Walking in Siem Reap at night
The Defeat of Siam. Quite a name for a place situated not too far from the border with Siam – modern-day Thailand – itself. Imagine if there was a city in France called La Défaite de l’Allemagne (The Defeat of Germany). That would have caused quite a stir!
The origin of the name ‘Siem Reap’ (and the eponymous province of which it is the capital) in fact comes not from historical accounts but rather from oral traditions. This might have been inspired by the long rivalry between the Khmer Empire (which at its peak was centered in Angkor) and Ayutthaya, an equally powerful kingdom from neighboring Siam. As the former began its gradual decline since around the 13th century CE, the Siamese eventually managed to sack Angkor in 1431, effectively putting an end to an empire which once dominated Mainland Southeast Asia for centuries. This probably also inspired a story about how the Khmer people retaliated and successfully defeated Ayutthaya, a victory which was then commemorated by naming a city near Angkor ‘The Defeat of Siam’.
Ayutthaya was able to maintain control of some regions which were historically part of the Khmer realm (including the province of Siem Reap) until its own demise following the sacking of its capital near modern-day Bangkok by the Burmese in the 18th century. Siem Reap and its neighboring provinces, however, remained in the hands of Siam until the early 20th century when the Chakri dynasty (to which the current monarch of Thailand belongs) agreed to relinquish its control of non-Thai regions to either the British or the French – a strategy which resulted in Thailand’s independence from being directly controlled by any European powers, making it the only country in Southeast Asia to resist colonization. Subsequently, Siem Reap and the surrounding regions were ceded to French Indochina and remain part of present-day Cambodia.
Today, Siem Reap is the country’s second biggest city after the capital, although its population of around 250,000 pales in comparison with the more than 2.2 million people who call Phnom Penh home. Understandably, there are no direct flights from any city in Indonesia to Siem Reap – although the absence of flights to the Cambodian capital from my home country makes me curious. On my first visit to the Southeast Asian kingdom back in 2011, I took a long overland trip from Bangkok which involved taking a bus to the Thai town of Aranyaprathet, crossing the Thai-Cambodian border on foot, getting a visa at the Cambodian immigration office in the city of Poipet, and waiting for other tourists to share a car to reach Siem Reap. While waiting, some local men talked to me in a manner that reminded me of how people back home talk to a stranger: friendly, curious, funny, yet generally quite courteous.
This time around, eleven years after that solo backpacking trip to Cambodia, I found myself on a flight from Singapore over the calm waters of Tonle Sap – Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake – approaching the airport at Siem Reap. As I peered out of the window, seemingly random small dots appeared near the banks of the lake. These marked out the floating villages of Tonle Sap, often included in most people’s itineraries when visiting this part of Cambodia. Right before the airplane took a final turn toward the airport, a massive rectangular body of water came into sight, directly to the northwest of the runway. That must be the West Baray, I thought to myself while reminiscing about all the architectural marvels of the Khmer Empire I saw in person more than a decade ago. The anticipation began building up.
Soon enough, James and I were already walking on the streets of Siem Reap. I immediately noticed something starkly different from my first visit: there are now proper sidewalks. Except for a few spots, those dusty unpaved streets I remembered from my first trip were all but gone, replaced by wide footpaths that made exploring the city on foot a lot more enjoyable. After dinner, we walked across the main river that cuts through the downtown area and headed for the old market. It was Saturday night and the riverside promenade – especially those near the market – was brimming with activities: street food stalls were packed with customers, locals and foreigners alike, with the smoke from grilled chicken, meat skewers, and other delicacies filling the air. Right before our eyes were old shophouses built in French colonial style that looked intriguing at night, making us wonder how they would appear on a clear, sunny day.
Street food stalls along the river
Succulent-looking grilled birds
A conversation near the old market
Going to the other side
A chic boutique near our hotel
Festive Christmas decorations on one of the bridges in town
That was exactly what we did on our second day in the city. Taking heed from Risa, the very helpful and friendly staff member at our hotel, we decided to scrap our plans to see the ancient temples that day since an international half-marathon race would take place in Siem Reap in the morning. She told us that the route included the areas in the ancient city of Angkor – imagine running with those marvelous centuries-old Khmer temples in sight. I would probably not be able to complete the race if I took part since I would’ve definitely been drawn more to the temples than to the finish line. Instead, that morning we decided to head back to the old market to explore the area. We saw more shophouses this time; some were turned into restaurants, pharmacies, or supermarkets, while a few others were repurposed as chic boutiques or cafés that wouldn’t be out of place in bigger cities in Asia.
