Beyond Angkor: 100 things to do in Siem Reap!

Cambodia and Siem Reap have much more to offer than just the temples of Angkor. Admittedly, as the world’s largest city of antiquity Angkor is truly impressive. But it is worth taking a closer look at the city of Siem Reap, its surrounding area and its people. Many people still travel to Siem Reap for just a few days and usually only on a really tight program of visits to the Angkor Temple. Often by the 5th Temple onwards, and with what I refer to as a “glazed expression”, people are less receptive to the many stories the tour guides know from times long ago. Especially in the unfamiliar heat.

Here is a list of 100 things you can do in Siem Reap and the surrounding area!

To inspire you, here is a list of 100 things you should “do” in Siem Reap and the surrounding area. Why 100? Well, to begin with there were 15 points, and they were put together really quickly. And then there were 25 and even 30 that came to me quickly. So I decided instead to create a list of 100 things to do and publish it, even though it is not yet finished. There are still some of the things to do missing and it is far from being fully linked. But this will certainly change over time, so here is the plan, I wish you lots of fun browsing the list and maybe you will have a few of your own ultimate suggestions for me, if you do why not let me know in the comments and I can add your suggestions to the list.

1. Visit the temples of Angkor during the equinox
   
   
2. Foster a close friendship with Cambodians
3. Find yourself a favorite Tuk-Tuk driver
4. Try an unusual breakfast at the Pshar Leu market in Siem Reap
5. Show off your singing skills during a karaoke session
6. Enjoy exquisite drinks at the Shinta Mani Hotel during happy hour
7. Try Sampeah, the Cambodian way of greeting
8. Buy souvenirs from adult street vendors to help support them and their families
9. Visit the silk farm outside Siem Reap
10. Enjoy Rocher chocolates in the Blue Pumpkin Cafe
    
11. Enjoy your lunch in a hammock restaurant
12. Go to a Dr. Beat Richner concert [update April 2017] Due to the illness of Dr. Beat Richner, there are no more concerts.
13. Go and donate blood
14. Be the guest of a Cambodian family in Siem Reap
15. Enjoy Phare’s breathtaking circus performance
16. Get a haircut at a small hairdresser
17. Take a tour of Cambodia with the Bee doctor
18. Visit the Angkor National Museum
19. Admire the beautiful butterflies in the butterfly garden
20. Visit the Angkor Handicraft Association market
21. Test your courage and order a meal with insects
22. Take part in a cookery course and prepare your own food
23. Take a trip to Phnom Kulen
24. Climb Phnom Krom and admire the sunset
    
25. Take a bicycle tour
26. Take a helicopter trip over Angkor and Siem Reap
27. Quench your thirst with coconut water
28. Try food from a small street vendor
29. Take a Khmer massage course
30. Buy your souvenirs at the “Made in Cambodia Market”
31. Order Lok Lak and / or water spinach in a restaurant
    
32. Take a journey on the Cambodian Bamboo train
33. Go to Friends ‘N’ Stuff and buy something
34. Treat yourself to a great meal in the Marum restaurant
35. Visit the Hard Rock Café
36. Give your feet a fish massage
37. Visit a pagoda, for example the Po Banteaychey Pagoda to the south of Siem Reap
38. Help with rice cultivation
39. Ride a gondola through the jungle
40. Look at the breathtaking sunrise from a hill
    
41. Travel during the Cambodian rainy season
42. Take part in a food tour
43. Visit the Angkor Center for Conservation and Biodiversity
44. Learn about the tradition of Cambodian craftsmanship
45. Take part in the potter’s hour at the Khmer Ceramics Fine Arts Center
46. Walk along the Siem Reap river
47. Go to a different restaurant every day
48. Learn a few words of the Khmer language
49. Go on a quad tour
50. Play mini golf
51. Go to the HAVEN restaurant for lunch or dinner and support the training of Cambodian youths
52. Run in the Angkor Half Marathon
53. Visit classes at a school or university
54. Swing through the jungle with the Flight of the Gibbons
    
55. Go on a jeep tour
56. Visit the “Smile of Angkor” show
57. Go to the Landmine museum
58. Let yourself be enchanted by the valley of the 1000 Lingas
59. Visit the Beng Mealea Temple
60. Join the “Angkor Wat Bike4Kids” bike spectacle in aid of a good cause
61. Go swimming in the Western Baray
62. Visit an Apsara show
63. Celebrate the Cambodian new year Festival of Susdei Chnam Thmei
64. Take a boat trip on the Tonle Sap Lake and watch the floating villages
    
65. Treat yourself to a Cupcake at the Blossom Café and support the training concept for Cambodian youngsters
66. Play a game with Cambodian children
67. Visit the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary
68. Take part in a tour of Artisans Angkor
69. Visit the Wats in Siem Reap in just one day
70. Visit the new Angkor Panorama Museum
71. Get in touch with a local NGO and donate
72. Visit the new Artbox Museum
73. Buy a picture at the Khmer Kids Gallery
74. Order Khmer Amok in a restaurant
75. Book a Tuk Tuk driver for a countryside trip
76. Enjoy nightlife at Pub-Street
77. Visit the Angkor Night Market
78. Visit the Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation
79. Enjoy a meal at New Hope Training Restaurant which also supports a health centre and a free community school
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99. Stay in Siem Reap for more than 3 days

More info for your stay in Siem Reap

In these articles, you can find further information here on Visit Angkor for your stay in Siem Reap:

• Visas -The most important information at a glace
• Siem Reap: Arrival
• Angkor-Pass: New Prices from 1.2.2017 – full details
• Let’s go to Angkor Wat, but what should I wear?
• 34 Sunset Points in the Angkor Park
• What is the Code of Conduct for Angkor
• Behaviour – 18 tipps
• Climate in Cambodia
• Angkor Temples – timeline of an Epoch *Photogallery*

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By the way: We write here at Visit Angkor with a lot of passion and love. Nevertheless, it can happen that information is no longer up to date or perhaps even incorrect. We would be happy to hear from you so that we can update the information accordingly. Thank you very much!