We flew from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, famous for the incredible religious complex Angkor Wat. I just have to mention that the airport had the most amazing coconut smoothies from Blue Pumpkin, made with the real stuff.
We found a standalone Blue Pumpkin once we were in town since we loved it so much. Try Blue Pumpkin when in Cambodia.
Once in Siem Reap, we went to see the floating villages on the Tonle Sap River. People actually live in these villages on the water…missionaries have even come and built a church there. The best thing about the boat ride was the children trying to make an extra buck by doing massages. It was pretty simple, just the neck and shoulders, and they would not take “no” for an answer.
You had people fishing with their children along the riverbank, and it was incredibly hot…I admire the fact that anyone can get anything done in the heat. After the ride, I regret not buying a plate that someone had slapped my sister’s photo on…it was amazing. Definitely, one of my biggest regrets. So if you see your face on some random plate at a market, buy it.
That night we fell for another tourist trap and went to Koulen Restaurant to watch different kinds of Asian dances. Don’t get me wrong, the traditional Khmer Aspara dance performance made the whole thing worth it. That was the reason I went to the place. The costumes were great. The food was terrible, and it was so packed that you had to wait in line for everything at the buffet, not to mention the tourists that were pushing and cutting the line. It took forever to pay the bill since they didn’t want to give change, and kept trying to charge people in our group for things they did not order. Do not recommend this place.
The night market in Siem Reap was our last chance to experience Southeast Asian shopping. Phsar Chas is what the old market is called…we wandered through it as well as the shops in the streets. I found these bowls made of coconut with mosaic tile in the inside that I wish I had gotten more colors of…We mainly used the time to get last minute gifts for people on our lists.
The main road is full of shops, salons, and places to get massages in that you can go to pretty late. We also had to try Angkor Beer, which was similar to Beer Lao. The stout would have been nice to try, but it was too hot for that. Having a pool at the hotel in Cambodia is a must since you will definitely use it every day.