Siem Reap

APOPO

A demining organization that uses trained rats to sniff out land mines, a strategy which is much faster and safer than using metal detectors (if the rats step on a mine, they are too light to set it off). The visitor's center has guided tours including examples of land mines and UXO (unexploded ordnance) and a demonstration of how the rats find mines. The tour takes about 45 minutes and is a fascinating way to learn about the problem of land mines in Cambodia and support demining work. The guide's English may be hard to understand, but the demonstrations are so interesting, the tour is well worth doing anyway.

Daily tours every half hour 08:30–11:30 and 13:00–16:30·US$10

Adventures Cambodia

Private guided tours of the Angkor temples and the Siem Reap countryside by pedal-assist electric mountain bike, vintage Jeep or Vespa. Women-owned company founded in 2013. Licensed guides, and hotel pickup is included. The evening street food tour also runs as a small group.

US$68-790 per person depending on the tour

Angkor Botanical Garden

Beautifully kept gardens and mini zoo and playground with Rukha Cafe & Restaurant and a kids' library. A great place to visit just after visiting Apopo.

free entry

Angkor Eye

An 85-m-high Ferris wheel with 48 four-person baskets able to accommodate up to 192 people. The trip takes 18 minutes. It is the third highest Ferris wheel in Asia.

Daily 14:00–18:00·Adult US$12, child US$6

Angkor National Museum

A modern museum with exhibits covering the history of the Khmer Empire, and the art, architecture, clothing, and culture of Khmer civilization, with a special focus on the Angkor complex. It is worth spending a couple of hours in the air-conditioned galleries as a break from visiting temples. Lots of pre-Angkorian and Angkorian statues, plus informative videos. Some say the 1,000 Buddhas room is as impressive as it sounds. The gift shop has some lovely souvenirs and fascinating books, but they're very overpriced. Visitors are required to check bags, water, and hats at the entrance (for free). Photography prohibited.

Daily 08:30-18:00·US$12; audio guide in many languages US$5 (credit card accepted)

Angkor Pottery Center

Daily pottery classes for beginners as well as professionals in pottery making, carving and glazing by local potter, Mrs Paruth Hann. Make your own design and take your glazed pot home as a souvenir. An enjoyable experience whilst supporting an enterprise creating fair wage jobs for the poor village women in Siem Reap.

Daily 08:00-17:00·US$7-20

Angkor Trade Centre

The mall, Cambodian-style. A reasonably extensive selection of packaged food, drinks whitening deodorant, imported alcohol and the familiar feeling of shopping in air conditioned comfort.

Apsara Theatre

Showcases Cambodia’s rich cultural heritage, traditional performing arts. Dancers, singers and musicians.

Daily performance 20:30-21:30·US$33

Artisans d'Angkor

A workshop in the city centre. Showcases traditional Cambodian handicrafts such as wood and stone carving, lacquering, gilding and silk painting. Visitors are conducted on a free guided tour where they can see the craftsmen in action. The boutiques display the many items produced. Tours available in Khmer, English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese.

Daily 07:30-17:30

Banana Leaf

Restaurant serving Khmer, Asian and Western food, with live music. Great cocktails. Opened in 2005 before Pub Street existed.

Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre

Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre is a community development project and tourist destination just down the road from the Landmine Museum and Banteay Srey temple. Revenue from admissions is used to pay families in remote villages who are farming butterflies for the exhibit. The project makes a real difference to the farmers' livelihoods and provides a wonderful experience for visitors as they can see spectacular local butterfly species flying close at hand in a beautiful tropical garden.

09:00-1700·US$4 adults, US$2 children under 12

Beyond Unique Cooking Class

Cambodian cooking classes in a village 10 min from town. The classes are three hours long and include a visit to a local family and information on Cambodian cooking customs and beliefs. Hands on classes for a maximum of six people unless you book a private group.

Daily 09:30-15:30·US$32 for half-day class

Bong Srey Mith Laor

Tasty Cambodian food with lots of vegetarian options. Try the white mint tea shake.

US$2-5

Butterfly Paradise

A park with butterflies amongst many species of plants and flowers, with waterfalls and ponds.

Sun-Fri 09:00-16:30·US$10 adult, US$7 child, US$4 Khmer adult, US$2 Khmer child

Cafe D’Angkor (Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor)

This restaurant is inside the colonial-era Raffles Hotel. Main courses include western and Khmer dishes, and range from US$20-30. Both the food and services were excellent. There are other restaurants in this hotel.

