Cambodia: Travel Tips for Siem Riep
For anyone thinking about visiting Cambodia, it was extremely easy and safe place to travel!
This was John’s and my first time in Cambodia and we had an amazing time! Here are a few tips that we have for people traveling to Cambodia for their first time as well!
1. If you’re going to a temple i.e., Angkor Wat, you have to cover your shoulders and legs! This rule applies to women and men! When John and I went to Angkor Wat, we both wore our flowy pants, and I had a scarf to cover my shoulder. However, John was wearing a tank top. We got to one of the temples and the guards told John he couldn’t enter because of his tank! We were surprised since no one had said anything earlier, and because we’d gotten into some temples earlier in the day. So to be on the safe side, it’s best to wear clothing that covers your shoulders or in our case—go to the closest stand and purchase a scarf!
2. Bring US Dollars. In Siem Reap, everything is priced in US dollars and it’s accepted everywhere! The restaurant menus have food priced in US dollars and all the markets sell their goods in USD. It makes buying so easy! We knew this coming in, so John took out a couple hundred dollars in five dollar bills and one dollar bills. This made it super easy for us to pay for our tuk tuk rides, massages and dinners, which were all under $5 USD! So when you land in Cambodia, don’t worry about exchanging money or withdrawing.
3. Keep a running tally of everything you buy. From signs that advertise $3 massages and restaurants selling 50 cent beers, you’d be surprised with how quickly things add up. With everything being very cheap, it’s easy to get carried away and want to buy everything. Even if you’re not strapped with money, it’s good to know where your money is going because at the end of the day you might be wondering how did we each spend $50?! True story. (And the answer is massages. And beer.)
4. Don’t be afraid to haggle down prices. Like most South East Asian countries, haggling down prices is normal. In Cambodia, it’s quite easy to bargain your tuk tuk ride down by a dollar and they’re usually willing. If you are planning on buying gifts, it can be prudent to buy in bulk, because shop owners will be much more willing to haggle the total price down if you are planning on buying a lot of different things from one shop. In the same vein, know what prices are good and bad, don’t try to haggle unless you know a good price and have a firm grasp on what you are willing to pay for a good. (Protip: a lot of the stalls sell the same things, so try to haggle to figure out a base price and if necessary you can go over to the next stall!)
5. Venture out of Pub street. While Pub Street is a definite must for everyone going to Siem Reap, there is something to be said about Cambodian street food! Pub Street gets very packed at night and it’s a total tourist hot spot. If you take a few turns off of Pub Street towards the night market, you’ll see a ton of food stalls. There you can find dozens of different kinds of meats, noodles, and bugs. Getting to see the authentic side of Cambodia is a refreshing change. After exploring the food carts, you can cross over the river to shop at the night market!
Cambodia exceeded all our expectations and we hope these tips help you on your next visit there! Food post is coming soon, so stay tuned!