☺☺☺
Next to Blue Pumpkin, Old Market Area, Siem Reap
☎ 063 963 830 / 012 326 546
Recommend:
'Small Art School' Cambodian printed postcards US$2
Thursday, May 22, 2014
LE MERIDIEN ANGKOR SPA, Le Méridien Angkor
Info:
☹
Le Méridien Angkor, Vithei Charles De Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, Siem Reap
☎ +855 63 963 900 ext. 5136 (Online reservations)
Opens daily 10:00-22:00
Website
Comments:
We found a special offer from the Le Méridien Angkor website - Release Package for 1 hour and 20 minutes for USD40++ per person (i.e. service charge USD2, VAT USD4.20) that included body massage & reflexology - so we decided to try this one out.
Unfortunately, out of the 3 massages we had (the other two were at Bodia Spa, and one reflexology on Pub Street), this was the most disappointing one. Overall, it doesn't seem like Siem Reap masseuses in general have much technique at all but at least at the other two places they were putting in effort in the techniques they did know how to use. However at Le Méridien, I noticed that once I dozed off half asleep the masseuse seemed to be just standing there and massaging only one area very very lightly (and I mean, abnormally lightly). It wasn't until that I showed a little movement that I wasn't asleep that she moved to another area and massaged a little bit harder. The pressure was very much different to when she started the treatment off and asking me if it was okay.
Now at one point I did think that I was being a little sensitive until after the treatment, one friend told me that he had the exact same experience that I did. My second friend said her masseuse was good though and was massaging her quite hard, so I guess two of us were just unlucky to get a bad masseuse.
Aside from the service, even the spa place itself was disappointing - the reception area was surprisingly small Considering the huge area the hotel occupies, the space it allocated for the spa and pool were relatively tiny compared to the large garden space (or more like just green grass with no paths to walk around on) it had.
☹
Le Méridien Angkor, Vithei Charles De Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, Siem Reap
☎ +855 63 963 900 ext. 5136 (Online reservations)
Opens daily 10:00-22:00
Website
Comments:
We found a special offer from the Le Méridien Angkor website - Release Package for 1 hour and 20 minutes for USD40++ per person (i.e. service charge USD2, VAT USD4.20) that included body massage & reflexology - so we decided to try this one out.
Unfortunately, out of the 3 massages we had (the other two were at Bodia Spa, and one reflexology on Pub Street), this was the most disappointing one. Overall, it doesn't seem like Siem Reap masseuses in general have much technique at all but at least at the other two places they were putting in effort in the techniques they did know how to use. However at Le Méridien, I noticed that once I dozed off half asleep the masseuse seemed to be just standing there and massaging only one area very very lightly (and I mean, abnormally lightly). It wasn't until that I showed a little movement that I wasn't asleep that she moved to another area and massaged a little bit harder. The pressure was very much different to when she started the treatment off and asking me if it was okay.
Now at one point I did think that I was being a little sensitive until after the treatment, one friend told me that he had the exact same experience that I did. My second friend said her masseuse was good though and was massaging her quite hard, so I guess two of us were just unlucky to get a bad masseuse.
Aside from the service, even the spa place itself was disappointing - the reception area was surprisingly small Considering the huge area the hotel occupies, the space it allocated for the spa and pool were relatively tiny compared to the large garden space (or more like just green grass with no paths to walk around on) it had.