As it turned out, this trend was not confined only to the old market. Along the river, which is flanked by tall trees on both of its banks, Siem Reap’s increasingly cosmopolitan dining scene was on full display. Some of the restaurants and bars actually reminded me of parts of South Jakarta, an area in the Indonesian capital that is filled with trend-setting businesses, trail-blazing restaurants, and elegant edifices that are often frequented by the most sophisticated members of society. This was again completely different from the Siem Reap I remembered from 2011. We even tried Georgian dishes for the first time here in this part of Cambodia, of all places! On one of those days we stayed in the city, we took a long walk along the river after having a very satisfying dinner at a restaurant serving modern Khmer cuisine. We passed several beautifully-designed low-rise buildings housing impeccable-looking establishments which probably didn’t even exist when I first came here. An article from a magazine I read even describes how the dining scene in Siem Reap puts that of Phnom Penh to shame.
But Siem Reap is not all about being trendy. One thing I noticed that fortunately hasn’t changed was how friendly and down-to-earth the people were, something that made me feel immediately at home since these are the traits the people from the part of Java I come from are known to have. Also, one of the sweetest moments from this trip in fact happened during an unassuming stroll underneath a big banyan tree along the riverside promenade where our olfactory senses suddenly detected something pleasant in the air. We stopped to investigate and found out that this lovely scent came from the plethora of orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata) whose modest white blooms emanated an aroma which to me was like a cross between that of the jasmine and the tuberose (Agave amica). Nearby, a group of mynas were watching us, probably thinking why on earth do these humans keep sniffing those tiny flowers?
I was pleasantly surprised by how much Siem Reap has changed, mostly for the better. With all the delightful things the city offered that helped put me in a good mood, I was ready to see the ancient Khmer temples again after eleven years.
The aesthetically-pleasing dining area at Pou Restaurant
New developments loom on the horizon
Crossing the river toward Wat Preah Prom Rath
The colorful Wat Preah Prom Rath, one of several Buddhist monasteries in the city
A scene that reminded me of Thailand (and, in a way, Bali)
Shophouses near the old market
French colonial architecture is everywhere in this part of Siem Reap
Some like it orange
The pastel colors reminded me a little bit of the old shophouses in Singapore and Malaysia
The meat section of the market
Upon seeing these sausages, James and I were determined to try them during our week-long stay
These stalls are more geared toward selling souvenirs for tourists
One of the covered bridges along the river
So many things happening in one frame
A peaceful walk along the river
The modest but fragrant blooms of orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata)
What an Amazing World! 
Can see why you are smitten Bama, seems like quite a dramatic transformation from the shanty town Siem Reap had been reduced to! Glad they retained those lovely colonial buildings. I don’t remember seeing them, we probably didn’t venture out except to have dinner:) Looking forward to your temple updates.
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I was pleasantly surprised to see how walkable Siem Reap is today. The city’s transformation is very encouraging, but at the same time it made me think of some touristy towns in Indonesia which could’ve done something similar. There will be quite a lot of blog posts about the ancient temples, Madhu. So please bear with me. 🙂
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Looking forward to reading them all Bama😍
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It definitely looks like it has picked up even from a few months ago when I visited. I recognised so many of the places in your photos. I really loved strolling along the river, taking a break on the benches and watching local scenes. I hope travel continues to improve onwards and upwards for the locals who so rely on us!
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Wasn’t it so nice to walk along the river? I really appreciated the big trees that they kept. I surely hope things keep getting better, Anna. So many people around the world rely on tourism!
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Thanks for the memory of some street scenes in Siem Reap.
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Glad these images bring back your memories from this part of Cambodia. I wonder how much things have changed from your last visit.
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Actually, it hasn’t changed much in 15 years!
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What a lovely trip, Bama that you enjoyed with James. It is so nice when a place gets transformed for the better instead of the other way around, but in a way that still restores the old and the history.
The buildings and the covered bridges look nice and the improved architecture makes it all inviting for tourists. I can only imagine what those orange jasmine blossoms smelled like!
The food stalls are, not surprisingly, what I gravitated towards. Those grilled birds look so delicious. I can smell them from over here. And I bet those sausages tasted great too.
Thanks for sharing your trip with us!
