Siem Reap 2015

My spending for our Siem Reap trip in June 2015..

Day 1:

Buns n sweets, KLIA2 - RM7

Breakfast at Quizinn, KLIA2 - RM14.85

Texas Chicken, KLIA2 - RM13.75
Airport tips - USD10

Phanha Khmer restaurant - Usd7.50

Drinks n snacks - usd3.30

Angkor Wat entrance fee per adult - Usd20

Little Italy - Usd21

The North face - usd60

Day 2:

3 Scarfs, 2 pants n t-shirt at Ta Keo temple - usd11

Lily Restaurants - usd4

Slipper - usd3

Lily restaurant - usd8

Keychains - usd3

Pub Bar - usd14

Day 3:

Drinks n snacks - usd3.50

Red Piano restaurant - usd15.50

Dragon fruit shake - usd1 + usd1
Khmer Traditional Massage in Apsara Hotel - USD10

Triangle bar - usd8.75

Day 4:

Souvenirs at Old market - usd17 + usd51

Blue Pumpkin cafe - usd10.10 + usd2.50

Dragon fruit shake - usd1
Red Piano restaurant - usd30

Day 5:
Airport Transfer - USD10
Airport tips - RM10

Note:

1. Food in Siem Reap is a bit blend to me, but the drinks are too sweet. 
2. Hygiene, looks ok, but saw 2 huge mouse at the back of the shophouse nearby Apsara Hotel, the biggest mouse I ever see!
3. People are usually very friendly, which make us felt obligate to give some tips, maybe due to our 1st experience at airport checkpoint.
4. Generally things here are very similar to  Krabi, Thailand
5. No western food franchise, meaning no KFC, McD, Starbuck or whatsover.
6. You can find RHB atm in Pub Street area, and I saw a Maybank atm at the airport, so no problem for Malaysian to take out some extra cash.

Hotel Somadevi Angkor Resort & Spa, Siem Reap

Why did we choose this hotel? Because of the good review and great swimming for the kids to cool off.

And yes, the kids love the pool so much that it was difficult to get them out of it.

Swimming pool

Our Deluxe Pool View room

Our room

The balcony

The washroom

Waterlily at the pool area, notice there are bees on all the flowers?!

The hallway

Our welcoming drink - cooling yummy lemon grass drinks

The only problem is on the 1st night, the aircond in our room was not working, so we had to change room in the middle of the night.

It is claimed that its only takes a 5 minutes by foot to get to the Night Market but we always took a tuk tuk, cost us USD2 per trip.  Too much walking around the temple, so just spend a few dollars more for comfort.

See Breakfast at Somadevi Angkor Resort & Spa, Siem Reap

Apsara Centrepole Hotel, Siem Reap

The Apsara Centrepole is boutique hotel at the heart of Siem Reap.
What I like most about this hotel, besides the hi-speed internet of coz ;), is that, it's location in the middle of the most happening area in Siem Reap.  Walking distance from Pub Street, Central Market and Night market.
This hotel has 19 rooms and studios.

Hotel lobby n entrance area

Beautiful decor

Our welcoming lemongrass drinks and jackfruit sticky rice

 We were staying in a Terrace Suite.  The Terrace Suites are located on the second floor. They all feature en-suite (not so luxury) shower-room and toilet, controllable air-conditioning, wardrobe, writing desk and chairs.  We had 1 single (1.2m) beds and 1 queen-size (1.6m) bed. The Terrace Suites have a private rooftop terrace at the rear; perfect for private dining, sun-bathing and massage; plus a large private garden at the front.

The beds

 

The balcony

The washroom

The front area

 We had a wonderful stay at Apsara Centrepole boutique hotel, staffs are very friendly, food are tasty, location is the highlight, but the facility is a bit old.

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap | Day 2

At 1st we planned to go around 5.30am to catch the sunrise at the Angkor Wat.  Then again after careful thought, we end up going after we had breakfast at the hotel, which is around 6.45pm.

We wanted to have a good morning start for the kids, get them fully feed before started the journey.  A cranky kid is the last things that we need for a trip like this.

On Day 2: we visited all the places marked in blur circle

We skipped Angkor Wat and went straight to Ta Prohm.  When we reach Ta Phrom, we have to walk around 500 meters to get to the temple.  I love the shady n sandy path.

I love these huge trees.  They look dramatic but not scary at all.
There were major construction going on Ta Prohm. 

Then we stopped by at Ta Keo, the reconstruction of this temple is sponsored by China-Chinese team.

Next, the Chau Say Thevoda & Thommanom.

Next, Victoria Gate.

Then, The terrace of the Elephants; followed by The terrace of Leper King

South Gate

We went back to the hotel around 11am to have lunch and get some rest.  But before that our tuk tuk uncle had a surprise for us, he brought us to see Monkeys and Bats, the kids were so excited (that will be in another post).

We went back to the temples again at 3.30pm.  These time we went straight to Bayon.

