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Saturday, September 14, 2019

Siem Reap Travel Tips + More!

For my most recent trip overseas, I packed my flowy dresses, sandals and sunscreen and visited Siem Reap in Cambodia. This quiet city overflows with culture -- its sights, sounds and smells are new and somewhat strange, yet they offer travelers heaps of excitement as they unfold before one's eyes. Coming here, I did not expect to see so many lavish hotels, and to meet the friendliest people ever.

Siem Reap is the perfect paradise for tourists who want an affordable and adventurous vacation. For tips on money, temple hopping, and your general stay in the quaint little city, read on as I share with you some of my travel tips:

⭐️1. Skip the foreign exchange kiosk. Most prices in Siem Reap are in USD, so don't bother changing your dollar bills for their local currency. When you pay, you can ask them to give your change in USD or in KHR.
⭐️2. Make sure your US dollars 💸 are crisp and have no tears or marks. They will not accept bills that aren't in their best condition, even if it's just the tiniest little tear in one corner. 🤑
⭐️3. Bring extra shirts during your temple tour. Going on the temple tour will drain you because it's EXTREMELY hot in Siem Reap. You'll be sweating like crazy even if you haven't even entered the temple. You'll need a lot of extra clothes. It's best to bring one extra shirt per temple. 👕
⭐️4. Hire a van or car. Aircon will be your best friend during the tour. After visiting each temple, you'll want to rest somewhere cool ❄️. You can also leave stuff in the van so you don't have to carry them around the temples. Tuk-tuks are fun but reserve those for exploring the main city. 🚗
⭐️5. Hire a tour guide. Temples can be confusing. You won't know where to go. Hire a local tour guide because he knows the history as well as the best photo spots in each temple. You'll save a lot of time. 
⭐️6. Start your temple tour early. If possible, take the sunrise tour so you can get there while it's not that hot. There will also be less people at this time.
⭐️7. Print the name of your hotel in Khmer and print a map with directions to your hotel 📍. Lots of locals cannot understand English, so to make things easier, just prepare translated directions to hand to your tuk-tuk driver.
⭐️8. Bring cold water everywhere. Refilling stations/fountains aren't that common in Siem Reap, and trust me, you'll be drinking a lot of water while you're there.
How much does transpo cost in Siem Reap?
💛 1 USD for a tuk-tuk ride, but expect them to charge you 2 USD because you're a foreigner.
How expensive/affordable are things?
💛 Pretty affordable. Meals are around 3-5 USD. Small stuff at the night market are priced around that range, too, but if your bargaining skills are good, you can go even lower.
Is it safe in Siem Reap?
💛 YES. There are tourists walking around everywhere all the time. During my three-day stay there, I did not experience any violence, harassment, scams, etc. Still, stay vigilant and pay attention to your surroundings.
Is the internet fast?
💛 Faster than the Philippines, yes. 😂 But seriously, just get the tourist sim card that has 80 GB of data and you'll be fine.
What should you wear?
💛 It's very hot, so definitely no denim or jeans. You can wear loose clothes like flowy dresses and thin shirts, and shorts. However, you must cover your shoulders and knees when entering temples.

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