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Seeing how Siem Reap transformed really made me wish I had the power to do something similar to some places in Indonesia. Local government officials here often have no idea what they should be doing apart from promoting themselves to win the next election!
I ended up trying the sausage in two different restaurants. While I enjoyed the first, the second one was even more delicious. I will eventually write a post specifically on the local dishes we had in Siem Reap.
Thanks for reading, Ab! I hope the rest of the weekend will be relaxing for you, the hubby, and T.
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If it’s any comfort, local government is like in all parts of the world. 😆 But I hear you in wanting to affect local change especially when you see other places transform in such a positive way.
Look forward to your local dishes post! 😊
Enjoy the rest of your weekend. We’re just getting started for the Sunday.
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And when the change is organic — by the people and for the people — many government officials are usually tempted to join the bandwagon and take the credit for themselves. Oh well… 😅
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Siem Reap has definitely changed since we were there, and it sounds like it’s been for the better. I don’t recognize anything in your pictures. We learned of the history of the battles between Siam, Khmer and Burma when we were in Ayutthaya where it obviously had a different (Thai) slant. Interesting to read the Cambodia side of the history. Glad you’re traveling again 😊 Maggie
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Which year did you go? It seems like Siem Reap really caught everyone by surprise, in a good way. When the city reopens after the pandemic, people find a place that seems to have changed for the better.
Now that you mentioned the Thai version of the history, it reminds me to see Ayutthaya sooner than later. I’ve been to Thailand three times but all of those trips were confined to Bangkok!
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We went in 2015, probably similar to when you went in 2011. Bama you have to go to Ayutthaya. If you do make sure you go to Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai as well. We actually liked Sukhothai better than Ayutthaya.
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I think everyone I know prefer Sukhothai to Ayutthaya. We’ll see. It really depends on how much time I have the next time I go to Thailand.
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It’s always nice to return somewhere and see what’s changed. It sounds like wandering around Siem Reap is much better now with proper sidewalks, but glad to hear that the people are still friendly. I love the scenes at night, especially the holiday decorations on the bridge (that’s such a great picture with the reflection!)
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It really is, Linda. Although I can imagine being disappointed if the changes were actually for the worse. Since I didn’t bring a tripod, I had to take multiple shots of that bridge while hoping at least one of them would turn out okay.
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We will be here in Siem Reap soon….probably April. Absolutely cannot wait to experience this place.
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That’s really exciting! I hope you’ll have a great time in Siem Reap.
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You are whetting my appetite, Bama, because guess what?!?!? I am finally going to Southeast Asia! (I do know this post is not where I am supposed to talk about ME, but I can’t contain my excitement.) It all came together very quickly. I had a hike in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains cancelled suddenly by the outfitter about a month ago. My husband felt bad for me, and when I begged yet again to rebook our SEAsia trip, he said he knew he was holding me back from this trip but that he would not be able to go for some time and (blasphemy!) he was not that interested in all the temples anyway! He urged me to find a small group and go by myself. You know what that meant – I was booked within 48 hours! I leave in mid-March, and I will be following all of your posts even more avidly than usual!
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Yayyy!!! I’m glad that your SEA trip is finally happening! I remember how your plan to see this part of the world seemed less and less possible as the pandemic was looming on the horizon. How long will you travel? and which countries are you thinking of visiting? If the timing is right, we might actually bump into each other!
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I’ll be in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand (briefly, which is fine since I’ve been there) in that order in March and early April. I’ll be there about 3 weeks overall. Are you planning to be in any of those places at that time?
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Actually, yes! I’ll send you an email.
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Maybe I need to re-visit but hope it is not too gentrified. Give me dusty paths to spanking new pavements anyway! 😉 Enjoyed the vicarious trip.
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I actually find places that are too gentrified less exciting. However, coming from a country where chaotic scenes are the norm, it actually feels good to have a bit of order and cleanliness here and there. 😀 Which is probably why I really enjoyed my second trip to Siem Reap.
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It’s great to see a different side of an increasingly trendy and cosmopolitan Siem Reap. Like you, I visited the town a decade ago and had a great time checking out the temples and ruins. But I overlooked the town itself, and your write-up and pics show that it’s clearly time for another visit. Btw was there much Khmer food to try or was it mostly international cuisine?
I also had no idea about the meaning behind Siem Reap! It’s a pretty bold choice of name and I wonder what people across the border make of it nowadays haha
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Like you, I also overlooked Siem Reap back then. I remember only visiting the museum and a market where I bought souvenirs for my coworkers.
