Staying in Siem Reap?

[thaibeachlovers]

Having checked airline prices, it looks as though I'll be staying in Cambodia, rather than Penang.

I'll be trawling the internet for info, but just for starters, do I have to change money to Cambodian, or can I use US$ for everything ( or Thai baht )? In September, can I just turn up in town and find a cheap guesthouse, or is it best to book?

Thanks.

[phuketrichard]

US $$$

atm's give them to you!!! YOU only use riel ( cambodian currency) if the price is less than $1

VOA $20 and 1 photo

Tons of gh's small hotels from $12-------

place i stay is $13/night for two of us,

air con

wifi

frig

hot water

10 minute walk to pub street

look thru the Cambodian section on thai visa or go to one of the various Cambodian forums or just get a lonely planet guide book.

[Tomtomtom69]

US $$$

atm's give them to you!!! YOU only use riel ( cambodian currency) if the price is less than $1

VOA $20 and 1 photo

Tons of gh's small hotels from $12-------

place i stay is $13/night for two of us,

air con

wifi

frig

hot water

10 minute walk to pub street

look thru the Cambodian section on thai visa or go to one of the various Cambodian forums or just get a lonely planet guide book.

You could use Riel for everything, but no one does that except Cambodians in the countryside. Baht can be used as far as around 100km from the border and may occasionally be accepted in Siem Reap, but the exchange rate wouldn't be good. Better to stick to US$, which is the only currency dispensed from ATMs despite claims by some ATMs that Riel can also be dispensed (but probably only for local account holders).

[Sonny Jones]

I live in Cambodia and I am using riel for the daily shopping etc. Dollars only for big expences like the montly rent. ATMs give the chance to get either riel or dollars.

Thaibeachlovers, when you come to Cambodia, please check it up. Its a reel alternative to Thailand. The visas is issued without any problems for 6 month, 9 months, or a year. Its cheaper in Cambodia. Smokers can get cigarettes for next to nothing, beers same same, the nithlive is also much much cheaper etc etc.

If you can then come to Sihanoukville, we have the beach that you love, five or six different beaches.

Have a nice stay in Cambodia.

[pomchop]

http://www.travelfish.org/accommodation_profile/cambodia/western_cambodia/siem_reap/siem_reap/all/1222

I stayed at the mandalay inn for $14 bucks and thought it was a great spot. Same room with no a/c is $8.

[hanno]

I live in Siem Reap and never use Riel;-)

Low season in September, plenty of accommodation available.

Some guesthouses will pick you up at the airport, avoids the annoying taxi and Tuk-tuk drivers that will pester you to book tours with them.

[ezzra]

I live in Cambodia and I am using riel for the daily shopping etc. Dollars only for big expences like the montly rent. ATMs give the chance to get either riel or dollars.

Thaibeachlovers, when you come to Cambodia, please check it up. Its a reel alternative to Thailand. The visas is issued without any problems for 6 month, 9 months, or a year. Its cheaper in Cambodia. Smokers can get cigarettes for next to nothing, beers same same, the nithlive is also much much cheaper etc etc.

If you can then come to Sihanoukville, we have the beach that you love, five or six different beaches.

Have a nice stay in Cambodia.

That all very nice if you're young and healthy, but once you need any serious medical attention you'd be up shit

creek with no pedals... other than that Cambodia is a cheap country to live in...

[hanno]

Not that bad, there are a couple of pretty good hospitals now. And I don't really fancy my chances in a traffic accident in LOS either.

[dddave]

If you decide to bring your own Dollars, bring as much as you can in small denominations...especially $1's, 5's and 10's. Often when using larger bills, $20's and above, they will try to give you a mish-mash of change..Dollars and Rial combined which more often than not, leaves you confused and possibly shortchanged.

BTW, make very sure any $50's & $100's you bring are crisp and new...no marks or blemishes. Older looking or folded notes can be difficult to change.

Many really nice Guest Houses in Siem Reap. Book your first night (Agoda is good) so you're not walking around in the heat with bags but check around the next day for something you really like.

If you find a moto taxi or Tuk-Tuk or car driver you like and can communicate with, engage him for your stay. Don't just go to the main temples...take a day or two to go way back into the complex, away from the bus tours...there are some real gems back there.

I read a book about Angkor Wat before I went the first time and was very happy I did as most of the "Guides" just recite a rote explanation with little insight.

[davejones23]

I live in Cambodia and I am using riel for the daily shopping etc. Dollars only for big expences like the montly rent. ATMs give the chance to get either riel or dollars.

Thaibeachlovers, when you come to Cambodia, please check it up. Its a reel alternative to Thailand. The visas is issued without any problems for 6 month, 9 months, or a year. Its cheaper in Cambodia. Smokers can get cigarettes for next to nothing, beers same same, the nithlive is also much much cheaper etc etc.

