Siem Reap, Cambodia located in the tropical zone north of the equator, has two distinct seasons - the monsoon season (wet) an the dry season. The average temperature in Siem Reap is 27.7 °C (82 °F). 

Wet season runs from May to October as courtesy of the southwest monsoon. This season bring some 75% of annual rainfall. From July to September is the wettest month. Rainwear is essential during the monsoon season.

The most pleasant season for visitors is generally the dry season, stretching from November/December (average low temperature is 21 °C (70 °F) in January) - April. Immediately after the monsoon, the blanketing green of the countryside can be stunningly beautiful. November to January is cooler while February to April is hot and dusty. The highest monthly average high temperature is 35 °C (95 °F) in April.  Lightweight clothing is worn all year.

Siem Reap cover 10,299 km² (3,976.5 sq mi) with the total population of 896,309 (2008); the provincial capital is Siem Rea Town is where you will probably stay during your visit. The town is actually cluster of old villages, which originally developed around individual pagodas, and was later overlain with a French colonial-era center.

Khmer is the official language of Cambodia. The Cambodian language is derived from the Mon-Khmer (Austro-Asiatic) language family. It is renowned for being one of the largest set of alphabets; it consists basically of 33 consonants, 23 vowels and 12 independent vowels.

Tourist may wish to learn a few spoken phrases before or when visiting Cambodia. However, English is widely spoken and understood. French is the second language after English; most elderly Cambodians speak French. The Chinese language is also widely spoken.

The Siem Reap Province is conveniently situated 314km northwest of Phnom Penh, along National No. 6. It can be reached all year round by National Road No. 6 from Phnom Penh, Poipet border checkpoint, Banteay Meanchey Province, Kampong Cham Province, and Kampong Thom Province; and by National No. 5 and 6 from Kampong Thom Province, Pursat Province and Battambang Province.

This province is accessible on directly from many of major cities in the region such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City…etc. From the capital city of Phnom Penh, the Cambodian national airline operates many directly daily. The province can also be reached by speedboat along the Tonle Sap from Phnom Penh and Battambang Province.

Siem Reap is a major tourist hub in Cambodia. The most recognizable of the temples, Angkor Wat literally Capital Temple was built by King Suryavarman II during the early 12th century. The Angkor temple complex is north of the city. Recently the city has seen a great deal of expansion; hundreds of hotels, restaurants and shops, catering to both international and Cambodian tourists have opened to serve the influx of visitors.

The Kingdom has a wealth of traditional and cultural festivals dated according to the Cambodian lunar calendar. All of these festivals are influenced by the concepts of Buddhism, Hinduism, and royal cultures. The festival which serve as a source of great joy, merriment and Cambodia’s national colors, play a major role in influencing tourists’ opinions, behaviors, and options. The important celebrations organized during the years include:

February 8, 2011 - Meak Bochea Day: is one of the most important Buddhist celebrations which fall on the full moon day of the third lunar month. Meak Bochea Day commemoration of the spontaneous gathering of the monks to listen to the buddha's spreaching.  

April 13-16, 2011 - The Khmer New Yea: Commonly celebrate on 13^th April each year although sometimes the holiday may fall on the 14^th April in keeping with the Cambodian lunar calendar. This marks the end of the harvest season when farmer enjoy the fruits of their labor and relax before the start of the rainy season. The New Year Holidays last for three days.

During this time, people engage in traditional Khmer games; they play such games as the Bas Angkunh’ seed throwing’, Chaol Chhoung ‘twisted-scarf throwing’, Leak Kanseng ‘twisted-scarf hide’, tug of water, shuttlecock kicking, etc. Throughout the country, people merrily dance the traditional Khmer forms of the Ram Vong, Ram Kbach, Saravan, and Lam Leav in the open.

May 13-16, 2011 - His Majesty the King Birthday: Commemorates the birthday of King Norodom Sihamoni on May 14, 1953. Local people usually gather along the Royal Residence to watch for the fireworks.

