Exploring Siem Reap Beyond Angkor Wat: Fun Activities & Hidden Gems

Angkor Wat, the most popular tourist attraction in Southeast Asia, has become nearly synonymous with the nearby city of Siem Reap.

Ever since my first visit in 2012, though, I’ve thought it a little unfair that Siem Reap has all of its spotlight stolen by the world-famous temple complex. That’s not because I dislike Angkor Wat, but because there are a lot of amazing things to see or do in the city that deserve more attention.

I’ve been to Siem Reap four times, as it’s my favorite city in Cambodia. I didn’t even visit Angkor Wat two of those times, and I had a distinctly different type of vacation on each visit.

I’m not suggesting you visit Siem Reap without seeing Angkor Wat, because everyone should experience it at least once in their life. By all means, take a full-day Angkor Wat tour on your first visit to the city.

But, in this guide, I’ll fill you in on how you can turn a weekend trip to see the temple complex into a week-long trip that exposes you to more aspects of Cambodian culture, both urban and rural. I’ll also give you some tips on when to visit, where to stay, and how to get there.

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Visiting Angkor Wat (A VERY Brief Overview)

Angkor Wat Temple at sunset, Siem reap, Cambodia.

Again, this guide is mainly about things to do in Siem reap besides Angkor Wat, so let’s run through a lightning round-style synopsis of the basics.

“Angkor Wat” is a group of ancient ruined temples located about 5 miles (8km) north of Siem Reap. The complex comprises over 1,000 temples, with Angkor Wat Temple being the largest. Angkor Wat is one of the most iconic tourist destinations in Southeast Asia.

Lots of Siem Reap locals have told me the best time to visit the temples is just before the crack of dawn. It’s before the crowds show up, and watching the sun rise over the temples is one of those experiences you’ll take with you for the rest of your life. The heat of midday can also be brutal, even during the cooler season.

Some of the guided tours go before sunrise, or you could buy a guidebook and go on your own. (If you want a small group experience, tours are also available on GetYourGuide and Viator. See this high-rated sunrise tour on GetYourGuide or this one on Viator.) You can buy tickets on-site, but there will likely be a long line unless you visit in the off-season. To avoid the wait, buy from the official Angkor Wat ticket portal at least a day in advance.

One-day tickets cost $37. Unless you’re in a big hurry, though, I’d recommend upgrading to the three-day ticket for $62 instead.

Angkor Wat is immensely popular, so there’s endless information about it elsewhere online if you want to read more about it. Now, on to some of the things other than Angkor Wat that make Siem Reap a great place to visit.

11 Things to Do in Siem Reap Besides Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is a great first stop, but here are 12 suggested activities to fill the rest of your stay.

I’ve tried to include a nice mix of hidden gems with the most deserving of Siem Reap’s more heavily publicized tourist activities. I’ve also focused on things that will appeal to budget-conscious travelers and families.

Other Temples

The Angkor Wat Temple Complex is amazing, but it’s also very crowded for most of the tourist season. Luckily, Siem Reap has a smattering of temples in the city itself that actually offer the serenity you’d expect from ancient temples. Some good ones in the city include:

In addition to their picturesque looks, many Siem Reap temples are unique because of their blend of Buddhist and Hindu carvings, as well as celestial symbolism.

If you’re especially interested in the spiritual aspect of Siem Reap, I’d recommend this meditation experience offered by Kouprey Adventures. I went on my third trip to the city, and it centers around a guided meditation led by monks in a peaceful temple. Definitely one of my top 10 travel experiences in Southeast Asia.

Tonle Sap Lake

Floating Villages are pretty common in Southeast Asia, but Tonle Sap is basically an entire floating kingdom. The Lake is absolutely huge, often expanding to over 5,500 square miles during the wet season (more on Siem Reap’s seasons below).

Because it’s so huge, there are countless villages built on the lake and they have developed a waterborne community at a scope and depth (pun intended) that I’ve never seen before.

But perhaps the most amazing thing about the Tonle Sap Lake kingdom is that it shrinks by up to 500% during the dry season, giving it a greater size fluctuation than any other lake in the world. It gives the lakefaring communities an added layer of uniqueness, because they have to develop an amphibious infrastructure that will work both on land during the dry season and on water during the wet season.

All that is to say that a tour of Tonle Sap Lake’s floating villages is an amazing way to spend a day. Chong Kneas is the most popular floating village on the lake since it is only 30 minutes from Siem Reap, but it is also a bit of a tourist trap if I’m being honest. Kampong Phluk and Kampong Khleang are further away at 60 and 90 minutes, but they’re nicer and more culturally immersive.