Central Market

Eclectic collection of clothes and trinkets. Bargain. Most stalls carry the same selection so you can shop around and find the cheapest price.

Common Grounds Restaurant

American Coffee Shop & Cafe

Serving Western dishes; chicken tenders, grilled cheese, crispy chicken apple salad, German chocolate cake, seasonal muffins, cinnamon rolls and some Asian dishes. All profit goes to fund local humanitarian projects through NGO People for Care & Learning. Air-con & high speed Internet.

Mon-Sat 07:00-20:00·US$5-10

Cuisine Wat Damnak

French food with Cambodian influence. Only has two tasting menus, no à la carte dishes. Indoor and outdoor seating.

Tue-Sun 18:30-21:30, closed Mon·US$19-26

Fish Massage

This Thai fad has crossed the border. Dip your feet in a tank of fish and wince as they eat the dead skin off your toes. Trying a tank with feet already inside it will tell you if the fish are hungry. Some claim to have no piranhas while others offer a free beer to subdue any doubts.

US$1-2 for 15 min

Flying Foxes

A large colony of day time flying fruit bats (they can see unlike most smaller species of bat), can be found hanging around in some of the tall trees in the parkland adjacent to the Royal Residence, an amazing sight you don't expect to see in the center of town.

Frangipani Spa

Wonderful spa with a nice atmosphere, peaceful rooms, and experienced staff. The massages actually feel like trained people are giving them. No special services or hidden fees. It is a nice place to go as a couple or alone. They have massage tables and air conditioning. Tasteful exterior surrounded by frangipani plants (partly obscuring their tasteful green sign saying "frangipani").

US$35-75

GIVE Kefir - Probiotic Brewery

They make their own kefir and kombucha drinks. Free tasting, flavors include spirulina, ginger, beet, butterfly pea, and dragon fruit.

Haven

Training restaurant teaching disadvantaged young adults. Cambodian, Asian, Western Food, with many vegetarian/vegan options.

Mon-Sat 11:30-14:30 and 17:30-21:30, closed on Sun

KKO - Off Track Mountain Bike Tours

KKO is a local charitable non-profit NGO. They offer unique Angkor park and countryside off track bike tours. The entire profit generated from the bike tours flows back to the local KKO School. US$35 for a guided hlaf day bike tour and US$45-60 for a full day bike tour. Booking is required.

US$35-65 for a full-day tour

Kameng Leng ~ Daycare, Playground & Restaurant

This is a fun, safe, creative, indoor-outdoor play and activity and education center with day care service and restaurant, for kids up to 8 years old.

Kampong Phluk Floating Village

This mangrove forest offers a much more authentic floating village experience than the one close to the Tonlé Sap ferry harbour. This fascinating fishing village on stilts can be reached by tuk-tuk, motorcycle, or taxi from Siem Reap. It takes about 1 hour to reach the village, depending weather conditions. Beware of scams. In addition to the tuk-tuk or taxi fare, the boat to take you around the village costs US$25 per person (which drivers will often conveniently forget to mention until you're almost there). In the dry season the village just has the appearance of a bunch of houses on stilts over the mud, but is still somewhat interesting as you can see the houses' structure. After touring the village you can eat in a floating restaurant with views of the lake.

US$25

Khmer Ceramics & Fine Arts Centre

Glazed stoneware bowls, plates, teapots and decorative objects made with traditional Khmer ceramic techniques.

Daily 08:00-19:30

Khmer Pub Street Beergarden KTVs

There is a strip of local Cambodian bars near the Platinum KTV. If you walk past it, there is a whole 2-3 block street full of local Cambodian bars. Menus are not in English and few employees speak English, but the prices are good. These are restaurant/bars, they have young women sitting at the entrance, and you can have one accompany you for US$1.50. Beers are US$1.

close 02:00·US$0.50 for draught beer

Kids Playground

This is possibly the nicest and biggest outdoors playground in Siem Reap. It's under a circular canopy and is in good condition. There are clean bathroom facilities for kids and a mini cafe and shop nearby. There are also basketball courts behind for older kids.

$1 for kids

L'Angelo

Probably Siem Reap's most daring restaurant, serving fusionesque Italian cuisine like foie gras on a bed of white asparagus and balsamic vinegar ice cream in a setting so achingly modern that the only decoration is a cloud of black dots on the white wall. A full meal with a glass or two of wine costs around US$100 for two.