May 21, 2011 – Royal Ploughing Ceremony: or ‘Bon Chroat Preah Nongkoal’ in the Khmer language, is solemnly celebrated at the beginning of the sowing and planting season. This culture ceremony usually takes place in Phnom Penh near Royal Palace. However, it may happen in Siem Reap – where the Elephant Terrace located. Cambodia has a deep connection with the earth and farming. There is a deep astrological belief that royal oxen known in Khmer as Usapheak Reach, have an instrumental role in determining the fate of the agricultural harvest each year.

September 26-29, 2011 – Pchum Ben Day: Cambodian religious holiday when many Cambodian Buddhists pay their respects to deceased relatives by cooking meals for monks and making offerings to the "ghost" of deceased relatives. It is also known as "Ancestor's Day".

November 9-11, 2011 - Water Festival, Moon Festival: The event is celebrated annually along the Siem Reap River near the Royal Residence. This event attracts a hug local visitors and tourists to gather along the bank of the river to wow for the boat racer, at night there is local exhibition of local product and firework.

The water festival, a spectacle to behold, is probably the most exorbitant festival held each year in November. The festival ushers in the fishing season, marks a change in the flow of the Tonle Sap and the ebbing-water season, and is seen as thanksgiving to the Mekong River for providing the country with fertile land and abundant fish.  

December 5, 2011 -  Angkor Wat Half Marathon: The race will be taking place in front of the famous world heritage, designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO, the legendary Angkor Wat. The race has divided in the following categories: 3khm for family fun race, 10km for man and women, and 21km wheel chair race. Fund raised by the event will be contributed to the charity activities for landmine survivors of this country.

Siem Reap is home to the world famous heritage of the Angkor temples including the magnificent Angkor Wat; basically the cradle of Angkorean civilization and it is a province that offers plenty of opportunity to tourists enthralled by the Khmer culture. Here are the lists of the most temples that you should not to miss while in Siem Reap:

Angkor Wat Temple: Built by King Suryavarman II (who reigned from 1113 to 1150) to honour Vishnu, identified as a god-king and perhaps as his funeral temple). Read more!

Angkor Thom (Bayon Temple): Bayon temple was built by the greatest builder King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist (Mahayana Buddhism’s compassionate Bodhisattva, or perhaps a combination of Buddha and King Jayavarman VII). Read more!

Banteay Srei Temple: Consecrated in 967 A.D, Banteay Srei was speculated to have been known earlier as Banteay Serai, which literally means the Citadel of Victory. Read more!

Bakheng Temple (Phnom Bakheng): Was constructed more than two centuries before the Angkor Wat. It is a Hindu temple originally built in the form of a temple mountain dedicated to Shiva. Read more!

Ta Phrom Temple: Ta Phrom, a Bayon style temple, is believed to be built in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. It was founded by King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Read more!

There are many classical dance forms in Cambodia, of which highly stylized art form ws once confined mainly to the courts of the royal palace and performed mainly by females. Known formally in Khmer as Robam Apsara, the dancers of this classical form are often referred to as Apsara dancers.

This dance form was first introduced to foreign countries and best known during the 1960s as the Khmer Royal Ballet. The first royal ballerina was Princess Norodom Bopha Devi, a daughter of King Norodom Sihanouk. The Apsara Dance is particularly inspired by the style from around more than a thousand Apsara carvings in the Angkor temple complex. As evidenced in part y these Apsaras (celestial dancers), dance has been part of the Khmer culture for more than a millennium.

A visit to Cambodia is only complete when one has attended at least one such traditional dance performance. At The Palace Residence & Villa Siem Reap occasionally organize the traditional dance at our Apsara Pavilion.

After a long day of climbing around temple ruins, a relaxing foot massage or a reinvigorating afternoon at the spa can be just what the doctor ordered. Massage for health and relaxation is a time-honored tradition throughout Southeast Asia with Cambodia offering its own distinctive traditions in massage therapy.

