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'{{Short description|City in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia}} {{for multi|the province|Siem Reap Province|the municipality|Siem Reap Municipality}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} <!-- Infobox begins --> {{Infobox settlement |name = Siem Reap |official_name = |other_name = |native_name = {{lang|km|ក្រុងសៀមរាប}} |settlement_type = [[List of cities in Cambodia|City]] |image_skyline = Siem_Reap_Skyline_at_Night.jpg |imagesize = 250px |nickname = Temple Town<ref>{{cite news |last=Glasser|first=Miranda|date= 14 September 2012|title=Temple Town, Cambodia's new ladyboy capital|url= http://www.phnompenhpost.com/siem-reap-insider/temple-town-cambodias-new-ladyboy-capital |newspaper=Phnom Penh Post|access-date=14 December 2015}}</ref> |image_caption = Aerial view of Siem Reap at night |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |pushpin_map = Cambodia#Asia |pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none --> |pushpin_relief = 1 |pushpin_map_caption = Location within Cambodia##Location within Asia |pushpin_mapsize = 220px |subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]] |subdivision_name = {{flag|Cambodia}} |subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Cambodia|Province]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Siem Reap province|Siem Reap]] |subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts in Cambodia|Municipality]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Siem Reap municipality|Siem Reap]] |subdivision_type3 = |subdivision_name3 = |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 = |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = [[So Platong]] |leader_title1 = |leader_name1 = |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |established_title = Settled |established_date = 802 |established_title2 = Official |established_date2 = 1907 |established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) --> |established_date3 = |area_magnitude = |unit_pref = <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired--> |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = <!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion--> |area_land_km2 = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox settlement for details on automatic unit conversion--> |area_water_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_sq_mi = |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = |area_metro_sq_mi = |population_as_of = 2019 |population_footnotes = <ref name=census2019>{{Cite web|url=http://nis.gov.kh/nis/Census2019/Final%20General%20Population%20Census%202019-English.pdf|title=General Population Census of the Kingdom of Cambodia 2019 – Final Results|publisher=[[Ministry of Planning (Cambodia)|Ministry of Planning]]|work=National Institute of Statistics|date=26 January 2021|access-date=3 February 2021}}</ref> |population_note = |population_total = 245,494 |population_rank = [[List of cities and towns in Cambodia|2nd]] |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title = |population_blank1 = |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi = |timezone = [[Indochina Time|ICT]] |utc_offset = +7 |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |coordinates = {{coord|13|21|44|N|103|51|35|E|region:KH|display=inline}} |elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags--> |elevation_m = 18 |elevation_ft = |postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... --> |postal_code = |area_code = |blank_name = |blank_info = |blank1_name = |blank1_info = |website = |footnotes = }} <!-- Infobox ends --> '''Siem Reap''' ({{lang-km|សៀមរាប}}, {{lang|km-Latn|Siĕm Réab}} {{IPA-km|siəm riəp|}}) is the second-largest city of [[Cambodia]], as well as the capital and largest city of [[Siem Reap Province]] in northwestern [[Cambodia]]. Siem Reap has [[French Protectorate of Cambodia|French colonial]] and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter and around the Old Market. In the city, there are museums, traditional [[Apsaras|Apsara]] dance performances, a Cambodian cultural village, souvenir and handicraft shops, silk farms, rice paddies in the countryside, fishing villages and a [[Prek Toal|bird sanctuary]] near [[Tonlé Sap]], and a cosmopolitan drinking and dining scene. Cambodia’s Siem Reap city, home to the famous [[Angkor Wat]] temples, was crowned the ASEAN City of Culture for the period 2021–2022 at the 9th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts (AMCA) organised on Oct 22, 2020.