It was about a 5 hour coach trip from our hotel in Phnom Penh to Siem Reap,  a resort town in northwestern Cambodia, and gateway to the ruins of Angkor, including the main temple of Angkor Wat.

Siem Reap is a fast-growing city with plenty of new hotels, restaurants and nightclubs. Actually we really enjoyed Siem Reap.

We found the most effective way to get around Siem Reap is by Tuk Tuk (or Remork, as the locals call them). For short trips flag one down; for tours ask your hotel or guesthouse for advice. We used them day and night. In actual fact there were always Tuk Tuks parked outside our hotel waiting on standby day and night. We ended up having the same Tuk Tuk driver each time, Mr Peach. It was like he was always waiting for us. He was very patient in answering all our questions and we even learned a bit of their history through him. He speaks English quite well so it was easy for us to communicate.  Most importantly he makes you feel comfortable and safe. And the tuk tuk itself is nice and clean and comfortable.

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We hired Mr Peach for a few hours on our last morning in Siem Reap to take us on a private tour around the city. We headed out into the city streets and the back alleys and got a little taste of how the locals live and work.  My friend and I had a great trip in Siem Reap. Mr Peach was a really nice driver, he takes the time to explain things (Cambodia culture, history, his own family, etc), and takes initiative in showing extra spots.  It was a great little tour and left us with a great impression of Siem Reap. This was an experience to remember.

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Smile! Cambodians are extremely friendly, and smiles go a long way. They are the nicest, friendliets people I have encountered and I have travelled the world!

In the evenings Mr Peach took us to Pub Street – an evening time Must Visit. I read about Pub Street before visiting Siem Reap but was still pleasantly surprised when I arrived. I wasn’t expecting such a bustling area in Siem Reap. The street is closed for traffic at night, giving it a festival atmosphere.

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Pub Street is the main street in Siem Reap for Bars and restaurants. Walk down the street and you can chose from almost any cuisine in the world – Burgers/American – Pizza/Italian – Greek – German – Thai – Australian etc. plus a good selection of local Cambodian (Khmer) restaurants.

It is quiet during the day but comes alive after dark and is the go to tourist destination in the town. Drinks are cheap (G&T, cocktails cost $US 1.50, Draft Beer $US 0.50) during happy hour, which in many places seems to last all night.  You can find every type of food from fried grasshoppers and tarantulas to rib eye steaks in Pub Street.

Close to Pub Street, just across a little bridge is the night market where you can pick up more souvenirs, clothes and much more. Once again a great atmosphere with live music.

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Pub Street is an excellent place…. Rather than just a street of pubs, it is actually a district of pubs, clubs & restaurants around the old market.