Is the vibrant city of Siem Reap, the gateway to the ancient temples of Angor, a Cambodian version of a tourist trap or something more? The answer is yes…
Is Siem Reap, Cambodia A Tourist Trap? – A Photo Essay
There is no doubt that there are “tourist trap” elements to Siem Reap (a place that attracts or exploits tourists). How could it not be as the gateway to the ancient Khmer capital city of Angkor, which attracts millions of tourists each year?
Yes, the city feels a bit “touristy” especially at night. There are people hawking worthless trinkets and knock-off luxury goods, massage parlors left and right, restaurants and bars with picture menus and eager folks trying to drag you in, and of course crowds.
But there’s a charm to the city as well.
And let me recommend the massages…$5-10/hour and generally excellent (with no adverse effects). Do try the fish pedicures…
In fact, there were even two solid massage places across the street from the Park Hyatt that were $10/hour a decade ago during my first visit to the Park Hyatt shortly after it opened…and still $10/hour now.
And the Middle Eastern food. And the Mexican food. Coffee too. I found a great gelato shop called Gelato Lab.
Yeah, it’s certainly a bit tawdry, but there’s still a charm to Siem Reap and it’s a fun place to spend a couple of days. I look forward to taking my family here when the kids get old enough to explore Angkor. It’s worth a visit.
Siem Reap is what one makes of it. I have been twice, spent my time at Angkor Wat and other temples. I didn’t find it to be a tourist trap.
+1
Can’t one find it a tourist trap and still love it? (my experience)
A tourist is lucky if he escapes with merely a heat rash .
He agreed with you.
Sure. I don’t see why not. Different folks will have different experiences and perceptions. I never found Siem Reap to be a tourist trap. If others do that’s fine, and of course they may also love it.
+2
I was just here a few days ago. Just don’t go to pub street if you want to avoid tourist traps. Check TripAdvisor and google reviews for good hotels, restaurants, massages. Use the Grab for set prices on transportation which is super cheap. Easy to avoid tourist traps. We had an incredible time and will return.
Well, you went to Cambodia and had Middle Eastern food, Mexican food, and gelato…no posts on the local food you had?
To be fair, it does seem to have a nice mix of things catering to local and foreign tastes.
Cambodian food is pretty great.
I’m not too fond of Cambodian food…
But I love that the ex-pats that have moved in and have brought their culinary traditions from around the world.
Then you have directly contributed to the alleged tourist trap nature of the place.
Sunrise at Angkor Wat. Just you and 4000 cruise ship passengers and Instagram cheese heads packed into one small spot with selfie sticks. Yes, it’s a nightmare tourist destination. As is anywhere UNESCO puts its seal of approval on. The best way to travel now is to plan trips that avoid UNESCO World Heritage sites. Especially within a few hours of cruise ports. Run….away.
@Antwerp … +1 . Better destination would be Alaska wilderness , rather than a seedy Tijuana . Also 100% American , without a commie in sight .
Hint: there’s not a cruise port for hundreds of miles. You obviously are thinking of somewhere else.
If you want to go when there are fewer people, go in the middle of the summer during the afternoon. Nothing says fun like half an inch of rain during the day, 95% humidity when it’s not raining, and 100+ degrees.
They bus them in for an excursion. Trust me. There are thousands often from cruises. Arrive at 5AM and the buses will be lined up down the entrance road.
A city/country labeled as a tourist trap would not deter me from visiting. What I avoid are cities where junk fees are prevalent. You’re not forced to buy junk souvenirs but you’re forced to pay resort fees. Yes, I would love to visit Cambodia.
A lot of Asian tourist traps are fun. What is Hoi An, Luang Prabang, Kao Sanh Rd, Phuket, Kuta, Langkawi? They’re places that have basically changed 100% from what made them famous, but still compared to other parts of the world they remain a good value with exotic food… So who cares? I’d take an Asian tourist trap over somewhere like Tulum or Hollywood Blvd any day of the week.
… and a never-ending variety of tropical diseases .
At least the healthcare is cheap if you get infected.
Better to spend the big bucks at a legitimate hospital in Singapore or Japan .
It reminds me of Phuket in Thailand. Now, you can always avoid that area that is definitely a tourist trap and go off the beaten path and look for other things. Anyway, everywhere now you will find tourist traps. It is just how things are with lots of people selling fake stuff made in China and trying to make money some way of the stupid people that try to take selfie and post on Instagram. Go to Venice and you will find tourist traps close to San Marco square. Go to New York and tell me if Times Square is not the biggest tourist trap in the world? Have you see that almost next to the Arch of Triumph in Paris you now have a gigantic Five Guys restaurant? Walk around that place and you feel you are anywhere but in France. But fortunately, if you are a but smart you can skip those things and have a great time enjoying the place as a local. For example, I had an amazing time at San Marco square in Venice at 6am when all the scammers were still sleeping. You can make your own experience.
@Santastico … saw you feeding the flocks of pigeons .
I hired a driver for the day. After the first 2 temples, I was already bored. Park Hyatt SR wasn’t that nice. Took the next flight out to Singapore.
Are they legitimate massage parlors or illegitimate massage parlors? Nothing worse than being in a Southeast Asia (and Mexico too) as a single male only for every local hawker to assume you’re there for sex tourism.
