Fascinating Cambodia

Cambodia has always been a destination that we want to explore especially the cities of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

As such, during the year end holidays, these 2 cities were our destinations of choice. 

Flights 

Our flight from KL to Phnom Penh was at 12.40pm and we arrived at 1.35 pm. Duration of the flight was 1 hour 55 mins. 

The flight back from Siem Reap to KL was at 8.30 am but it was delayed for 1 hour. The flight duration was 2 hours 15 min.

The flight from Siem Reap was quoted in USD. The same goes for food and seat selection. So we decided to not get breakfast on the plane and let system choose seats to save money. It was not too bad as we almost got two rows of seat to ourselves. This is because the system allocates the seats in sequence.

The cost of our flight to PP was RM 842.78 while the flight back from Siem Reap was RM 1508.31.

Day 1

We pre-booked our taxi from PP airport to our hotel, Angkor International Hotel, via Klook. The price was cheaper as we booked during the 11.11 sale. The original price was RM 86 but with 11% discount it came to RM 76.54.

We arrived at the hotel in less than 1 hour and checking in was a breeze. We took the family room which has 1 queen size bed and 3 single beds. The cost for 3 nights was RM 536.

Not wanting to waste any time, we dropped off our luggage in the room and started to explore the surroundings. 

First of all, we went to a wet market nearby known as Phsar Kandal. There were lots of fruits and vegetables. There were some electronics stuff on sale too  We decided to try out a local coffee while we continue our journey.

Our first stop of the day was Wat Ounalom. We admired the beautiful structures and golden temple within the compound. There was also a small enclosure with some birds and peacocks. Entrance is free of charge but they do appreciate donations.

Having taken in the scenery at the temple we proceeded towards Preah Sisowath Quay which is the riverside of Tonle Sap River. This is also where Tonle Sap merges with the great Mekong River. The riverside has a wide area where people can relax and exercise. The scenery there is peaceful and comfortable especially when a breeze is blowing. We stayed for a while before continuing our journey.

Further on we reached the night market but it was just opening so we did not stay. We proceeded to Phsar Chas which means old market. It's basically a wet market that sells various food items.

We also walked past Oknha Ing Bun Hoaw Avenue which is a long stretch of walking street.

Some distance away, we reached Wat Phnom, easily the most impressive temple in Phnom Penh. The center golden pagoda is impressive but so are its surrounding garden.

It's time for dinner so we decided to walk back to the riverside. Not wanting to take any chance on our first day here, we opted for a safe choice of pasta meal. Anyway it is a very nice restaurant situated at the riverside. We got a table with a great view of the river where we enjoyed our food with a gentle river breeze and nice music. 

After dinner we walked across the road to the night market which was in full swing by now. There were shops selling clothing and food and in the middle there was a stage where some singers were performing. The unique thing here is that there is an open area with mats where customers can sit and enjoy the night market delicacies.

Day 2

We woke up bright and early and had a quick breakfast of bread, milk and coffee. 

Our first destination of the day was the Phnom Penh National Museum. This is an exceptionally beautiful building which houses some of the most interesting artifacts I've seen. This museum tells of Cambodia's past glories with ancient sculptures and replicates. Remember to start your tour from the left hand side as you enter the main door. It is also worth getting an audio guide so you can better understand the story being told. You can easily spend half a day or more here. The ticket price is 10 dollars for adults and 5 dollars for children and teenagers. We spent another 5 dollars for an audio guide.

 

There are a lot of statues here which I believe was removed from actual sites to protect them from being stolen. One enduring theme you will see in the museum and for that matter in the other museum in Siem Reap which I will describe later is the constant struggle between 2 mythical beasts: the Naga and the Garuda. The story of these great creatures is also very interesting and deserves detail attention.