I tried a lot of Khmer food on this trip, and oh my! Not only the dishes I had were delicious, but some of them also reminded me of flavors back home. I have to say Khmer food is very much underrated, which is a shame. I’ll eventually write a post dedicated to Cambodian cuisine.
I know, right? I’m also curious about how Thai people feel about this name.
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Ahh awesome! Can’t wait to read more about your time in Cambodia!
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The Siem Reap you are describing here sounds so different from my memory of it. It has been 9 years since my visit, and I remember quite well how walking around was quite a challenge without proper sidewalks. I bought two traditional hammocks (not intended for tourists) in the old market, and am still waiting to find or create the perfect spot to put them up for summer siestas here in Portugal. That way I will always have a link to that part of the world.
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There might have been sidewalks when we went 9-10 years ago, but they were probably insignificant, or very narrow, or completely occupied by stuff. It’s nice that you bought those hammocks. I rarely buy things when I travel, but when I do I’ll make sure it’s something special, like what you did when you bought those.
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I’m also not big on souvenir shopping, but I do love buying something I can use in my daily life that will remind me of a specific trip and country. Usually something small, as I’ve learned to travel quite light. And often I indulge in a recipe book at the airport, as I am leaving.
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Speaking of buying books, I kind of regret for not buying one when I was in Siem Reap. There was a bookstore at the airport, but for some reason I didn’t buy any.
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The new Siem Reap looks so much more ‘civilized’ compared to my past visit in 2009. It definitely is an improvement over the old one, although one could say that it might have lost its old wild wild west charm. It guess this commercialization and infrastructure improvements has made the town more lively. It looks like there are more places to eat and gather besides Pub Street now.
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I guess it’s never easy for any place to find that delicate balance between moving forward through modernization and retaining its old charm. And I think it’s always a good idea to improve the infrastructure for pedestrians. Fun fact: I actually didn’t visit Pub Street at all!
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Either Pub Street has lost its appeal or the new places are much more attractive.
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This part of your world is so fascinating and high on our list. Every time you post it’s a new education. The food looks great and the towns and streets are so clean. Gracias!
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Likewise, every time you post about those historic towns in Colombia I’m always fascinated by how beautiful and photogenic they are. I really hope one day I’ll get to see your part of the world.
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I didn’t know that Siem Reap meant “defeat of Siam.” It is interesting to learn about the great Southeast Asian kingdoms clashing and invading each other. Siem Reap looks really nice and modern compared to when I was there 10 years ago – the only parts of the city I went to was a night market near my hotel.
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In mainland Southeast Asia, the Khmer, Cham, Thai, and Burmese were particularly fierce adversaries among each other. The night market still looked pretty much the same, but many other things in the city have definitely changed a lot. I wonder how Siem Reap will look like ten years from now.
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I have heard of the fierce historical rivalry between the Thais and Burmese and their frequent wars. I don’t know much about Cham other than that they were defeated and absorbed into Vietnam. It is all very interesting.
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Like you, until a few years ago, I didn’t know much about Champa despite its historical significance. And exactly because of that I want to go back to Vietnam to visit some of the temples the ancient Cham people built during the heyday of their control over this part of mainland Southeast Asia.
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That’s a good idea. It is fascinating that this Hindu kingdom existed in the middle of Vietnam and thrived for centuries. It’s a good example of a multicultural past and religious identity (spread of Hinduism) much different than in the modern era.
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So that’s what Siem Reap means – interesting!
I wish WordPress could have a feature where we could smell the orange jasmin flowers (and also the food from the night market). It’s always nice that you include a bit of the history too. I always enjoy exploring the markets.
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For me being able to “smell” a food photo would only make me even more curious about that dish, which would then lead to searches for flights to get to the place where I can have it. 😄
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Wow, Siem Reap looks beautiful! It also has a very interesting history that I knew nothing about! I can’t imagine how surprised you must have been when you saw that it was so different than when you went the first time. It’s great that the city developed and got more popular, but the fact that its atmosphere and people were still friendly and welcoming is even better, as many places lose a bit of their charm when they become more touristic!
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I was indeed surprised, but in a good way. As international travel is almost back to how it was before the pandemic, I’m curious about how much busier places like Siem Reap will be during peak season. I hope it won’t reach a point where it loses its charm.
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This brings memories back of our visit there I Siem Reap. Thanks for sharing this idea. Anita
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Glad to know that you also enjoyed Siem Reap.
