After every temple run, I get the chance to explore what Siem Reap has to offer outside the confines of ancient ruins and temples. Siem Reap has an artistic and cultural vibe that I came to love unexpectedly. There was the typical backpacker restaurants, bars, and night markets, but there were also small, intimate family-owned restaurants and stalls that have endeared me to Siem Reap.
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| Pub Street |
Pub Street is a popular place for tourists who visit Siem Reap. The street is teeming with restaurants, shops, and bars. The hostel I stayed in was a mere 5 minute walk from Pub Street which made the restaurants and shops accessible to me.
For a third world country I found Siem Reap's restaurants a bit pricey compared to Kota Kinabalu's and Thailand's.
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| Lok Lak |
For $6 up this meal was pretty steep for a budget traveler. This restaurant was right out side Angkor Wat, the meals were mostly $3.50 up, unless you just want to eat dessert. The serving was rather big for one person which to an extent justified its steep price.
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| Lok Lak |
Lok Lak was the only Cambodian dish I ate during my stay. It had 3 variations which were pork, chicken, and beef. I'm no food critic but I liked how it was a bit spicy and flavorful, and reminded me of beef steak back home. This Lok Lak dish was from a restaurant near the hostel I stayed in, this meal was only $3.50 and the serving, depending on appetite, was good enough for 2. I found one fast food chain in Siem Reap, no it was not McDonald's, it was KFC.
There are also lots of markets in Siem Reap, finding a souvenir is not hard to do in this charming town.
The markets sell a variety of things from trinkets, scarves, sculptures, shirts, dresses, paintings, and other things.
The prices of the items you buy will depend on your ability to bargain with the store owners. I got 6 key chains for $3 and two scarves for $6, I'm sure you can do better. Other items like the hand crafted wooden sculptures fetched for more than $100 per item, and there were also jewelry stores that sold rings, bracelets, and earrings for more than $100 also.
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For those items, I think it's better to just shop at our very own tiangges at 168 or Greenhills. Cheap and we don't need to pay for air fare and accommodation.
ReplyDelete@Rochkirstin: I'd agree that it would be better to shop here since we get the same stuff anyway haha
ReplyDeleteI wish you could feature more the items you bought and placse you shopped rather than photos of food.
ReplyDeleteLok Lak looks like beef steak too because of the onion rings. :)
ReplyDeleteThe souvenir stalls remind me of the stalls in Baclaran.
@iaadamlim: The places for shopping look just like the stalls we have here in Greenhills, 168, or other stalls so I just took a few pictures. I think in various parts of Southeast Asia we'll see the same kind of stalls and markets. I also saw the same kind of stalls and markets in Thailand and Kota Kinabalu. :D
ReplyDeleteI was also able to watch a cultural show in one of the restaurants in Siem Reap Then there's Cambodia Cultural Village too in Siem Reap.
ReplyDeleteAre those figures in USD? Pretty steep, indeed. But of course, it should already be included in your budget when you're out of the country.
ReplyDeleteYes those figures are in USD that's why I think Siem Reap is a pretty expensive place
ReplyDeleteParang manila/ongpin/quiapo din pala. Mahal din pala ang mga items na nila dyan.
ReplyDeletewow! i got excited when i saw the night market picture!!! i love nigh markets! the food looks yummy and affordable for me. xx
ReplyDeleteWish you could post some of the stuff you bought. but that Lok Lak dish looks pretty tasty :)
ReplyDeleteThe place resembles that of Mabini at night. I agree the foods seems pricey. But I am curious about Lok Lak, Ano ba talaga ang lasa?
ReplyDeleteI wish to visit siem reap too and see how it goes. :)
ReplyDeleteSame here in Davao we do have like that, shopping for cheap prize. LOK LAK, hmmmm a must try dish.
ReplyDeletei always love to go at night market. love the food and the tiange, very affordable!
ReplyDeletePretty expensive! Do they have nice items? Not naman made in china?
ReplyDeletenight markets just means how busy the place are. even at night time, a lot of people are still roaming around to buy something. Yahweh bless.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you got a great experience there in Cambodia. With the foods you ate and stuffs you buy, you sound so satisfied with your Cambodia travel.
ReplyDelete@Cai Entereso: that depends on your taste it had the same stuff like most of the markets I saw in other Southeast Asian countries and here in the Philippines. I think the items were authentic to Cambodia. :D
ReplyDeletewow.. it is my first time to read a post about Cambodia trip. for foods, i do not see it as a waste of penny for you will only get into a country once, so try any dish from the place. for stuffs, a souvenir will do. but for shopping, i heard that thailand is a good place to shop.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your blog post, I imagine that there's definitely a lot to do in Siam Reap. And the best thing about it is the night market!
ReplyDeleteIt's good that there are lots of cheap food there but I'm worried that the locals cannot communicate well in English. Can they?
ReplyDeleteThe place looks peaceful based on the photos. The items are quite pricey though. :)
ReplyDelete@Rochkirstin: yes they can their accent is more understandable than the Thais haha
ReplyDeleteSiem reap is really alive at night. It's really fun in there though a bit expensive compared to other parts of Cambodia.
ReplyDeleteThis place should be included in my Travels List. Though I wonder, does Lok Lak taste like Pinoy's Bistek?
ReplyDeletewow! ang mahal din pala ng foods dyan. I might buy from our street carenderia. LOL
ReplyDelete$6 dollar meal is not cheap indeed! haha i mean if you're a budget traveler or for everyone right? wanted to see this place very soon too! must try the shopping too! xx
ReplyDeleteOMG $6 for a meal that would be P240. It's quite costly. Looking at the food photos I think it looks yummy. During my travels either abroad or locally here in the Philippines, I make it sure that I have at least one little souvenir to take home as a remembrance that I can afford to buy, of course.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like most about traveling is the shopping experience. and that Lok Lak, dunno if I can brave that one, am not spicy eater he!he!
ReplyDelete$3.50 for the Lok Lak doesnt sound too shabby and it looks delicious too. I better start Googling for this recipe to at least, get a bit of the experience you had on this trip. :D
ReplyDeleteI can do better than you. My hubby says that I am the discount lady,lol. The food looks good.
ReplyDeleteFirst time I've heard about Siem Reap in your blog. It's wonderful to check out and try the food specialties of Siem Reap and wonder around their souvenir shops. It really matters to me when I bought some memorabilia from a visited place to always remind me the places where i've been. Despite the steep price.
ReplyDeleteI think almost every country in Asia has popular street or night market for tourists, with restaurants, bar and souvenir shops.
ReplyDeleteMakes me want to fly to Cambodia now! I wanna go to Siem Reap too! Please take me there!! =)
ReplyDeletethere are a lot of cheap finds there!! I wish I could go there too so I can buy a lot of stuffs! :)
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