Last Updated on May 20, 2021
We landed at the Siem Reap airport on an Angkor Air flight after a week in Thailand amongst the Khmer ruins at Phanom Rung, Phimai and Muang Tam.
Siem Reap
Being ferried in a tuk-tuk by an amiable driver through the free, wide streets from the airport into Siem Reap town, what got our attention was the large, palatial hotels on both sides. Each strove to draw an Angkor connection – it was either the name of a temple or an extension of the magical word that was as well known as the country’s name. Angkor Wat may well be the centrepiece, we knew, but there were many other attractions that awaited us that were no less fascinating.
We had four full days, besides the day we landed and the departure date.
Read more: For anyone planning a visit to Angkor, here’s a look at how we structured our 4 days.
And, as we settled down in our hotel room, we had to remind ourselves that we were actually in Cambodia…and that Angkor Wat and the whole complex that was the centre stage of the Khmer empire lay just a few minutes away.
Our hotel, the Angkor Pearl, was just off Sivatha Boulevard, one of the town’s main streets. The real attraction that Siem Reap held was a short walk away in the not so subtly named Pub Street. And we soon found out why it was so popular when the sun went down and the lights came on. The place comes alive with tourists jaywalking or sitting in the countless pubs and restaurants, foot massage parlours, walking around the numerous souvenier shops and street food joints or generally unwinding after a long, tiring day out amidst the Angkor ruins.
Read more: Exploring Pub Street and Night Market, Siem Reap.
For now, we had the afternoon and the evening to ourselves. As the bulk of the days would be spent away from the town, this was a good opportunity for us to check out Siem Reap. Of course, in all fairness, it was more of a base camp than a destination in itself. But surely it had its own identity and character and that was exactly what we set out to explore.
Our man in Angkor
We scoured the net for guide reviews, wrote to several of them. Tes Chhaya was one person who replied promptly. We exchanged a lot of emails and he answered all our doubts and questions patiently.
Tes Chhaya, our guide in Angkor, would be meeting us the next morning when our tour of the Angkor complex was to begin.
Chhaya is a lovely person with good knowledge and a real love of heritage sites. Endlessly cheerful and patient he has a gentle and respectful style that preserves the magic of the place. Unlike other services, he is flexible in hours and sites and does not push tourist traps, but does, however, point out local customs and curiosities.
Tes is the founder of Angkor Temple Guide Private Tours (ATG) and has a team of senior professional experienced tour guides. His team is licensed and recognized by the Ministry of Tourism and are guiding visitors to Angkor temples since 1995. He used to work as an English teacher in a high school in Siem Reap.
Tomorrow we had our appointment with Angkor Wat. But before that, we were to meet Tes who would land up in his Lexus at 9 sharp outside our hotel.
Yes, tomorrow would be a long day but one that we had longed for many a day!