If you can then come to Sihanoukville, we have the beach that you love, five or six different beaches.

Have a nice stay in Cambodia.

Life shouldn't be all about living somewhere where everything is cheap. Cheap often equates to a low standard of living. I can't imagine basing where to live on how cheap the beer and cigarettes are. There is much more to life than that. Some of us prefer to live a healthy life, not slowly kill ourselves with cigarettes and beer.

[hanno]

The advice about small bills is a little outdated. Sure, have a few small bills for Tuk-tuks but breaking down a Benjamin is easy. And notes need not be pristine though they should not be completely thrashed either. Don't fret too much:-)

I'd rather have birds than planes.

[Sonny Jones]

I live in Cambodia and I am using riel for the daily shopping etc. Dollars only for big expences like the montly rent. ATMs give the chance to get either riel or dollars.

Thaibeachlovers, when you come to Cambodia, please check it up. Its a reel alternative to Thailand. The visas is issued without any problems for 6 month, 9 months, or a year. Its cheaper in Cambodia. Smokers can get cigarettes for next to nothing, beers same same, the nithlive is also much much cheaper etc etc.

If you can then come to Sihanoukville, we have the beach that you love, five or six different beaches.

Have a nice stay in Cambodia.

Life shouldn't be all about living somewhere where everything is cheap. Cheap often equates to a low standard of living. I can't imagine basing where to live on how cheap the beer and cigarettes are. There is much more to life than that. Some of us prefer to live a healthy life, not slowly kill ourselves with cigarettes and beer.

Good on you David, if you dont need to think about money in your daily life. But some us do not have a lot of money, that is a matter of fact. Thailand is relatively expensive comparred to Cambodia, and more important the hasle with visa´s dossent excist here. I am not smoking, I hardly drink as much as it is a problem for my budget but I enjoy the Cambodian visa system. I am not able to show 800.000 bath, I am not married to a thai, etc etc

And I think many lesser fortunated are in a similar situation.

All the best

Sonny

[phuketrichard]

having lived in Cambodia ( an travel there 2 x /year since 2002) an back in Thailand, it really is not that much more expensive here than there for anything other than drinking an smoking cigs an lower end rentals

everything else is about the same and if ur up north or in Essan, it can be even be cheaper but you have access to many more western items, foods, entertainment, medical, supermarkets etc etc.

ok, everyone chip in and say i am wrong now :-)

[thaibeachlovers]

Thank you all very much for all that great info .

Goes to show that TV is great when it comes to the specialist forums as compared to the "general" forum.

Unfortunately, I was just told that I have to pay 30,000 baht for dental work, so I might go to Penang on the train to save money as against flying to Siem Reap, given that I really don't fancy going overland. My "adventurous" days are long gone, and these days I'm more concerned with toilet facilities than enjoying a long road trip.

[phuketrichard]

Forgot to mention on costs

dental work is very good in Phnom Penh;

I had 2 front teeth pulled an a lower bridge put in.

My dentist here in Phuket wanted 24,000 baht

cost me $600 there

http://roomchang.com/

[thaidrew]

Siem reap dentists, quite good, bridge from $80

[Sonny Jones]

having lived in Cambodia ( an travel there 2 x /year since 2002) an back in Thailand, it really is not that much more expensive here than there for anything other than drinking an smoking cigs an lower end rentals

everything else is about the same and if ur up north or in Essan, it can be even be cheaper but you have access to many more western items, foods, entertainment, medical, supermarkets etc etc.

ok, everyone chip in and say i am wrong now :-)

Ok. here it comes.

Long term stay in Cambodia is cheaper, and much much easyer.

I have an huge one room apartment. In Jomtien Thailand I paid 8500 bath for something similar. Her I pay a little more than the half.

Service is cheaper, what ever it may be, at what time of the day it may be.

There is no or very little tax on cheese, alkohol, beers. So its cheaper here.

In all you can have a good life for max 1100 $ I have a friend whos monthly budget is apox 375 dollars. He is happy with that, if I wanted I could make it for 700$.

If we talk about folks who have their state pension and not that much more, Cambodia is the place as far as I can se.

And its not only about chea.p prices. Its simply more relaxed here.

If you behave.

With cheap prizes of alcohol, some people cant handle the new cheaper situation. Sorry for them.

But as an adult who behave like an adult responsible person, I am fine here. More than fine. Until now many years i Asia, the last five in the southern Cambodia.

And as a matter of fact I do meet more refugees from Thailand, there is hardly a week without I say hello to one or two newcomers.

I people dont feel they fit into Cambodia its fine for me. But the situation here is improving as we saw in Thailand 15 to 20 years ago. Its still another level, but its Ok as I am concerned.

[hanno]

Each to their own. I am happy here in Temple Town and can get most things. I do go to BKK once a month as my partner lives there and can catch up on books and movies. Perfect!