I had taxi/pedicab drivers ask me if I wanted “boom boom” but all the massage parlors in the middle of the city looked legit to me (full of people) and the two I went to certainly were.
C’mon Matthew! I have been to Asia hundreds of times and even at top 5 star hotels the massage would almost always turn into a conversation about something else. I don’t recall many times where it was just a “legit” massage. The difference was probably on how fast the massage would take a turn. In the massage parlors on the streets it would turn quickly while at the 5 star hotels it would take much longer. I had times where the masseuse at a 5 star hotel would propose something later when she was off duty because she could not do anything there.
Now on another topic “Do try the fish pedicures…” Are you serious? Have you ever read about how dangerous that can be due to poor sanitary conditions of the place? It is the last thing I would ever do on the streets of an Asian city.
Regarding your massage parlors in 5-star hotels that’s not been my experience at all. I was also in massage parlors in Pattaya, Thailand in which that has not been my experience. I guess you give out certain vibes where such conversations occur fairly quickly.
+1
You have to take much of what he says with a mountain of salt.
@Lukas … It is not the number of stars of the hotel . It is the economic condition of the country . Any sort of steam bath , massage , uncooked food , or swimming pool in any broken impoverished country , is just asking for contamination and disease . Assumption of risk , my friend .
@Santastico, I’m not sure Lucas right and you send out different vibes, but that has also not been my experience. Maybe you’re just too good-looking! 😉
As I pointed out in the KL massage story, it’s pretty easy to spot a legit massage parlor from a brothel. Girls whistling for you as you walk by? Stay away! I’ve never been offered extra service at a fancy hotel and the places I pictured above in Siem Reap were all 100% professional…no extras offered and not even a hint of them. And the one across the street from the hotel was a private room, so it certainly could have happened, but it did not.
@Matthew: Let me clarify my statement. There was never a clear offer for sex at 5 start hotels but a subtle hint if a “happy ending” was OK in exchange for some cash. That was my experience at hotels like Peninsula in Manila, Mulia in Jakarta, Shangri-la in Bangkok and others in Ho Chi Minh. In some cases, a “no” to a happy ending would lead to a conversation about going out after she was off duty. I was never interested so not sure how that worked. Also, in many of the hotels above you would see sex workers dressed up nicely and sitting in the lobby just waiting for clients. Yes, there are legit places for sure but more often than not you will get a hint to see if you are willing to go the extra mile.
@Santastico … +1 . The good ladies in traditional middle-class cultures do not become massage girls anywhere . The good ladies in broken impoverished cultures are lured into becoming massage girls for income , and it is a downhill slope from there .
It would be safer to assume that nothing is sanitary anywhere in a broken impoverished culture , including in any massage room , regardless of the hotel .
The xenophobia is strong in this one.
Alert, in Thailand very good daughters fall into this business to support their families, especially those with younger siblings. The irony is in Thailand those same daughters will inherit any property before the sons. Also the work allows income to provide those same women higher education. You need to see it to understand it.
DO NOT try the fish pedicures!!! Just imagine all other very gross, sweaty people sticking their nasty feet into the water and you are voluntarily putting your delicate feet into the same water. Absolutely disgusting and when you think about it that way, you’ll never have the fish pedicure ever again.
It is rare but it happens. I would not try this myself. Absolutely unnecessary risk.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/fish-pedicures-this-trend-is-more-than-a-little-fishy
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6163115/Woman-five-toes-amputated-catching-infection-FISH-SPA.html
@Lukas … How about swimming in a 5-star swimming poor which is filled with the river water ? I read a medical history in the Annals whereupon a man went on a trip around the world , and caught one species of parasite worm in Asia , and another species in the Middle East , and he ended up getting nearly 20 heavy-duty treatments in N.Y. to rid himself . Took a long time and many consultations for an accurate diagnosis as well .
You will get manufactured tourist traps in the closest city to any UNESCO site in the world so of course it’s a tourist trap. If you don’t want to get trapped, don’t go looking for cheese. Siem is a big city with lots to do & explore after you have done your obligatory Ankor tour.
I don’t put my feet anywhere weird and unless I have open wounds on them I have and will continue to do the fish massages. The only reason they’re not legal in the USA is because health departments require that the fish not be used for more than one person, which makes it cost prohibitive.
I just don’t see the problem either…I like them.
Looking forward to returning to Siem Reap. But only for a luxury Indochine experience at Raffles. 3 nights and I plan not to leave property. Full stop.
When you were there last time and the Raffles folks were on strike, did you visit Angkor Wat and other places in Angkor?
About 20 years ago for the debacle strike. It was impulsive want when I was already in Thailand. A corporate decision was quickly made to close the hotel after rioters and threats against the hotel were voiced. If I had been aware, I would have postponed the trip. But looking forward, I’ve decided to try once again. And hey I’ve still have the lovely linen dresses that still fit! All I want is the not sweet Sling, a translation of Cambodian Customs, the high tea and maybe one tasting dinner. Thank you Matthew for the inspiring trip report!
I haven’t been for 20 years but loved siem reap then.
I’m heading back there in December this year with my 3 kids. I haven’t booked any accommodation yet. Thinking of the FCC.
Needed to use some krisflyer miles that were expiring. So hard to find saver flights these days. Got two saver PE and 3 advantage business from Auckland to Phnom Penh. Bye bye points stash!