Hello Sweeties✨ Welcome back to my blog. Finally here's the 5D4N Chanwon's itinerary and must go places recommendation from my previous trip to Cambodia. As you guys know it's my self-leisure trip and we booked the trip and stay quite last min. Due to our busy working schedule, we really didn't plan or prepare anything before the trip. So at the end of the day, we decided to just relax and when we arrived the accommodation stay, we decided to ask the local & suggest us the places that we need to visit and some inside tips for places which has less tourist.
I believe most of you never been to Cambodia before and compare to country that I visited from the past, this is totally a new bucket list and the place that I always wanted to visit! From this blog post, you can expect some hidden food recommendation, travel tips and must visit place / to-do with all budget expenses planning & accommodation as well. I really hope you enjoy reading everything from here and can be the expert & start planning for your trip to visit Cambodia.
| ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
When I first landed in Siem Reap, Cambodia, it reminds me of Thailand. It's somehow quite similar on the street but unfortunately on the next following day when I visited the old temples around Siem Reap, I mean it's completely different than the rest of the places I visited.
Cambodia is located in between of both Thailand and Vietnam. I thought I will visit to Vietnam first but you know life is all about changes and unexpectation. So ended up I checked my bucket list and visited to Cambodia this year lol. People who plan to visit Cambodia will first visit the busy capital, which is known as Phnom Penh first but we actually really want to see the old temples and Angkor first. So ended up my friends and I decided to mark our date down and visit to Siem Reap for the first time.
source: google image
Also ever since I started my travel life, I love to plan our itinerary based on what we like, which means not rushing at all, just follow the flow and we always looking for local foods and I really love interacting with the local people and asking for recommendation that we might not know from the internet or less famous. So this time we actually went Siem Reap for 5D4N.
Next, let's talk about the weather , what to bring , transportation , accommodation and expenses in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
#Weather & Must Bring
No joking, to be honest I never expect the weather in Cambodia on middle of March is so extremely hot. I asked the local they told me October and January is the best weather to visit in Cambodia. It's less hot than middle of March and slightly better for tourist. But the flight ticket and accommodation is quite reasonable and cheap during the period of our visit. Guess it's because of the extremely hot season plus it's not a peak season at that time.
Here's some of the MUST BRING item to Cambodia:-
Mosquito Spray, Sunglasses, Hat and most importantly, face mist + body and face sunblock!
If you didn't get any of them then you will get sunburn easily. I thought at night it's colder but still, the weather and air is still duper dry. So dont expect any cold wind to be appear at night. It's pretty hot and I still sweating at night lol.
One plus point is if you visit during this kind of hot weather, best if you could bring the bikini bra top or anything less padding. If not you will ended up need to keep exchange for a new inner wear because you will keep sweating. I bath 3 times a day lol. Can you imagine that?!! During the time we visit to Cambodia, it's around 36-38'c every day.
The weather and air makes my skin stay dehydrated all day long. So if you are heading to Cambodia, remember to bring hydration skincare, face mist or anything can keep your skin hydrate or calm. So that's all the advice I could give.
#Extra: things you need to know
Here's some extra tips you need to know in Cambodia:-
- Please cover yourself with bottom below knees and top with sleeve when visit to all temples. No sexy and sleeveless outfit. Show respect to the place and if you didn't, they will not allow you to enter the temple.
- Do not give any candy or money to the children. The government has stated at a sign board nearby all the entrance or tourist point. They want them to learn how to survive and grow rather than begging for free candy or ask things for free. I really like how their government educate them.
- About the time, Cambodia is one hour difference with Malaysia. So when Malaysia time is 10.45am, it will be 9.45am in Cambodia. The air quality and condition isn't really that good in Cambodia, if you take tutu remember to wear a mask.
- The beer and wine is cheaper in Cambodia as well.
- All entrance ticket need to be purchase at the official ticket counter.
- Thank you in Cambodian language is known as "all gun" all-滾 😂
#Simcard & internet access
We didn't book pocket wifi to this trip. We just head over to the nearby simcard company (just outside the airport) and get the 6USD package to enjoy 20GB data through our trip. Which I think it's really affordable. So if you are planning to visit to Cambodia, just get simcard then you can easily go solo trip without the need to keep sticking with your friends who carry the pocket wifi. 3 of us get the 6USD package and we are done!
