This was my very first time setting foot on Cambodian soil. From the moment of touch down at Siem Reap International airport, I felt a calming vibe and serenity around. I landed at the new airport built in Siem Reap and my entry through immigration was uneventful.
e-visa
There is no visa on arrival for Indian citizens, so I had taken e-visa upfront. 30USD fee for visa and 3-4 days processing time after which you get e-visa (valid for one month from the date of arrival you mention in the visa application) on your email address.
Things to note – One does have to mention entry and exit points while applying for the e-visa. I would stick to the same entry and exit points to avoid any hassle at the airport and I had made my travel plans accordingly.
Cash withdrawal at Siem Reap Airport
There are a couple of ATMs available at the airport right after exit point. One fun moment happened when I saw US dollars getting dispensed from the ATM machine. On my visa card, that was the default option. Later I found out that Cambodian tourism runs on USD and only for very small values Cambodian Riel is used. I was charged a processing free of 5USD for the withdrawal. This would be over and beyond the cross currency markup charges that my bank charges.
Use of Debit Card instead of Forex Card
I had used a forex card once earlier and stopped using them as I didn’t see any additional value in them. Cross currency markup and foreign bank processing fee are both applicable on Forex card as well. That’s why after using it once, I always use my visa debit card for withdrawals abroad. Note – Your local bank might block your card on the suspicion of unusual transaction. It happened to me once. To avoid it, do pay attention to any verification calls from your bank. I additionally inform my personal banker whenever I am travelling.
Ride to downtown on Airport bus
I had done no prior research about my travel to the hostel where I would be staying. However, I had downloaded offline maps of the cities where I would land without a working sim card. This would help me reach downtown and my hostel.
I was happy to find out about the option of an Airport bus to downtown which takes an hour and costs 8USD. There is a single drop point in the city CDF airport stop. The frequency of the bus was hourly. I took the one at 4pm after missing the one at 3, however I could use the Circle K supermarket in the airport building itself and savoured some much needed noodles and thumbs up.
Vibe check on Siem Reap city
After getting down at CDF stop, I did get hassled a tiny bit by the tuk-tuk drivers who were asking for a nominal 1USD to take me to my hostel. Noticeable was the fact that even tuk tuk drivers were able to converse in English. I wanted to walk to Lub D and started walking. I could see clean roads and not very busy. What really caught my attention was the water stream (I later found it to be Siem Reap river) flowing between two parallel roads with lush green grass and plants between the road and the river. The walk to my hostel was indeed a very good evening stroll at sunset. I was liking the vibes of the city so much that I took a break from walking and sat beside the river for a while to ponder on my thoughts – peaceful, clean and refreshing – it was.
Sim card
One doesn’t get Sim cards in supermarkets in Cambodia like in Thailand. My hostel (Lub D) had sim cards on offer for 8USD for 60Gb for a month. I wanted something cheaper and 20Gb would be enough for my fortnight stay in Cambodia.
I ventured out to find a sim card and after searching a bit, I did find options starting from 5USD 25Gb 30days at Smart shop which happens to be a Cambodian cellphone company. This shop is located a few shops further away from 7-Eleven at the end of Pub Street.
Stay Options – Lub D and Onederz
I was zeroing in on staying in a hostel after seeing great pics and reviews of Lub D and Onederz. These two stand out from the lot basis their extraordinary reviews on booking and very affordable prices. Both are walkable from CDF ariport stop. I chose Lub D as their dorm looked really posh and different from the usual hostels. Both hostels offer their dorm bed at unbeatable 4 dollars a night.
Lub D – Super Hit
My hostel did turn out to be exactly like the pics shown on booking and the hospitality matched with the great reviews on google and booking. I had booked for one night to begin with and extended my stay there for another 4 nights.
The hostel has a mix of dorms and rooms complemented with the amenities of a pool table, swimming pool, bar and restaurant. The hostel is very lively and happening as there is an event happening every night at the bar area – such as pub crawl, pool crawl :), countryside tour, karaoke etc. The vibe at the bar area is electric in the evenings. I saw some people just staying in and enjoying the hostel. Not to blame them – the hostel in itself is a complete vacation package. At 4$ a night, this hostel is a total steal. Highly recommended.
Intra city travel options
Motor bikes are costly in Siem Reap with daily rent as high as 12$. I ended up renting a bicycle for 5$ from Lub D and it was a good workout too. Tuktuks are available readily. Grab is also available with car and remorque (a big sized tuktuk) options.