Siem Reap has several massage shops and spas catering to visitors. And don’t miss the latest smile inducing massage craze, fish massage, now available at several locations, especially around Pub Street. Immerse your feet in a pool of water and let hundreds of nibbling fish tickle away dead skin.

Massage and reflexology shops are located across the town, especially in the Old Market area and along Sivutha Blvd. Offering a more upscale experience and a broader range of services, boutique spas large and small, some located in the finer hotels, provide a generally pampered experience in an upscale, refined, pampered environment. The spas offer not only massage but full range of spa services including aromatherapy, body treatments, wraps, scrubs, beauty treatments, steams and sauna and spa packages. The following recommend place to massage in Siem Reap includes:

Kainnora Spa @ Angkor Palace Resort & Spa: An oasis for the senses, Kainnora Spa houses nine treatment rooms offering an extensive selection of traditional Khmer massage and western therapeutic massage and beauty treatments; and a tranquil relaxation room where reflexology treatments are offered. After a hectic day of temple visits or intense meetings, get pampered with one of the many spa treatments or revive aching muscles with an invigorating massage.

Bodia Spa: Conceived as a sheltering cocoon, with a combination of curves, warm lighting, inspiring melodies and soothing scented oils, Bodia Spa is an absolutely sensory experience entirely dedicated to pamper both body and soul in the most natural way possible.

Body Tune Massage: “A place where you can relaxed and experience the real comfort in life with a clean, modern atmosphere.” Very well reputed massage center with branches in Thailand as well as Siem Reap.

 Text credit to: canbypublications.com

Beside the temples, there are lots of other things to see and do around Siem Reap. In fact, there are things that tourists did not discover or even aware of the new tourist products. If you are in Siem Reap for less than 4-hours, we would recommend you to consider the following places:

Helicopter Scenic Flight: Be amazed by the enormous scale of the World Heritage site of Angkor. Your flight begins from Siem Reap International Airport, then onwards to Angkor Wat. Fly along the moat of the magnificent Angkor Wat Temple and appreciate the size and beauty of this archaeological wonder. For more details, please contact HeliStar Cambodia.

Visit Pagodas & Shrines: Buddhist pagodas are the traditional seat of Khmer culture. Siem Reap, like many Cambodian towns, is a collection of villages, which grew around individual pagodas, later coalescing into the town. To get a true feel for Cambodia, a visit to at least one pagoda is a must.

Bird Watching: Siem Reap offers some unique bird watching opportunities. The Prek Toal bird sanctuary on the Tonle Sap Lake and the Ang Trapeng Thmor reservoir northeast of Siem Reap both are home to many rare and threatened species.

Learn How to Cook Khmer Food: To experience and to respect of its beauty of the culture; if you are already in Siem Reap, you should spend your valued time to learn how to cook Khmer food. Contact Chef at Angkor Palace Resort & Spa – chef@angkorpalaceresort.com to arrange the cooking session for you. Tour the local market with our Chef to select the ingredients; Chef will do a cooking demonstration and activities, you can chose from choice of a 3-course Khmer set menu to cook those include starter-main course-and dessert. End of the session you will enjoy your food testing and the meal that you have just prepared. Of course there is a complementary glass of wine to accompany your meal.

Countryside Tours: If your schedule allows, set aside a day or three to get out of the Siem Reap Town/main temple area and into the countryside. The vast majority of Cambodians live and work in the rural countryside and a countryside tour or even a day trip to a remote temple ruin can provide a glimpse of ‘real Cambodia’ - picturesque, bucolic scenery, rice paddies and water buffalos, countryside pagodas and little villages filled with traditional stilted houses... And there are a number of ways to see it: by 4WD or dirtbikes, ATVs, bicycle, ox cart and more. The following tour operators specialize in countryside expeditions.

