Traveling to Siam Reap Cambodia

Siam Reap....formerly the capitol of the Khmer Empire located in the north eastern part of Cambodia. The Khmer peaked in the 14th century and then started a slow decline and finally became a vassel state of the Nguyen Emperors of Vietnam in the 1800's. But prior to that the capitol moved to Phenom Phen, and Siam Reap became a sleepy backwater. Along came the french after they colonized Indochina, and they uncovered the old Khmer capital city with all the temples and buildings we now associate as Ankor Wat.



Travel to Siam Reap and Ankor Wat. 
If you are heading there from the USA a direct flight is difficult. I connected through Siagon HCMC Vietnam. An E-Visa for Cambodia is pretty easy to get online. But before you go I suggest you check your vaccinations. Siam Reap has 2 seasons...dry and wet. February is dry and typically the coolest. There are a huge choice of price points for places to stay. I recommend Travelfish.org to find places to stay. I dont like to spend $$$ for a room since I spend most of my time sight seeing.
Rosey Guest house was my pick. Central location for me was the key. Having a bar and food was a plus as well as 2 tuk-tuk drivers. I did the Grand Circuit and a few additional sites. My driver did a great job to get me to the sites at off peak hours. And the smaller local places seem to work hard to make your trip a good one. Locals generally give the best advice as well.

Currency in Cambodia is the US dollar! Take fresh bills too. If your large bills are too crumpled they might refuse them. I took all 100's. The smaller bills are no problem but make sure the Benjamins are crisp. Most people speak enough english for reasonable communication. The food is quite good too. They have some curry dishes that are great. Dont be afraid to go to the night market and try some of the food stalls. They have many things to buy also. There is also a wide variety of foreign cuisine restaurants. Pub Street...yes, thats its name also has a huge number of bars. Any drink you can imagine.  Other great things to do are cooking classes, Museums, Markets, Ecotours and Apsara dance performances. Again I recommend Travelfish.org for the best info on Siam Reap. I recommend a good travel insurance with medical. Medical care is spotty but if you get sick go to the Royal Ankor Hospitol. UCare Pharmacy for basic needs and Metfone for phone cards is a good choice. You can get by without a phone...all hotels have good wifi as do many cafes. Petty theft and snatch-grab crimes sometimes happen. Avoid dark streets and travel in groups at night. I found the Tuk-Tuk the best way to travel. Get your drivers cell number and they will pick you up at night. Many drivers also have minivan service for groups. Leave questions in the comment section if you have any. I will do my best to answer.