Early morning of October 18th, we checked out of Saigon Zoom Hotel and readied ourselves for the 13-hr bus ride that will travel Saigon to Siem Reap, past eight towns if I remember correctly. It was a true test of patience and calm, as we alternated playing iPhone games, napping, eating chips, taking selfies, and trying not to go crazy over the entire day we were confined in that bus.
The Meh-kong Expere-buss is no Hogwarts Express quality.
The only highlight was when the barge our bus boarded to cross the Mekong Delta was hit by another barge, and we had a moment of shock and recollection at this near-catastrophe. Imagine being stuck in the farmlands of Cambodia half a day away from Siem Reap, and nowhere near Phnom Penh. Scary.
The murky and scary waters of Mekong River
Mekong Express disappointed a bit, as the well-known and highly recommended bus company took almost 15hrs to arrive to Siem Reap, eliminating for us all chances of a decent dinner and some time to explore the city without feeling too violated from all that bus movement. We wasted no time, however, as we elected to explore Pub Street after arriving at our hotel, the forever loved Tan Kang Angkor, after a quick change of fresh clothes.
The energetic Pub Street! How I missed this town!
Our spirits were immediately lifted by the charm and vigor that is Siem Reap. The gang were quickly captivated by the very cheap prices and the ease by which the vendors would indulge our haggling. My fancy was caught by these Angkor snow globes that sold for a dollar each, which is unheard of since in Manila any paperweight that looks as pretty will fetch close to 3 dollars already. We went back to the hotel to rest after the much needed retail therapy, with promise of more to come after our Angkor Tour.
Siem Reap local fare up for haggling
The next morning dawned glorious and perfect for a trek into the jungles of Angkor to visit the temple. We made the rounds of the majestic Angkor Wat Complex, the Central Angkor Thom Complex, the enigmatic faces of the Bayon Temple, the interconnected Baphuon, Phimeanakas, Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King, before dropping exhausted, cranky, and ready for lunch.
The majestic Angkor Wat
The ruins of Angkor Thom
The enigmatic bas relief faces of Bayon temple
Ta Phrom was our post-lunch destination, and one that I’ve been keen on seeing again, since it’s the most unique. Howere, let me stress that the magic of all Angkor for me is the eerie stillness and unperturbed calm that’s prevalent every nook and cranny of the temple complexes, and can easily transport anyone back in time.
The mysterious Ta Phrom
After the whole-day of trekking and puffing, we ended our tour at by Artisans D’Angkor, which is a few cartwheels away from our hotel, and saw the craftsmen who recreates the bas reliefs and preserves the ageless elegance of Angkor Wat. These are all artists who work hard at sustaining the legacy of Cambodian heritage — it was a joy seeing them at their craft.
An elephant carving gets polished at Artisan D’Angkor
Dinner that night was at this picturesque alley at the heart of Old Market called Khmer BBQ, and one of the most sumptuous and filling meals I’ve had. They let you cook crocodile meat, pork, beef, chicken, squid and pork in a Khmer-style grill, with soup broth and flour noodles bubbling at the side. As if you ever need rice from all those large portions, they offer the rice, vegetables and noodles for free and unlimited! I swear I could not stop eating. I was sweating, smacking my lips and munching non-stop. It’s supposedly good for two at 15USD, but the four of us were unable to finish everything.
Khmer BBQ: I daydream about this experience to this day. Sigh*
We went deeper into Night Market afterwards, and I was treated to more bargain delights the magnitude of which I was unable to explore during my first visit couple of years back. It was truly a magical moment being lost in such a vibrant, good vibes city that offers cheap food and plenty of friendly people.
The festive Angkor Night Market: where foot massage, fish spa, and everything in between meet!
Siem Reap take-homes: scarves, spices, scented wax, balms, oil on canvass paintings, bags and haggling skills!
We dipped into Tan Kang’s lovely pool the next day, had lunch at an Italian place near Pub Street, and explored more bargain haunts in Old Market. It was a laid-back day to end a draining trip, and we couldn’t be any happier about how we were able to maximize each moment.
Our favorite alley at Siem Reap. Vintage!
A lovely photo I took of heavy buddha masks along Old Market
By evening, we boarded a tuk-tuk for Siem Reap International Airport, armed with many happy memories from this remarkable vacation. Until I see you again, Cambodia!
Tawanan at kainan te! 