By the time we left the museum it was already past noon and we were hungry. We went for a local Cambodian Restaurant. After a satisfying lunch, we wanted to go to the Royal Palace but apparently it was closed. We did not know why but we found out later that it was a day of mourning as the king's half sister has passed away. We ended not going to the Royal Palace anyway since the entry price was quite expensive and we believe the place is not worth the money.

So we proceeded to Botumvatey Pagoda. We saw a structure erected outside of the pagoda for the mourning and prayer ceremony for the king's half sister. As we did not want to intrude on any ceremony we stayed only for a short while.

Next to the pagoda compound is Wat Botum Park where we can find the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument. These 2 countries have had a love-hate relationship in the last half a century. 

Moving further on we reached a long stretch of street where we can find the Statue of King Norodom Sihanouk which is highly revered in this country. This is also where we find the Independence Monument which was erected to commemorate Cambodia's independence from France in 1953. Just a word of warning here as this stretch of road is in an open area and can get extremely hot during midday. So please bring an umbrella just in case.

We decided to move on to NagaWorld Integrated Resort which is nothing more than a hotel casino built by a Malaysian. In fact there are 2 NagaWorld resorts here but just 1 casino. I tried my luck here with some modest gain. The casino is actually next to the common area and there is no effort to hide it from the public although children are not supposed to be allowed in.

After staying for a while we decided to move back towards the direction of our hotel but we stopped at Pencil Market which is a small single storey mall as we wanted to have a rest and a drink. We decided to try out Brown Coffee which looks chic and interesting. It was so nice to just sit and relax after a long day of walk.

Once we replenished some of our energy, we moved on to the riverside. This time the scenery is very different as it's already dark and the lights and night crowd makes it worthwhile to explore.

We decided to have dinner at a local seafood joint which was serving oysters at an affordable price. We got 10 small oysters for the price of 10 ringgits. What a steal . As we were tired, we did not order much but the fried noodles were nice. We also tried out some insects and while my eldest son somehow got the courage to take on a big spider.

 

We went back to the hotel tired but happy.

Day 3

This was the day we visited some of the most horrific and saddest places in Phnom Penh.

But first we filled our stomachs with a nice breakfast at 126 The Noodle House. The noodles served here are tasty. After breakfast we booked a remorque via Grab to our first destination of the day. The ride cost KHR 6700 (less than 7 ringgits).

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum was a secondary school before the Pol Pot regime. It was a happy place for students to acquire education before it was turned into S-21 which was a detention and torture center under the regime. The atrocities committed here are unfathomable and unspeakable.  In order to understand the history of this place better, it's advisable to get an audio guide. The ticket price is 5 dollars for adults and 3 dollars for children and teenagers. We took 2 audio guides for 3 dollars each. 

There are 4 buildings open to the public though the whole complex is much larger. To me, the exhibits in building 1 will hit visitors the hardest. Just be ready for a psychological and emotional onslaught as you go through the museum. However this place is a must visit in order to better understand the pain and anguish of the Cambodian people which still affects them to this day.

We spent a few hours there and by the time we exited it was already lunch time. We went straight for a nearby restaurant for some local delicacies. After that we booked a remorque via Grab to our next destination. The ride cost KHR 18600 (about than 19 ringgits).

Choeung Ek Genocidal Museum is quite a distance away and takes more than 30 minutes to get to from Tuol Sleng. The ticket price is 3 dollars but we also have to get an audio guide for 3 dollars and that comes to 6 dollars per person. However it seems like children enter for free as I remember only paying for 4 persons.

This was an orchard and Chinese cemetery before the regime took over. During the cruel reign of Pol Pot this place was converted to a killing site where many Cambodians met their cruel end. This was the final destination for many of the regime's prisoners. They were brought here in the middle of the night and packed into windowless buildings. In the dark, they await their cruel deaths. When the time comes, they are herded to large holes in the ground where loud nationalistic music were played to mask the horrific screams that would be coming from these poor souls.

