Siem Reap

Siem Reap(Khmer:សៀមរាប,Siĕm Réab[siəmriəp]) is thesecond-largest cityofCambodia, as well as the capital and largest city ofSiem Reap Provincein northwestern Cambodia.
Siem Reap possessesFrench-colonialandChinese-style architecturein the Old French Quarter and around the Old Market. The city is a major hub fortourism in Cambodiadue to its close proximity to the ancient temples ofAngkorconstructed during theKhmer Empire. In and around the city there are museums, traditionalApsaradance performances, aCambodian cultural village, souvenir and handicraft shops, silk farms, rice paddies in the countryside, fishing villages and abird sanctuarynearTonlé Sap, and a cosmopolitan drinking and dining scene.
Siem Reap was named theASEANCity of Culture for the period 2021–2022 at the 9th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts (AMCA) organized on Oct 22, 2020.
The name "Siem Reap" can be translated to mean 'defeat ofSiam' (siemin Khmer), and is commonly taken as a reference to an incident in the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and Khmer kingdoms, although this is probably apocryphal. According to oral tradition, King Ang Chan (1516–1566) had named the town "Siem Reap" after he repulsed an army sent to invade Cambodia by the Thai kingMaha Chakkraphatin 1549.Scholars such asMichael Vickeryconsider this derivation to be simply a modern folk etymology, and maintain that while the names Siem Reap andChenla, the old Chinese name for Cambodia, may perhaps be related, the actual origin of the name is unknown.
The traditional tale claims that King Ang Chan of Cambodia tried to assert greater independence from Siam, which was then struggling internally. The Siamese kingChairachahad been poisoned by his concubine, Lady Sri Sudachan, who had committed adultery with a commoner,Worawongsathirat, while the king was away leading a campaign against the Kingdom ofLan Na. Sudachan then placed her lover on the throne. The Thai nobility lured them outside the city on a royalprocession by bargeto inspect a newly discovered white elephant. After killing the usurper, along with Sudachan and their new-born daughter, they invitedPrince Thianrachato leave the monkhood and assume the throne as King Maha Chakkraphat (1548–1569). With the Thais distracted by internal problems, King Ang Chan attacked. He seized the Siamese city ofPrachinburiin 1549, sacking the city and making slaves of its inhabitants. Only then did he learn that the succession had been settled and that Maha Chakkraphat was the new ruler. Ang Chan immediately retreated to Cambodia, taking captives with him. King Maha Chakkraphat was furious over the unprovoked attack, but Burma had also chosen to invade throughThree Pagodas Pass. The Burmese army posed a much more serious threat, as it capturedKanchanaburiandSuphanburi. It then appeared before Ayutthaya itself.
The Thai army managed to defeat the Burmese, who quickly retreated through the pass. Maha Chakkraphat's thoughts then turned to Cambodia. Not only had Ang Chan attacked and looted Prachinburi, turning its people into slaves, but he also refused to give Maha Chakkraphat a white elephant he had requested, rejecting even this token of submission to Siam.Maha Chakkraphat ordered Prince Ong, the governor ofSawankhalok, to lead an expedition to punish Ang Chan and recover the Thai captives. The rival armies met, and Ang Chan killed Prince Ong with a lucky musket shot from an elephant's back. The leaderless Thai army fled, and Ang Chan allegedly captured more than 10,000 Siamese soldiers. To celebrate his great victory, King Ang Chan supposedly named the battleground "Siem Reap", meaning 'the total defeat of Siam'.
In reality, surviving historic sources make this derivation appear unlikely, since they date the decline ofAngkorto more than a century before this, when a military expedition from Ayutthaya captured and sacked Angkor Wat, which began a long period ofvassal ruleover Cambodia.The 1431 capture coincided with the decline of Angkor, though the reasons behind its abandonment are not clear. They may have included environmental changes and failings of the Khmer infrastructure.
From the 16th to the 19th centuries, infighting among the Khmer nobility led to periodic intervention and domination by both of Cambodia's more powerful neighbors, Vietnam and Siam. Siem Reap, along withBattambang(Phra Tabong) andSisophon, major cities in northwest Cambodia, was under Siamese administration and the provinces were collectively known as Inner Cambodia from 1795 until 1907, when they were ceded toFrench Indochina. During the 18th century, under the rule of theAyutthaya Kingdom, it was known asNakhon Siam('Siam's city').
Siem Reap was little more than a village when French explorers such asHenri Mouhot"re-discovered" Angkor in the 19th century. However, European visitors had visited the temple ruins much earlier, includingAntónio da Madalenain 1586.In 1901, theÉcole française d'Extrême-Orient(EFEO) ('French School of the Far East') began a long association withAngkorby funding an expedition into Siam to theBayon. The EFEO took responsibility for clearing and restoring the whole site. In the same year, the first Western tourists arrived in Angkor, a total of about 200 in just three months. Angkor had been "rescued" from the jungle and was assuming its place in the modern world.