Happy Shopping @ Angkor Night Market: This is one of “must see” in Siem Reap; especially at night. Shopping and dining experience in a vibrant, contemporary Khmer environment. There are over 200 shops to choose from! http://www.angkornightmarket.com

A guests of The Palace Residence & Villa Siem Reap, a mobile phone with some credit allowance will be provided free of charge. You can use this mobile phone to communicate directly with your family, relative or even co-worker while you are travelling. In case you bring along your mobile device, whether it be Blackberry, Nexus One, or iPhone the international call will run about USD 3.00 per minute; while the local call (local mobile operator to mobile operator) will run about USD 0.12cent per minute.

The Cambodia country code: 855 and the Siem Reap area code: 63 (landline). There are about 9 mobile phone operators currently serving the country’ mobile phone service. Those include:

* Cam GSM (MobiTel: 012, 092, 017, 089, 077)

* Cambodia Advance Communication Co.Ltd (Cadcomms 013,080,083, 084)

* Mfone Co. Ltd. (Mfone, 011, 099, 085, 076)

* GT-Tell (Cambodia) Investment Company Ltd. - (Excell, 018)

* Metfone (097) one of the Viettel brand

* Star-Cell (098)

* Telekom Malaysia International (Cambodia) Co., Ltd - TMIC (Hello GSM, 016, 015, 081)

* Latelz Co.,LTD (Smart Mobile, 010,093)

* Beeline (090, 068)

Internet in Siem Reap is fast, inexpensive and widely available at Internet shops and cafes all over town. Prices average about $1.00/hour, though it can be more expensive at the upmarket hotels. The villa offer free wireless Internet access throughout the entitle resort. If you do not bring along your notebook; the business center and library room are arranged to suit all your needs.

Siem Reap is home to the world famous heritage of the Angkor temples including the magnificent Angkor Wat. It is a vibrant city with many modern hotels and old colonial building boasting awesome architecture. Much of the town’s image, culture and traditions are conserved despite the influx of tourist from all over the world.

Get In

By Air: Siem Reap can be accessed through the Siem Reap International Airport (REP) which provide full service for passenger on international flight operated by many international airlines. Airport tax: Foreigners are required to pay USD 25 each for International flight; while Cambodian has to pay USD 18 each. For domestic, foreigner required to pay USD 6 each; while Cambodian has to pay US 5 each.

By Water: Siem Reap can be reached by speedboat from capital city of Phnom Penh and Battambang province.

By Land: Tourists can enjoy traveling to Siem Reap by land from national road No. 5, 6, and from Poipet Border with Thailand. VISA: All nationalities need to apply for a travel visa, except for nationalities from the following countries: Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, The Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Visa can be obtained at Cambodian embassy abroad, upon arrival at airport/border check-point or by eVisa.

Get Around

By Foot: Most of the sights in Siem Reap can be seen on foot. But be aware that most of the streets around town degrade into small swamps of muddy water and potholes of unknown depth following rain (almost daily in the wet season), making the roads a challenge to navigate.

By Bicycle: We offer free bicycle while staying with us so that you can localize yourself easily.

By Motorbike: Moto-taxi can be easily found everywhere. Usually motor-taxi is commonly use by local only; where the cost is reasonable between USD 0.50 to USD 1.00 depend on the location.

By Remorque (Tuk-Tuk): Remorque is most easy way for tourist to get around the town and the temple. The price for Tuk Tuk (if you rent per day) about USD 15.00; otherwise if you need only one way (let say from your hotel to pub-street) may cost you between USD 1.00 to USD 3.00 depend on the distance you might take.

By Car: This is the most convenience way. We offer a complimentary private car with driver everyday during the stay. However, for guests who wish to rent the car by themselves it may cost between USD 25.00 to USD 35.00 per day (for 8hrs use during day time). The cost may increase further if you wish to travel outside the city (i.e.: to Banteay Srei temple) about USD 45.00 to USD 60 per day, again depend on the location.

For other information including where to eat, sleep, drink, see, entertainment we recommend you to scroll through other related information highlighted inside this page.