Siem Reap, Cambodia in 3 days!

When I was planning my trip, it seemed like everyone suggested I go to Cambodia–it was their favorite place! they said. My journey was so short, in order to maximize my time, I was unable to spend the proper amount of days (or weeks) in Cambodia. I got in, saw Angkor Wat (the most popular tourism draw in Cambodia), almost passed out from heat stroke, then moved on to Thailand.

Day 1: Arrive via Siem Reap via airport.

Day 2: Visit Angkor Wat

Day 3: Eat and chill, then depart.

Travel Tips:

SIEM REAP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: You likely will walk from the plane, directly onto the tarmac then into customs. Once in the customs line, grab your form, get in line then fill it out as you stand there. It’s more efficient and the line is usually long. The airport wifi is good and free. There is not the usual “Taxi? Taxi? Taxi?” attack that we get just about everywhere else. Once you exit the Terminal, immediately to the left is a taxi counter build into the building. It took me asking someone else’s driver for help to figure it out.

SIEM REAP: The city is much smaller than it looked on maps to me. I stayed central, walked to the few places I needed. Easy.

MONEY: Idk if this is everywhere in Cambodia, but in Siem Reap they use US dollars, BUT there’s a catch! They refuse to use US coins. So if something is listed as $3.50 and you hand them a $5, they will give you change in both USD and Cambodian money. It is very confusing. The silver lining is that everything is so cheap. When I was there, the exchange rate was about $1USD to 4,000 Cambodian currency. Super easy math (eyeroll) but everything is insanely cheap.

ACCOMMODATION: Onederz Hostel

FOOD: Try Amok fish, Fish Sour Soup, Lok Lac and Green Soup

ACTIVITIES: Angkor Wat; Angkor Night Market, Rolled Ice Cream street cart ($1)

SUNRISE BIKE TOUR: I opted to do the sunrise tour because my cousin had done it a year earlier, and I opted for the bike version cause I love bike tours. As it turns out I bit off more than I could chew for many factors, including a lack of sleep and some personal issues with the heat, my skin and the air quality. But! I would totally recommend to a family with young children. It was loads of fun and the actual temples have very little rules or restrictions on what you can and cannot climb on. It felt like a curious kids dream (but maybe a parent’s nightmare?). We mountain biked through the jungle at several points… much more extreme than the city bike tours I’m used to! Pickup for me was at 4AM so if you have a late flight the night before (like I did) mind that. I ended up with only 3 hours of sleep and paid for it.

WEATHER: I as there March 1 and it was very hot (98 degree high), humid and the air quality was particularly bad. I’m not going to say miserable but…