MENZZOO MAGAZINE
SIEM REAP
Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor Wat, the ancient temple ruins of the Khmer Empire. Set along the Siem Reap River, this small provincial capital boasts hundreds of sightseeing opportunities such as well-preserved colonial buildings, museums, traditional markets, and cultural performances. Following its rapid growth, the lively town offers all the facilities one would expect in a small but major city.
There's plenty of restaurants serving authentic Khmer, Asian, European, and western food while its vibrant nightlife scene is ideal for bar-hopping and partying with local girls and like-minded travellers until dawn.
Anyone planning a trip to Siem Reap are visiting to see the ancient historic ruins of Angkor Wat, but Siem Reap shows that there’s more to this quaint town besides the historic Angkor Wat temple ruins. As Cambodia’s unofficial tourism capital, Siem Reap boasts hundreds of natural and manmade attractions such as breathtaking temples, well-preserved colonial buildings, unique museums, cultural theme parks, expansive lakes and mountains.
ANGKOR ARCHEOLOGICAL PARK
History & Culture-
Angkor Archaeological Park is where you can find Siem Reap’s historic Angkor Wat as well as 50 Hindu and Buddhist temple ruins that were constructed between the 9th and 12th centuries. Representing the pinnacle of ancient Khmer architecture, art and civilization.
ANGKOR NATIONAL MUSEUM
History-
Angkor National Museum houses 1,000 artefacts from the ancient Khmer empire. Located along Charles de Gaulle Boulevard, the expansive museum is divided into 8 galleries that are themed by era, religion and royalty. Displays include relics from the pre-Angkorian periods of the great Khmer kings Funan and Chenla, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, ancient Khmer and Sanskrit inscriptions.
WAT DAMNAK PAGODA
History & Culture-
Wat Damnak Pagoda, set along Wat Bo Road, was originally a royal palace during the reign of King Sisowath. Today, it houses a school, an extensive library, 2 charities, and a sewing academy for young local women within its grounds.
PHNOM KULEN NATIONAL PARK
Leisure-
Phnom Kulen National Park is believed to be the nation’s most sacred mountain. The top of Kulen Mountain has over 55 ancient temple ruins while the summit houses a 16th-century Buddhist pagoda and an 8-metre-long sandstone statue of a reclining Buddha. Phnom Kulen National Park is accessible by car, van or tuk tuk, and it takes about 2 hours to reach here from Siem Reap. The renowned Angkor Wat is about 30 km away.
THE LANDMINE MUSEUM
History-
The Landmine Museum represents an insight into the realism of the country’s land mine situation. During Cambodia’s 3-decade-long conflict, approximately 6 million land mines were planted in the nation.
TONLE SAP LAKE
Leisure-
Tonle Sap Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Also called Boeung Tonle Sap, it has one of the world’s most vibrant ecosystems. There are different species of wildlife in and around the lake, which helped to sustain and grow the ancient Khmer civilisation. It's also famous for its fascinating local communities and their floating villages.
WAR MUSEUM
Leisure-
War Museum Cambodia features outdoor displays of old, rusted and broken-down military hardware taken from the battlefield. Equipment on display includes old tanks,, artillery pieces, rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns, small arms, mines and bombs. There's also an old Shenyang J-6 jet fighter, an XU-814 Mil Mi-8T helicopter, and other military hardware in various conditions.
Location: Siem Reap, Cambodia-Open: Daily from 8am to 5.30pm
THE TERRACE OF THE LEPER KING
History & Culture-
The Terrace of the Leper King has carvings of nagas (dragons), demons and various mythical beings. The inner wall was built first, and the outer wall was added later covering the inner wall. Archaeologists excavated the inner wall in the late 1990s.
Located at the north end of the Terrace of Elephants, the terrace was named after a statue on its platform. Many associate the statue with Jayavarman VII, whom locals believed to have suffered from leprosy. Some historians believe the structure represents Kubera, the god of wealth, or Yasovaraman I.
THE BARAY LAKES
Leisure-
The huge Baray lakes are among the most remarkable aspects of Angkor. They are immense ancient rectangular artificial reservoirs, with the 2 largest to the east and west of Angkor Thom. The East Baray is 14 sq km wide, while the West Baray is 16 sq km. Some scholars say they were used for agriculture irrigation, others say the main purpose of the Barays was religious and ceremonial. There is a stone temple called a Mebon on an island in the middle of each lake. No matter what their original purpose was, they are truly amazing feats of engineering.
PUB STREET
Bars & Restaurants-
Pub Street is a vibrant and colourful road that's lined with bars, clubs and restaurants in Siem Reap. It’s such a popular attraction almost certainly for the US$2.50 jugs of draught beers that most of the bars offer. You can even find more bars along the nearby Alley West and The Lane. Pub Street is the nightlife hub of Siem Reap which gets busy soon after 5pm when it's closed to vehicles and becomes a pedestrianised zone.
Location: Street 08, Siem Reap, Cambodia
NOON NIGHT MARKET
Shopping & Retail-
Noon Night Market features a wide range of fair-trade souvenirs and handicrafts, with 10% of profits earmarked for funding a local orphanage. Located between Sivutha Boulevard and Angkor Night Market
After an hour or two of wandring around Noon Night Market, visitors can unwind with a Khmer-style massage or enjoy imported beers and cocktails at the bar.
Location: Vithey Charles de Gaulle, Khum Slorkram, Siem Reap, Cambodia-Open: Daily from midday to midnight
ANGKOR NIGHT MARKET
Shopping & Retail-
Angkor Night Market, off Sivatha Boulevard in Siem Reap, consists of over 200 bamboo huts selling a wide range of clothing and handicrafts by local communities and non-governmental organisations. It was founded in 2007 to preserve traditional Khmer handicrafts and improve the lives of Khmer people,
Set within a landscaped garden in downtown Siem Reap, Angkor Night Market is also ideal for enjoying local delicacies and cheap booze as well as live music performances until late.
Location: Off Sivatha Boulevard, Siem Reap, Cambodia-Open: Daily from 4pm to midnight
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