48 Hours in Siem Reap, Cambodia With a Toddler in Tow
To move, to breathe, to fly, to float - To gain all while you give - To roam the loads of land remote - To travel is to live.
~Hans Christian Andersen
One of the first things that I noticed as we flew over Siem Reap was the massive river system snaking its way through the beautiful countryside. The Tonle Sap is a lake and river system which winds its way throughout Cambodia and is home to many floating villages. Unfortunately we didn't have the chance to visit the floating villages on this trip because it was dry season and the water levels usually drop, making it difficult to reach the villages by boat. Siem Reap is located in the Northwestern part of Cambodia and is generally considered to be the gateway to Angkor (known for its beautiful temples), a designated Unesco World Heritage site and one of Southeast Asia's most important archaeological sites.
DAY ONE
Upon landing, we made our way through customs, gathered our belongings and hopped into the car which was waiting for us outside. As we drove to the hotel, I was somewhat surprised to see how 'organized' the road system appeared to be (by Asian standards) - there was a designated lane for vespa's and tuk tuk's and a seperate lane for cars and heavy trucks, which made navigating the traffic seem somewhat reassuring. After we arrived at our hotel and got settled, it was early evening and our stomachs were grumbling. Although little N was slightly cranky following the plane journey, we decided to throw caution to the wind and be adventurous so we hopped in a tuk-tuk and headed for Cuisine Wat Damnak. The driver whisked us away and into the moving traffic. The sun was just beginning to set and the warm air blowing in our faces gave us that feeling of excitement and adventure that you get whenever you travel to a new country for the first time. The lights were just beginning to come on and the city was buzzing with life as we zipped through the streets passing produce markets, food stalls and dusty back roads.
We pulled up to a lovely two-story wooden house and wandered inside through its dimly lit garden. We were seated in the upstairs dining room which reminded me an old farmhouse with its high ceilings and exposed wooden beams. The windows were wide open, the nighttime breeze was gently blowing in and you could hear the neighboring dog barking in the alley down below. For someone who can be overwhelmed by too much choice on a menu, I was pleasantly surprised to see only two options to choose from. There was the five course tasting menu for $27 USD, or the six course tasting menu for $31 USD. M and I opted for the five-course set menu, keeping in mind that the little guy could call quits at any time. Chef Joannès was kind enough to make little N his own special dish of homemade chicken rice with pumpkin and herbs, which little N gobbled right up - a clear sign of its deliciousness. The food was absolutely lovely - full of flavor, fresh herbs and local vegetables. Khmer cuisine draws many influences from Thai, Vietnamese, French and Chinese influences but it is surprisingly light, and very different than any cuisine I had ever eaten before.
After we had eaten our delicious dinner and played peek-a-boo with our fellow dinner guests, we set off in a tuk-tuk and drove back to the hotel, winding our way through the quiet nighttime streets and headed off to bed.
DAY TWO
We woke up bright and early (as you do when you have an almost two year old), greeted the large Buddha statue sitting at the bottom of the stairs and made our way to the dining room for breakfast. As suggested by our lovely waiter, we ordered the Khmer pancake, which is made from rice flour and egg and then stuffed full of ground pork, mung beans and shredded coconut. The pancake was accompanied by dried chili and ground peanuts and it was the perfect mix of savory pork, slightly sweet coconut and salty peanuts.
Following breakfast, our driver and tour guide from Asian Trails met us in the lobby and we headed off to see the temples. We spent the morning exploring Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm. The temples were stunning and we were grateful to have had the opportunity to see them. Little N loved running around the temples and exploring the long corridors (and was less happy when we tried to confine him to the backpack (carrier) but after a fair amount of persistence and snacks as bribery, he eventually got the hang of it). I only wish that we could have spent some more time just hanging out and taking it all in, rather than rushing through the temples, but I suppose traveling with a busy toddler doesn't really lend itself very well to leisurely strolls.
After a long morning of sightseeing and many new impressions, we decided that a family nap was in order. Following our nap, we spent the remainder of the afternoon playing in the pool and drinking gin and tonics in the late afternoon sun. We decided to have dinner at the hotel that night and turn in early so that we would be well rested for the next day's adventures.
DAY THREE
The sun was shining brightly against the blue sky when we pulled open the curtains that morning. We made ourselves a strong cup of coffee using the Nespresso machine in the room and let little N drink his milk before heading down to breakfast. Following our breakfast of fresh fruit and Khmer pancakes (surprise!), we set-off to meet our tour guides in the lobby for a second day of temple visits. Our first stop was Preah Khan. The temple, which is still largely unrestored, was probably one of my favorite temples we visited on this trip. We arrived around 9:00 a.m. in the morning and as luck would have it, it was still rather quiet, which gave us plenty of time to wander around and enjoy the beautiful architecture, carved doorways and lush green spaces which were tucked away inside the temple.