ARTISANS ANGKOR Cambodian Fine Arts & Crafts
Info:
Main Showroom & Workshops: Chantiers-Ecoles, Stung Thmey Street, Siem Reap downtonw (2 mins. from Old Market)
☎ (+855) 63 963 330
Opens daily 07:30-18:30
Siem Reap International & Domestic Airports: International Departure hall and Domestic Departure hall
Main Showroom & Workshops: Chantiers-Ecoles, Stung Thmey Street, Siem Reap downtonw (2 mins. from Old Market)
☎ (+855) 63 963 330
Opens daily 07:30-18:30
Siem Reap International & Domestic Airports: International Departure hall and Domestic Departure hall
Angkor Silk Farm: Puok District (20mn from Siem Reap downtown)
Opens daily 08:00-17:30
☎ (+855) 63 5555 768
Opens daily 08:00-17:30
☎ (+855) 63 5555 768
Angkor Café: In front of Angkor Wat entrance way
Opens daily 08:00-17:30Website
Features:
Cambodian silk products (scarves, clothes, bags)
Recommend:
Princess scarves (various colours available) US$25
Comments:
We would have wanted to visit the Angkor Silk Farm however we had a tight schedule on the last day so decided to just have a quick visit to the Main Showroom that is close by the Old Market and check out for any souvenirs. Regrettably, we should have allocated just a bit more time to the shop there (even extra half an hour would do). I guess we thought there wasn't much to see but surprisingly there was quite an attractive range of products. It was a good thing I came with an almost full suitcase which successfully deterred me from buying too many unnecessary things, however I did feel that I could not leave the Artisans Angkor shop without purchasing anything. So finally I decided on a plain black silk scarf ('Princess scarf') for a fair price of USD25 that I could wear all year since black goes with everything and not so seasonal.
Later on when we arrived at the Siem Reap International Airport, we discovered that they had another shop inside the departure hall - so if you miss out on buying some souvenirs downtown, you can still do some last minute shopping at their airport branch.
Opens daily 08:00-17:30Website
Features:
Cambodian silk products (scarves, clothes, bags)
Recommend:
Princess scarves (various colours available) US$25
Comments:
We would have wanted to visit the Angkor Silk Farm however we had a tight schedule on the last day so decided to just have a quick visit to the Main Showroom that is close by the Old Market and check out for any souvenirs. Regrettably, we should have allocated just a bit more time to the shop there (even extra half an hour would do). I guess we thought there wasn't much to see but surprisingly there was quite an attractive range of products. It was a good thing I came with an almost full suitcase which successfully deterred me from buying too many unnecessary things, however I did feel that I could not leave the Artisans Angkor shop without purchasing anything. So finally I decided on a plain black silk scarf ('Princess scarf') for a fair price of USD25 that I could wear all year since black goes with everything and not so seasonal.
Later on when we arrived at the Siem Reap International Airport, we discovered that they had another shop inside the departure hall - so if you miss out on buying some souvenirs downtown, you can still do some last minute shopping at their airport branch.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
PHARE, THE CAMBODIAN CIRCUS
Info:
☺☺☺☺
Komay Road / Comaille Road , Siem Reap (behind Angkor National Museum in front of Angkor Century Hotel)
☎ +855 15 499 480 or +855 92 225 320
Nightly shows at 19:30
Prices: Standard (free) seating USD15/adults, USD8/child, Free/under 5 years
VIP seating USD35/adults, USD18/child
Features:
The performers are all young people from the streets, orphanages and struggling families in the community who are offered the opportunity to be trained by the arts association Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS) so that they can develop a skill to earn a living for themselves.
Comments:
The venue is not that big so the VIP seating I think is really not that necessary. We bought the standard free seating tickets and arrived at 7pm (staff at the ticket office advised to arrive 7:10pm when they open up for entrance) and were the first in the queue to enter so we were able to get the centre seats in the second row (i.e the row behind the first VIP row). We noticed though that the VIPs were offered complimentary bottled water and then a goodies bag at the end of the show.
At the end of the show, a staff member came out to give a short speech on the background of the Phare circus and brought out a couple of baskets for the audience who wished to make any donations to help out the performers. The audience was also welcome to take photos with them as well.
Although the whole show production was not comparable to the bigger scale international circuses, it was still a very enjoyable and entertaining intimate performance where you could see young locals with great acrobatic skills that are equally as professional as any international acrobats.