<ref name="Siem Reap City selected as ASEAN City of Culture for 2021-2022">{{cite web |title=Siem Reap City selected as ASEAN City of Culture for 2021-2022 |date=24 October 2020 |url=https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50776465/siem-reap-city-selected-as-asean-city-of-culture-for-2021-2022/ |publisher=khmertimeskh.com |access-date=25 October 2020}}</ref> Siem Reap today—being a popular tourist destination—has many hotels, resorts, and restaurants. This owes much to its proximity to the Angkor Wat temples, Cambodia's most popular tourist attraction. ==History== [[File:Thais return Battambang to King Sisowath.jpg|thumb|right|Sisophon, Battambang, and Angkor returned to King Sisowath, 1907]] The name "Siem Reap" can be translated to mean 'defeat of [[Siam]]' (''siem'' in Khmer), and is commonly taken as a reference to an incident in the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and Khmer kingdoms, although this is probably apocryphal. According to oral tradition, King Ang Chan (1516–1566) had named the town "Siem Reap" after he repulsed an army sent to invade Cambodia by the Thai king [[Maha Chakkraphat]] in 1549.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_CQjBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA34 |title=Elephants in Thailand Vol 3: White Elephants in Thailand and Neighboring Countries |author= Joachim Schliesinger |page=32 |publisher=White Lotus |year=2012 |isbn= 978-9744801890 }}</ref> Scholars such as [[Michael Vickery]] consider this derivation to be simply a modern folk etymology, and maintain that while the names Siem Reap and [[Chenla]], the old Chinese name for Cambodia, may perhaps be related, the actual origin of the name is unknown.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=rs4IBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT53 |author=Zhou Daguan|title= A Record of Cambodia |translator= Peter Harris |publisher=University of Washington Press |year= 2007 |isbn=978-9749511244 }}</ref> The traditional tale claims that King Ang Chan of Cambodia tried to assert greater independence from Siam, which was then struggling internally. The Siamese king [[Chairacha]] had been poisoned by his concubine, Lady Sri Sudachan, who had committed adultery with a commoner, [[Worawongsathirat]], while the king was away leading a campaign against the Kingdom of [[Lan Na]]. Sudachan then placed her lover on the throne. The Thai nobility lured them outside the city on a royal [[Royal Barge Procession|procession by barge]] to inspect a newly discovered white elephant. After killing the usurper, along with Sudachan and their new-born daughter, they invited [[Maha Chakkraphat|Prince Thianracha]] to leave the monkhood and assume the throne as King Maha Chakkraphat (1548–1569). With the Thais distracted by internal problems, King Ang Chan attacked. He seized the Siamese city of [[Prachinburi]] in 1549, sacking the city and making slaves of its inhabitants. Only then did he learn that the succession had been settled and that Maha Chakkraphat was the new ruler. Ang Chan immediately retreated to Cambodia, taking captives with him. King Maha Chakkraphat was furious over the unprovoked attack, but Burma had also chosen to invade through [[Three Pagodas Pass]]. The Burmese army posed a much more serious threat, as it captured [[Kanchanaburi]] and [[Suphanburi]]. It then appeared before Ayutthaya itself. The Thai army managed to defeat the Burmese, who quickly retreated through the pass. Maha Chakkraphat's thoughts then turned to Cambodia. Not only had Ang Chan attacked and looted Prachinburi, turning its people into slaves, but he also refused to give Maha Chakkraphat a white elephant he had requested, rejecting even this token of submission to Siam.<ref name="Sochaczewski2009">{{cite book|author=Paul Spencer Sochaczewski|title=The Sultan and the Mermaid Queen: Surprising Asian People, Places and Things that Go Bump in the Night|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DowhYaCXBEQC&pg=PA100|date=29 January 2009|publisher=Editions Didier Millet|isbn=978-981-4217-74-3|pages=100–}}</ref> Maha Chakkraphat ordered Prince Ong, the governor of [[Sawankhalok]], to lead an expedition to punish Ang Chan and recover the Thai captives. The rival armies met, and Ang Chan killed Prince Ong with a lucky musket shot from an elephant's back. The leaderless Thai army fled, and Ang Chan allegedly captured more than 10,000 Siamese soldiers. To celebrate his great victory, King Ang Chan supposedly named the battleground "Siem Reap", meaning 'the total defeat of Siam'. [[File:Siem Reap Pubstreet.jpg|thumb|right|Pub Street, Siem Reap]] In reality, surviving historic sources make this derivation appear unlikely, since they date the decline of [[Angkor]] to more than a century before this, when a military expedition from Ayutthaya captured and sacked Angkor Wat, which began a long period of [[Vassal state|vassal rule]] over Cambodia.<ref name="Bowman2013">{{cite book|author=John Stewart Bowman|title=Columbia Chronologies of Asian History and Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cYoHOqC7Yx4C&pg=PA511|date=13 August 2013|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-50004-3|pages=511–}}</ref> The 1431 capture coincided with the decline of Angkor, though the reasons behind its abandonment are not clear. They may have included environmental changes and failings of the Khmer infrastructure.