Once you walk out from the airport, turn left at the waiting area you can see all these shop selling attractive simcard package. If you dont know you can ask someone to guide you here.
#Tour & Transportation rate: Day tour / driver or Tutu /Free & Easy
For all visitor who plan to visit to Cambodia, it's advice to take a day tour to visit to those tourist spot like Angkor or even Koh Keh. If you are not interested in any of the tourist spot or temples, just food hunting or walk around the street then you can just free & easy or take nearest cab or tutu available nearby your stay.
For example like the second day we visited to Koh Ker, it takes hours to complete the whole day tour because we didn't just visit to one place and go back to hour hotel, all tour plan with a nice route which comes together with others old and beautiful architecture temples. It's quite risky if you just randomly ask some tutu or taxi driver to fetch you to the place because first, you aren't sure how much is the fair market rate and easily get scam.
#ChanwonTips: Like how I usually check the fair price, I will ask for the hotel for the complete price list for all kind of tour.
I stayed at this resort hotel and they prepared everything for us on the day we check in to our stay. So as you can see everything listed nicely to you. Alternative, you can always pre-book it through some travel app such as KLOOK (my favourite all the time) and I realise all the tour booking from Klook has tour guide following you and walk you to the place and each spot. Since we only book the taxi from our hotel, we dont have any tour guide following us. *Remember to use promo code 'CHANWON92KLOOK' on Klook to enjoy 5%-12% OFF on your booking*
The driver just stop at the side and park his car and the rest just we enjoy ourself touring each place. Quite nice for us but it also means that I can't really understand each of the place's history and etc. So depends on you if you prefer travel guide which speaks in your language, you can book it through Klook App and then all price listed nicely for you!
Since I booked through the hotel, here's the fair price in the market! You can bookmark this and at least you know what's going on.
If you book through trustable place, you will get to pay according to the fair market price also all the drivers are well trained with forbidden for intimidating the guest to shop / drink / eat at places where you do not want to go. It's just a dollar to few dollars cheaper outside but I rather to pay something which is more reliable and trustable. Like for the transportation go and back from airport, I also book through the hotel. Very straight forward and I prefer to give everything once. 不用麻煩~
Car or Tutu?
Next, talking about whether to take tutu or car it's also based on your preference. I will HIGHLY RECOMMEND you to take car than tutu. Imagine you sit on the tutu without any air con and the weather is super duper hot outside. Please just go for driver and take car instead of Tutu. But tutu is really much cheaper compare to the car. We booked 2 diff day tour from the hotel, one for Angkor area and another day for Koh Ker. Both we choose for Car with driver. We just take tutu when we go somewhere nearer or for food hunting lol.
Small Tour? Big Tour or Outside Tour?
So when I first arrived in Siem Reap to the hotel, they asked us whether interested to take small or big tour. I thought since we have only 3 pax, definitely go for a small tour. 😂 😂 😂 In fact, I get it wrongly. What they mean for Small / Big / Outside tour is the route and it's refer to the places you wish to visit or take.
For small tour it means the Angkor Area which included Angkor Wat, Bayon, Angkar Thom & more. For Big tour it's another route to visit those beautiful temple and lastly the Outside tour refer to Koh Ker area. Small tour is nearer while outside tour has less tourist because it's far and very hard to access to.
In this trip, we decided to go for Small Tour & Outside Tour. 1 day for each tour. So it will be:-
- Small Tour with Car- Angkor Area =, Angkor Wat, Bayon , Angkor Thom & other small old temples = USD 35
- Outside Tour with Car- Koh Ker & Beng Mealea area = USD 90
So all of these is the fees we used on transportation except the tutu we book just few dollars USD go to places nearby our hotel. We have 3 pax so it's going to divided by 3 which I think consider quite reasonable and not pricy at all.
If you are randomly taking taxi outside, they will also try to ask you whether are you interested on their tour or not. So I have captured this for you to take as reference. So each tour has diff route design for the tourist. Anyway, I booked all through the hotel so it's just for your reference.