Bayon is famous as the temple of many faces.  Some faces are smiling some just straight faces.  If you hired a guide, you will learn the meaning of behind these faces.  We did not hired any guide ourselves.  We just want to have a free n easy tour.

We went on the the top of Bayon temple, it is so breathtaking up there at sunset.  With only a few people around that time, we basically have the whole place all by ourselves.  We took our sweet time and captured all kind pictures with silly pose up there.

Before 6pm we start moving to have a last glimpse of Angkor Wat.

 I am so glad that we take some time off from our busy work life to visit this ancient city.  We dont know how long it can stand tall, or how far the modernization and restoration work will effect the place. We might even come back here again to explore more.  

The only temple that was initially in my itinerary that we did not get to see is Bakheang.  We decided to skip Bakheang for sunset considering the kids, they might not be able to climb to steep steps.  I am glad that we spent our extra time at Bayon.  It is such a majestic temple indeed.

See Angkor Wat, Siem Reap | Day 1

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap | Day 1

We went to buy the tickets around 5pm.  We bought 2 adult tickets for the next day at USD20 each.

This is the ticket booth, go to the back of the booth if you want to purchase a single day tickets, the front booth is for 3 or 7 days tickets.

After 5pm you can enter the temple for free.  So we went to catch the sunset at Angkor Wat.

From the ticket booth to Angkor Wat, you will pass by these beautiful scenery..  People picnic along the moat.

The sky was beautiful n blue that evening.

Not too many people around the pond, very nice location for photoshots.  But the smell (maybe from the pond) was quite unbearable.

Emmett at Angkor Wat

Eugene at Angkor Wat

Daddy at Angkor Wat

Mummy at Angkor Wat

Us at Angkor Wat

Ok, sun is down, visiting time is over.  Lets go back, tomorrow we shall come again.

To be cont Angkor Wat, Siem Reap | Day 2

The Red Piano, Siem Reap

This restaurant opened in 2000, they serves Cambodia, Western, Belgian food.

Most importantly, this is The restaurant where Angelina Jolie hangout while filming Tomb Raider.

Actually this restaurant was not in my itinerary, but since the location is so strategically located at the main junction of Pub Street, you just cannot miss it, and it does have it own attraction.

We went there not just once but twice.  Once for afternoon tea break and another for dinner on the next day.

For our tea break..

The menu and the ambiance on the ground floor.  Angelina Jolie was here 15 years ago, but the 'heat' is still remains.

We had Khmer soup noodle, smoked salmon and carbonara - the carbonara is too sweet, sugar in carbonara?! Hmm

For our dinner..

We were seated upstairs since the ground floor were packed.  So this is where the Red Piano is stationed!

We had pork chop with blue cheese sauce, chicken fingers, and carbonara, this time the carbonara is even sweeter, Eugene can't even finished it.

Overall, food are ok, but the service can be better especially during dinner when it is full house. 

Breakfast at Somadevi Angkor Resort & Spa, Siem Reap

Not bad, banyak choice, yang penting menepati selera anak-anak.

 Porridge

Soft boiled eggs

Bacon, eggplant salad, toast, waffle

Eugene & Emmett enjoyed the breakfast.

Eugene suka la buat muka pelik-pelik kalau tangkap gambar sekarang ni.

Khmer Traditional Massage

I take the opportunity while in Siem Reap to try out the Khmer Traditional Massage.  And I enjoyed it.  It is very similar to Thai massage minus the pain. 

Khmer Traditional massage is based on the concept of the invisible line of energy running along your body.  It helps to ease sore muscles and restore proper blood circulation.

Packase offers at Apsara Centrepole Hotel, Siem Reap.

I tried the Thai massage once while in Krabi, but I cannot handle the pressure and I asked for a change to Aromatherapic massage instant.

Like everything else in Siem Reap, this Khmer massage is a mild version of Thai massage.

I almost fell asleep in between, very relaxing indeed.

The massage package at the hotel cost USD10, you can get a cheaper price outside around USD3-5.  But I prefer to have it at the comfort of my room's balcony.

Fresh fruit shake, Siem Reap

I had lots of these fresh dragon fruit shake while in Siem Reap.  Its tasty, its cheap.  Medium size cost USD1.

It is basically, fruit, ice cube, condensed milk, sugar syrup, and just blend it all together, yummy.

It can be very sweet, so you need to mention less sugar or no sugar at all coz there's already sweet from the condensed milk and the fruit is sweet by itself.

These are some of the photos that I took at the juice cart.

1. Dragon shake #1

This juice cart is somewhere near Pub Bar, BB Angkor night market.

2. Dragon shake #2

This juice cart is at the opposite of Red Piano restaurant, Pub street.  Walking distance from Aspara Central Hotel.

3. Dragon shake #3

From the same cart as shake #2.  Since it is so near to our hotel, we went there again for a 2nd helping.

Juice cart #1 wins in terms of cleanliness.

Siem Reap International Airport | Departure

New airport with crafted statue still under construction.

Luggage check in counter..

Imigresen checkpoint & Departure hall area

Boarding..