<ref name="Stone2006">{{cite journal|last1=Stone|first1=R.|title=The End of Angkor|journal=Science|volume=311|issue=5766|year=2006|pages=1364–1368|issn=0036-8075|doi=10.1126/science.311.5766.1364|pmid=16527940|s2cid=161796031}}</ref> From the 16th to the 19th centuries, infighting among the Khmer nobility led to periodic intervention and domination by both of Cambodia's more powerful neighbors, Vietnam and Siam. Siem Reap, along with [[Battambang]] (Phra Tabong) and [[Sisophon]], major cities in northwest Cambodia, was under Siamese administration and the provinces were collectively known as Inner Cambodia from 1795 until 1907, when they were ceded to [[French Indochina]]. During the 18th century, under the rule of the [[Ayutthaya Kingdom]], it was known as [[Siam Nakhon Province|Nakhon Siam]] ('Siam's city').<ref name="FryNieminen2013">{{cite book|author1=Gerald W. Fry|author2=Gayla S. Nieminen|author3=Harold E. Smith|title=Historical Dictionary of Thailand|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XaRtAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA362|date=8 August 2013|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7525-8|pages=362–}}</ref> === Re-discovery of Angkor === [[File:A part of Siem Reap.JPG|thumb|left|Sivutha Boulevard downtown]] Siem Reap was little more than a village when French explorers such as [[Henri Mouhot]] "re-discovered" Angkor in the 19th century. However, European visitors had visited the temple ruins much earlier, including [[António da Madalena]] in 1586.<ref>Higham, ''The Civilization of Angkor'' pp. 1–2.</ref> In 1901, the [[École française d'Extrême-Orient]] (EFEO) ('French School of the Far East') began a long association with [[Angkor]] by funding an expedition into Siam to the [[Bayon]]. The EFEO took responsibility for clearing and restoring the whole site. In the same year, the first Western tourists arrived in Angkor, a total of about 200 in just three months. Angkor had been "rescued" from the jungle and was assuming its place in the modern world. [[File:Grand Hotel dAngkor SiemReap.jpg|thumb|right|[[Grand Hotel d'Angkor]], built in the mid-1920s.]] With the acquisition of Angkor by the French in 1907 following a Franco-Siamese treaty, Siem Reap began to grow. The Grand Hotel d'Angkor opened in 1929 and the temples of Angkor became one of Asia's leading draws until the late-1960s, when civil war kept tourists away. In 1975, the population of Siem Reap, like all other Cambodian cities and towns, was driven into the countryside by the communist [[Khmer Rouge]]. Siem Reap's recent history is colored by the horror of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Since [[Pol Pot]]'s death in 1998, however, relative stability and a rejuvenated tourist industry have revived the city and province. [[File:Royal Palace, Siem Reap.JPG|thumb|right|Royal Residence, Siem Reap]] Siem Reap now serves as a small gateway town to the world heritage site of Angkor Wat. In recent years, the city has regularly ranked in the top ten for "Best Destination" lists produced by entities such as TripAdvisor, ''Wanderlust Magazine'', and ''Travel+Leisure''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.worldofwanderlust.com/the-top-25-best-destinations-in-the-world/|title=The "Top 25" best destinations in the world|date=2015|work=Wanderlust}}</ref> love you>>> ==The wat and the river== [[File:A bridge over Siem Reap River.JPG|thumb|left|A covered pedestrian bridge over the Siem Reap River, next to the Old Market in Siem Reap]] Siem Reap is a cluster of small villages along the [[Siem Reap River]]. These villages were originally developed around [[Buddhist]] [[Stupa|pagodas]] ([[wat]]s) which are almost evenly spaced along the river from Wat Preah En Kau Sei in the north to Wat Phnom Krom in the south, where the Siem Reap River meets the great [[Tonlé Sap]] Lake. Town centre is concentrated around Sivutha Street and the Psar Chas area (Old Market area) where there are old colonial buildings, shopping and commercial districts. The Wat Bo area is now full of guesthouses and restaurants while the Psar Leu area is often crowded with jewelry and handicraft shops, selling such items as rubies and woodcarving. Other fast developing areas are the airport road and main road to Angkor where a number of large hotels and resorts can be found. ==Economy== [[File:Khmerr restaurant dancer.jpg|thumb|upright|Dancer performing for tourists at a restaurant]] Tourism is a very important aspect of the economy of Siem Reap – it was estimated in 2010 that over 50% of jobs in the town were related to the tourism industry.