#Accommodation @Rambutan Hotel & Resort
As you guys know I mostly prefer staying in a homestay rather than resort and hotel but eversince I tried to stay in a resort in Bali, I started to go for resort hotel whenever I want for a more relax kind of trip. Like in Cambodia there are lots of nice villa and resort. So we scroll through booking.com and Agoda.com ended up we just really attracted by this Rambutan Hotel & Resort. Attracted by the pool, green and also the name! HAHAHAHAHAHA
This is the photo taken randomly by my phone beside our resort big swimming pool. You can relax, massage and have your breakfast around the pool. This resort also has villa, bar and their own restaurant. I love the whole concept of it and there are lots of plants and green color here. But one big point is their service provided and the staffs are super duper friendly.
They told me everything I need to know in their country. All of them are from the local and they are really really helpful. I give a full stars for this resort. Whenever we need help, they are here to help us and most importantly, it's very reasonable. Consider quite cheap for me omg! Every corner of this resort is so insta worthy.
Our 3 pax room with one double size bed + 1 size bed is around RM400 per night. We stayed here for 4 nights so total up it will be RM530 per person! Really reasonable and they also free all their customer 30 mins foot massage which you can redeem on the day which you prefer. Here's some of the photo taking in this beautiful place. Let photo do the talking!!
Every corner is super beautiful
OOTD everywhere lol but sorry for the bad quality because I didn't bring camera to Cambodia. I just want to relax and stick only to my phone. Even I didn't bring my laptop along too!
I never order food from hotel because it seems never ever reach my expectation but surprisingly, I really really like their food. Unexpectedly good and I realise I really can survive in Cambodia because most of their food isn't spicy at all and comes with rice. I think compare to Thailand, I prefer Cambodia food omg!! It's so yummy and such amazing variety to choose from. Even I simply and radon order it, it still taste really good. My cup of tea tho!!
I redeem my free massage on the second day of our trip! HAHAHAHA
Our room located at the highest floor with a really nice pool view from our balcony.
Our outdoor bathtub lol No one use this due to the super duper hot weather. I prefer to stay indoor HAHAHAHAHA
There are villa type room available as well. Just take a look on the website and our room is just nice for 3 pax with one more single bed. Also space to open our luggage and walk around.
Welcome drinks on the first day we arrived the hotel while waiting for the check in.
#All about Cambodian Food
Through my 5D4N experience. Per meal is around USD5 /per person. It's around RM20-24 per meal per person. Which is really reasonable and it's more or less around that price. So now you can estimate how much pocket money you should bring to Cambodia. As I mentioned before I really love local dish except for Japanese food but guess what, surprisingly, I really love Cambodia food.
If you look through the menu, most of the dish actually come with white rice. OMG this is my place babehhh!! I can't live without rice it's why I'm so struggle when I visited to Europe country. I went to Italy for almost 2 weeks and ended up I'm afraid of all kind of western food lol. In fact when I'm having my trip in Cambodia, one of the most exciting part is ordering my food.
I love their 'Khmer Soup' . Khmer is actually mean Cambodian. Like khmer soup means local Cambodian soup. Anything khmer just my cup of tea omg!! Khmer soup taste like tom yam soup in Thailand without any spiciness!! It's sour yet really yummy just like tomyam but no spicy version kind of tom yam! 😋😋😋
Everything well cooked and if you order the soup or any dish, you can choose to have it in beef, fish or chicken meat. Like can customise one and also each of it will come with a bowl of white rice! HAHAAHHAHA
One of the menu of the restaurant we went! Everything no more than USD5
#Expenses / How much pocket money I should bring
We really enjoy our taitailife in this trip. We stay in a really good resort hotel, eat everything without looking to the price, enjoying massage and I thought there is something to get or purchase as souvenir but I think after the whole trip, I only bought one rattan bag and some snacks back only. With all and including the stay and flight ticket, I only used RM2000. Yes 2k ONLY!
wth, I dont even believe it and I think next time around I will go back and just enjoy life, go whenever I want, cafe hopping and just enjoy life like a queen because it's amazingly good!
Our accommodation + Flight ticket: RM1000
Transportation+ Food+ Tour and the rest:USD$ 200-250 (<RM1000)
Total expenses: around RM2000
So if you already booked your stay and flight ticket, just bring around RM1-1.5k to Cambodia for a 5D4N with 2 day tour itinerary. Please I wanna go back again and enjoy my #taitailife lol
#5D4N | Chanwon's Itinerary
So as usual if you read and followed me for quite some time, you know how I usually plan my Japan itinerary. Since I mentioned to you that we actually didn't plan before the trip, we ended up just plan every to-do after speaking to the local and just booked all the day tour right away from our hotel on the first and second day. Surprisingly, I start to enjoy this kind of travel style due to the busy life we had in KL lol.
