Escape to Siem Reap Cambodia: The Ultimate 5-Step Adventure Guide

Escape to Siem Reap Cambodia: The Ultimate 5-Step Adventure Guide

Hey. It’s Jeremy Hubbard in the  back seat of a tuk tuk in Siem Reap,   Cambodia and I’ve got just about five hours  to spend in this amazing historic city. One   of the coolest in all of Southeast Asia.  And I’ve got to figure out the top five  

Things to do here. And I’m going to show you  what they are in this episode of Window Seat. When we say Cambodia is on fire… it is so  hot… we mean it in more ways than one. What   they’ve done here is no small feat. They’ve  managed to attract tourists from all over the   world but keep prices down. Four star hotels for  30 some bucks a night. Our own private guide for  

20 bucks a day. Beers on one of the craziest party  streets in all of Asia for about a buck a bottle.   Got it. And close proximity to one of the marvels  of the world, Angkor Wat, the temple that dates  

Back a thousand years and draws millions from all  over the world. Hello. I couldn’t wait to get to   Cambodia even though I knew my time here was going  to be short. Just landed at the newest airport in  

The world. It literally opened two days before  I got here. The journey started with a quick   flight in from Singapore, landing at the brand new  Siem Reap Angkor International Airport – an oasis   in the middle of cashew groves and rice fields  about an hour outside of Siem Reap. The airport  

Just opened back in October. It’s beautiful and  pays great tribute to the customs and cultures   of Cambodia. The whole place, centered around  this four-faced golden statue. We have the whole   backstory on this statue and a complete tour of  this brand new, billion-dollar airport paid for  

By the Chinese government in another episode of  Window Seat. We have a link in the description,   or you can click right there in the upper right  corner of this video and it’ll take you right   there. How long does it take to get there? About  one hour. Oh okay. Very good. Your driver. You’re  

My driver? Okay. After exiting the airport I meet  up with the coolest guy I met in Cambodia, my cab   driver Sat Doeum. I’m from United States. Nice to  meet you, welcome to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Thank   you. Yes we used the hour-long drive into town  to chat about the country he loves, and its  

Complicated past. Was your dad in the war? Yeah  yeah. Wow. Was he injured? My mom and my my dad?   Yeah yes he, they still alive now. His parents  lives were upended by a bloody war that brought   the Khmer Rouge, a radical communist movement,  to power. What followed was a five-year civil war  

That left as many as two million Cambodians dead,  and left the countryside pocked with landmines.   By some estimates as many as 6 million landmines  and other unexploded devices remain here. Sat’s   own brother was killed by a landmine when they  were children. Hope we can have our more tourists  

Come to Cambodia. Yeah. Yeah. Very nice. The  country is trying to move beyond its violent   past and swing open the doors to tourists. And  that’s why they built the new airport. And that’s   why they’re now fully welcoming visitors from the  world over to visit Angkor Wat. Okay we’re good.  

Yeah? Okay thank, thank you my man. Thank you my  man. Thank you. Appreciate it. God bless the USA. [MUSIC] Which, by the way, is the very first thing  on our list of the five must do activities   when visiting Siem Reap. It’s kind of  crazy because I just assumed there’d be  

Tourists everywhere. Maybe it’s the time  of day I’m visiting, early afternoon, uh,   after the rush that comes here to watch the  sunrise. I don’t know. But literally I’m the   only person around for as far as I can see. The  temple complex near the city was built in the 12th  

Century and at 400 acres is the largest religious  structure in the world. I mean it when I say,   this is truly one of the most magnificent  things I’ve ever seen in my entire life. From here, kings ruled one of the most successful  kingdoms in the history of this part of the world.   It took three decades to build this place, and  today tourists flock here for the unforgettable   backdrops you see plastered all over Instagram.  I know this place is crazy on Instagram. I know  

It’s gone worldwide because of social media. But  it still feels untouched. You will still feel   alone when you’re out here exploring these ancient  ruins and you’re going to have an amazing time. If it all looks familiar that’s because  Laura Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed at a  

Nearby temple. We’re going to have an entire  episode devoted entirely to Angkor Wat and   what they won’t tell you about visiting here  in the coming weeks right here on Window Seat,   so go ahead and hit subscribe and you’ll  know right away when that video is posted. [MUSIC]

Now to the rest of that list. My time in Siem Reap  is short. I only have a few hours. And I have no   idea where to go. My name is Rathanvann. Thank  goodness I’ve got Rathanvann by my side. I like  

Siem Reap because they good place for very popular  population, for the people visiting. And there are   a good civilization and a good culture. He is  the perfect tour guide because he’s from here,   and he can’t help but spread the word about  this town of a quarter million people. His  

Recommendation for the next stop here? So we  are at National Museum in Cambodia Siem Reap.   The Angkor National Museum takes visitors  back in time through the rise of the Khmer   civilization. Got a bit of a Gugenheim feel as  you start to walk up the, uh, spiral ramp to  

The top of the museum. They say there’s more  than a thousand treasures in here uh dating   back thousands of years showing the history  of Cambodia and we’re going to take a look. [MUSIC] What’s striking are the beautiful grounds that  house the ancient treasures of this country.  