BODIA SPA
Info:
Old Market branch (Phsa Chas) above U-Care Pharmacy, Siem Reap
☎ (+855) 63-761-593
Features:
2 branches in Siem Reap (Old Market & Wat Polanka) & 1 branch in Phnom Penh (National Museum)
Bodia Nature products - their natural cosmetic line of products made in Cambodia
ANANTARA Angkor Resort & Spa
Hotel Info:
★★★★★
National Road No. 6, Khum Svay Dangkom, Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia
★★★★★
National Road No. 6, Khum Svay Dangkom, Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia
☎ (+855) 63-966-788
Check-in 14:00
Room Rates:
Deluxe room - 1 King (incl. continental breakfast, free wifi) HK$1,277 per night (incl. taxes) (May 2014, via Expedia)
Features:
This was the second hotel we stayed at after 2 nights at Sala Lodges so moving from one hotel to another we requested an earlier check-in time in advance of the trip and the hotel offered us an early check-in time of 10am which was great of them.
Monday, May 19, 2014
ANGKOR WAT
Info:
Angkor, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia
Admission:
Features:
Temple - the largest religious monument in the world
ANGKOR ARCHEOLOGICAL PARK
Info:
Admission: 3-day pass US$40/adult (available for purchase at the main entrance on the road to Angkor Wat)
Opens daily 05:30-17:30
Tourism of Cambodia website UNESCO World Heritage
Features:
Angkor Wat
Angkor Thom
Banteay Srei
Baphuon
Bayon Temple
Beng Mealea
Preah Khan
Ta Prohm (jungle temple)
Admission: 3-day pass US$40/adult (available for purchase at the main entrance on the road to Angkor Wat)
Opens daily 05:30-17:30
Tourism of Cambodia website UNESCO World Heritage
Features:
Angkor Wat
Angkor Thom
Banteay Srei
Baphuon
Bayon Temple
Beng Mealea
Preah Khan
Ta Prohm (jungle temple)
Sunday, May 18, 2014
THE DINING ROOM, Park Hyatt Siem Reap
Info:
G/F, Park Hyatt Hotel, Sivutha Boulevard, Siem Reap, Cambodia
☎ +855 6321 1234
Opens daily
Breakfast 06:00-11:00
Dinner 18:00-22:30
Features:
French ‘au provencal’ and Cambodian dishes
View overlooking the hotel courtyard
Local Supermarkets
We asked our driver to take us to a supermarket so that we could stock up on some snacks for the next few days and bottled water (which we later realised we didn't really need to as our driver provided us multiple complimentary bottles from the next day onwards, along with a couple of complimentary bottles provided by the hotel).
So we got dropped off for a quick stop at Ankor Market in town not too far the Park Hyatt hotel where we had planned for dinner. You could find a pretty wide range of imported brands just like what you would find at the supermarkets back home. They also had some neatly & freshly packed meat products as well.
Prices for reference (that we purchased):
Large pack of potato chips US$3.30
Garden brand Savoury crackers US$1.30
Dried packaged jackfruit US$3.80
Volvic Mineral Water US$2.20
There are also a number of Mini-Marts around town that looks like a convenience store and are decent looking too.
KRU KHMER Natural & Organics
Shop Info:
☺☺☺☺
Shop #29-30, Old Market, Siem Reap (along Riverside road)
Shop #29-30, Old Market, Siem Reap (along Riverside road)
☎ (+855) 92 829 564 / 012-232-215
Opens daily 10:00-20:00
Features:
Soap / Bath Salt / Herbal Tea / Spa products
Recommend:
Hand balms in small silver trinket box (white champaca / fresh mango / lemongrass / night jasmine) US$5 (or buy 5 get 1 free)
Hand-made natural soaps (Ratree) US$2.50 (or buy 5 get 1 free)
Hand-made natural soaps (Ratree) US$2.50 (or buy 5 get 1 free)
Comments:
Most of the shops at the Old Market we saw were those typical tourist souvenir shops which didn't interest us much but we managed to spot this one and only cute little store just on the side of the Old Market that's facing the river.
