Siem Reap Itinerary: Angkor Wat and much more

I was dreaming of this trip since ever and finally this summer I had the chance to visit this amazing country: Cambodia.

If you are wondering how to spend amazing days in Siem Reap, here you have some tips about what to visit, where to eat and stay.

But first, important info:

• To visit all the temples you will need to buy the Angkor Pass. I suggest you to buy it online in advance, because the physical ticket office is far from the Siem Reap city center.

• The best way to get around Siem Reap is to rent a motorbike and, for longer distances (Benteay Srei and Kbal Spean), I suggest you to rent a Grab rider for some hours.

Day 1

The first day we visited the city center of Siem Reap, here the main attractions:

Preah Promh Rath Pagoda is located in the central area near to Pub Street and the Old Market. It is a functioning Buddhist monastery featuring a typical Khmer-style pagoda, a courtyard with statues depicting different Buddhist beliefs, and a hall surrounded by hand-painted picture walls containing a giant statue of seated Buddha and a reclining Buddha.

Wat Bo Pagoda is located just one kilometre from Pub Street area. This 18th century temple is one of the oldest known Buddhist temples in Siem Reap. Inside the main temple, there are paintings which date back from the 19th century and are still in very good condition today. A good time to visit the temple is around 4:30pm to 6:00pm when you’ll often hear the monks chanting.

Day 2:

The second day we started visiting the most famous temples in Siem Reap:

Ta Prohm, which was built without mortar and, after it was abandoned, trees took root in the loosened stones. The trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of the most popular temples of this area. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1992.

Benteay Kdei, is translated in english as “A Citadel of Chambers”, because the temple is actually made up of a number of complex chambers and passages. Although it’s located near Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm, it is far less visited and seems to be ignored by most visitors. However, Banteay Kdei is a “hidden gem” and the overgrown ruins, complex design, and relative peace make is a great place to visit.

Pre Rup Temple is a 3 tiered pyramid temple dedicated to Shiva. Climbing to the top of the temple affords a sweeping view of the surrounding countryside jungle and rice paddies, and it is also a popular place for watching the sunset.

Day 3

Angkor Wat is an architectural masterpiece and the largest religious monument in the world. It was built in the first half of the 12th century, so it’s almost 900 years old. I suggest you to visit it at sunrise, even if you will find a lot of tourists, the moment of the sun rising behind this amazing temple is something you will never forget.

Angkor Thom is a massive walled city containing numerous temples and areas to explore along with its beautiful moat and famous entry gates, my favorite is the North Gate.

Bayon Temple is one of the must-see temples in the central area of ancient Angkor. The temple is located inside Angkor Thom. Each tower of this temple has 4 smiling stone faces of The Buddah, which makes it really mysterious.

Prasat Preah Palilay is the best place if you want to escape from tourists. Is a small but fascinating ancient temple located in Angkor Thom, only a short walk to the north-west of Terrace of Leper King and Tep Pranam. The site’s name stands for “Sacred Forest of Palilay”, in fact you will find it in the middle of a small forest.

Phnom Bakheng is said to be the oldest and highest temple of the ancient city of Angkor Thom. A small hike leads to the temple, which is located on a 60m high hill, the reason why is an amazing place to see the sunset. However, since the temple is ancient and structure doesn't support more than a certain number of people, it is advisable to come early.

See the view on Angkor Wat on the picture below!

Preah Khan is located in the Angkor Archaeological Park and is still largely unrestored. It is one of the larger temple complexes within the historic park.

Day 4

Banteay Srei is a bit far from the other temples and the city center (about 35 km from Angkor Wat). But it is unique because was built entirely of red sandstone, covered with sculptural decoration. For this reason the temple is called the jewel of Khmer art.

Kbal Spean is an archeological site that follows a natural riverbed, is also known as the River of a Thousand Lingas, a reference to the phallic carvings found in the art here. The carvings are accessible on a 2-kilometer walk through the forest that ends at a small waterfall.

Where to stay in Siem Reap

We spent the entire stay at Palm Village Resort & Spa, a resort slightly outside the city centre, surrounded by nature. We really loved it and was the best place to spend the few rest hours during the day.

Cafés and restaurants in Siem Reap

Dialogue Siem Reap it’s a cozy small cafe with nice deco and good food. Everything is clean and safe for foreigners. Coffee was also pretty good. Friendly staff, air condition and finally a place accepting card payment.

Temple Coffee is, environmentally speaking, one of the most beautiful restaurant in the city. The menu is reasonably priced and the quality of the dishes is satisfactory, so it is definitely worth trying. If you are a “mango lover” like me, I suggest you to try their amazing Mango Bingsu.

Cafista is a coworking space and café, which offers a good blend of comfort, convenience and culinary delights that appeal to both locals and expats. We had lunch here and was really nice and affordable.

Footprint Café has a bliss and tranquil atmosphere. Books of many genres line the walls, the food is nice and the service is great.

The little red fox espresso a truly pleasant place to stop if you are looking for specialty coffee or for a sweet treat, very nice staff and fair prices.

But PLEASE, don't forget about the cheap and amazing street food that you can find all over the city. Take into consideration that for the plate in the picture below we only spent 1€!

Spa & Massages in Siem Reap

Mudita Spa is an amazing spa to spend an hour of relax. It is part of a luxury hotel and you can notice it from the service which is absolutely exemplary. I came here to try the traditional Khmer massage, a therapeutic work called 'Chab Sar Sai'. This method is used to activate energy flow; energizes, relaxes, and restores the proper balance of circulation to the body. The traditional Khmer Massage is a truly unique massage and I suggest you to try it to live an amazing and unordinary experience.