What Places to visit in Siem Reap? Most of visitors travel to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. However, this place offers you much more than that. It has many other interesting tourist attractions.

Siem Reap is a town in the northwest of Cambodia and also a well-known destination. The town impresses the tourists by its colonial and Chinese architecture, a number of old temples and poetic rivers.

Explore the Angkor Temples

The Angkor Wat, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracts a large number of visitors to Cambodia each year. The complex is located 4 miles in the north of Siem Reap. It was built in the 12th century by the Khmer under Jayavarman II. If you are staying in Siem Reap, you can take a tuk tuk to travel around the temple complex. The Angkor Wat is spectacular and overwhelming. You can spend one day to explore the highlights of the complex. But if you want to know the Angkor temples in detail, you should spend more than 3 days.

Angkor Wat- source: internet

Visit the Land Mine Museum

Cambodia underwent the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and the Vietnamese occupation in 1979 which left behind many unexploded objects. The effects of the wars are obvious. You can see legless beggars in town. The Land Mine Museum in Cambodia was established by a soldier whose parents were killed in the Khmer Rouge. The museum is served by those who are affected by mines. The charge you pay to enter to the museum is used to support a relief center and a school.

Land Mine Museum- source: internet

See Authentic Village Life

If you want to experience the life of Cambodian people, you should visit Kampong Phluk. It is a fishing village which is about 13 miles away from Siem Reap. While many parts of Cambodia have been affected by heavy tourism, the village life here is away from the influence. Come here on a regular day, you can see the daily life of Khmer authentically. Besides, it is also convenient for you if you intend to visit Tonle Sap Lake which is near the Kampong Phluk village.

Floating village in Cambodia- source: internet

Take a show at the Phare Circus

The Phare Circus is a great place for you to get to know Cambodian culture. The circus is near the Angkor National Museum. Phare Ponleu Selpak shows Cambodian culture through a various kinds of arts like comedy, dance, sing and acrobatics. Although it might look modern, the circus digs deep into Khmer tradition and the speaking language is in Khmer, but there are subtitles in different languages.

Dinner with Aspara dance show

Your trip to Cambodia would be completed only if you enjoy Aspara dance show. Aspara dance show is an ancient art that has been performed by Cambodian women. If you vistited the Angkorian temple complex, you will find out the similarity between the dance and what was depicted in the complex. Most of the dancers were trained at the royal court because this is considered to be royal performance in the past. Nowadays, the Apsara dance show is performed in many hotels and restaurants. Dinner with Aspara dance show gradually becomes popular. In seam Reap, you can enjoy Khmer dishes while watching the dance in the following places: Apsara Terrace, La Noria Hotel, Alliance Café, and Temple Balcony.

Aspara Show in Siem Reap- source: internet

Visit Tonle Sap Lake

Tonle Sap Lake is the second most popular attraction, after Angkor Wat, in Siem Reap because it is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. The lake is famous for the floating villages and local communities. The lake is so massive that you can not see the opposite shore, which makes it like an inland ocean. To avoid some problems, it is better to book a tour to the area instead of trying “do-it-yourself”. The four floating villages that you should visit are Chong Khneas, Kampong Phluk, Kampong Khleang and Prek Toal.

With the above attractions in Siem Reap, hope that you will have a nice trip there.

Explore more topics: Best places to visit in Cambodia; Places to visit in Siem Reap; Places to visit in Phom Penh; Best Places for shoping in Siem Reap; Tourist attractions in Battambang; Tourist attractions in Kratie; Famous food in Cambodia