I just suggested since one day we need to woke up at 4am, I decided to make it more relaxable and adjustable for all of us. So in between each day tour, we got a day where we just simply doing food hunting to the local cafe or visited to some of the art gallery. Doesn't it sound interesting? So on the first day we landed and resting in the hotel. Here's the summary that we suggested!
1st Day: We arrived in the afternoon, checked in our hotel and just relax, bath and walk around the street > old market > pub street.
2nd Day: Outside Tour to Koh Ker area, highlight will be Koh Ker > Beng Melea and other small & super old temple.
3rd Day: Food and beautiful street hunting > Local Art Gallery > went to the PHARE > local restaurant and food store included the street food
4th Day: Woke up at 4am > small tour to Angkor area, the highlight will be Angkor Wat > Bayon > Ta Prohm > Phimeanakas.
5th Day: Last brunch in Cambodia and going back to KL & leaving the hotel at 2pm.
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*Day 1: Afternoon check in - Night
| #1 Relax Plan: Old Market, Pub Streets and local food hunting
So first day we arrived resort and wait for our check in around 2pm. It was a extremely tired day for me due to the super hot weather and I never expect it's really super hot, my skin was dehydrated on the first day but still, it was amazing. The staff of the resort arrange and help us take our luggage to our room at the upper floor, also giving us a guide on what to expect and prepared a welcome drink for each of us.
Since we are hungry and got no plan at all, while waiting for our check in time we decided to ask for recommendation, plan our trip at the common area of the resort. Also asking if any place for our no plan's plan. They suggested us to visit and shop at the old market in a big and walk toward to the pub streets area and maybe take tutu to enjoy the local street food at night as well.
Tutu time to visit to the night market in Siem Reap
Hehe the draft beer here is so cheap but too bad I dont take alcohol lol
Bought this bag for USD 15 in the old market
If you forgot to bring bikini bra top you can always purchase it here and most of the clothing style is kind of similar with Thailand.
Random photo I took on the first day in Cambodia.
Interesting bar
The famous pub street and surprisingly a lot 'ang-mo' here!
Very happening here and there are massage service in between each diff pub or bar around the street.
Love the overall ambiance of this cafe.
If you dare you can try to eat the scorpion or well cooked spider lol. So scary omg!
So here's one of our favourite aka MUST TRY restaurant in Siem Reap. It's just right beside our resort stay. Their spring roll is super duper good omg!!! A big big point also go for its ambiance, at night this cafe bar / cafe is really beautiful.
Outside of the shop is actually one of the insta worthy photo place as well lol
| #2 EAT @Wild Creative Bar & Eatery
Here come to the #2 to do list. It can be your night craving food or you can visit after your dinner time. Just enjoy chit chatting around with your travel partner or even have a cup of red wine or my favourite cocktails here. I prefer their cocktail!! You just can't stop it lol
This is the photo I posted on instagram and everyone be like 'OMG OMG' Really never expect this kind of cafe / bar at night in Cambodia. Plus it's nearby our stay so after drunk can back hotel easily AHHAAHAHAHAH just joking*This is the indoor area and there is one outdoor area. Also there are lots of beautiful and nice ambiance shop near this street. If you are here just walk randomly and go in any which caught your attention. Oh yea, one thing to take note is remember to put on mosquito spray when you take a seat at the outdoor table.
I really highly recommend you to try out their spring roll. This is by far the best spring roll I ever had in my life fml. The chocolate spring roll just melted right away but caution it's hot ya. We ordered few diff spring roll included the wild spring roll, chocolate fever spring roll, cheese and Brazil spring roll as well.
My partner in crime during my Cambodia Trip 💕
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*Day 2:
| #3 Outside Tour: Koh Ker & Beng Melea
On the second day of our trip, as I mentioned earlier, we took the day tour from our hotel. We decided to explore the beauty of countryside and old temples. The highlight of this day tour is mainly on Beng Melea & Koh Ker temples. The driver will prepared cold drink for you in the car and I really highly recommend you to visit to Koh Ker area because it was full of mystery and just I can't imagine how impressive on all the stone buildings are.