With the acquisition of Angkor by the French in 1907 following a Franco-Siamese treaty, Siem Reap began to grow. The Grand Hotel d'Angkor opened in 1929 and the temples of Angkor became one of Asia's leading draws until the late-1960s, when civil war kept tourists away. In 1975, the population of Siem Reap, like all other Cambodian cities and towns, was driven into the countryside by the communistKhmer Rouge.
Siem Reap's recent history is colored by the horror of the Khmer Rouge regime. SincePol Pot's death in 1998, however, relative stability and a rejuvenated tourist industry have revived the city and province.
Siem Reapnow serves as a small gateway town to the world heritage site of Angkor Wat. In recent years, the city has regularly ranked in the top ten for "Best Destination" lists produced by entities such as TripAdvisor,Wanderlust Magazine, andTravel+Leisure.
Tourism is a very important aspect of the economy of Siem Reap: it was estimated in 2010 that over 50% of jobs in the town were related to the tourism industry.The city has seen a massive increase in tourist arrivals in the decades since the end of theKhmer Rougeera, and businesses centered on tourism have flourished due to the tourism boom. Visitor numbers were negligible in the mid-1990s, but by 2004, over half a million foreign visitors had arrived in Siem Reap Province that year, approximately 50% of all foreign tourists in Cambodia.By 2012, tourist numbers had reached over two million.
Angkor Wat (Wattemple) is the central feature of the AngkorUNESCO World Heritage Site, containing the remains of theKhmercivilization. Angkor Wat's rising series of five towers culminates in an impressive central tower that symbolizes the mythicalMount Meru. Thousands of feet of wall space are covered with carvings depicting scenes fromHindu mythology. The most important are the carved bas-reliefs of the Hindu narratives. They tell a story about gods fighting demons in order to reclaim order, which can only be achieved by recovering the elixir of life known asamrita. The gods and demons must work together to release it and then battle to attain it.
Angkor Thom is an inner royal city built byJayavarman VII, the Empire's famed 'Warrior King', at the end of the 12th century and is renowned for its temples, in particular theBayon. Other notable sites areBaphuon,Phimeanakas, theTerrace of the Elephants, and theTerrace of the Leper King. The city can be accessed through five city gates, one at each cardinal point and the Victory Gate on the eastern wall.
A number of significant temples are dotted around Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom within the Angkor Archaeological Park, includingTa Prohm,Preah Khan,Banteay Kdei,Phnom Bakheng,Ta Keo,Ta Som,East Mebon,Pre Rup, andNeak Pean. These temples may be visited along the grand circuit or the small circuit routes.Other sites are theRoluosgroup of temples located to the east of Siem Reap.
The Landmine Museum offers tourists and Cambodians the chance to see (safe) landmines up close, understand how they work, and what they can do to help rid Cambodia and the world of their continuing threat. It is approximately 25 km north of Siem Reap (30 minutes by tuk tuk), 7 km south of the Banteay Srey Temple complex in Angkor National Park.Some two dozen at-risk Khmer children are educated and live, along with staff, at the Relief Center on the museum property.
Opened on 2023, Lotus Silk Farm is a sustainable social enterprise dedicated to reviving the ancient art of lotus silk weaving in Cambodia. The farm showcases the entire process, from harvesting lotus stems to creating exquisite fabrics. Visitors can learn about the eco-friendly production methods, witness skilled artisans at work, and even participate in workshops.
TheWar Museum Cambodiacovers the last three decades of the 20th century when theKhmer Rougewas active in Cambodia. There is a vast array of vehicles, artillery, weaponry, landmines, and equipment on display. The museum is making use of guides who are war veterans who fought for the Cambodian army, the Khmer Rouge, or the Vietnamese army.
Opened on 12 November 2007, theAngkor National Museumoffers visitors a better understanding of the area's archaeological treasures. The Golden Era of the Khmer Kingdom is presented, including the use of state-of-the-art multimedia technology. The museum covers Khmer history, civilization, and cultural heritage in eight galleries. Today, the museum is filled with expensive jewelry being sold to tourists. The museum is also popular among local tourists during special holidays especially during the Khmer New Year and Christmas time.
The Old Market orPsah Chasis between Pub Street and the Siem Reap River, and offers a mixture of souvenirs for tourists and a variety of food produce and other items meant for locals.
Other markets in Siem Reap include the Angkor Night Market which is off Sivutha Street,Phsar Kandal (the Central Market) on Sivutha Street which mainly caters to tourists, and Phsar Leu (the Upper Market) which is further away along National Road 6 but is the biggest market of Siem Reap used by the locals.The Made in Cambodia Market (initially called "Well Made in Cambodia")is a night market for tourists in Siem Reap where all the products sold are made in Cambodia. The market hosts daily shows and other events in King's Road.In July 2020, authorities issued an order banning the buying, selling and butchering of dogs for food.
