Siem Reap is a small but busy town and the base for most tourists visiting Angkor Wat. This was one of my favourite towns, with lots of activities, shopping, nightlife and friendly locals. It’s a great town for backpackers but also catering to all budgets. There is a lot of nightlife with cheap drinks and western style bars/ clubs where you can dance the night away after a long day of temple trekking.
Heading into Siem Reap…
My tour group enjoys a local meal cooked by members of the local community at ‘The New Hope Vocational Training Restaurant’ which was started by tour operator GAdventures. They also fund the health centre and community school next door, where international volunteers can teach English. We enjoy a local cuisine sat on the floor and try other more ‘interesting’ options such as crickets (mmmm yummy). Everyone gets an early night in preparation for visiting Angkor Wat the following morning. Siem Reap is only a 15 minute drive away so the perfect base for temple exploring.
After a long morning of walking around temples, I get a massage by the blind. This was quite a humorous experience to say the least. We walk into a local woman’s house where there are 3 massage tables, and children running around in the next room. They are completely blind so instruct us to get on the bed, using hand gestures. She feels with her hands, patting along my body, I guess to figure out which way my head and feet are situated. Then her phone rings and she answers whilst still resting her hand on my bum, bit strange!
As my massage starts one of the kids climbs up onto my bed by my feet before she hurries him off. Not off to the most relaxing of starts! Actually throughout the massage they probe and pull and click various parts of my body. I’m either in pain or giggling as it’s so tickly. However, after my ‘ordeal’ I do actually walk out feeling pretty good! We had to place the money in their hands which I thought was very trusting and quite wonderful as they can’t see the note your giving them. Definitely an experience worth having I reckon.
I head into town, where I do a bit of shopping, bargaining my way through the various stalls and getting the best price for my hippy backpacker trousers. I enjoy the walk around town, the locals all very friendly and smiling back. My groups heads for a ‘fish pedicure’ which there are several lined along the main street. Essentially you stick your feet in a tank of fish, while they nibble you. It’s a fun little thing to do though and very cheap. In the evening we head to a restaurant for dinner and then onto one of the backpacker bars. Managed a dancing spot right by the big fan so I was set for the night!
One thing I wished I had visited is the Tonle Sap floating markets, along the river. Unfortunately was on a tight schedule but that’s one thing that seems worth doing. Siem Reap is a destination in itself, apart from just being the base for Angkor Wat. It’s got a certain charm about it and whilst being touristy is still a quaint town worth visiting.
Here’s more information on nearby temples in Siem Reap.
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