We continued onwards and drove along the dusty roads until we reached Neak Pean, which is a small temple located on an island in the center of the (now dry) Jayatataka Baray reservoir. What I enjoyed most about this temple was the wooden walkway which took us straight through the reservoir and surrounding nature. Since it was getting close to lunchtime, we decided to make the drive back into town, which took about 45 minutes...just enough time for little N to catch a catnap in the backseat. Our final stop before heading back to the hotel was Artisans Angkor for a tour of their workshops. Artisans Angkor are well known for their beautiful Khmer handicrafts like silk fabrics, stone and wood carvings, ceramics, silk painting, and jewelry. And because this is a social enterprise, a percentage of the proceeds goes towards providing fair wages and educational opportunities to its trainees/craftsmen.
Later that evening (post family nap and swim), we decided to head over to Sala Lodges to have a bite to eat and to check out their beautiful property. We hopped in a tuk-tuk and wound our way through the quiet city streets. It was still early evening and when we pulled up to Sala lodges and the sun was just beginning to sink in the sky. We took a walk around the gorgeous property before sitting down for dinner. We were the only ones dining there that evening (I assume it is mostly hotel guests who eat at its restaurant) which worked out well for us, since little N wasn't in the mood to keep his voice down. The restaurant itself was beautiful - an open air dining room which overlooked the small rice paddies and traditional Cambodian houses. Our meal was also delicious - full of fresh herbs and Cambodian flavors. We left the restaurant with our bellies full and we headed back to the hotel in our tuk-tuk (little N was a big fan of the tuk-tuk rides!).
DAY FOUR
After a delicious breakfast and one last dip in pool, it was time for us to head home. I must admit, Cambodia was one of those countries that I hadn't researched much before visiting, but after visiting, I realized that it had far exceeded my expectations. We learned so much about its history, its politics, its places and its people. The Cambodian people are extremely gracious and very kind. As for traveling with a toddler, it all worked out rather well so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for a family destination (assuming you enjoy a little adventure and don't mind the heat). We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and we hope to be able to go back again one of these days to further explore this beautiful country.
When to go:
Dry season runs from November to April and monsoon season runs from May to October. If you aren't a fan of the heat, it is probably best to visit early in the dry season.
How to get there:
We flew to Siem Reap directly from Singapore with SilkAir (flight time - 2hr 15 min)
Where to stay:
We stayed at the beautiful Anantara resort located less than a 10 minute drive from the airport. The rooms were lovely (there was plenty of room for the crib without feeling cramped), the staff was wonderful and they always went out of their way to ensure little N was well taken care of! Website: https://www.anantara.com/en/angkor-siem-reap
Food & Beverage:
Unfortunately we weren't quite as adventurous with regards to eating as we were on our travels prior to having kids (we are slaves to naps and meal times). The foodie in me wishes that we could have spent more time in Cambodia eating our way through the markets and street food stalls but I suppose we will need to save that for another trip (or when little N is a bit older).
Cuisine Wat Damnak - A delicious restaurant which uses Cambodian flavors and local produce from nearby farms, helmed by Chef Joannès Rivière. Plus it's situated in a cozy wooden house on a quiet street and is surrounded by lush greenery. The perfect place to enjoy a local meal (and if you still need persuading, it also holds a spot on the list of Asia's 50 best restaurants). Website: http://www.cuisinewatdamnak.com/reservations/
Sala Lodges - We also ate at Sala Lodges one night - not so much because the food had been recommended to us, but because the property looked so pretty in the pictures that I had seen, that we needed an excuse to go. The restaurant was open air and overlooked the rice fields and traditional wooden houses, which made for a wonderful ambience. And as luck would have it, the food was delicious too! If you happen to be looking for a unique place to stay while in Siem Reap, I am pretty sure this beautiful property would be a great choice! Website: https://www.salalodges.com/
What to do:
When in Siem Reap, visiting the temples is a must. We spent two half days visiting a few select temples - Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Neak Pean, Bayon & Preah Khan (in order to accommodate nap times and to not need to rush through our tours). Vutheara from Asian Trails was very accommodating and he helped us to arrange our itinerary based on what we wanted to see. Since we were traveling with a young child, we decided to visit the temples by car, rather than by tuk-tuk (the roads can be VERY dusty). It was perfect for our needs and allowed little N to doze off in between stops (we brought our own travel car seat which is easy to take in and out of cars and taxis https://www.coscokids.com/productlanding/scenera-next/ ). Our guide and our driver went out of their way to make sure Noah was attended to and they were nice enough to sit up front and entertain him with their very best animal impressions. Plus, they were very knowledgeable about the temples and the history and were able to share lot's of interesting stories with us. If you are looking to take a guided tour which is tailored to your specific wishes, I highly recommend using Asian Trails Website: http://www.asiantrails.travel/
Artisans Angkor - A social enterprise which provides vocational training to help young rural people to find work near their home village. All goods made on premises are for sale, such as silver, silk scarves, and carved wooden sculptures, and for every $100 spent, 42% goes to paying wages and providing benefits and training. Website: http://www.artisansdangkor.com/
Made in Cambodia Market - A local market which sells goods made by local artisans Address: Achar Sva Street, Siem Reap Website: https://kingsroadangkor.com/made-in-cambodia-market-new-site/
Interesting Fact:
The Tonle Sap River, which connects the Mekong with the Tonle Sap Lake, or Great Lake, is believed to have more fish than any other in the world and ranks second to the Amazon River in biodiversity (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodian_cuisine)