Both Beng Mealea and Koh Ker is located at the countryside. The driver pick up us at the resort and firstly we took 30 mins to arrive at Koh Ker then take our lunch before another 1 hour 30 mins ride to Beng Melea. For me both of the visit is full of uninhabited forests to mysterious temples. A big surprise is whenever I look at the Khmer Empire Impressive carvings, stone buildings & ancient artifacts it leaves only 'WOW' on my brain.
I have never seen this before. The buildings are really huge and one of my favourite is the intriguing Prasat Pram sanctuary, with its 5 towers prettily draped in tree roots, and Prasat Chen, containing 2 enclosures and fighting monkey statues. The tree roots are soooooooo huge and I wonder what happen and why the tree roots can grow so huge omg!
I'm so curious to see and take a look on all these super historical temples with all kind of symbolic sculptures, and ancient remains from the Khmer Empire. It's all my thoughts on the second day visit to Koh Ker & Beng Melea. Now let's all the photo do the talking!!
First stop to get the Beng Melea and Koh Ker entrance ticket. For all the ticket or tourist spot, it's a must to get the ticket at their ticket counter. You can't get it from the hotel but the driver will fetch you to the ticket counter and you can just buy it from the counter.
Got my Koh Ker ticket!
I love how all these places are so photogenic. Look at all this photo and a #ChanwonTips to wear really bright color (other than brown or nude) when you are plan to visit to Cambodia. Only bright color can help you stand out from the forest / brown tone temples & background.
Here's all the photo I took during my visit to Koh Ker. It's full of uninhabited forests to mysterious temples.
As I mentioned just now, Koh Ker and Beng Melea is located at countryside. Which also mean it's less tourist compare to Angkor Wat. Look all the photo taken without photobomb. I really like countryside visit and I can just enjoy hearing the birds sound and walking on the old historical side.
So beautiful right!
Next visit to this beautiful creature
If you visit during October or January, there is more green color on the buildings. It's super huge, you can walk toward it and standing above the building but I'm afraid of height. So I just passed by and do sight-seeing only. Next day onward, I tried to conquer to height problem and ended up I still go up to few different temples when I go to Angkor Tour. So yea, please give me a hug right now! AHHAHAAHHA
During our journey to the next visit spot, I saw some of the local sitting on the car next to our car. I makes me realise how lucky we are. Despite their country is not as rich as the rest of the country, I think all the people born in Cambodia are always proud of themselves. I see all of them always greet us with really bright smile. I saw their tour guide explaining all the historical buildings with smile and whenever we need of help, they give us the correct direction or ask someone who can speak in English to talk with us.
I realize all the people born in such place are so good in languages. They can speak so many language. Even the food stall staff can speak in their local language, English and a little Mandarin. I heard some can even speak in Japanese as well.
When I realise how clean is their toilet is compare to our country, it just blow my mind. Even those really far and countryside restaurant we visit, their toilet is super duper clean. No litter around the road or street. Everything I seen in this trip just changed my mind. I never feel so emotion but this trip just brought back lots of reflection to my life. It has been one of my visit country I went this year.
This is by far my favourite thing to visit through the trip as well. All of these towers prettily draped in such huge and tall tree roots. It's just nice see it from far but when you walk nearby and standing right in front of the tower entrance, you realise how tiny you are.
Look at this! OMG. It's just WOW!
After took our lunch, it's time to visit the enchanting & jungle-covered temple of Beng Mealea Sandstone temples. I think it's the oldest temple ever because most of the wall aren't in the perfect look. I can see the wall and stone all around the walking road.
You can't step on it or sit above the stone and take photo.
OMG is this even real!!
Here's some of my favourite photo taken in Beng Melea.
All my favourite shoot on that day.
Dirty feet 😝
After the whole trip we decided to go back to our resort, take a hot shower to wash away all the dirt and sweat lol. Then we are quite lazy to take tutu and go out again, so we decided to enjoy our dinner at our resort's restaurant. Yes, that's the best decision ever then after that we have some red wine at our own room. Just visit to the nearest convenience store and get some random wine HAHAHA!
