The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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WHERE TO STAY SIEM REAP
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Give of “Yourself” in Siem Reap
They want your blood in Siem Reap. Many humanitarian-aid agencies use Siem
Reap as a base for raising funds and treating rural peoples. The Kantha Bopha
Hospital, on the main road to the temples, and the Angkor Hospital for Children
(contact them through & 063/963-409 or www.fwab.org) are always
looking for blood donors to help young patients through the most trying periods
of acute dysentery and hemorrhagic fever. Patients often make it to these
centers from rural areas in dire circumstances and need immediate blood
transfusions to make it through their first days. Just show up at either clinic to
make a donation of blood, time, and/or money—all of which are desperately
needed.
years, has now finally been improved and is perfect. Once into Thailand, you can travel
on to Bangkok by minibus from the crossing or you can travel on into Aranyaprathet by
tuk-tuk and catch a regular bus from the bus station. Any all-inclusive fares either from
Bangkok to Siem Reap or the reverse are not recommended as they come rife with scams
and rip-offs.
GETTING AROUND
Navigating central Siem Reap around Psar Chas is easy because it is compact (though the
town as a whole is very spread out). There is no shortage of willing drivers available.
BY TAXI One generally hires cars and taxis by the day. They cost around $20 to $25
per day. This is your best bet if hitting the temples farther afield, but if you’re just doing
the main temple circuits, tuk-tuks or motos represent the best way to get around.
BY TUK-TUK Tuk-tuks are readily available everywhere. Pay between $1 and $3 for
trips around town or $15 to rent one for the whole day.
BY MOTORCYCLE TAXI Motorcycle taxis are everywhere and are often the quickest
way to get around. During the day expect to pay between 50¢ and $1 for most short trips
in town. Double that at night. Hiring one for the entire day (to take you to the temples),
should cost around $7 to $10 per day.
BY MOTORCYCLE Foreigners are not allowed to rent motorcycles in Siem Reap.
BY BICYCLE Many guesthouses and hotels offer bicycles for rent at $1.50 to $4 per day,
depending on the quality and sophistication of the bike. Don’t forget to wear a helmet.
2 WHERE TO STAY
Not surprisingly, the accommodations scene in Siem Reap has exploded since peace came
to Cambodia at the end of the last century, and now the number of places to stay is
astronomical in all categories. Even so, high-end hotels often fill up in the high season,
so be sure to book ahead. In low season, be sure to ask for a discount. For midrange hotels
(below $100), there are a handful of nice boutique choices in town. Most hotels levy a