<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Annals of Tourism Research|volume= 50 |date= January 2015| pages= 98–112|title=Limits to mass tourism's effects in rural peripheries|author=Robin Biddulph|doi=10.1016/j.annals.2014.11.011|doi-access=free}}</ref> The city has seen a massive increase in tourist exchange in the couple of decades after the end of the [[Khmer Rouge]] era, and businesses centered on tourism have flourished due to the tourism boom. Visitor numbers were negligible in the mid-1990s, but by 2004, over half a million foreign visitors had arrived in Siem Reap Province that year, approximately 50% of all foreign tourists in Cambodia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourismcambodia.com/Statistics/index.asp?Year=2005 |title=Executive Summary from Jan–Dec 2005 |access-date=25 April 2008 |work=Tourism of Cambodia |publisher=Statistics & Tourism Information Department, Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080413115411/http://www.tourismcambodia.com/Statistics/index.asp?Year=2005| archive-date= 13 April 2008 | url-status= dead}}</ref> By 2012, tourist numbers had reached over two million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourismcambodia.org/images/mot/statistic_reports/tourism_statistics_annual_report_2012.pdf |title=Tourism Annual Report 2012 |work=Ministry of Tourism |access-date=20 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027011521/http://www.tourismcambodia.org/images/mot/statistic_reports/tourism_statistics_annual_report_2012.pdf |archive-date=27 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ==Attractions== [[File:Angkor Satellit mit Karte.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Satellite view of Siem Reap (to the left in the satellite image) in relation to Angkor archaeological sites such as [[Angkor Wat]] and [[Angkor Thom]]]] ===Angkor Wat=== {{Main|Angkor Wat}} [[File:Buddhist monks in front of the Angkor Wat.jpg|thumb|260px|left|Buddhist monks in front of [[Angkor Wat]]]] Angkor Wat ([[Wat]] temple) is the central feature of the Angkor [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] containing the magnificent remains of the [[Khmer Empire|Khmer]] civilization. Angkor Wat's rising series of five towers culminates in an impressive central tower that symbolizes mythical [[Mount Meru]]. Thousands of feet of wall space are covered with intricate carving depicting scenes from [[Hindu mythology]]. The most important are the Carved Bas reliefs of the Hindu narratives. They tell a story about gods fighting demons in order to reclaim order which can only be achieved by recovering the elixir of life known as [[amrita]]. The gods and demons must work together to release it and then battle to attain it. ===Angkor Thom=== [[File:Angkor, Bayon (6198899442).jpg|thumb|The towers of Bayon in Angkor Thom]] {{Main|Angkor Thom}} Angkor Thom is an inner royal city built by [[Jayavarman VII]], the Empire's famed 'Warrior King', at the end of the 12th century and is renowned for its temples, in particular the [[Bayon]]. Other notable sites are [[Baphuon]], [[Phimeanakas]], the [[Terrace of the Elephants]], and the [[Terrace of the Leper King]]. The city can be accessed through five city gates, one at each cardinal point and the Victory Gate on the eastern wall. ===Other temples=== A number of significant temples are dotted around Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom within the Angkor Archaeological Park, including [[Ta Prohm]], [[Preah Khan]], [[Banteay Kdei]], [[Phnom Bakheng]], [[Ta Keo]], [[Ta Som]], [[East Mebon]], [[Pre Rup]], and [[Neak Pean]]. These temples may be visited along the grand circuit or the small circuit routes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canbypublications.com/angkor-cambodia/angkor-temple-guide.htm |title=Angkor Temple Guide |publisher=Canby Publications }}</ref> Other sites are the [[Roluos (temples)|Roluos]] group of temples located to the east of Siem Reap. ===The Cambodia Landmine Museum and Relief Center=== The Landmine Museum offers tourists and Cambodians the chance to see (safe) landmines up close, understand how they work, and what they can do to help rid Cambodia and the world of their continuing threat. It is approximately 25&nbsp;km north of Siem Reap (30 minutes by tuk tuk), 7&nbsp;km south of the Banteay Srey Temple complex in Angkor National Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org/where-are-we-located|title=Where are we located? |website=The Cambodia Landmine Museum and School|access-date=1 November 2018}}</ref> Some two dozen at-risk Khmer children are educated and live, along with staff, at the Relief Center on the museum property.