When your resort's food is as good as the outside food. Look at the menu itself, it's the complete menu even the better one compare with all the outside restaurant we went. I really like the khmer so ended up I still stick with khmer local dish! So if you happen to stay in this resort that I recommended, please try their food!!!
One big point go to those who take only vegetarian, if you are only allow to take vegetarian food no worries! Most of the food here can be cook using vegetable to replace the meat or seafood / food. You can also enjoy the food at your balcony, room or beside the pool.
Here's some of the food we ordered and tried in our resort's restaurant. The rest I'm too hungry and forgot to take photo! HAHAHAHA
My favourite Khmer soup! the non spicy tomyam soup!!
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*Day 3:
| #4 Went to Art Gallery, PHARE , Temple Container Bar / Food store
The following day is more of a relaxing day because we booked the PHASE a day before and we actually collected the ticket from our hotel counter. You can book through the travel app or some other official website as well. Since the PHARE performance start at 8pm, we only need to gather in the hotel at 7.10pm, we decided to fully utilise our day with food hunting at nearby alley and maybe visit one of their art gallery.
Since we didn't go to visit any temple today I can wear something sleeveless. Luckily I brought it here because it's really so hot, I can't even wear a normal tee without sweating all over my armpit lol.
Here's the PHASE show ticket collected from our hotel counter. The ticket we booked is around USD18 per person. There are 3 diff kind of ticket, some is facing directly at the stage to have a full front view for the show while the one we booked is slightly cheaper because the seat wasn't directly facing the front and best view. But I dont really mind because it's still so nice!
After we collected our ticket, we decided to walk around to the nearby art gallery first and see what to eat at the nearby alley. One of my friend suggested this art gallery and here's some of the photo I took in the gallery.
The dress is so beautiful
Guess what is this? A vagina , penis and a pregnant women 很抽象下
After visited the art gallery my stomach is calling and one of my friend continue to visit the rest of the art gallery while I'm doing all sort of food hunting. Then I bumped into this beautiful western style alley. It's sooooo nice and it's located just at the Old Market area - Malraux.
The beautiful Alley: Malraux
If you looking for a break between visits to the temples or old market, here's the place for you. There are so many choice for you to choose from. From a hearty breakfast to a full menus for lunch and dinner. It's both French and Khmer food in this secret alleyway.
Look how beauty this secret alley is
Photo taken at this alley street! I'm so happy because the food here is so yummy as well. But slightly pricy than the average food price. But whatever, a big big point goes to the ambiance and jazz music! HAHAAHHA Here's our lunch order 😋
Then we decided to walk around, one of my friend went back to hotel and take a rest. One working and me just walking around and exploring this beautiful place. At 7pm we decided to gather everyone in our hotel so we can take tutu to the PHASE show. Feeling so excited about it!!
Look how beautiful our hotel's bar and pool side is
Yes I bought one of these. The flat plate!! Quite unique~
Are you guys ready!!!!
When I first heard it from my friend of the word 'circus' I thought it's like the animal performance or anything but NO, it's a local Cambodian circus that performance by talented artist from the local. It has a funny story line which provide a good lesson to all the visitor and the performance and show has the combination of music, dance and art.
All visitor have to silent the phone and can't use any flash to take photo as well because it might interrupt the show and for the performer. So please take note of this. All the performance speaks in their own language but you can watch the subtitle from the upper screen in diff languages as well.
I really look up and admire the person who came out with this idea and show. It provides many job opportunities for the artist and gave us a chance to look at this amazing show. At the end of the circus show, the speaker introduce each of the performer and allows everyone to come down and take photo with them. I can really see something different from the group of the performer. They even get invited to oversea to perform. Here's some photo taken on the show.
Photo with all the performers. Thank you for such amazing show and experience.
After the end of the show our tutu driver just wait us outside the venue and we decided to ask for his recommendation of local container bar or food store. So here's where we are going to. Temple , the container pub! But only local know this place only because they dont even have English menu lol. So we just order with our body language and google translate HAHAHAAH!
Some of the street we passed by
After that for our supper we decided to ask our tutu to bring us back to the local street stall. I love the banana chocolate wrap we tried on the first night of our trip. So we just go back again!
All these street food stall.