The worst aspect of these events were not the deaths themselves but how the prisoners met their end. In order to save bullet and to reduce suspicious noise, they were hacked to death using axes, iron rods, hammers, sickles, hoes and other farming equipment. Babies were thrown against the trunk of a tree while women were raped before being killed. Such were the acts of cruelty that took place in the Killing Fields. There are still many bone fragments and pieces of clothing buried there and these will surface over time when earth is moved by natural events. 

These were the most disturbing tourist sites we have ever visited but it taught us to appreciate the peace we have now and to never allow such madness to repeat again.

Our remorque driver waited for us outside the museum compound to take us back to the city. We decided to stop at the Central Market. By the time we got there it was already late and the market was closing. However we managed to take some pictures before we left.

As it was late, we headed over to a nearby mall, Sorya Center Point for dinner. We ended up going to the Asian Kitchen for a comfortable meal in an air-conditioned environment.

We walked back to the hotel as we needed to pack our bags. We needed to check our early the next day for our journey to Siem Reap.

Day 4

For our trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap we decided to use the services of Giant Ibis. It's well known for its safe and comfortable journey. They also offer pick-up from partner hotels and our hotel in PP happens to be one of them. We booked through Klook so we has a discount. The original cost of tickets were RM 372 for 6 persons but with 11% discount it came to RM 331.08.

Our trip was supposed to start at 9.30 am and we were asked to wait at the hotel lobby at 8.45 am. However, the pick-up minibus only came at around 9.20 am. The minibus seats were in bad condition but luckily it's just a short journey to the main bus station. By the time we started our journey to Siem Reap it was already 10 am.

The journey between the 2 cities took about 6 hours including 2 stops. The bus itself was comfortable and we were given a bread/pastry and a bottle of water. Our first rest stop allowed us a toilet break and also to buy some snacks and coffee. The rest stop happened to be just beside a lake with a restaurant serving local food. The scenery was unexpectedly beautiful.

After continuing our journey for another couple of hours, it was time for lunch. This time we stopped by a nice open air restaurant and we ordered our food quickly to reduce the waiting time. While we waited for the food to arrive, we took the opportunity to look around and take some photos. The food was fine and after about one and a half hour we continued on the final leg of our journey to Siem Reap.

We reached Siem Reap a bit after 4 pm and our hotel in town, Zita Angkor, provides free transportation to the hotel. Our remorque drivers were waiting for us at the bus station. It was just a short ride to the hotel and we checked in quickly. 

We took a two-room apartment which has a king size bed and a queen size bed. The hotel is new and clean. The service was also very good and it's quite centrally located. We definitely recommend this hotel to anyone travelling to Siem Reap. The cost for 4 nights was RM 810. We went out as soon as we had a quick rest. 

First we went to Preah Ang Check Preah Ang Chorm Temple. It's just across the street from the Royal Residence which is not open to public. We stayed at the temple for a while before we started walking towards the happening night markets. 

We walked in the French quarter where there were many nice European looking buildings. On the way to the night markets we decided to have dinner first. We settled for a hotel called Home Cocktail. The food was sumptuous. 

With our stomachs filled, we proceeded to Noon night market. There are quite a lot of night markets in Siem Reap. Fortunately they are close-by each other. Noon night market is a stretch of road which is closed for vehicles at night. There are stalls on both sides of the road. There are various items on sale but mostly catering for tourists.

We then proceeded to pub street which is just adjacent Noon night market. Apart from pubs there are also a lot of eateries here and is a good place to have a meal with live music.

Across the road from Noon night market, we chanced upon an entertainment center that has games for kids. So, in we went for some games. The games found here are more sophisticated than the ones back home.

Moving on we reached Angkor Night Market. This place is decidedly quieter as it's away from the pub street. After a short stroll around ANM as it is called, we decided to walk along the main road to check out the shops while on the way back to the hotel.

