|
Siem Reap Town:
Gateway to the Temples of Angkor
Nestled between rice paddies and stretched along the Siem Reap River, the small provincial capital of
Siem Reap Town serves as the gateway to the millennium-old temple ruins of the
Khmer Empire. Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the
Angkor Archaeological Park encompasses dozens of temple ruins including
Bayon,
Banteay Srey and the legendary
Angkor Wat whose artistic and archaeological significance and visual impact put it in a class with the Pyramids, Machu Pichu and the Taj Mahal. Unlike many other world class monuments, the ruins of Angkor are as yet unspoiled by over-development. This will not be true in a couple of years. Though the major temples are relatively well touristed these days, it is still possible get away from the crowds, to explore the area and discover Angkor.
Siem Reap Town is where you will stay during your visit to Angkor. The area has been receiving foreign visitors to the temples for over 100 years. The town is
actually a cluster of old villages, which originally developed around individual
pagodas, and later
 overlaid with an French colonial-era center. Note the colonial and Chinese style architecture in the town center and around the Old Market. Nowadays, Siem Reap offers a wide range of
hotels, restaurants, pubs and
shops including several upscale hotels and dozens of budget guesthouses. Often missed are the many opportunities to experience traditional Cambodia:
‘Apsara’ dance performances, craft shops and silk farms,
road tours through rice-paddy countryside,
boat trips on the great Tonle Sap Lake to fishing villages and bird sanctuary, and much
more.
|