Siem Reap besides Angkor Wat
Angkor is the very reason people come to Siem Reap, however, I feel the city is great vacation destination even on its own – serene, organised and just big enough to have all your necessities met but not overwhelm you. The city has a bustling nightlife as well – Pub street and night market do well to complete the requirements of a vacation destination – the nightlife scene is not as loud as Phuket but it has everything on offer – live music places, dance floors and street food. One unique feature of the nightlife I saw here was bars hosted on moving carts with music on its own. One complete lane near the Pub Street is dedicated to such carts.
Siem Reap at night
I fell in love with this city. It is laid back, clean and locals are welcoming. Many people say that we get Chiang Mai vibes in Siem Reap and I agree. It is a great city to enjoy the expat life. I stayed here longer than I had initially planned and still didn’t feel like leaving.
The city is properly decorated in the night. On my return from the temples late evening – I got to enjoy its beauty in the evening. The bridges on Siem Reap river are beautifully lit and the complete night market area is decorated as if there is a festival every night.
I had my dinner on a couple of occasions seated next to the river at the street food stalls next to the night market and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Unique Street Bars in Siem Reap
Walkable from the Pub Street
Sambo Khmer and Thai Restaurant
This is a great restaurant serving Khmer cuisine. I ordered a Khmer curry with rice and a fruit shake. Both items were well made. Place is clean and service is good. This restaurant is priced a little bit on the costlier side and my meal + shake combo costed me around 10$.
Siem Reap Outskirts
Green and beautiful countryside on the way to Angkor.
Hammocks a favourite of locals here and Prohok!
Locals here are very fond of hammocks which can be found everywhere. Especially all the local restaurants near and around Angkor have them aplenty. I did enjoy relaxing lying in it after a tiring day of bicycle ride to Angkor.
Also, I got a chance to try the famous Cambodian recipe Prohok. It is used as an accompaniment for the main dishes. It is made out of dried fish and has a very sharp taste. Prohok is as important as salt for Cambodians and there is a famous saying to underline this – if a meal is not well prepared, Cambodians would express their feelings by saying “no Prohok no salt” 🙂
Some more shots of evenings
Try Me Restaurant – Super Hit
I can’t recommend this restaurant enough. Amazing taste, unbeatable prices, utmost cleanliness and super fast service. I kept visiting this place again and again. If you are in Siem Reap – you gotta try this once.
The only difficulty I faced with this place was reaching here – by walk it would take ~20mins from the night market area or Lub D (where I was staying). However, let that not stop you and you can make use of a tuktuk as well.
Tang Mouy Coffee
If you are looking for super cheap yet quality breakfast in Siem Reap by the river side, you have to try this place. Their items are priced cheap to the extent of disbelief – 2$ breakfast! The place is ~10mins by walk from the night market area.
I tried their “special pan” and really enjoyed it. Portion size and taste both were good. They have a whole set of customised coffee menu available – I tried one of their frappes and loved it.
Decoration on the streets
Pub Street
Akin to the walking street of many SE Asian tourist destinations, Pub Street is a slightly shorter (but cute) version of it . You won’t feel overwhelmed or get harassed here like what happens in Saigon’s District 1 or Khao San, Bangkok.
I did walk across this street on a couple of evenings and really liked soaking in the vibe and getting a feel of the lively atmosphere here. You can drop by at any of the bars you like, have a drink and move on to the next bar – if that’s your thing. Sadly, my liver has grown too old to do that now 😭
I went to the rooftop of the Temple club at the end of the street and savoured my solitary beer whilst enjoying the music and ambience.
X-Bar
It is one of the famous and old bars in Siem Reap. Located across the street at the end of Pub Street, it provides great views of Pub Street from its rooftop. Many of the old timers still go here. On my visit though, it was pretty empty, probably due to monsoons. Visiting around new years could be an entirely different experience.
Temple Club
This is yet another famous club located on Pub Street – probably the most famous. It has many levels – the interesting thing is if you are a foreigner, you would be asked to go to the rooftop. The ground floor and first floor are reserved for locals. I didn’t mind it though. The ambience on the rooftop is lively with the DJ console and small dance floor area in front of it. There are a couple of pool tables and few other board games as well on the rooftop. You should check it out when in Siem Reap.
Barcode Bar Siem Reap – Hit
You must visit Barcode at least once. It is located slightly away from Pub Street but still just 10mins by walk. It is LGBT friendly, however, welcome to all.
I fell in love with the ambience, the interiors and interesting lights – positive vibes all around. They have good quality drag shows as well.
Tales of a traveller 
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