Siem Reap exists for one staggering reason: it's the gateway to Angkor, the largest religious monument on earth and one of the true wonders of the world. Just outside this laid-back Cambodian town lies a vast complex of ancient temples rising from the jungle, the iconic Angkor Wat, the enigmatic stone faces of Bayon, and Ta Prohm, where giant tree roots strangle the ruins in a scene straight from a film set. Watching the sun rise over Angkor Wat's silhouette is one of those travel moments that stays with you for life.
The town itself is a friendly, easygoing base built around the temples, with a buzzing night market, the famous Pub Street, good cheap food, and a growing café scene. Here's the honest budget picture: Cambodia is one of the cheapest countries in Southeast Asia, and Siem Reap delivers world-wonder temples alongside two-dollar meals and five-dollar dorm beds. The one genuine cost that stands out is the Angkor pass, which is a real chunk of money and the single biggest line in most travellers' budgets. But spread across a few days of exploring one of humanity's greatest achievements, it's worth every cent. We'll show you how to do the rest of the trip cheaply so the pass feels like the splurge it deserves to be.
