Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance.
Cambodia : Siem Reap - July 2008 Country Code: Dial +855 for Cambodia
FROM THE AIRPORT
Taxi:
If you have arranged for your hotel to pick you up, look for a sign with your name in the sea of faces outside Customs. There is also a curb-side limousine desk where you can hire a car to send you to any hotel for US$5. Airport taxi drivers customarily offer their services for the entire visit at between US$20 and US$25 a day.
Motorcycle taxi:
A âmotoâ is a good option if you are travelling light and well-insured. The charge is US$1.
TABLE TALK
Cheap chic
Cambodian BBQ
(The Passage. Tel. (0)12 800309)
If you are feeling adventurous, this is the perfect place to enjoy some unusual dishes at very aff ordable prices. Choose from snake, ostrich
and other exotic meats prepared in a traditional barbecue style.
Mid-range magic
Sugar Palm
(Taphul Road. Tel. (0)63 964838)
Named after one of Cambodiaâs iconic symbols, this stylish eatery is set in a traditional wooden house. Delicious home-style Khmer cuisine
matches perfectly with an aff ordable range of international wines.
Gourmet
Shinta Mani
(Junction of Oum Khum and 14th Street. Tel. (0)63 761998)
Enjoy a contemporary take on delectable Asian and international cuisines at this divine eatery which uses local organic ingredients combined with quality imported products. www.shintamani.com
AFTER DARK
Cocktail hour
The Sundeck
(Wat Polanka (Heritage Suites Hotel). Tel. (0)63 969100)
This chic nightspot boasts an impressive menu of drinks, making it the perfect place to unwind after a long day at the temples. www.heritage.com.kh
Late night
The Alley
(Old market area (Giddy Gecko, Silk Garden, Blue Chilli 2, The White House). )
This side street offers a quiet contrast to the chaos of Pub Street, to which it runs parallel. There is a cluster of bars serving beer, wine,
cocktails and even a shisha pipe.
BODY & SOUL
Le Meridien Spa
(Vithei Charles de Gaulle. Tel. (0)63 963900)
Offering a broad menu of traditional massage and health therapies, treatments include a Khmer herbal bath, ancient hot stone facials and more. www.angkor.lemeridien.com
BOUTIQUE BEDS
HanumanAlaya
(5 Krom 2, Phoum Treang. Tel. (0)63 760582)
A beautiful swimming pool, tropical plants and a lush garden combine to create an idyllic retreat in which to unwind after exploring the majestic temples of Angkor. www.hanumanalaya.com
HOT SPOTS
The Silk Farm –Just 20 minutes by tuk-tuk from town, Artisans dâAngkor offers free guided tours of their workshops, where you can see how silk is traditionally produced in Cambodia. Watch the entire process from silkworm to weaving as skilled artisans put their hands to the loom.
Puok District, tel (0)63 380375, www.artisansdangkor.com
INSIDER TIPS
Protect history –Most visitors to Siem Reap will want to buy souvenirs or purchase gifts to bring home, but avoid the temptation to buy antiquities.
If you are offered something that appears to be a genuine relic, donât buy it. Exporting antiquities from Cambodia is illegal and offenders face very serious consequences if they are caught. They are also very likely to be fake.
DAY TRIPPING
Koh Ker –Briefly the capital of the Khmer Empire in the 10th century, Koh Ker is still off the main tourist path. Its centrepiece, Prasat Thom (Big Temple) is a 35m-high pyramid offering commanding views from the top for those brave enough to climb the stairs on the outside. The journey by car takes three hours each way, with the option to stop at Beng Melea en route.
IN THE KNOW
Khmer customs –Learn a few words of Khmer. Sor-sdey (hello), Sok sabai (how are you?), Som Toh (excuse me) and Or-koon (thank you) are four simple phrases to get you started.
Compiled by Cambodia Pocket Guides (www.cambodiapocketguides.com)
Previous issues for Siem Reap
Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance.