After that we crossed the road again but this time we headed towards Psar Chas and Siem Reap Art Center anight Market. The latter is just on the other side of Old Market Bridge. Basically, in Siem Reap there are a lot of bridges crossing Siem Reap River and it can get a bit confusing if it's your first time there. 

We sat for a while at the bridge to marvel at the night lights and to give our feet some rest. 

As we had no plans to buy anything on our first night in town, we decided to head back to the hotel and see what else we can find along the way. 

First up was Hard Rock Cafe which is always lighted up wherever you go. Further on, we reached Made in Cambodia Market at King's Road. This is a small but interesting market selling Cambodia's handmade souvenirs and products. We made a quick tour of the place but we would be back in a few days time to see the traditional Cambodian dance and music show which was free and one of the highlights of its activity calendar. 

Before reaching our hotel, we wanted to buy some bread for breakfast and we chanced upon Temple Coffee and Bakery. Now the Temple chain of companies deal in many types of businesses which includes cafe, bakery, pub, restaurant and massage centers. The price is actually quite reasonable. The building itself is very well decorated and looks high class. We were not sure if we should be buying bread from this bakery but we ventured in just to check it out. Apparently after 8 pm the pastries are all half-priced. It was an incredible deal as the normal price was not that expensive. The environment was so relaxing and there was live music playing on ground floor and the sky lounge. This is without a doubt the best cafe in Siem Reap. We knew we would be back here before long.

With our incredible bakery find, we ended our first day in Siem Reap and we got a good night's sleep in preparation for tomorrow's activities.

Day 5

After breakfast, we headed over to Angkor National Museum. This place is just a short walk from our hotel but as I bought the entry tickets from Klook, we got a ride for free. Our driver was prompt and we were there in no time. The original price was RM 250 for 6 persons but was discounted to RM 222.50.

While the PP National Museum was housed in a traditional looking building with a center courtyard, Angkor Nation Museum is more modern looking with an art gallery feel. Visitors are prohibited from taking photos unlike the other museum.

The exhibits here are mainly from Angkor Temples and they are housed in galleries. It is advisable for tourists to visit this museum before they go for their Angkor Temples tour. Again, one cannot escape the interesting story of the Naga and Garuda here.

There is also a section which shows all the kings of the Khmer Empire. The history before that empire is mostly unrecorded in Khmer and we have to depend on Chinese records for that period of time. You will reference to Funan and Chunla in the pre-Khmer period but these may just be a collection of trading towns in Cambodia before the empire was formed.

There is also a T Galleria duty free outlet next to the museum and is a good place for tourists to shop for branded goods.

As it was time for lunch we ventured towards Marum which is a restaurant serving Cambodian food. It seems to be highly recommended and it's near our next destination. The road on the way to this restaurant seems to be quite bad and isolated so we were thinking if we had made a wrong turn. Before we knew it, we reached the place and we were surprised to see such a nice establishment in the middle of an ordinary neighborhood. The building itself is of admirable architecture and the food was really good. We were not really hungry but in the end we ordered a second round.

After a satisfying lunch, we proceeded to the Miniature Replicas of Angkor Temples which supposedly has exact replicas of some of the temples. Again it was quite secluded but we did find it. However it was a total let down as there were only a handful of crumbling replicas to be seen. The lady looking after the place charged us 10 dollars for 6 persons as entry fee. I would advise anyone to give this place a miss. 

 

We booked a remorque, again via Grab, to our next site which is Wat Damnak. The ride cost KHR 5000 (about 5 ringgits). This is a temple with a large compound. We noticed there were a lot of signs in the compound with some wise phrases. There were also a lot of small pagodas structures which we discovered were tombs of probably rich and well-respected folks. This is a common thing you would see in temples here.

Wat Preah Prom Rath is our next destination and it's just a short walk away. As we reached there, the sky was dark and it seems like rain will follow suit. We took some pictures and sure enough, the sky opened up.