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So happy I found your site. Hope you can follow my site. Thanks Anita
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Let’s follow our blogs. Anita
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What a vivid account of Siem Reap, Bama. That is an interesting name for the place not too far from the border, interesting that it was named in honour of history. So lovely to hear you got to visit Siem Reap again and this time with your good fiend James. The night markets certainly look very busy and lot of mouth-watering street food to choose from. It is also interesting to hear that there is a more cosmopolitan and sophisticated dining scene similar to South Jakarta. I guess it is to appeal to a wider variety of people, locals and tourists alike. Agree that some of the shophouses look liek the ones in Singapore and Malaysia, and looks to have been maintained well over the years.
Always good that the locals are friendly and down-to-earth. That always makes travelling all the more better in many ways. Hope you are doing well, Bama 😊
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After this second trip, I can see myself going for the third time one day in the future. There are still a lot of ancient temples I didn’t manage to see in both occasions, and it would be interesting to see the city’s continuous transformation. I really hope it won’t lose its charm though.
Have a good week ahead, Mabel!
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While Angkor Wat is the sort of place that could be fascinating to visit, I’ve never really thought about the rest of Cambodia. Looks like I might be missing something…
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Sometimes the city or town out of which most tourists are based for exploring world-famous sites nearby can be quite interesting too. For me this was the case with that recent trip to Siem Reap, as well as with the ancient cities in the Kathmandu Valley.
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Reading this post, Bama, I felt like I was on a beautiful trip to Siem Reap ~ and I love to see how wonderful you made it all look. I did not know the direct translation of the name, and wow, I find it fascinating and a little funny too! You capture the city’s mood, and while I remember the colonial buildings well, this part of its history will always be interesting… the photos that made me most happy, along with your writing, were the mood of the place and its people. Your “Street food stalls along the river” photo captures this perfectly, and made me wish I could just sit down right there and absorb all the culture and food 🙂
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I don’t think I made Siem Reap look good, Randall. Instead, the city simply presented its charming spaces and interesting corners for my camera to capture. It was really nice walking along the river, both at daytime and after sunset, especially since now the sidewalks have been significantly improved. I came to Cambodia to see the ancient temples (which are, of course, amazing), but I also ended up being smitten with Siem Reap. The next time I go to Phnom Penh it would be hard not to compare it with the country’s second city.
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Although I had some inkling of what Siem Reap was going to be like, I was really not expecting to fall for the place so quickly. It might be a tourist town but it has such charm, and I loved how it was so down-to-earth yet stylish at the same time. All the gentle-natured Cambodians we encountered made our stay even more special. Siem Reap’s excellent food scene was also a big plus, as was the walkability (I do miss that lovely riverside promenade). Had we budgeted an extra day in Cambodia, perhaps we would have explored more of the city and actually paid Wat Bo a visit. I’m very much looking forward to going back a second time in the not-too-distant future. I doubt that there will ever be direct Jakarta–Siem Reap flights, but one can dream!
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I do wonder, though, if our trip to Siem Reap happened at the right time — when borders had been reopened, but mass tourism had yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. I have to say when we were walking around the downtown area, I envied the locals a little bit for having proper sidewalks in their city. Such a shame we didn’t go to Wat Bo despite the fact that it was just ‘right there’. I think the question is not whether we will return to Siem Reap or not, but rather when we will go back.
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This brought back some memories! Like you I was in Siem Reap over 10 years ago (2012) and I love seeing the changes and development you’ve shown here. It feels as if this small city has grown up and it makes me want to go back and explore more. Wonderful post Bama.
I’ve been taking a break from the blog – not planned at all. I went to Oz for 2.5 months and suddenly found myself living a completely different life. Back home now and slowly starting to reorient myself and catch up.
Alison
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Alison! I was actually wondering about your absence from the blogging world, but after checking your Instagram I realized you were in Canberra (and maybe some other places as well). I think if you go back to Siem Reap, you’ll be as pleasantly surprised as I was seeing how much the city has changed for the better.
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Lovely photos and story. I see that you are back travelling again which is good; looking forward to seeing the results of your new wanderings. We have never been to Cambodia but it is on the list so this is a nice introduction for us (Suzanne)
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It did feel good to be able to travel abroad again. This year I’m scheduling to publish a new post every three weeks, so there will still be stories from Cambodia for the next couple of months. Knowing how popular the country was before the pandemic, I do hope you’ll get to see it sooner than later.
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