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| Xmas Reminder in Siem Reap |
Perhaps it's the warm weather but Christmas never feels that special in Hong Kong. So since 2017, we have been making the most of the school Christmas break and gone traveling. Late December is the perfect time weather-wise to explore the South-East Asia countries. In December 2017, we decided to go to Cambodia to see the famed Angkor Wat.
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| When your airport pick-up is as above, you know you are in Cambodia |
Landing in Siem Reap, it wasn't long before we realized we were in Cambodia! I had booked our stay at Cambana Residence which included a free airport pick-up via tuk-tuk. It was quite a sight to see my suitcase carried on the tuk-tuk. Although precarious, the journey was thankfully not more than 15 minutes.
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| Welcome drinks |
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| Our 17th wedding anniversary |
Cambana Residence is a fairly new boutique hotel in Siem Reap with spacious rooms that include a living room with kitchenette plus an outdoor tub. Unfortunately, the hotel was right next door to a building site so it wasn't pleasant to be out on the balcony nor soak in the outdoor tub. Plus, there wasn't enough warm water to fill the tub! The reception area was charming though and we were welcomed with cold drinks and towels while they prepared the room.
Throughout our stay, we enjoyed the breakfast very much which were made-to-order from the menu. There were local specialities such as noodle soups and unlimited cappucinos with latte art.
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| At Bayon |
Siem Reap itself was not too exciting - there are street markets selling souvenirs, plenty of places to eat and drink and copious massage places. The whole town is built up to support tourism to Angkor Wat and the other nearby temples. Of course, we did try a number of massage places as the prices were very reasonable. We also visited the local cinema which was excellent, air-conditioned and cheap (US$4 to see a film).
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| Angkor Wat |
To see Angkor Wat and the temples, I had booked a private tour with a separate tour guide and driver (through Cambodia Happy Tours). Prices were incredibly good as the whole day was approximately US$100 for the 2 of us (excluding tips). We travelled in an air-conditioned SUV which was very comfortable. There was a separate tour guide plus driver. Our tour guide spoke good English, was very amiable and as an added bonus, took great photos! He knew all the best photo spots and was conscientious in getting those shots. I think he knew my iPhone's photo-taking capabilities better than I did!
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| Rare portrait of both of us |
Aside from Angkor Wat, we also visited Bayon, Banteay Srei and Ta Prohm. Bayon was our favorite as it was fun to spot all the stone faces. Banteay Srei was another favorite. A little out of the way, it was peaceful with few tourists. Known as the "citadel for women", the temple is pink sandstone with many elaborate carvings. We visited during the early afternoon sun but I'm sure it would have been very beautiful at sunset.
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| Banterey Srei |
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| Angkor Wat |
Ta Prohm was the most popular or perhaps we got unlucky hitting "tourist peak time". This is the temple popularized by the "Tomb Raider" films. The tree roots covered the ruins though were indeed impressive as if nature was devouring the crumbling man-made structure. The temple was mostly in shadows, adding to the atmosphere.
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| Ta Prohm |
The tour was a luxurious no-fuss way to see all the temples of your choice. Plus, they dropped us off at a good place for lunch. Highly recommended and of course, it was the highlight of our trip.
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