We were lucky as this temple is just across a bridge from Temple Coffee and Bakery. Without any hesitation, we raced to the bakery and found ourselves some nice comfortable seats. The service was good and we ordered our food quickly. While waiting for the food to arrive we checked out the place. The 3 storey building is big and spacious and it is tastefully decorated. 

After our unplanned tea-time and when the rain had stopped, we went back to the temple. Now, we had more time to explore the place. The main temple itself has 4 surrounding external walls. The interesting thing here is that the walls are decorated in a long mural which tells the story of Buddha. Outside the main temple but still within its compound, there are other small pagoda structures which are tombs just like in the earlier temple.

Next we went to Wat Bo but this temple is in very bad shape with walls starting to crumble. Fortunately, the Chinese Government is helping in temple restoration. As such there was nothing much to see here.

Since we would be going for our Angkor Temples tour the day after, we decided to conserve our energy and headed back to the hotel for some rest. 

When it was time for dinner, we decided to look for a nearby restaurant. As we wanted to do some shopping as well, we decided to eat near Asia Supermarket or Lucky Mall. We found LyLy Restaurant next to Lucky Mall. We called for some dishes but what looked really interesting was the rice. It came with a leaf cover.

After dinner we shopped for souvenirs in Lucky Mall and Asia Supermarket. The former seems to be slightly cheaper than the latter. Also, coffee seems to be cheaper in PP compared to Siem Reap.

Day 6

This is the day we've been waiting for. Any serious tourist that comes to Cambodia will pay a visit to the Angkor Temples. Some of these structures are over 1000 years old. 

We booked a remorque from our hotel to the temple sites. The charge was 25 dollars for the whole day. Initially we were told that we needed 2 remorques but after inquiring outside the hotel and insisting on just one, we finally got our way. 

As we decided to forgo the sunrise tour, we started our journey at 8.30 am. First of all we need to go to the Angkor Park Pass Ticket Counters. This is where we buy our entry passes. Children 11 years and below can go in for free. Otherwise foreigners have to pay 37 dollars per person.

If you're traveling with children 11 years and below, just get ready their passports as the guards at each temple site will check the passes or passports (for those entering for free). With passes in hand, we proceeded to our destination. The ride from the ticket counter station to the actual site was very cooling and lined with big and tall trees. Nature seems to have control here. It was such a welcome difference from the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle we just came from.

The first stop was Angkor Wat which is the biggest temple. It is a huge complex with 5 towers. The middle tower is the tallest and it takes a while to line up to go up to the tallest part. We got a tour guide for 15 dollars. Quite a hefty price but we wanted to better understand the history of this temple. Another good reason for getting a guide for this important site is so that he can help you take the best photos as he knows by heart the best spots.

He explained to us why most of the heads of the statues are missing, that Angkor Wat is dedicated to Lord Vishnu which is a Hindu god. He also explained the reason for the 5 different doors of the temple and why the furthest left and right doors do not have any stairs. It was an informative discussion we had. 

It took a while but we reached the exterior walls of the temple after crossing a man-made moat and walking across a field. The buildings that makes up Angkor Wat is truly impressive and there is no word to describe the majesty of the place. Intricate and exquisite carvings adorn the walls of the temple and one of it tells of the story the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. 

We spent about 2.5 hours in Angkor Wat alone while our guide waited for us outside. We decided to hurry to the next site as there is a lot to cover. The next temple site is Banteay Kdei. The driver dropped us at the door and say he would wait for us at the other end of the temple compound. Before we entered the site, we made a detour to Srah Srang which is a reservoir. It was a beautiful site. There were stalls selling souvenirs and people trying to sell Angkor Temples guide books. The opening price of a guide book is 11 dollars but we managed to negotiate to 8 dollars. You just need to walk away and the price comes down automatically.

It's a long walk from the entrance of Banteay Kdei to the temple compound. It is smaller than Angkor Wat of course but it has its unique points. It has a long walkway from one end to the other punctuated by doorways.

