The Best of Cambodia & Laos

Body Tune Spa, in the very heart of Pub Street (btw. the Red Piano and the Soup
Dragon restaurant; & 012/444-066), is in the midmarket range (about $10) with good
affordable services and some burgeoning style.
On the lower end of the scale, where you can expect to pay as little as $6 for an hour
of massage, try any of the small storefronts just north of the Old Market, in the popular
tourist area. Services vary at these little storefronts, now numbering five and growing. For
good Khmer massage, similar to Thai massage, try Islands Traditional Khmer Massage
(north of Psar Chas; & 012/757-120). The most affordable massage in town, and a great
way to support local enterprise, is at one of the many massage schools for the blind.
Trained by international volunteers, blind masseuses—who in Khmer society might have
little other chance in life—are able to make a comfortable living. There are a few different
sights; one that’s convenient and very professional is Seeing Hands IV (& 012/286-316
or 286-317) on central Sivatha near the Tell Restaurant and the Dead Fish Tower Bar.
Trained by Japanese and endorsed by Aus Aid and the Blind Care Foundation, masseuses
are professional, and for only $5, you can’t go wrong. Most folks tip heavily here and
come away with a unique connection. Call or just stop in.
The newest trend in Siem Reap is fish massage, where hundreds of tiny fish feed on
your feet to remove dead skin cells and increase circulation. To try it, head to Pub Street
or the night market where you will find pools set up.
ORGANIZED TOURS
Siem Reap is full of helpful traveler services and information. In fact, most hotels and
guesthouses can help you arrange all of the essentials. Below are a few service providers
we’d recommend among the many others you’ll see in the area.
Expensive
• Diethelm, House No. 470, Krous Village, Svay Dangkum Commune, Siem Reap
(& 063/963-524; fax 063/963-694; DT_Cambodia@kh.diethelmtravel.com). Providing
all local and regional services, Diethelm is a top international tour operator,
offering classic tours in Angkor as well as anywhere in the region.
• Exotissimo, New Bldg. B, 2021 St. 60MK, Siem Reap (& 063/964-323; fax 063/
963-621; www.exotissimo.com). Like Diethelm, above, Exo is a large conglomerate,
with offices throughout the region, with a wide range of options including luxury,
volunteering, and cycling tours. Mostly for larger budgets.
• Osmose, at Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation (& 063/963-710; www.
osmosetonlesap.net). Offering high-end tours to the far-flung coastal areas of the
Tonle Sap Lake, Osmose levies high fees for its popular eco-tours in order to maintain
high standards of low environmental impact, and to fund its efforts at encouraging
sustainable development and preservation in the region.
• Terre Cambodge, 668 Hup Guan St. (& 092/476-682; www.terrecambodge.com).
Catering to many of the French tourists who flock to Siem Reap and have deeper
pockets, Terre Cambodge arranges adventure trips to the farther-flung reaches in the
area, ranging from off-the-map destinations along Tonle Sap to little-known jungle
temples far from Angkor.
Budget
Here are just a few of the more reliable companies that come at a cheaper rate. Hotel or
guesthouse front desks can, for free or a small fee, arrange tickets with one of the companies
listed below. In fact, popular Capitol Guesthouse and more upscale Mekong
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SIEM REAP ATTRACTIONS