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org/|title=The Cambodian Landmine Museum and School|website=The Cambodia Landmine Museum and School|access-date=1 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fvjYqKv3xA&list=UUYUZ8KNUcPT5dTL2gYTCMzA&index=46 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/7fvjYqKv3xA |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=landmine museum|last=Al Brenner|date=28 October 2013|access-date=1 November 2018|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftKzM5t-JeI&list=UUYUZ8KNUcPT5dTL2gYTCMzA&index=45 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/ftKzM5t-JeI |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Poem of the landmine museum|last=Al Brenner|date=30 October 2013|access-date=1 November 2018|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> ===War Museum Cambodia=== The [[War Museum Cambodia]] covers the last three decades of the 20th century when the [[Khmer Rouge]] was active in Cambodia. There is a vast array of vehicles, artillery, weaponry, landmines, and equipment on display. The museum is making use of guides who are war veterans who fought for the Cambodian army, the Khmer Rouge, or the Vietnamese army. [[File:Siem Reap Museum.jpg|thumb|right|Angkor National Museum]] ===Angkor National Museum=== Opened on 12 November 2007, the [[Angkor National Museum]] offers visitors a better understanding of the area's archaeological treasures. The Golden Era of the Khmer Kingdom is presented, including the use of state-of-the-art multimedia technology. The museum covers Khmer history, civilization, and cultural heritage in eight galleries. Today, the museum is filled with expensive jewelry being sold to tourists. The museum is also popular among local tourists during special holidays especially during the Khmer New Year and Christmas time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://angkornationalmuseum.com/ |title=Angkor National Museum website |publisher=Angkornationalmuseum.com |access-date=31 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925235431/http://www.angkornationalmuseum.com/ |archive-date=25 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ===Markets=== [[File:A view of the Old Market in Siem Reap.JPG|thumb|left|The Old Market (Psar Chas) in Siem Reap]] {{Main|Psah Chas}} The Old Market or [[Psah Chas]] is between Pub Street and the Siem Reap River, and offers a mixture of souvenirs for tourists and a variety of food produce and other items meant for the locals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/cambodia/siem-reap/shopping/markets-streets-arcades/psar-chaa |title=Psar Chaa |work=Lonely Planet }}</ref> Other markets in Siem Reap include the Angkor Night Market which is off Sivutha Street,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/cambodia/siem-reap/shopping/markets-streets-arcades/angkor-night-market |title=Angkor Night Market|work=Lonely Planet }}</ref> Phsar Kandal (the Central Market) on Sivutha Street which mainly caters to tourists, and Phsar Leu (the Upper Market) which is further away along National Road 6 but is the biggest market of Siem Reap used by the locals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.siemreap.net/shopping-recreation/shopping/local-markets/ |title=Local markets in Siem Reap |work=Siemreap.net|date=17 November 2017 }}</ref> The Made in Cambodia Market (initially called "Well Made in Cambodia")<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.siemreap.net/visit/attractions/shops/souvenir-night-markets/#made-in-cambodia|title=Shinta Mani "Well Made in Cambodia" Market |work=Siemreap.net|date=19 November 2017 }}</ref> is a night market for tourists in Siem Reap where all the products sold are made in Cambodia. The market hosts daily shows and other events in King's Road.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/siem-reap-insider/laura-mam-and-krom-performing-town|title=Laura Mam and Krom performing in town |work=[[The Phnom Penh Post]] }}</ref> In July 2020, authorities issued an order banning the buying, selling and butchering of dogs for food.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/07/08/world/asia/ap-as-cambodia-dog-meat-ban.html ''Cambodian Province Famous for Angkor Wat Bans Dog Meat Trade''] from 8. July 2020 in Nytimes.com</ref> [[File:Night.Siem.Reap.City.jpg|thumb|right|Nightlife in Siem Reap]] [[File:Craftsman at work at Artisans Angkor.JPG|thumb|Craftsman at Artisans Angkor creating Buddha images in stone]] ===Artisans Angkor=== {{Main|Artisans Angkor}}Artisans Angkor is a semi-public company founded in 1992 which aims to revive traditional Khmer craftsmanship and provide employment for rural artisans. It is also associated with a silk farm where visitors may learn about [[sericulture]] and weaving.