Roadside BBQ

I had the best meal of my travels in Southeast Asia at a roadside barbecue on a peaceful, bucolic road in suburban Siem Reap. I was served several cuts of goat that were prepared in the kitchen, accompanied by grilled okra, rice, and a few house-mixed sauces including a chili salt-lime mixture with some herby flavor I’ll never forget.

It was a simple meal, but the freshness of the meats and vegetables, the exotic spices used for flavoring, and the provincial open-air surroundings made it unforgettable. It also didn’t hurt that the bill was shockingly low, even by Cambodian standards. And no, no one in my four-person party got sick. Unfortunately, I forgot to write down the name of the location and I’ve been unable to find it on return trips.

There are a lot of barbecue joints on the outskirts of Siem Reap’s city center that have the same vibe as the one I had that once-in-a-lifetime meal at. Most of the open-air establishments are unpretentious, cheap, and somehow manage to imbue their grilled meat and produce with a hearty, zesty flavor that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else other than Luang Prabang, Laos. Pick one that has at least a few locals eating there and create your own culinary memory.

Angkor Wat Putt

As you drive away from the Siem Reap city center, the hostels and city streets quickly give way to endless expanses of red dirt dotted with rice or vegetable fields and unpaved roads flanked occasionally by ancient-looking houses. So it’s a bit of a shock when, 10 minutes from the city center, a clean, modern mini-golf course comes into view. It’s Angkor Wat Putt, a popular entertainment option with fun-loving members of the local community.

I’m a big fan of miniature golf and sought out Angkor Wat Putt on my first trip to Siem Reap. I made friends with the friendly English-speaking owner, Tee, and I’ve gone back on every trip.

Angkor Wat Putt’s appeal extends beyond the friendly owner and idyllic location, though: the greens are well-manicured and most of them are decorated with obstacles that reflect Cambodian history or culture, like stone elephant heads or recreations of Cambodian temples. The course is even covered by a gorgeous canopy of leaves and flowers that give the experience some of that “jungle adventure” feel the area is known for and make it playable even in the rain.

Admission is $5 for adults or $4 for kids when playing one round, with discounts given for additional rounds.

Cooking Class

As I already alluded to, I love traditional Cambodian cooking (it’s very different than contemporary Cambodian cuisine, of which I’m not a fan). It frequently uses a complex combination of herbs and spices that are very distinct. It’s similar to Laotian cuisine because both countries are Khmer cultures, but it uses less spicy and bitter flavors.

Cooking that distinct cuisine yourself and taking home the recipes with you is the single best way to get in touch with Cambodia’s culinary culture. Bonus cultural points if you enroll in one like this Khmer Cooking Class I did my second trip that actually takes you to a local market to buy ingredients before you cook.

The class linked above costs $25, and other cooking classes cost $20-40.

The HeroRATs

Hear me out, these rats are clean and friendly and this is one of the most culturally and historically fascinating experiences I’ve ever had.

The rats, nicknamed HeroRATs, are trained to do two jobs that have saved countless lives throughout the past 50 years, thanks to their incredible sense of smell.

The first of those jobs is landmine detection. The rats are trained to sniff out the explosives in landmines left over from the Khmer Rouge. Since rats are smaller and more agile than dogs or humans, they can find the mines more safely and efficiently. After they find the mines, a human can defuse them. Tragically, about 20 Cambodians per year are still killed by hidden land mines. HeroRATs keep that number from being even bigger, though.

Secondly, the HeroRATs are able to diagnose people with certain diseases, most notably malaria, using their sense of smell.

Admission to APOPO, the non-profit that trains the HeroRATs, is $10 for most and free for kids under 10. In the training center, you’ll get to hold the life-saving rats if you want; it’s like holding a cute chubby cat. You’ll also learn a lot of harrowing but fascinating facts about the Khmer Rouge and its lasting effects.

Lotus Farm

The lotus flower is the most iconic symbol of Southeast Asia, so seeing all the ways in which they’re used is a truly Southeast Asian experience. The flower has more uses than you’d probably think, too. I don’t want to spoil it, but lotus goes into clothes, home goods, foods, and more.

Lotus Silk Farm, the primary location in Siem Reap for lotus byproduct production, is also a relaxing scenic experience. It’s located about 30 minutes from the city center, and it has panoramic views of the surrounding lotus fields. The local women staffing the place are also super-friendly. It’s free to enter and explore the grounds yourself, or $20-30 for a guided tour and craft workshop.