As we explored the temple a guide presented himself and started showing me the best places to take photos in the temple. He sure knew the best spots for pictures. Now such guides may present themselves at temples and show you around for a small fee. In my case I have him 3 dollars although he asked for 5. With his help, I was able to capture all the great shots of the temple in no time. One thing about this temple and the next, there are a lot of large fig and banyan trees with intricate root systems which seem to be consuming the temples themselves.

Next up is the famous Ta Prohm temple which was featured in a Tomb Raider movie. But before that, it's time for lunch. Our guide brought us to a nearby restaurant which caters for tourists so it's quite pricey. However, we still needed to replenish our energy for the hours ahead so we ordered some simple dishes. 

As Ta Prohm is a famous temple, be ready for a lot of people lining up to take photos at the best spots. By and large, this temple is in the worst shape of the 3 visited so far. What we see are restoration works being done to the temples with help from different countries.

Ta Keo is up next and it is a temple with ascending steps with 2 plateaus in between. It's shaped like a mountain and takes quite an effort to walk up all the steps to the top. However, the effort is definitely worth it as the visitor is rewarded with a wonderful view at the top.

As it was starting to get late we hurried to the next must-see temple which is Bayon. Bayon is located within Angkor Thom which is actually the last capital city of Khmer Empire. This temple is unique due to the multiple faces carved from stone. Some say these statues are in the likeness of King Jayavarman VII as this temple was built by him. Again this temple is very famous and be ready for lots of tourists trying to jostle for position to take photos.

  

We were supposed to see the sunset from Phnom Bakheng which is another temple mountain but since the sky was kind of overcast our driver suggested that we check out the temples around the area instead. So we crossed the road over to Baphuon which is yet another temple mountain. It took almost all of our energy to climb to the top but again the view was breathtaking. 

Then we hurried over to Phimeanakas but it was already closed by then. However we did take some photos from outside the pyramid like temple.

The list of never ending sites of Angkor Temples continued with Terrace of the Leper King. This is a structure shaped like a small hill with the Leper King statue at the top. However, the most interesting part here has to be the intricate carvings in the walls of the structure that starts from the bottom all the way to the top. Apparently the Leper King is the term used to describe the statue which is situated at the top of the structure and was in bad shape when found but has since been restored. It could also be attributed to the statue being related to King Yasorvaman I who had leprosy.

A short walk away is Terrace of the Elephants which has a structure consisting of some elephant head carvings on a raised platform. Apparently this is where King Jayavarman VII stood to watch his victorious army return from battles. 

So just like the king, we stood on the terrace and looked across the road and saw a series of towers known as Prasat Suor Prat which runs parallel to both terraces. The function of these towers remains unknown.

That was the end of our epic Angkor Temples tour. It was a tiring day but it is also a historic day which we will remember for a very long time to come. Being in a such a historic site and seeing all these structures up close is truly an amazing and humbling experience.

We asked our guide to drop us off at Pub Street as we wanted to have dinner there. After some searching, we settled on Cheers which is a pub-restaurant. During the course of our meal, the electricity went out a couple of times in the area. We also faced the same situation in one of the nights while we were asleep in our hotel. It seems like the electricity supply in this town is unable to keep up with its growth.

After dinner, we took a stroll to Temples Coffee and Bakery. We wanted some chill time with some live music. We ordered some finger food and some drinks. It was a nice relaxing time.

  

It has been a long day so we went back to the hotel for some good rest while pondering what to do the next day which is our last full day in Cambodia.

Day 7

We could afford to wake up early on the last full day of our vacation as we've covered all the important sites. We decided to check out AHA Fair Trade Village where hand made crafts are sold. Tourists may find the handicrafts in Cambodia expensive due to its pricing in USD and also the fact that they are mostly handmade. We went there by remorque which we booked via Grab. The ride cost KHR 5500 (less than 6 ringgits).

