Siam Reap Cambodia with GF

[Cheesekraft]

Hello, just about to go to SR with my gf for the first time. Anyone have any recommendations on what to do, see, where to go from there? Any especially good restaurants or hotels? I am thinking of checking out the beaches in Sihanoukville or possibly going to Vietnam, but I am not sure how easy it is or expensive to get to vietnam. Any thoughts are apprecaited!

[craigt3365]

Can't help you much other than to say give yourself 3 days at SR. It's an amazing place. One the third day, hit some of the farther out places. Yes, they all start to look the same after 3 days, and the father out ones aren't as interesting, but they are still worth a visit.

If you can, pop back when you are done and let us know how it went!

[Cheesekraft]

thank you for the recommendations! Is there anything out of the way that is particularly interesting? I will definitely check out as much as I can in the time I am there, and I will report back, perhaps with a full trip report if I can.

[SoiBiker]

Can't help you much other than to say give yourself 3 days at SR. It's an amazing place. One the third day, hit some of the farther out places. Yes, they all start to look the same after 3 days, and the father out ones aren't as interesting, but they are still worth a visit.

I'd say go the other way - start with the outlying sites, then build up to the big ones.

[phuketrichard]

does she like temples, getting up for sunrise>>

lots of temples up there,

Head by tuk tuk/boat to the floating village of Kampong Phluk;

walk around the old market,

horse back ride thru small villages

the museum in town

[dananderson]

_{I spent a week in SR last month and loved it. The first night I spent at a French owned hotel called Le Tigre($35),nice swimming pool. Too many mosquitos and 500 meters away from the Pub/Market street's area made my first priority finding something closer. Ended up staying at Bun Seda Angkor Villa on Sivatha Road(X Bar was my landmark on the corner where Sivatha hits town). Small pool and bar/restaurant but at $15 a night and only 2 short blocks from Night Market, etc. it fit the bill for me. One good tip was to buy my Angkor Wat pass after 5pm ($20) then enjoy the sunset as the ticket entitles you to the next full day of sight-seeing. Get a sim card asap and find a tuk-tuk driver with decent language skills,$15 a day and up depending on petrol,distance,time,etc and stick with him. You will get bombarded with requests by the tuk-tuk's camped out at every entrance/exit around the Pub Street area-just politely refuse and you'll be fine. My only regret was not taking the fast boat to PP($35 and seasonal). Enjoy and do report back. Dan}

[SoiBiker]

Tuktuk driver?

Hire a bike. See the sites in peace, in your own sweet time.

[phuketrichard]

Tuktuk driver?

Hire a bike. See the sites in peace, in your own sweet time.

?? i have bicycled all over Asia an would not think about doing it there;

its dam hot, dusty an stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area,

Wont see 1/10th by bicycle what you will see by tuk tuk for $15/day

did the fats boat back in 2006

hot, LOUD and for 4 out of the 6 hours very boring but worth it to do once

Edited November 8, 2014 by phuketrichard

[craigt3365]

I hired a young guy who spoke great English for a very reasonable amount of money to take me around on the back of his scooter. It was fun and I would have been totally lost without his help....especially when we explored the outer areas. He even took me to the big lake, got a boat for me and we went swimming out in the middle after touring the floating houses. Great fun.

[dananderson]

Yes, tuk tuk driver. As the OP is taking his gf she might not want to pedal or moto on her first trip to SR. Some speak great English/French/Thai and posess a wealth of local knowledge for the paltry sum of $15 a day.

[SoiBiker]

Tuktuk driver?

Hire a bike. See the sites in peace, in your own sweet time.

?? i have bicycled all over Asia an would not think about doing it there;

its dam hot, dusty an stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area,

Wont see 1/10th by bicycle what you will see by tuk tuk for $15/day

did the fats boat back in 2006

hot, LOUD and for 4 out of the 6 hours very boring but worth it to do once

I did the whole lot by bike last time I was there, both the inner and outer loop. It's flat, and the roads are mostly free from traffic apart from the odd coach load of bored looking tourists and fleets of tuktuks ferrying the lazy around in a haze of noise and exhaust fumes. It's easily doable by bike, and I'd thoroughly recommend it as a pleasant way to see the sites.

The locals might tell you it's too hot and the sites are too spread out - but that's because they want you to hire their tuktuk!

[dananderson]

Tuktuk driver?

Hire a bike. See the sites in peace, in your own sweet time.

?? i have bicycled all over Asia an would not think about doing it there;

its dam hot, dusty an stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area,

Wont see 1/10th by bicycle what you will see by tuk tuk for $15/day

did the fats boat back in 2006

hot, LOUD and for 4 out of the 6 hours very boring but worth it to do once

I did the whole lot by bike last time I was there, both the inner and outer loop. It's flat, and the roads are mostly free from traffic apart from the odd coach load of bored looking tourists and fleets of tuktuks ferrying the lazy around in a haze of noise and exhaust fumes. It's easily doable by bike, and I'd thoroughly recommend it as a pleasant way to see the sites.

The locals might tell you it's too hot and the sites are too spread out - but that's because they want you to hire their tuktuk!

Sounds like you and your bike had a splendid time. The OP is taking his GF.

[SoiBiker]

Tuktuk driver?

Hire a bike. See the sites in peace, in your own sweet time.

?? i have bicycled all over Asia an would not think about doing it there;

its dam hot, dusty an stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area,

Wont see 1/10th by bicycle what you will see by tuk tuk for $15/day

did the fats boat back in 2006

hot, LOUD and for 4 out of the 6 hours very boring but worth it to do once

I did the whole lot by bike last time I was there, both the inner and outer loop. It's flat, and the roads are mostly free from traffic apart from the odd coach load of bored looking tourists and fleets of tuktuks ferrying the lazy around in a haze of noise and exhaust fumes. It's easily doable by bike, and I'd thoroughly recommend it as a pleasant way to see the sites.

The locals might tell you it's too hot and the sites are too spread out - but that's because they want you to hire their tuktuk!

Sounds like you and your bike had a splendid time. The OP is taking his GF.

I took my wife. She thoroughly enjoyed it.

[TSF]

Cheesekraft when are you going to SR? I'm leaving this Wednesday morning with TGF for SR and after a week on to PP. We plan spending 14 days in Cambo (that's how long TGF gets visa free) I've been to SR a few times already so know a fair bit about the place. PM me if you want to connect up.