(The Freeman)
The Philippine Star
Updated May 06, 2012
CEBU, Philippines - The beauty of Siem Reap, Cambodia goes far beyond the majestic and famous Angkor Wat ruins.
There are literally dozens of temples yet to be discovered, but
one can only see so many temples without getting temple burn out. Soon
enough you will be looking for other activities around town. Let’s see
what this gateway to the Angkor region has to offer.
Accommodations
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort, nestled in a manicured
garden landscape, offers the ultimate in comfort and refinement by
combining the traditional architecture of Cambodia with elegant French
colonial style to create a resort of unsurpassed luxury. The rooms
showcase spacious yet intimate living spaces with timber floors, wrap
around terraces with pool, garden or lake views.
Sokha Angkor Resort offers dedicated round-the-clock assistance to
keep you happy and content. Call in for room service or be pampered at
the luxurious spa. You can also avail of the limousine service and
travel in style.
Arts and Culture
The Amazon Angkor Restaurant. The honored tradition of Khmer dance
stretches back over a thousand years to the Age of Angkor when it was
popular with Kings and common folk alike. In the tradition of
persevering this great cultural heritage, the Amazon presents
nightly traditional dance performances referred to as Apsara, considered
one of the most classic dance pieces.
Artisans d Angkor was founded in 1998 to provide jobs to rural youth
who were interested in traditional crafts. The majority of students are
uneducated but are trained in stone and woodcarving. Under the
supervision of archaeologists, graduates of the three-year program have
been able to reproduce products that are sold in boutiques.
Shopping
There are many shops and market stalls selling handicrafts, silk,
silverware, jewelry, carvings and the like and shopping in Siem Reap,
especially in the local markets is a truly unique, fun and rewarding
experience.
Massage
While hardly exclusive to Siem Reap, blind massage and "fish massage"
have certainly become popular. Fish massage is a slightly different
affair - sit on the side of a paddling pool containing garufa fish, and
let them nibble the dead skin from your toes - it feels much nicer than
it sounds.
The central part of town, around "Pub Street," offers a range
of massage places, offering reflexology and foot massages, head and
shoulder massages, and variations of the services. These vary from basic
rooms at a few dollars an hour, up to very high quality treatments in
comfortable surroundings.
Cuisine and Entertainment
Siem Reap offers an amazing range of cuisine and dining venues. The
emphasis is on Khmer-Cambodian food, which can be found at restaurants
across town. Because of its location to many waterways, the staples of
Cambodians remain fish and rice. Fish is the most common as they are
abundant from the Mekong River, Bassac River and Tonlé Sap (the largest
freshwater lake in South East Asia) and can even be freshly caught from
rice paddies.
Though Pub Street is better known for its bars, a handful of places
are known for great food, many with seating upstairs so you can escape
above the partying milieu on the street below. Crammed along the alley
is a wider selection of restaurants that offer a generally quieter and
more intimate experience. The local restaurants lining Phsar Chas have
extensive yet near identical menus of cheap fried rice and westernized
approximations of Khmer dishes.
Tonle Sap Lake
Cambodia's Great Lake, Tonle Sap is the most prominent feature on the
map of Cambodia - a huge dumbbell-shaped body of water stretching
across the northwest section of the country. The boatman will point out
the different Khmer and Vietnamese floating households and the floating
markets, churches, clinics and schools and other boatloads of tourists.
The great sites of Siem Reap are a symbol of the unity of the
Cambodian people today and a great cultural legacy of which they are
deservedly, very proud.
Getting There
Cebu Pacific Air fly’s from Manila to Siem Reap every Tuesday,
Thursday and Sunday with departures at 19.45 in the evening. The return
from Siem Reap to Manila is every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 22.30
in the evening.
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