Don’t let the absence of magnolia trees put you off La Magnolia d’Angkor Boutique Hotel. Walking along the neat, tree-lined driveway, through the smart and airy reception to the spacious terrace with its gorgeous pool it’s easy to see why, less than three months after opening, this lovely little Siem Reap hotel has gathered quite … read the full post

The Cambodian cooking classes advertised by Sojourn Boutique Villas and tour operator Beyond Unique Escapes both come highly recommended — so highly that I’ve managed to use my inability to choose between the two as an excuse to do neither for quite some time. So, when a visiting friend booked us onto a half-day course, … read the full post

There is nothing like a visit to thriving city centre market to make you feel really connected with the local culture. While Bangkok has Chatuchak, Saigon has Ben Thanh, and Phnom Penh has the art deco Psar Thmei, what does Siem Reap have to compete with these mercantile icons? The answer is Psar Leu, a … read the full post

Close to Siem Reap, with its own unique appeal and much quieter than your average Angkorian ruin, Banteay Kdei offers the perfect antidote the crowds at Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. It is also conveniently close to the Big Three so you can easily add it to your one-day itinerary, enjoy a little … read the full post

With its deep red and warm yellow decor, lively atmosphere and rows of wooden tables, Khmer Kitchen bears an uncanny resemblance to a Spanish venta or a Mexican cantina. But the similarity ends with the decor and what you will actually find at this busy eatery in Siem Reap’s tourist centre are generous portions of … read the full post

One of the best and most interesting ways to evoke memories of a trip somewhere special is not through things you touch — souvenirs (though there can be a place for them, of course) — but through the things you can smell, preferably also employing your nose’s partner in a good time, your sense of taste. … read the full post

Visitors to Siem Reap are often disappointed when they get home to discover that many of the Cambodian souvenirs they bargained so hard for in the heat and the crowds of the Old Market are actually made in China. Thanks to the Angkor Handicraft Association’s new gold seal of authenticity, and its recently opened ‘made-in-Siem … read the full post

Puppet construction is well under way and the marching bands are booked. Whether you have planned it deliberately or just happen to be in Siem Reap for the 2013 Giant Puppet Parade on February 23, getting a good vantage point on the night is crucial if you want to see and hear the parade in … read the full post

The area around Siem Reap is prime cycling country. It’s flat, picturesque, and — if you are lucky — quiet.  However, accident rates on Cambodia’s roads are staggeringly high, and while most of your cycling will probably be on the quieter back-roads, you will have to tackle one or more of Siem Reap’s busier “arterial … read the full post

Streetwise visitors to Siem Reap should know that giving money to begging children is tantamount to giving money directly to the adults who force them to work the streets in the first place. So when a child, or even an adult, approaches you on Pub Street and asks you to buy milk for their baby … read the full post