Happy Pizza

Once upon a time, cannabis was sometimes used as a spice in traditional Cambodian cooking. Nowadays, for whatever reason, cannabis is a popular pizza topping in many pizzerias there. Happy Pizza shops aren’t nearly as common nowadays as they were when I first visited Siem Reap in 2012, but they’re still available if you know where to go.

I went to Siem Reap with some friends in February 2024 and we went to Happy Siem Reap Pizza. The vibe was relaxed, and the family running the place helped us decide how many scoops of “happy” we should go with. I’m a lightweight so I went with one scoop in a milkshake and still got a buzz, while one of my more botanically liberated friends had four scoops – two on a pizza and two in a shake. I don’t know how he held it together, but he reports his experience being great too.

Angkor Botanical Gardens

The Angkor Botanical Gardens are located between Angkor Wat and the Siem Reap City Center. They’re a bubble of lush, clean, tranquil greenery in the middle of an urban area that is pretty barren most of the year round. A few of my comments on the place that reflect why it’s so good include:

• It’s very clean, helped by the “no plastic allowed” rule.
• Friendly staff
• Free entrance
• Diverse design, including different floral biomes, walking paths, koi fish ponds, and more
• Large grounds
• Informative signposts that make it a museum-like experience

Phare Circus

Phare Circus is far from a hidden gem, but it really is one of the best ways to experience contemporary Cambodian culture.

I’ve gone twice, and my experiences both times were similar. The night started at 5:30 with a street food festival in the on-site Phare Cafe. I had some really delicious street foods; most memorably, the Nom Banh Chok rice noodles, which only cost a few dollars. While I ate, I watched some dancers perform traditional Cambodian music.

After eating, I filed into the circus’s big top tent set up next to the cafe. I bought standard seating for only $18 the last time I went, but I have no complaints about the seats whatsoever; they were not far from the performers.

I wasn’t traveling with kids, but a lot of groups there were traveling in families and it looked like the kids were having a fantastic time too.

Phnom Kulen National Park

Phnom Kulen National Park is just 30 miles or so north of Angkor Wat, but it feels a world away because of how peaceful and naturally majestic it is.

The lush forest, mountainous plateaus, and impressive waterfalls of the park are pretty consistent with other fantastic national parks in Southeast Asia (the best region of the world for national parks, in my opinion), but the way it seamlessly blends spirituality and history with the nature is unmatched. Check out the Reclining Buddha Statue, the River of a Thousand Lingas, and some of the temple ruins scattered throughout the park to understand what I mean.

It should be noted that the coolest sights and activities in the park are on top of a mountain. There are two main methods of ascending:

Hiking: The hike is roughly 6 miles and takes 3-4 hours. Terrain is not too difficult considering it’s all uphill, but it’s still not recommended for those who aren’t in great shape.

Driving: There is a one-lane road leading up the mountain. From the park opening at 7 AM until 11 AM, the road is “ascent-only,” meaning that traffic is only allowed to flow one way. From noon until the park closes at 5 PM, the road is “descent-only.”

However you plan to ascend, the admission fee charged at the base of the mountain is $20/person. Kids under 13 are free.

When to Visit Siem Reap

The next question is, what time of year should you visit Siem Reap so as to enjoy as many of these activities as possible?

Dry Season (November-February)

This is the most popular season to visit Siem Reap since it brings with it the most neutral weather. It rarely rains and the temperatures stay mild with an average daytime heat of 86 degrees (30C).

The dry season is a good time for any of the activities mentioned in this guide, though they’ll almost certainly be more crowded than the rest of the year.

Hot Season (March-May)

I visited Siem Reap during the hot season only once, and I’ll never go back during that time. Cambodian sun really has a way of beating down on you (the lack of shade in Siem Reap doesn’t help), so the 97-degree (36C) temperatures feel even hotter. Bring sunscreen and a good hat if you do go during these months, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Since it’s so active, a journey to Phnom Kulen National Park will be ruined by the extreme heat. Visiting Tonle Lake won’t be nearly as cool, either, since most of it will be dried up.

Rainy Season (June-October)

I also visited Siem Reap once during the rainy season, but I liked it a lot more than the hot summer season. As readers of this blog may know, I actually love traveling in Southeast Asia during the rainy season because:

• Rainfalls in the area usually last only a brief time, so you can wait them out in a cafe.
• Even if you are out in the rain, it’s warmer rain than in most other regions.
• After a rainfall, the air feels fresh and smells nice.
• Rain makes the countryside greener and prettier.
• Crowds are smaller during the rainy season.

The rainy season is the best time to visit Tonle Lake since it will be at its biggest. Unfortunately, the rain makes outdoor activities like Phnom Kulen National Park and Angkor Botanical Gardens too muddy to be enjoyable. It also causes the closure of many outdoor vendors, making outdoor markets less fun to visit.

