous meal of Khmer cuisine, as always beautifully presented. The menu features tiger prawns two ways – in a mango salad and also stir fried with a hint of lime, chicken skewers in red curry, bananas in coconut milk and more.  

Pub Street

Not wanting the day to end, we take a remarque to Pub Street. The cacophony of sound and flashing coloured neon lights overwhelm me. I can’t stay here, but I walk up and down, just to say I’ve been here, and then take a side street to the night market.

Backtracking a bit

Last night, I met Akim Ly, founder of Akim Vespa which runs food tours in Siem Reap. She told me that the vendor in Phnom Penh “lied,” and that the tarantula I ate there was “old.” When I mentioned that the tail tasted like sawdust, she added that I shouldn’t have eaten the tail: “it’s like eating the poo.”

A Fresh Tarantula

Determined to improve on my first experience, I sample another tarantula in Siem Reap’s night market. This time, the spiders are on skewers, freshly fried. Some in our group are game to try a leg. We all agree, they are crunchy but soft, salty and quite edible. This time, I don’t need a tissue.

Now for the big test. The vendor removes the head, passes me the body and takes the tail away. She knows that the tail is not to be eaten. I bite down. The juice explodes into my mouth. Palatable, but now that I’ve been there, done that I’m not likely to repeat the experience.  

One regret is that our bus didn’t stop at Skun. There I could have experienced a live tarantula run along my arm.

Is One Day in Siem Reap Sufficient?

Exploring the Temples in Siem Reap, especially under an unrelenting sun is hard, but rewarding work. If possible, spread your visit over a couple of mornings. In the afternoons visit some of the social enterprises helping to train and educate local people. For me that will have to be another time.

Note: My time in Siem Reap was arranged and hosted by Tour Specialists Cambodia and the Cambodia Tourism Association (Siem Reap Chapter). I joined a cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam as a guest of CF Mekong River Cruises on the New Discovery Program

* Written by Joanne Karcz