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=woPmXQOU4hUC&pg=PA208|title=Textile Economies: Power and Value from the Local to the Transnational|author=Walter E. Little|publisher=AltaMira Press|year=2011|isbn=978-0759120617|pages=207–208}}</ref> It also participates in the restoration of historical Angkor sites by repairing and replacing damaged sculptures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artisansdangkor.com/projects-22-restoration-of-angkor-site.php|title=Restoration of Angkor site|work=Artisans Angkor|access-date=23 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708035312/http://www.artisansdangkor.com/projects-22-restoration-of-angkor-site.php|archive-date=8 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> ===Cambodian Cultural Village=== The Cambodian Cultural Village is closed since November 2020, due to economic and financial issues. Opened on 24 September 2003, the [[Cambodian Cultural Village]] assembles all the miniatures of famous historical buildings and structures of Cambodia. There are 11 unique villages, which represent different culture heritages, local customs, and characteristics of 21 multi races. ===Angkor Panorama Museum=== The Angkor Panorama Museum is closed since December 2019, reportedly due to UN sanctions on North Korea that requires member states to send North Korean workers home in mid-December. Opened in 2015, Angkor Panorama Museum housed a [[panorama]] mural depicting 3D scenes from the Khmer Empire. The museum was financed and built by [[North Korea]], which will receive all profits for the first ten years, and half thereafter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/01/north-korea-panoramic-museum-cambodia-angkor-wat|title=A tour of North Korea's multimillion dollar museum – in Cambodia |website= [[The Guardian]]|date=1 February 2016|first=Portia |last=Chey}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib9Z7lublQE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/ib9Z7lublQE |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=How does North Korea finance a nuclear weapons program? |author= [[Deutsche Welle|DW Documentary]]|publisher= YouTube|date=26 May 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> ==Notable sites near Siem Reap== [[File:Les linga dans le lit de la rivière sacrée (Phnom Kulen) (6824988525).jpg|thumb|[[Lingam|Lingas]] carved into the riverbed of Kbal Spean.]] ===Phnom Kulen=== {{main|Phnom Kulen}} [[Phnom Kulen National Park]] is about 48&nbsp;km from Siem Reap and contains a number of attractions such as its two waterfalls and the [[Kbal Spean]]'s 'river of 1000 lingas'. It is also home to Preah Ang Thom, an active, 16th century pagoda that is home to the largest reclining Buddha in Cambodia.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://kulenrevealed.org/2018/07/07/7-reasons-phnom-kulen/|title=7 Reasons Phnom Kulen is a Must See in Siem Reap – Kulen Revealed|date=7 July 2018|work=Kulen Revealed|access-date=23 August 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> [[File:Kompong Phluk.jpg|thumb|left|Floating Village of Kampong P'luk]] ===Floating villages=== There are four floating villages around Siem Reap: Kompong Khleang, Kompong Phluk, Chong Kneas, and Meychrey, home to a bird sanctuary. [https://www.kompongkhleang.org/single-post/Kompong-Khleang-is-the-Best-Floating-Village-in-Siem-Reap Kompong Khleang] is considered the largest and most authentic, and Chong Kneas the least authentic but most visited due to its proximity to the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tripleacambodia.com/siem-reap-floating-villages-what-to-expect-and-why-choose-to-go-to-kompong-khleang/|title=Siem Reap floating villages: What to expect and why we choose to go to Kompong Khleang |work=Triple Adventure Cambodia |date=4 March 2013 }}</ref> ===Tonlé Sap=== {{Main|Tonlé Sap}} Tonlé Sap, Khmer for 'vast body of fresh water' and more commonly translated as 'great lake', is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia. It is in the heart of Cambodia and is home to many floating villages. Tonle Sap is 30 minutes south of downtown Siem Reap at the port of Chong Kneas. The lake and its villages have many unique features and attractions, making Tonle Sap tours popular with tourists. The area around the Tonle Sap including the province of Siem Reap is part of the greater [[Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve]]. [[File:Phnom Dei2.JPG|thumb|right|[[Phnom Dei]]]] ===Phnom Dei=== [[Phnom Dei]] is a hill near Siem Reap. ===Banteay Srei=== [[Banteay Srei]] is a 10th-century temple about 30&nbsp;km northeast of Siem Reap. It is notable for its fine intricate decorative carvings on rose pink sandstone.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oR-Kmnj8wmAC&pg=PA196 |title=The Rough Guide to Cambodia|author= Beverley Palmer |year=2002|page=196 |isbn=978-1848368897 |publisher=Rough Guides }}</ref> ==Gastronomy== Recently, Siem Reap has become the country's centre of contemporary Khmer cuisine and houses many notable Cambodian restaurants, such as The Sugar Palm, Embassy, Chanrey Tree, Raffles Hotel, and Cuisine Wat Damnak.