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Angkor National Museum, Siem Reap

Solo travel · Siem Reap · Cambodia

Solo travel in Siem Reap

How to enjoy Siem Reap at your own pace.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote . Feel free to use any of my images, but plea, CC BY 4.0

Quick answer

Siem Reap is easy for solo travellers: hostels and guesthouses are plentiful, sharing a tuk-tuk for sunrise is common, and Pub Street and the food tours make it simple to meet people. Many solo travellers base themselves in Old Market and Pub Street.

Key facts

Base
Old Market and Pub Street
Getting around
Tuk-tuk
Emergency number
117 police, 118 fire, 119 ambulance
Language
Khmer

Solo travel tips

  • Hostels and guesthouses can arrange shared tuk-tuks for sunrise, splitting the day rate between travellers.
  • A licensed guide for one day at Angkor Wat and the Bayon adds a lot of context and costs less than most visitors expect.
  • Stay around Sok San Road or the Old Market for the most social atmosphere.
  • Carry bags on the side away from the road, as bag snatching from passing motorbikes happens occasionally.
  • Tell your guesthouse which remote temples you are heading to if you go by bicycle or motorbike.

Where to stay

$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, budget and solo travellers

Old Market and Pub Street

The streets around Psar Chas (the Old Market) and Pub Street hold the densest choice of restaurants, bars, massage shops and mid-range hotels in Siem Reap. Everything in town is walkable from here, tuk-tuk drivers wait on every corner, and the riverside path is a block away. Pub Street itself is closed to traffic in the evening and gets loud until late.

Good
Walk to restaurants, bars and markets; Wide range of hotels at every budget; Tuk-tuks always available
Watch out
Music and crowds late into the night; Touristy restaurants with inflated prices on Pub Street itself
Nearby
Psar Chas, Pub Street, Kandal Village, Siem Reap River

Great on your own

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Religious site · Angkor Archaeological Park

Angkor Wat

For sunrise, stand by the northern reflecting pool (left of the causeway), then go straight inside while most of the crowd heads to breakfast.

Time needed
3–4 hours
Cost
Mid-priced
  • Iconic
  • History
  • Architecture
  • Photo spot
  • Couples
Bayon and Angkor Thom, Siem Reap
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

Religious site · Angkor Thom

Bayon and Angkor Thom

Visit the Bayon in the early morning or late afternoon, when side light brings out the faces; climb to the upper terrace to stand among them.

Time needed
2–3 hours
Cost
Mid-priced
  • Iconic
  • History
  • Kids
  • Photo spot
  • Architecture
Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King, Siem Reap
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

Historic site · Angkor Thom

Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King

Walk the hidden inner corridor of the Leper King terrace, where the carvings are crisper because they were buried for centuries.

Time needed
45 minutes
Cost
Mid-priced
  • History
  • Kids
  • Architecture
Baphuon, Siem Reap
Photo: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0

Religious site · Angkor Thom

Baphuon

Walk round to the western side to make out the reclining Buddha, which is easy to miss from the front.

Time needed
45 minutes
Cost
Mid-priced
  • History
  • Architecture
  • Views
Banteay Srei, Siem Reap
Photo: Tsui, CC BY-SA 3.0

Religious site · About 35 km north-east of town

Banteay Srei

Go first thing in the morning before the tour buses, when the low sun turns the sandstone a deep rose colour.

Time needed
1 hour plus about 45 minutes each way
Cost
Mid-priced
  • Art
  • Architecture
  • Photo spot
  • History
Preah Khan, Siem Reap
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

Religious site · Grand circuit

Preah Khan

Enter at the east and walk the full axis to the west gate; ask your driver to wait at the far side.

Time needed
1–1.5 hours
Cost
Mid-priced
  • History
  • Nature
  • Architecture
  • Off the beaten path

Meeting people

  • Khmer cooking class — Many restaurants and hotels run half-day classes that start with a walk through Psar Chas to buy ingredients and finish with you cooking amok, lok lak and a dessert.
  • Street-food evening by tuk-tuk — Guided tuk-tuk food tours take you to night stalls and local markets for grilled skewers, noodle soups, fruit and sweets that are hard to find on your own.
  • Pub Street — The pedestrianised strip of bars and restaurants by the Old Market, loudest after 9pm, with long happy hours on draught beer.
  • The Alley — The narrow lanes beside Pub Street, known as Alley West and Alley East, hold smaller cocktail bars and restaurants with outdoor seating.

Sensible precautions

Siem Reap is relaxed for visitors, but bag snatching from passing motorbikes and overcharging by touts at the floating villages are the common problems. Heat and dehydration are the main risks at the temples, especially from March to May. At remote sites such as Koh Ker, stay on marked paths.

Emergency number
117 police, 118 fire, 119 ambulance
Staying connected
Prepaid SIMs and eSIMs from Cellcard, Smart and Metfone are inexpensive, and Wi-Fi is standard in hotels, cafés and restaurants.

Questions travellers ask

+Is Siem Reap good for solo travellers?

Siem Reap is easy for solo travellers: hostels and guesthouses are plentiful, sharing a tuk-tuk for sunrise is common, and Pub Street and the food tours make it simple to meet people.

+Where should solo travellers stay in Siem Reap?

Old Market and Pub Street: The tourist core: Psar Chas market, bar-lined Pub Street and dozens of Khmer restaurants.