There were handicrafts made from wood, silver, cotton and ceramic just to name a few. This place displays a good variety of locally hand made crafts and is worth a visit if you have the time.

Next we went to Artisans Angkor which is similar to AHA Fair Trade but with much higher quality and targeted at wealthier tourists. It's remorque time again and this round the ride cost KHR 8000 (about 8 ringgits).

Although the occasional tourist will not end up buying anything from this place, it's good to check it out as the workshops are open to the public so people can appreciate the creation process of these high quality handicrafts.

We started with the wood workshop and made our way to the masonry workshop. The attention to detail in their work is exemplary.

Next we moved on to a workshop where artists paint beautiful scenery on tiles. We also saw some lacquer wares, fabric and gilded products. Information is placed in every workshop to educate the visitor on the steps taken to produce these craft items.

Apart from providing jobs to the local community, this establishment is also involved in the restoration work of Angkor Temples.

Once we completed the tour of the workshops and also the sales gallery, it was time for lunch and we found a local restaurant nearby. After ordering our food, we noticed that the electricity has stopped. Fortunately we sat outside but it was still warm. The cooking process was not interrupted as they use gas.

After lunch, we walked back towards the market area to explore Psar Chas (old market). It was previously closed when we arrived as it was already late in the evening. This time we got to see the wet market which is further inside and hidden by the art shops at the front. 

With all the walking, it was time to pamper our feet and the best way to do that would be to have foot massage. We found a place which could cater for all 6 of us. It was a new experience for the kids. We had some good fun talking and joking with the masseurs.

We decided to go a cafe nearby Made in Cambodia Market as we would be going there later for the free traditional dance and music show. We choose Biolab Coffee and Office as we also wanted to try something other than Temple Coffee and Bakery. Biolab is more minimalistic and their coffee and bakery items are more expensive. It seems to cater for students and office crowd. I guess there is no replacing our favourite Temple Coffee.

After relaxing for a while, we made our move to Made in Cambodia Market. By the time we reached there the seats were full so we stood to wait for the performance. I have to say it's very nice to have the chance to watch such a performance for free as normally we need to pay for it or it only comes with buffet meals. There were various dances and music performed but generally I could make out 3 different themes. One is the dance of the common folks, another is the dance for royalty (similar to Apsara dance but maybe not as complicated) and the last dance seems to tell the story of a royal as the performer was dressed in intricate costume with some golden colour which only royals can afford. It was truly magnificent. The whole performance took about 45 minutes. There are different free performances at the market at different times. Just check out their online calendar.

As it was time for dinner it made sense for us to look for a diner in the market. This is also the reason why the performance is organised at this hour. The strategy basically worked as we could see greatly increased human traffic flow compared to the first time we were there. 

We decided to have dinner at The Brothers as the price was reasonable as can be seen from the crowd there. Unbeknownst to us, this was the worst decision we made on this trip. The food took over an hour to come and by the time it came, we were more tired than hungry. The food was nothing to shout about. So, the lesson here is that any strategy to increase human traffic flow in a shopping place must be done in partnership with the shops. Otherwise it can have a negative effect which makes for bad customer experience.

We walked back to our hotel for a good night's rest. Well, at least we got to enjoy a rare performance.

Day 8

Our flight was in the morning so we did not get to venture out. We booked our ride from Zita Angkor and the SUV cost only 10 dollars.

Siem Reap airport is smaller than the one in PP and it has only 1 level. 

  

Conclusion

It has been a wonderful experience in these 2 cities of Cambodia. The people there are quite poor but we never got the feeling that they are out to cheat tourists like in some other cities in the region. They are generally nice folks. Come to think of it, we only met with one situation where a remorque driver asked for a little extra as we were a group of six but he did so before starting the journey and he asked nicely. Other than that, we just paid what was agreed in Grab app.

The total cost of our holiday came up to about 8000 ringgits all-inclusive.

One last piece of advice. When in Cambodia, drink beer.