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Lawrence |first=Osborne |date=15 December 2015 |title=The New Tastes of Old Siem Reap |url=https://www.saveur.com/restaurants-hotels-travel-guide-siem-reap-cambodia-southeast-asia/ |magazine=[[Saveur]] |access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref> ==Local specialties== [[File:Hand-painted bottles of Sombai Liqueur.jpg|thumb|Bottles of [[Sombai]] infused [[rice wine]] with hand-painted images of Angkor temples]] ===Sombai infused rice wine=== A product that has become symbolic of Siem Riep are the [[Sombai]] premium infused [[rice wine]]s<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunston |first=Lara |date=31 October 2014 |url=http://grantourismotravels.com/2014/10/31/a-taste-of-siem-reap-sipping-sombai-infused-rice-spirit/ |title=A Taste of Siem Reap — Sipping Sombai Infused Rice Spirit |website=Grantourismo Travels |access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref> drawing inspiration from the Cambodian traditional infused rice wine ''sraa tram'' ({{lang-km|ស្រាត្រាំ}}) filled in hand-painted bottles. The Sombai workshop and tasting parlour<ref>{{cite news |last= Glasser |first=Miranda |date=1 August 2014 |title=Taste Sombai rice wine purveyors open new showroom |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/siem-reap-insider/sombai-rice-wine-purveyors-open-new-showroom |newspaper=[[The Phnom Penh Post]] |access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref> set up in the artist's Leang Seckon's house have also become a tourist attraction.<ref>{{cite news |last=Eckhardt |first=Robyn |date=22 July 2015 |title=36 Hours in Siem Reap |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/travel/what-to-do-in-36-hours-in-siem-reap-cambodia.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ter |first=Dana |date=19 August 2015 |title=Searching for serenity in Siem Reap |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2015/08/19/2003625684/3 |newspaper=[[Taipei Times]] |access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref> ===''Prahok''=== ''[[Prahok]]'' made by the villages in Siem Reap is often regarded as the best in the country.<ref>{{cite book |last=Thaitawat |first=Nusara |title=The Cuisine of Cambodia |year=2000 |location=Thailand |publisher=Nusara & Friends Co. Ltd. |isbn=978-9-748-77885-3 |page=31}}</ref> === Cashewnutapple and Mango Brandy === Made in Siem Reap from cashew apples, the fruit that grows on top of the cashew nut, its 80% juice and is discarded as a by-product of cashew cultivation, and ripe yellow mangoes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Nicky |title=Cashew schnapps? It’s not so nutty |url=https://www.phnompenhpost.com/cashew-schnapps-its-not-so-nutty |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=www.phnompenhpost.com |language=en}}</ref> 'SamnAngkor Distillers' is a German-Japanese company that has been producing unaged Brandy/Schnaps/Branntwein/Obstler/Eau de Vie as well as mango jam, coffee liqueur and mango vinegar since 2010. In Siem Reap, the products are available at the Very Berry Souvenir Shop near the old market.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Very berry -handmade in Cambodia |url=https://www.veryberrycambodia.com/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Very Berry souvenir shop Siem Reap |language=english,japanese}}</ref> and in Phnom Penh, all products are available in AEON Mall 1 at Nyo Nyum Souvenir Shop. ==Climate== According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], Siem Reap features a [[tropical wet and dry climate]]. The city is generally hot throughout the course of the year, with average high temperatures never falling below {{convert|30|C|F|disp=or}} in any month. Siem Reap has a relatively lengthy [[wet season]] which starts in May and ends in October. The dry season covers the remaining six months. The city averages approximately {{convert|1406|mm|inch|0|disp=or}} of rainfall per year. {{Weather box|location = Siem Reap, Cambodia (averages: 1997–2010, extremes: 1906–2010) |metric first = Yes |single line = Yes |Jan record high C = 35.0 |Feb record high C = 36.7 |Mar record high C = 38.9 |Apr record high C = 39.4 |May record high C = 40.6 |Jun record high C = 38.9 |Jul record high C = 35.6 |Aug record high C = 35.0 |Sep record high C = 34.4 |Oct record high C = 33.9 |Nov record high C = 34.4 |Dec record high C = 34.4 |year record high C = 40.6 |Jan high C = 31.7 |Feb high C = 33.5 |Mar high C = 34.9 |Apr high C = 35.8 |May high C = 34.8 |Jun high C = 33.6 |Jul high C = 32.9 |Aug high C = 32.4 |Sep high C = 31.7 |Oct high C = 31.5 |Nov high C = 31.2 |Dec high C = 30.6 |year high C = 32.9 |Jan mean C = 26.0 |Feb mean C = 27.8 |Mar mean C = 29.5 |Apr mean C = 30.5 |May mean C = 29.9 |Jun mean C = 29.2 |Jul mean C = 28.9 |Aug mean C = 28.8 |Sep mean C = 28.1 |Oct mean C = 28.0 |Nov mean C = 26.9 |Dec mean C = 25.6 |year mean C = 28.3 |Jan low C = 20.4 |Feb low C = 22.4 |Mar low C = 24.1 |Apr low C = 25.4 |May low C = 25.4 |Jun low C = 25.1 |Jul low C = 24.9 |Aug low C = 25.1 |Sep low C = 24.7 |Oct low C = 24.5 |Nov low C = 22.6 |Dec low C = 20.7 |year low C = 23.8 |Jan record low C = 9.4 |Feb record low C = 12.8 |Mar record low C = 15.0 |Apr record low C = 17.8 |May record low C = 18.9 |Jun record low C = 17.8 |Jul record low C = 18.9 |Aug record low C = 18.9 |Sep record low C = 20.0 |Oct record