Really dark at night lol
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*Day 4:
| #5 Small Tour: Angkor Area- Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm , Phimeanakas
Day4 is one of the well spent day. We woke up at 4am, do the makeup and hair and gonna leave the hotel at 4.50am because we need to go to the counter to buy our Angkor full day pass and visit the rest of the Angkor area temple. Since we didn't get to buy the ticket a day before and wanted to take the best spot to sight-seeing the whole Angkor Wat structure and view, we have to be early than the rest of the tourist.
Our hotel staff told us the best time to leave the hotel and get to purchase the ticket at the ticket counter will be at 4.50am. Also since it's really hot we also consider to take the air-con car than the tutu. The driver will prepare mineral water for you while your hotel will first prepare the breakfast for you to eat inside the car because you can't eat anything in the temple. So please take note of this.
Since we decided to wake up earlier and skip the crowd we must be on time to get the ticket at the ticket counter. We didn't get to purchase a day before it's why we woke up at 4am just to head over to the ticket counter which is quite far at 4.50am just for buying the Angkor Day Pass then drive all over to the Angkor Wat to look at the perfect sunrise. There are few option available but since we are only here for 1 day we decided to get the Angkor Pass for USD37 per person.
There are one day pass / three day pass. Also other option you can always get all the detail from the ticket counter. Remember that you have to keep that with you, if you fail to do so you aren't allow to enter to the rest of the place. In addition, each pass will have your photo and face on it so no one is allow to use your pass except yourself lol.
I never thought I can be that crazy until I woke up at 4am just to look at how beautiful the Angkor Wat is. OMG I see the sky turn from dark to pastel color and the sunrise experience is something that you need to come and experience once in your life. You will see photographer come earlier than you just to capture that perfect sunrise. If you are tall enough you probably get a full shot on the reflection of Angkor Wat and the perfect sunrise in a landscape photo!!
Here's the photo taken after the sunrise and less crowded spot beside the lake.
The ticket counter to get our Angkor Pass
For your reference and things you might need to know.
The breakfast prepared by our hotel. They are just too lovely.
5.30am after getting our ticket and on the way to Angkor Wat.
This is our Angkor 1 Day pass with my face on it lol.
Angkor Wat-
The reality! HAHAHAAHAH We are the first few group enter here and within 20 mins later, this is what I saw. I'm so short couldn't even get a nice shot until I have to keep jumping for just one perfect photo. My friends couldn't even get a perfect shot and thank god that I never give up jumping until I get all these photo. With all my sweat and effort. I want to cry 😭
So many photobomb head, need to crop it lol
Then it turned into pastel pink gradient sky
Hello Angkor Wat! I'm here!! Way prettier in real life and witness it from my eyes.
After all we just walk into all these beautiful temples. I can't really describe my feeling in words but I took quite a lot of photo, want to show you how beautiful it is. Also if you are planning to visit to Angkor, please please just look at it with your eyes. It's incredible! Let's the photo do the talking.
The whole Angkor Wat is a massive temple with an ornate design
I dont even know how human actually build this back then...
Here is quite a nightmare where you need to climb and walk above all these super steep stairs. I'm really phobia of the height of all these stairs. If you watched my insta stories during my trip you probably know what I mean and how much effort I need to walk down step-by-step from the top of the stairs to the ground lol. But still, I did that! HAHAHAAHAH
My favourite shot from the top of the temple. I really love this photo!
Emo Monkey~
Next destination, the Bayon. Temples with smiling faces.
Bayon -One of my friend left her pass in her jacket and forgot to put it inside the bag. So we are waiting back our driver to drive his car back to Bayon entrance lol. Need to show the pass at the entrance ya!!
My very sleepy face and expression lol.
It's very easy to distinguish Bayon from the rest of the temples because on the top of all these temple, you can see all kind of smiling faces. Very cute and mystery at the same time. Not sure who came out with this ideas HAAHAHAHA too kawaii!
HAHAHAHAH! Same expression :p
Angkor Thom -
Angkor Thom was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It is also a very big tourist attraction and can you believe people actually come from all over the world just to find and look at it.
Here's the best photo I took in Angkor Thom because all of us sweat like hell and the sun is so hot and I'm so sleepy at the same time. No energy to walk the rest of the remaining area in Angkor Thom area. So ended up I think we just skipped 1-2 temples and just look at it inside our car lol. No joke the weather is killing.
