Cambodia - Siem Reap

End of November to early December 2024

Most tourists come to Siem Reap for 2 to 3 days to visit Angkor. However, there are many more wonderful activities to enjoy here. That's why we spent two weeks here and really made the most of our time.

Our tips for Siem Reap:

• Of course Angkor with Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, and the many temples. The Angkor National Museum is a great introduction -see separate article
• A day trip to the stilt village Kampong Phluk and the Tonle Sap Lake takes you to another world – see separate article
• A cooking class with locals is fantastic: we met Sarah from Haven Nicesiem and her husband. We went shopping at the local market with Nicesim and then cooked Khmer curry at her home – very delicious! The recipe is above in the photos.
• We also took a pottery class. The wheel is still traditionally driven by foot over a rocking disc. The young man who explained everything to us is deaf and mute, and we learned only through gestures and mini demonstrations – a completely new experience. The cups we made are then fired and glazed. We are very proud and carry the cups well packed around the world.
• A visit to an ENT doctor is for anyone who, like me, has a blocked eardrum. This occurs relatively often in tropical temperatures. The pressure equalization doesn't work properly anymore, and even the well-known diving tricks don't help much. Only a proper ear irrigation helps, and the ear is free again. Available at any ENT doctor for about 60 dollars.
• Our favorite restaurants are: Haven by Sarah, Golden Pumpkin, Mesa Restaurant, Sambo, Khmer Kitchen, and Marum Restaurant. And for lunch, we enjoy Elia Greek Kitchen for a change.
• Practical tips: we always took TukTuks, which we ordered through GRAP or PASS APP. And a very good laundry is Laundry Room (1kg laundry for 1 dollar and really clean and complete).
• We stayed at Angkor Place Resort & Spa and took advantage of the opportunity to have some wellness days: the pool there is 25 meters long, and we swam every day. We also treated ourselves to an aroma massage for the whole body several times – it's a dream!