Siem Reap is a busy town and popular destination for tourists coming from all around the world to begin to see the worlds famous Borei Angkor Resort temple complex. 

Hundreds of years ago, the asian south east was the main mighty Siam Empire and that is reflected in the towns current name, Siem Reap, meaning literally "defeating the Siam" which describes the war which will be depicted on the temples of the Angkor Wat Temple Complex.

The initial mention of Angkor Wat and is its surrounding temples in modern literature was by Antonio da Magdalena, a Portuguese monk who traveled through the region in 1586. He described the temples as having "Extraordinary construction, impossible to spell it out with a pencil" remarking that they certainly were like "no other building in the world" with "towers and decoration" which are as refined as the human imagination would think possible.

The best way to get around Siem Reap is either with a hired bike, or a Tuk Tuk. Following many foreigns having accidents, it is no longer possible to rent motorcycles and the alternative, the human powered bicycle, can be rented for around $4-5 per day. There are lots of bicycle rental shops around town, and you can even ask your hotel or guest house if they have any bicycles designed for rent. The other option, a Tuk Tuk, is much better in warm weather.

There are lots of Tuk Tuk's around town in Siem Reap and its impossible to go without transport. You can hire a Tuk Tuk for brief trips which will set you back $1-$2 within town, or you can hire a Tuk Tuk for the whole day, from before sunrise, until after sun-set. This will set you back $15/day, however if you choose to look at the far out temples such as for instance "bantey srey" you will need to give your Tuk Tuk driver an additional $10. Tuk Tuk drivers in Siem Reap are expected to join up for a Tuk Tuk license and wear a numbered vest at all times. Remember your Tuk Tuk drivers number or you might not manage to identify which driver is yours.

Souvenirs well-liked by tourists, inluding paintings, carvings, silks and other fabrics, silver items, clothing, DVD's and CD's as well as pottery are available at the Old Market which lies at the center of the most happening part of town. Vendors expect you to drive a tough bargain, when you pay more than 2/3rds the original price, you aren't bargaining hard enough. Always halve the price first quoted, and play hard ball. This is a cultural thing and is considered a required part of trade.

The district surrounding the old market is packed with restaurants, bars, hotels and cafes, a number of which provide internet service. Many tourists get this to an enjoyable place to pay an afternoon, but this section of town definitely transforms in to a party paradise at night.

"Pub Street" is a central street in Siem Reap that will be made available to pedestrians through the night, which provides a fun street atmosphere with souvenir shops, restaurants, bars and lots of the most popular clubs in Siem Reap. As there's no traffic, lots of the parties spill out into the street, where vendors and beggars are at a minimum. Typically the most popular clubs in this street include the Temple Club for drinks, music and other entertainment, or the Angkor What? bar which provides the backpacker crowd. Both are full every nights the week. Pub street is definitely worth a call and no trip is complete without a night out in Siem Reap.

In the event that you enjoy siem reap, there are numerous other attractions around cambodia, with the beach party scene of Sihanoukville, and the riverside restaurants in Phnom Penh.