At the center of it all, this calm reflecting  pool that puts you in the right frame of mind   for absorbing all this place has to offer.  Which includes this very cool scale model of   the Angkor Wat temple grounds. And a level of  access to artifacts that’s almost unnerving.  

They’re not behind glass really. They’re not  protected. You could just touch them if you   wanted to. There are signs saying don’t do that,  and I think hopefully most people abide. I mean,   these are uh Buddhist sort of relics so it’s  important to live by the rules that Buddha  

Did. And that would probably include  not desecrating religious artifacts. [MUSIC] My favorite part of the museum was  the Thousand Buddha Gallery. They’ve   collected a thousand Buddha statues and relics  covering centuries. Different styles of art,   different postures, different materials.  Each of them beautiful and memorable and  

Glimmering. If you want to feel  Zen, this is the room for you. [MUSIC] That ticket to the National Museum costs about 11  bucks US. Not bad at all. It’s truly a beautiful   place, and a great way to soak in the local  culture in a short period of time. As night  

Starts to fall on Siem Reap, I realize I’ve  got to get moving if I’m going to get through   my list of the top five things to see and do in  this amazing town. So back on the tuk tuk we go  

Through the crowded streets, past the busy market  stalls, and straight to one of the most unusual   and unforgettable circuses I’ve ever seen. The  Phare circus is in the Guinness Book of World   Records for having performed the longest circus  ever… just over 24 hours non-stop back in 2021. [MUSIC]

On this night I only get an hour or so, but  I’ll remember it for much longer than that. [Applause] Hard to describe the Cambodian circus except to  say it’s a little like Cirque du Soleil. Seated   in a small tent, a crowd of a couple hundred  cheers on the performers who use theater,  

Music and dance to tell the story of Cambodia’s  history. There’s fire and aerial acrobatics,   and every moment is dazzling to the eyes. Tickets  to the Phare Circus cost about 38 bucks US,   which is steep considering the inexpensive price  of everything else in this country. But the circus  

Company uses that money to help lift performers  out of poverty, and help them launch a career in   the performing arts. In fact, they even take their  show on the road. They performed in Montreal and   New York in late 2023 and they plan to share  their gifts with even more of the world soon.  

Take my word for it. If you’ve got the time, make  your way to the Phare Circus in Siem Reap. You’ll   be talking about it for a long time after you  leave. We’ll put a link in the description so  

You can learn more and get your tickets ahead  of time because it is always a full house. [Music] [Applause] Let’s keep moving now. And it’s a good thing that  it’s dark because believe me, night time is the  

Right time in Cambodia. Seems like towns like this  really come alive at night because it’s so hot   during the day. I think a lot of people just stay  inside. And so night time really is the time to  

Get out and explore, see your friends, be social,  and uh. Man does this place come alive after dark.   And there’s one street in particular that really  comes alive after dark. Amid the glow of bright   lights and pulsating music you can see the sign  off in the distance both welcoming you and warning  

You that you’ve reached what’s been called the  number one party street in all of Asia. Alright,   the next stop is an absolute given if you’re  coming to Siem Reap. You’ve got to stick around   for the hightlife. And there’s no better place  for it than Pub Street. And this place is crazy.  

It is the center of action in Siem Reap after  the sun goes down. Want fish to eat the dead   skin off your feet? Want a cheap drink? Want a  blinding light show as you dance the night away?  

This is your place. My tour guide Rathanvann  told me all about Pub Street. Yeah Pub Street,   very popular for the people, tourists, and  they walk and drinking… they have hip hop,   have discotheque and music, and the walk  and crazy hour and happy hour. Drink, drunk,  

And walk past many people is crazy. Crazy is an  understatement. Yeah I was here for all of about   five seconds before being offered uh a woman. I’m  pretty sure you can get pretty much anything you   want on this street. It certainly seems pretty  decadent. But uh you know, what do you do? We  

Can joke but the reality is human trafficking here  along Pub Street is very real. I was repeatedly   approached by men asking if I wanted a prostitute.  And it left me with the clear impression that if  

Not the number one thing Western men come to the  street seeking, it’s got to be close to the top.   The sex trade is a reality in Cambodia. And it’s  something the country will have to come to grips  

With and crack down on and enforce laws against  if it continues to want to welcome tourists from   all all over the world. At least if it wants the  right tourist to come here for the right reasons. [MUSIC]

I came to Pub Street not for any of  that, but for a quick meal a cheap beer,   and to take in the sights. And it was fun  to see so many people having such a great   time even on a slow weeknight. There’s just  something about Asia. If you’ve been here  