The shop interior and product packaging seemed to have some Japanese influences (raw wooden table tops & shelving and cute crafty-looking decorations on the walls) although the products are indeed locally produced with local organic ingredients. We saw a Japanese magazine article featuring the shop pinned to the wall as well.
ANGKOR NATIONAL MUSEUM
Info:
1Oct~31Mar 08:30-18:30
☺☺☺
No. 968, Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Khoum Salakanseng, Khom Svaydangum, Siem Reap District, Siem Reap
☎ +855 63 966 601 / 063 966 601
Admission: US$12 per adult / US$6 per child
Opens
1Apr~30Sep 08:30-18:001Oct~31Mar 08:30-18:30
Features:
Gallery of 1,000 Buddha images
Gallery A: Khmer Civilization
Gallery B: Religion and Beliefs
Gallery C: The Great Khmer Kings
Gallery D: Angkor Wat
Gallery E: Angkor Thom
Gallery F: Story from Stones
Gallery G: Ancient Costume
Recommend:
Suggest you to visit this place before heading off to the historical tourist sights - you can get a good background of the Khmer history, language and religions to prep you for your temple visits.
Comments:
This wasn't in our original itinerary but was suggested by our driver on the first day. We were hesitant at first as we hadn't read anything about the place beforehand but we had nothing much else planned for the day so we decided to go. I was glad we went though as it was a good 'preview' to what we should be expecting to see and experience in the next 3 days of our trip (although we got very tired and sleepy in the middle and couldn't really concentrate on the exhibits and videos that were playing there).
SALA LODGES
Lodge Info:
☺☺☺☺
★★★★
★★★★
No. 498, Salakomreuk, Siem Reap, Cambodia
☎ (+855) 63-766-699
Room rates:
Suite Lodge - 1 bedroom, international breakfast included HK$1,226.14 per night (or US$158) (May 2014, via Agoda)
Features:
11 Stand-alone villas from restored wooden Khmer houses (for 2-3, or 4-5 guests per villa)
Bodia Spa service
Free wifi throughout hotel
Complimentary refreshments upon arrival (and each day returning to hotel)
Complimentary bottled water in the rooms
Tuk-tuk driver standby that can be charged to hotel bill
TV in room upon request
Insect repellant available in rooms (a Bodia Spa product)
Small infinity pool
Recommend:
House 1 "House Mouy"
House 10 "House Dop"
(My friends and I stayed at the above 2 houses which were nicely situated across from each other in the centre of the lodge area; these 2 had the better viewing area from the porch).
Comments:
Although I gave this place 4 smiley faces, there are both Pros and Cons about it that you should consider before deciding to stay here as it might not be everyone's cup of tea.
⊕ Unique lodge design featuring individual Cambodian houses taken from different provinces and reassembled at Sala Lodges
⊕ Away from the central area but not too far out (around few minutes by car)
⊕ Service was great, hotel staff were very friendly
⊖ Noisy cicadas & frogs at night, along with the air-conditioners that you need kept on throughout the night, if you can't sleep unless its dead quiet, then this is not the place for you. We also noticed clubbing music with heavy basses being played every night which was the most disturbing of all but we couldn't figure out where it was coming from. We suspected it was coming from Pub Street as the beats were very similar to the ones played when we were actually hanging around there, although we also thought there was no way we could hear that sound from such a distance...mystery. Oh, and you will hear rooster calls as well but at least that's in the morning.
⊖ Bathroom amenities - we had emailed them in advance to check on what bathroom amenities they had available and were advised that they had toothbrushes & toothpaste. However we didn't see these in our room so had to call them up and request. Strange thing was that they responded with "oh, so you prefer a toothbrush? Ok." Then it took them a while before they brought it to my room and what they gave me was a packaged Colgate toothbrush and boxed Colgate toothpaste as if they had just bought it from a store. I found out from my friends in the other cabin that they were only given one toothbrush as they had none left...another strange thing.
