10 Must-see Sights of Siem Reap

“Smile of Khmer” refers to a smiling Buddha head statue, which is located in the Bayon Temple. This is one of the 3 great temples in Angkor. The smile of the Buddha’s head is serene and mysterious, as if hiding the secrets that the world cannot understand. It is unique cultural attractions in the Angkor ruins. It is best to avoid the noon time when shooting photos at the Bayon Temple. The mottled boulder under the direct sunlight seems to offer no sense of perspective. In the evening, when tourists are few and the light is soft, you can often see the monks leaving one after another, which is more suitable for taking pictures.

Angkor Wat is one of the most beautiful sunrise locations in the world. The black silhouette-shaped lotus pagoda complements the gentle morning glow and is matched by the reflection in the lotus pond. It’s like the realm of gods. Crossing the primordial jungle to Angkor Wat before sunrise is also a pilgrimage-like magical experience. Among all the buildings in Angkor, only Angkor Wat is facing west. The sun rises from behind it every day, which gave Angkor Wat the title of “most beautiful sunrise”. At the autumn and spring equinox each year, the sun will rise from behind the tallest of the five towers!

Ta Prohm Temple is where Tomb Raider was filmed. It is named after the ancient temple and ancient trees. A seed has grown into a giant tree for 500 years under the protection of the temple. Its vines slowly tore apart the wall and roof, reaching through cracks, and finally became part of the temple. The Ta Prohm Temple is located in the middle of the Angkor ruins. There are many tourists that come here. The best time to view it is at dusk after the crowds are gone. It is better to wait for an hour before the closing at 18:00.

The Banteay Srei is one of the 3 great temples in Angkor and one of the best preserved temples in the Angkor ruins. Because it is far from the main building complex, it is less intruded upon, with few traces of war and poaching compared to temples within Angkor. In terms of architectural style, the Banteay Srei is also very different from the temples of Angkor. It is made of red sandstone, brightly colored, engraved with patterns and paintings, very spiritually Baroque. Because of its unique style, it is known as the "Pearl of Angkor ruins" and is a must-see place in Angkor ruins.

This is also one of the poorest places in Cambodia and has very poor living conditions. The locals make a living by fishing, selling souvenirs, taking photos, and begging. The children have become a tool for adults to make money, and they will ask for tips by doing demonstrations with pythons. While amazing, it leaves mixed feelings. Tonle Sap Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. People here live on the water, subsisting through fishing and begging. They live in the houses on stilts in the river. Shops, schools, and bazaars are on boats. The typical tour strategy is to rent a boat to visit several floating villages. It is worth mentioning that the sunset at Tonle Sap is very beautiful, and you can consider it when arranging itinerary.

In the Beng Mealea, you can see how Angkor looked before it was discovered. This is the most difficult site to reach among the Angkor ruins. It is in its original state, completely unrepaired, and you have to use the trees and rocks for climbing and exploring. Very interesting. The structure of the Beng Mealea is as complex as a maze, suitable for those who like exploration. It is quite fun to navigate around boulders that have fallen, walk the plank roads, climb through windows, walk on roofs, and go through the houses. Use all 4 limbs to penetrate the area of the virgin forest where there is no plank road to experience the feeling of jungle exploration.

Phnom Bakheng is one of the best sunset viewing places in the world. The mountain top offers a wide view, not only overlooking the Angkor Temple, but also overlooking the Thai-Cambodian border. Phnom Bakheng is the site of the first temple built by the Khmer dynasty after moving the capital to Angkor. The Bakheng Temple on the top of the mountain has become dilapidated, but the mountain road is quiet and the scenery is good. The best way to go up Phnom Bakheng is to ride an elephant. It is relaxing and unique. The mahout controls the direction by using feet against the elephant's ear. The mountain slope is very steep so it is very bumpy as the elephant is walking. There is often a sense you are about to fall off. Very exciting.

If you want to understand Angkor but haven’t done any homework in advance, or if you want to know how to appreciate the beauty of Angkor Wat, the first stop must be the National Museum. It houses a collection of architectural and artistic treasures from the Angkor period. It offers Chinese language commentary so people can understand the history and culture of the Khmer kingdom. The museum introduced the origin, religion, and culture of the Angkor Dynasty. You can watch a video on the Khmer dynasty, learn the stories of the gods of Angkor, and view a lot of beautiful Buddha statues from Angkor. After a circuit, your understanding of the ruins will be greatly enhanced, and can save spending a lot on Angkor tour guides.

Due to the large number of European and American tourists, Siem Reap has one of the best nightlife scenes in Southeast Asia. The most famous is the "old market". There is a food street nearby. All nightlife is concentrated here. Bars, nightclubs, night stalls are all available, and prices are not high. The old market offers a fairly complete range of products. Oil paintings, wood carvings, Angkor architecture imitation clay sculptures, and silver jewelry could all be bought. The asking price is high, so you must bargain.

The Cambodian Folk Culture Village is known as the “Miniature Cambodia”. As the only cultural village in Cambodia, it is located in the historical city of Siem Reap. It brings together a microcosm of interesting Cambodian attractions, folk art, and folk customs. It showcases the rich natural and cultural heritage that the Cambodian people are proud of. In each village, you can watch Cambodia's ancient and elegant Apsara dance, the passionate northeast minority ethnic dance, the lively Khmer village song and dance acrobatic performances. You can also participate in a Cambodian traditional wedding ceremony. In the evening, the Khmer village also has a “Khmer Showcase Festival" large-scale performance.