You know exactly what I’m talking about.  The people, the cities, the neighborhoods,   the markets, the food, the drinks. There’s  no place in the world like this region. And   every time I get the opportunity to  come back I take it. You should too But no trip to Asia, no trip to Cambodia, no  trip to Siem Reap would be complete without   exploring the wares of this magnificent part  of the world. Next on the list you got to hit   up a market in Siem Reap. Whether that’s the  old market during the day in the middle of  

Town right near Pub Street, or if it’s the night  market, one of several night markets around town,   where you can get anything you want. If you want  a souvenir, if you want food, you got it right  

Here in Siem Reap. And it’s at a good price  and there’s a lot of bargaining to be done. [MUSIC] From Fair Trade Market to Made in Cambodia Market  to Siem Reap Night Market right here along the   river, there’s no shortage of places to buy bags,  silk, souvenirs, crocodile leather, wallets,  

Purses, toys, get a massage, or get something to  eat. The night markets usually stay open until   11 or midnight and you can easily get to one of  these from your hotel anywhere in town for just  

A buck or two on a tuk tuk. You cannot come to  Cambodia without visiting one of these places. As midnight falls on this amazing vity and I ride  off into the glow of bright lights and flashing   signs, I realize my time is running out. And  my biggest regret is not having more time here   to explore. But hopefully this video encourages  you to plan a trip here. In Cambodia is a tourist  

The 100% for for the people have job and earn  money for their family. And if you’re lucky,   maybe you’ll run into Rathanvann who’s so proud  of his hometown and really wants you to love it   too. To know about the real living in Cambodia,  the real Cambodian, and uh everything more,  

Blah blah blah blah. Hahah. I’ll put his contact  information in the video description below so you   can arrange a tour with him. Believe me, you’ll  love it. He’s wonderful and you are going to   have a great time. Are you free this afternoon?  And if you need a ride to or from the airport,  

Please reach out to my friend Sat Doeum. He  is such a great guy. He’s trying to make a   living and build a future here with his wife in  Cambodia and he could always use the business.  

And believe me you will consider him a friend by  the time you say goodbye. I’ll put his contact   information in the description below too  please look him up if you’re coming here. [MUSIC] To a place that captured both our heart  and our curiosity in the short time we  

Had here. So there you have it. The  top five things to do in Siem Reap,   Cambodia. One of the most historic cities in  all of Southeast Asia with a lot of really great  

People and a lot of fun things to do as we just  showed you. The top five on our list. That’s it   for this episode of Window Seat from Siem Reap,  I’m Jeremy Hubbard. We’ll see you next time. [MUSIC]

And next time is next Friday morning and every  Friday morning, when we drop a brand new video   from our travels all over the world.  What did we miss in Cambodia? Let us   know in the comments below. And if you’d be  so kind please hit like and share so we can  

Explore the world together. And we’d love  it if you hit subscribe too as we try to   grow our community of explorers hellbent on  seeing every corner of the globe. We’ll see   you next time. In the meantime, please enjoy  one of these other videos from Window Seat.


#siemreap #cambodia #angkorwat

It is one of the rising stars of Asia: Siem Reap, Cambodia. A place still relatively untouched and unspoiled by the masses of tourists. And you need to experience it first hand, as soon as possible! In this episode of @windowseatworldtravel we are taking you to the hotspot in Cambodia that is culturally rich and ready to welcome you!

We’re counting down the top five things to do in Siem Reap. From the jaw-dropping Angkor Wat temple complex, to the craziest circus you’ve ever seen, you’ll experience it all. Let us know in the comments if we left something off the list. WE LOVE CAMBODIA! And you will too after you watch this episode!

LINKS:
ANGKOR NATIONAL MUSEUM:

Home

PHARE CIRCUS:
https://pharecircus.org/

If you’d like to book a ride with Sat Doeum, our amazing airport taxi driver (he also drives a tuk tuk), reach out to him on What’sApp:
+855 92 696 438

To book a tuk tuk tour with Rathanvann, reach out to him on Whatsapp and Telegram +85589724503 & his Facebook page is Around Angkor Wat with Rothan
Email: rothanvann99@gmail.com

If you want to follow our adventures and stories, check us out on Instagram. Our official account is https://www.instagram.com/windowseatworldtravel
Jeremy can be found at https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhubbard and you can find Sean at https://www.instagram.com/seandtowle.

🙏🏼 Thank you so much for helping our new YouTube channel grow. We really appreciate it. We’re still working on a webpage and Facebook account – so standby!

JOIN OUR NEW TRAVEL COMMUNITY
Window Seat: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrlq…
📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/windowseatw…

🎥 THANKS FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL MUSIC AND GRAPHICS

Thanks to Motion Array for supplying the royalty-free music for this piece.
https://www.motionarray.com/

Thumbnail graphics created using Canva
https://www.canva.com

Some video graphics created using Toko for Final Cut Pro X.
https://videohive.net/item/toko-graph…

Our Most Popular YouTube Video
🎬 Machu Picchu: What they won’t tell you about visiting here