Phimeanakas or Vimeanakas at Angkor, Cambodia, is a Hindu temple in the Khleang style. It reminds me in the shape of a three tier pyramid. I actually climb all the way up and one of my friend is too tired so she waited me opposite the resting spot and she captured this photo for me! OMG
Dont ask me how I did that. I dont even know lol Just keep telling myself it's the last. it's the last one already xD
Other small temple we passed by and decided to stay in the car due to the weather lol
Here's also one of a very interesting place and hardly see in the rest of the world. All these temple is actually ruins from the overgrown trees. The trees and its roots is just 293792832 times bigger than me. I dont even know how tall it is and it's still growing until now!
This is just the first one...Look at the rest of the photo you will be really surprise!
Omg taller than giraffe lol
Love trees. Two diff kind of trees huge together and grown into another strong structure tree.
The root is 10 times taller than me I think. lol
For this day tour really strongly recommend you to take car rather than tutu. Imagine I take tutu I think I wont able to go so many spot and might get sunburn or just faint down on the second visit. The weather is really so hot, always remind yourself to keep your body and skin hydrated all day long. The driver will provide your mineral water, just ask if you need extra. They are really kind and helpful.
End of our tour it's around 1-1.30pm and we are outside for more than 7 hours. At the end we decided to head back to our hotel, take our lunch, shower and maybe just take an afternoon nap.
Since we are so exhausted and tired after our Angkor day tour, we just take our lunch at the resort. Lunch served around 2pm and we back our room to rest after sweating non-stop like hell lol. After nap for 1-2 hours, we decided to enjoy our me-time again. One of my friend just went to the nearby cafe, one is still sleeping and me just chilling beside the pool and applying my soothing mask to save my skin!Around dinner time we gather together to enjoy our last dinner time in Siem Reap again. Too tired to take photo and the rest is just bonding time with my friends because we rarely meet each other in KL, so whenever we have trip we must enjoy every moment and chat til the rest of the day. We actually went back to Wild bar to say bye bye to the owner of the bar and enjoy our last cocktail and spring roll!
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*Day 5:
| #6 Bye bye to Cambodia
I wanna go back to Cambodia again and on the last day we need to check out our room at 1pm and our driver gonna pick us up at 1.30pm around that. Our flight is in the afternoon and we recharged after taking an 8 hours beauty sleep last night. But still we really love the food in this place (since it's really has all the meal that we want we decided just stick back to our plan) and no need to rush back from the rest of the day.
Look how happy I am
So just sit down, ordered our brunch and enjoy my Khmer soup again! HAHAHAHAHA I really can't live without that soup. I wish to come back to Cambodia again during my birthday month. Although many of you told me that there are more nice villa and resort in Cambodia but I have left my heart at this resort. I think my trip can be so wonderful is partially because of my great staying experience. I love the ambiance and every corner of this place, I really wish you guys could experience what I experienced and feel in this trip.
This trip is filled with incredible architecture, Khmer culture, beautiful temples in Siem Reap. If you are planning for your trip to Cambodia, I wish you can have a nice trip like I did and please embrace yourself with all these beautiful place. I never thought I will fell in love in such hot weather country and during my skin breakout time I feel so depressed and down but whenever I'm traveling, you see me in a happy Chanwon.
I love every moment Cambodia gave me, it's really a beautiful country that full of beautiful architecture and it's one of the eye opening experience. You should really visit here one day and I hope to explore more beautiful place like this through my whole life. Thank you Cambodia and thank you so much for reading my post.
Hope this post is useful for you to plan for your trip to Cambodia and I hope to see you on my next post. Love, xoxo.
Map provided by Wanderlog, a travel planner
I have been to Cambodia. and looking at those photos remind me of happy times too and i have the same feeling like you do; i need to go back again.
ReplyDeletei think u got the performance's name wrong. It is actually PHARE. i love love love that too....
hmm...time to scout promo air ticket.
Thanks Chanwon for this blog post! Cambodia is one of my bucket list but I have no idea on how to plan for it. After reading your post, I have more understanding on Cambodia food and I think I do not have worries on the food and I know what to prepare if one day I manage to go!
ReplyDeletei really want to travel to cambodia hhuhuhu
ReplyDeleteHomestay Murah Di Kota Kinabalu
really nice... one day i will go there and your blog become my guide...
ReplyDeleteWeb Design Malaysia
nice article... i really like it...
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