Cambodia’s tourism capital, Siem Reap is an exciting city and the gateway to Angkor, Cambodia’s largest historical city. There’s no doubt that Siem Reap is a major tourism destination — internet cafes are everywhere and the town’s main drag looks more like one of Bangkok’s infamous nightclub districts than it does a small Khmer town — but there’s still a lot of Khmer charm to find here.

While the vast majority of people will be here to visit Angkor, there are many other attractions within close proximity to the city itself. Tonle Sap, Cambodia’s giant lake and a hugely important resource to the country, is very close to the town. Battambang, a charming provincial city is just a couple of hours from Siem Reap on bus or taxi, and is the best place in Cambodia to experience ancient customs and pre-war life. Finally, the charming markets and boutique shops make Siem Reap an interesting tourist destination in itself.

Few visitors take time to think about how excruciatingly hot Siem Reap and the surrounding area can be during the warmer months of the year. If you want to keep your long days at Angkor relatively heat-free, it’s best to visit between November and January, when temperatures are relatively comfortable and rain is rare.

What to see:

Angkor! Siem Reap is Cambodia’s tourism heartland, and for good reason. This complex of ancient Khmer temples and expansive ruins covers hundreds of square kilometers, and offers an unparalleled look into the customs of ancient Khmer civilization. From the stunning beauty of Angkor Wat to the incredible ruins of ancient temple Ta Phrom, there’s something in the Angkor National Park to keep every wannabe archaeologist busy.

Tickets to Angkor range from $20 to $100, with each ticket type granting access for successive days. The $100 pass is best reserved for real history buffs and archaeology fanatics, for the immense heat of Cambodia and the huge distances between the temples may leave casual visitors wondering where to go and what to do. Our advice? Look into the one-day pass for a quick visit to Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Phrom, or the three-day pass if you’re interested in visiting the outer temples.

Keep in mind that Angkor is a major worldwide tourism destination, and package tours are plentiful here. If you’re visiting the temples independently, try to organize a trip with a tuk-tuk driver or motorcycle taxi before departing Siem Reap. For as little as $10 you can hire a seat on the back of a motorcycle, and for around $15 you can charter a tuk-tuk and driver to take you around the complex for a day. This is the perfect way to see the outer temples and absorb the culture without being packed into a tourist bus all day. For a more personal experience, try to beat the buses by visiting major temples during the middle of the day, when they’ve stopped for lunch.

Tonle Sap is just 30 minutes from Siem Reap, and is well worth a visit if you’d like to see some of provincial Cambodia. During the middle of the year, villages and schools compete in boat races on the lake, and fishing villages are in full force all year round. Take a guided tour from a Siem Reap tourism agency or get yourself down to the lake independently and arrange a boat trip yourself. However, it’s best to arrange everything through a travel agency — Tonle Sap boat tours are notorious for scams and price gouging, and you may find yourself making a futile trip to the lake to be met with a ridiculous tour price.

Where to stay:

There are hundreds of guesthouses in Siem Reap, each offering much the same in terms of facilities and amenities. For around $10 you can find a comfortable double bed and hot water bathroom, and for $5 you’ll undoubtedly be able to find a dormitory bed or shoebox hotel room. Guesthouses closer to the city center charge higher prices, with rooms costing over three times as much as you approach Bar St.

Remember that Siem Reap is a small town, easily navigable on foot. While a room in the city center may save you a minute in walking to the bars, you can easily find the same quality at a much cheaper price a couple of blocks away. Rithyrin Guest House, located in the Wat Bo district, offers relatively comfortable twin and triple rooms from around $9, and is much less noisy than accommodation in the city center. A motorcycle ride from Wat Bo will cost you less than .50 cents (2000 riel) and take around 2 minutes.

How to get around:

Motorcycle taxis are everywhere, with drivers ready to take you around Siem Reap from as little as .50 cents. Most rides won’t cost more than $1, with an entire day of service available from around $10. If you want a lift around the Angkor Archaeological Park, hire a motorcycle in the morning and have your driver take you around the park as a pillion passenger. You’ll be able to reach the outer temples, stop for breaks and lunch, and beat the crowds of tourism buses.

Tuk-tuks are available virtually everywhere, and vary significantly from their Thai counterparts. Instead of running on a two-stroke engine and a three wheel cart, these tuk-tuks are essentially a carriage bolted to the rear of a small motorcycle. Nevertheless, they’re very comfortable and capable of transporting four people around the temple complex all day. Ask around to find the best prices, and expect to pay around $15 for a day rental.

Finally, while motorcycle hire is banned in Siem Reap (purportedly because of accident rates) there’s nothing stopping adventurous tourists from hiring bikes in Phnom Penh and riding to Siem Reap. Honda Baja off-road bikes are available relatively cheaply along with the standard Chinese 110cc scooters.

Costs, Customs and Extras:

The restaurants inside Angkor Park are significantly more expensive than those elsewhere in Siem Reap. This is half because of the costs associated with the restaurants and half the result of somewhat shady business practices. If the menu seems ludicrously priced, ask for a discount. Sometimes you’ll end up with an entirely new menu, complete with the local prices.

If you’re only spending a day in Angkor Park, try arriving in the evening on the previous day to pick up your pass. The guards will happily let people into the park free of charge to view the sunset and observe Angkor Wat from the parking area. The sunset is absolutely stunning, and an incredibly popular photo opportunity.