Artisans Angkor is a semi-public company founded in 1992 which aims to revive traditional Khmer craftsmanship and provide employment for rural artisans. It is also associated with a silk farm where visitors may learn aboutsericultureand weaving.It also participates in the restoration of historical Angkor sites by repairing and replacing damaged sculptures.
The Cambodian Cultural Village is closed since November 2020, due to economic and financial issues.
Opened on 24 September 2003, theCambodian Cultural Villageassembles all the miniatures of famous historical buildings and structures of Cambodia. There are 11 unique villages, which represent different culture heritages, local customs, and characteristics of 21 multi races.
The Angkor Panorama Museum is closed since December 2019, reportedly due to UN sanctions on North Korea that requires member states to send North Korean workers home in mid-December.
Opened in 2015, Angkor Panorama Museum housed apanoramamural depicting 3D scenes from the Khmer Empire. The museum was financed and built byNorth Korea, which will receive all profits for the first ten years, and half thereafter.
Phnom Kulen National Parkis about 48 km from Siem Reap and contains a number of attractions such as its two waterfalls and theKbal Spean's 'river of 1000 lingas'. It is also home to Preah Ang Thom, an active, 16th century pagoda that is home to the largest reclining Buddha in Cambodia.
There are four floating villages around Siem Reap: Kompong Khleang, Kompong Phluk, Chong Kneas, and Meychrey, home to a bird sanctuary. Kompong Khleangis considered the largest and most authentic, and Chong Kneas the least authentic but most visited due to its proximity to the city.
Tonlé Sap, Khmer for 'vast body of fresh water' and more commonly translated as 'great lake', is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia. It is in the heart of Cambodia, home to many floating villages, and the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.Tonle Sap is 30 minutes south of downtown Siem Reap at the port of Chong Kneas. The lake and its villages have many unique features and attractions, making Tonle Sap tours popular with tourists. The area around the Tonle Sap including the province of Siem Reap is part of the greaterTonle Sap Biosphere Reserve.
Phnom Deiis a hill near Siem Reap.
Banteay Sreiis a 10th-century temple about 30 km northeast of Siem Reap. It is notable for its fine intricate decorative carvings on rose pink sandstone.
Recently, Siem Reap has become the country's centre of contemporaryKhmer cuisineand houses many notable Cambodian restaurants, such as The Sugar Palm, Embassy, Chanrey Tree, Cafe D’Angkor, 1932, The Dining Room, andCuisine Wat Damnak.
A product that has become symbolic of Siem Riep are theSombaipremium infusedrice winesdrawing inspiration from the Cambodian traditional infused rice winesraa tram(Khmer:ស្រាត្រាំ) filled in hand-painted bottles. The Sombai workshop and tasting parlourset up in the artist's Leang Seckon's house have also become a tourist attraction.
Prahokmade by the villages in Siem Reap is often regarded as the best in the country.
Made in Siem Reap from cashew apples, the fruit that grows on top of the cashew nut, its 80% juice and is discarded as a by-product of cashew cultivation, and ripe yellow mangoes.'
According to theKöppen climate classification, Siem Reap features atropical wet and dry climate. The city is generally hot throughout the course of the year, with average high temperatures never falling below 30 °C or 86 °F in any month. Siem Reap has a relatively lengthywet seasonwhich starts in May and ends in October. The dry season covers the remaining six months. The city averages approximately 1,406 millimetres or 55 inches of rainfall per year.
The city is 50 kilometres (31 mi) from the newSiem Reap–Angkor International Airport,and is accessible by direct flights from many Asian cities, as well as by land from Phnom Penh and to the Thai border. Theold airportis now closed, with all existing flights permanently transferred to Siem Reap–Angkor.There are buses fromPhnom PenhandBattambang, with buses between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap taking about 5 hours.It is also accessible by boat (viaTonle Saplake). The city also has a sizabletuk-tukpresence supporting mainly tourist transportation, with an estimated 6,000 drivers working as of 2019.
It is possible to get fromBangkokto Siem Reap viaPoipet. The road from Poipet to Siem Reap is in good condition. If travelers take a taxi from Bangkok to Poipet and from Poipet to Siem Reap, it is possible to complete the whole journey in 6–10 hours, depending on border-crossing times. This journey is also possible by bus, minibus or van. Getting to Siem Reap from Bangkok is also possible by train right to the borderstation Rong Kluea market and later via shared mini-buses or taxis to Siem Reap.
Ahigh-speed railconnection between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh is, As of 2022, in the planning stages, with feasibility studies being conducted by theChina Railway Engineering Corporation.
Dith Pran- photojournalist; subject of the movie "The Killing Fields."
13°21′44″N103°51′35″E﻿ / ﻿13.36222°N 103.85972°E﻿ /13.36222; 103.85972