⊖ Spa - now again, we had inquired about this and reserved in advance and was advised that their spa service was offered by a local Cambodian spa place called Bodia Spa. We were under the impression that we were able to have the treatment in our rooms but it wasn't until we were there and asked our reception to confirm our booking again that we found out the treatments were booked for the spa's Old Market branch downtown. Bodia Spa advised the lodge staff that the treatments would be difficult to do in the room and they could not conveniently bring all the necessary equipment over to the lodge. I would have expected the lodge to have advised us exactly which treatments we could do in the room however when I asked the reception it seemed that Bodia Spa informed that none of the treatments could really be done at the lodge...
⊕⊖ Besides the cicadas & frogs, lizards and geckos are also a common sight here, so some may find it interesting, and some may not.
Bodia Spa service
Free wifi throughout hotel
Complimentary refreshments upon arrival (and each day returning to hotel)
Complimentary bottled water in the rooms
Tuk-tuk driver standby that can be charged to hotel bill
TV in room upon request
Insect repellant available in rooms (a Bodia Spa product)
Small infinity pool
Recommend:
House 1 "House Mouy"
House 10 "House Dop"
(My friends and I stayed at the above 2 houses which were nicely situated across from each other in the centre of the lodge area; these 2 had the better viewing area from the porch).
Comments:
Although I gave this place 4 smiley faces, there are both Pros and Cons about it that you should consider before deciding to stay here as it might not be everyone's cup of tea.
⊕ Unique lodge design featuring individual Cambodian houses taken from different provinces and reassembled at Sala Lodges
⊕ Away from the central area but not too far out (around few minutes by car)
⊕ Service was great, hotel staff were very friendly
⊖ Noisy cicadas & frogs at night, along with the air-conditioners that you need kept on throughout the night, if you can't sleep unless its dead quiet, then this is not the place for you. We also noticed clubbing music with heavy basses being played every night which was the most disturbing of all but we couldn't figure out where it was coming from. We suspected it was coming from Pub Street as the beats were very similar to the ones played when we were actually hanging around there, although we also thought there was no way we could hear that sound from such a distance...mystery. Oh, and you will hear rooster calls as well but at least that's in the morning.
⊖ Bathroom amenities - we had emailed them in advance to check on what bathroom amenities they had available and were advised that they had toothbrushes & toothpaste. However we didn't see these in our room so had to call them up and request. Strange thing was that they responded with "oh, so you prefer a toothbrush? Ok." Then it took them a while before they brought it to my room and what they gave me was a packaged Colgate toothbrush and boxed Colgate toothpaste as if they had just bought it from a store. I found out from my friends in the other cabin that they were only given one toothbrush as they had none left...another strange thing.
⊖ Spa - now again, we had inquired about this and reserved in advance and was advised that their spa service was offered by a local Cambodian spa place called Bodia Spa. We were under the impression that we were able to have the treatment in our rooms but it wasn't until we were there and asked our reception to confirm our booking again that we found out the treatments were booked for the spa's Old Market branch downtown. Bodia Spa advised the lodge staff that the treatments would be difficult to do in the room and they could not conveniently bring all the necessary equipment over to the lodge. I would have expected the lodge to have advised us exactly which treatments we could do in the room however when I asked the reception it seemed that Bodia Spa informed that none of the treatments could really be done at the lodge...
⊕⊖ Besides the cicadas & frogs, lizards and geckos are also a common sight here, so some may find it interesting, and some may not.
Useful Links:
☞ e-Visa US$28 (3 business days to process, digital photo needed for uploading with online application)
☞ Tourism of Cambodia → Angkor Complex
☞ Cambodian Business Directory
☞ Tourism of Cambodia → Angkor Complex
☞ Cambodian Business Directory
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