Where to Stay in Siem Reap

Siem Reap is pretty small and doesn’t have the vastly different “zones” that a megacity like Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City would. Still, there are a few parts of town with very different vibes that may affect your vacation experience. The ones I’ve stayed in or been told about include:

The Old Quarter (For first-timers)

This is the oldest part of Siem Reap and will appeal to architecture buffs or culture hounds because of how ancient the building and local businesses feel. It has a lot of typical tourist zone features like bars, hostels, shops selling endless souvenirs, travel agencies, and staff at every shop who can speak English. It’s not as sleazy as the “backpacker district” in many Southeast Asian cities, though.

Suggested hotel: La Rivière d’ Angkor Resort villas with pool

SFPDA Road (For peace-seekers)

This quiet road is about 10 minutes out of town by car, but there are tons of tuk-tuks and taxis in the area. It’s much quieter and more peaceful than the city center, and it’s right next to a big park called Cambodian Cultural Village. It’s also right near Phare Circus, one of the most popular activities in town.

I want to give a shout-out to the best hotel experience I’ve had in Siem Reap, Sbara Angkor Resort and Spa. I was able to experience five-star luxury there for only $30/night and Phanit, one of the owners, was super nice.

Suggested hotel: Sbara Angkor Resort and Spa

Wat Damnak (For trendy travelers)

This neighborhood is just across the river from the Old Quarter so is still very central, but it’s pretty quiet considering that fact. It’s got more modern, trendy cafes and restaurants than any other neighborhood in Siem Reap.

Suggested hotel: The Five Senses Boutique Hotel with pool

Street 30 (For convenience)

Street 30 is a large thoroughfare, but it has a lot of peaceful side streets coming off of it with some fantastic boutique hotels for extremely affordable prices (often $30-40/night). The area is a 10-minute drive from town, but it’s right next to a few of my favorite activities in Siem Reap like Angkor Botanical Gardens and the APOPO Visitor Center. It’s also very close to Angkor Wat itself.

Suggested hotel: Shining Angkor Boutique Hotel

How to Get to Siem Reap

The table below details the distance in both miles (or km) and minutes to Siem Reap from various nearby cities via both of the best methods: by plane and by van. Below the table, I’ll give a bit more detail about each method.

By Plane (The quickest way)

If you’re flying into Siem Reap from another country, flying is the way to go unless you’re really pinching pennies. The international terminal at Siem Reap-Angkor Airport is very nice; small enough to be easily navigable, but still clean and modern and only about 4 miles from the city center.

The domestic terminal is not as nice, but it’s only a 43-minute flight from Phnom Penh.

By Van/Bus (The cheapest way)

I feel I have to include this because it’s the more budget-friendly option, but I really wouldn’t recommend it. Not only are the roads in Cambodia pretty bad, but there’s been lots of unwelcome noise emanating from the cab both times I’ve taken chartered vans or buses in the country. It wouldn’t be too crazy to take a sleeper bus from Phnom Penh overnight, since the buses in Cambodia are at least spacious, but any further would probably be ill-advised.

Where to Go After Siem Reap

As Marek detailed in his 2018 retrospective on urban decay in Cambodia, most of the biggest cities in the country are not as fun to visit as cities in neighboring countries Vietnam or Thailand. Sadly, that’s an assertion I agree with. Fortunately, Cambodia has some less developed areas that make great stops after Siem Reap, such as:

• Kampot, a relaxed riverside town on the coast roughly 450 mi (724km) South of Siem Reap. (Kampot Guide)
• Koh Rong Samloen, an ultra-laid-back island that’s only a 70-minute flight from Siem Reap. (Koh Rong Samloen Travelogue)
• The Cardamom Mountains, home to one of the last true rainforests in Southeast Asia. Angkor Wat already gives “jungle adventure,” but a guided trek in the Cardamom Mountains takes it to the next level.

For more info about traveling Cambodia as a whole, check out the full guide to planning a trip in Cambodia.

Wrapping Up

You’ve probably noticed that this guide has a lot of superlatives; experiences or locales that I describe as the best I’ve ever had or the most interesting I’ve encountered in Asia. That’s not me being overly enthusiastic; it’s just that Siem Reap is a really, really great city. If you follow this guide or at least choose a few activities that seem especially interesting to you, I guarantee you’ll have a great trip to Siem Reap, with or without Angkor Wat.

Some links may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn commission from products or services I recommend. For more, see site policies.

Posted FEB 11, 2025

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