low C = 17.2 |Nov record low C = 12.2 |Dec record low C = 10.0 |year record low C = 9.4 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 3.7 |Feb rain mm = 4.7 |Mar rain mm = 29.0 |Apr rain mm = 57.3 |May rain mm = 149.7 |Jun rain mm = 214.1 |Jul rain mm = 192.6 |Aug rain mm = 208.9 |Sep rain mm = 287.7 |Oct rain mm = 199.6 |Nov rain mm = 51.3 |Dec rain mm = 7.3 |unit rain days = 0.1 mm |Jan rain days = 1.5 |Feb rain days = 0.7 |Mar rain days = 3.2 |Apr rain days = 7.6 |May rain days = 17.0 |Jun rain days = 18.0 |Jul rain days = 17.6 |Aug rain days = 17.6 |Sep rain days = 17.4 |Oct rain days = 15.4 |Nov rain days = 6.4 |Dec rain days = 2.0 |Jan humidity = 59 |Feb humidity = 59 |Mar humidity = 58 |Apr humidity = 59 |May humidity = 66 |Jun humidity = 70 |Jul humidity = 71 |Aug humidity = 73 |Sep humidity = 75 |Oct humidity = 75 |Nov humidity = 68 |Dec humidity = 64 |source 1 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]]<ref name = DWD> {{cite web | url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_489660_kt.pdf | title = Klimatafel von Siemreap-Angkor / Kambodscha | work = Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world | publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst | language = de | access-date = 23 January 2016}}</ref> |date=August 2010 }} ==Transportation== [[File:Siem reap airport.JPG|thumb|left|[[Siem Reap International Airport]]]] The city is {{convert|7|km|mi|frac=2|spell=in}} from [[Siem Reap International Airport]], and is accessible by direct flights from many Asian cities, and by land from Phnom Penh and to the Thai border. It is also accessible by boat (via [[Tonle Sap]] lake). There are also buses from [[Phnom Penh]] and [[Battambang]], with buses between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap taking about 6 hours.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.geckoroutes.com/cambodia/phnom-penh-to-siem-reap/|title=Phnom Penh to Siem Reap|work=GeckoRoutes|date=24 Sep 201|access-date=4 October 2019}}</ref> A [[New Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport|new airport]] is under-construction, which is 50 km from Siem Reap, and is set to become operational from end-2023 by replacing the existing airport.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Govindasamy |first=Siva |date=22 September 2010 |title=Cambodia eyes new airport for Siem Reap |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/cambodia-eyes-new-airport-for-siem-reap/95979.article |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Flight Global |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=New Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport New Airport Profile {{!}} CAPA |url=https://centreforaviation.com/data/profiles/newairports/new-siem-reap-angkor-international-airport |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=centreforaviation.com}}</ref> [[File:Tonle Sap boat.jpg|thumb|Water transport from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap]] It is possible to get from [[Bangkok]] to Siem Reap via [[Poipet]]. The road from Poipet to Siem Reap is in good condition. If travelers take a taxi from Bangkok to Poipet and from Poipet to Siem Reap, it is possible to complete the whole journey in 6–10 hours, depending on border-crossing times. This journey is also possible by bus and minibus. Tickets can be bought online via the official Nattakan website. Getting to Siem Reap from Bangkok is also possible by train right to the borderstation Rong Kluea market and later via shared mini-buses or taxis to Siem Reap.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tripsget.com/blog/2016/05/from-siem-reap-to-bangkok-bus-train-airplane/ |title=How to get from Siem Reap to Bangkok? |website=tripsget.com |access-date=31 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527232122/http://tripsget.com/blog/2016/05/from-siem-reap-to-bangkok-bus-train-airplane/ |archive-date=27 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Siem Reap will have [[high speed rail]] lines to Phnom Penh that are currently in the feasibility study being conducted by [[CRECG]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-04 |title=Government pushes for high-speed railway - Khmer Times |url=https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501052758/government-pushes-for-high-speed-railway/ |access-date=2022-12-07 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Limited |first=Bangkok Post Public Company |title=Cambodia contemplates high-speed train to Thai border |language=en |work=Bangkok Post |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2301930/cambodia-contemplates-high-speed-train-to-thai-border |access-date=2022-12-07}}</ref> ==Sister cities== *{{flagicon|MMR}} [[Bagan]], [[Myanmar]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/myanmartimes/no192/MyanmarTimes10-192/19202.htm|title=?|publisher=Myanmar.gov.mm|archive-url=https://archive.today/2007.08.22-213342/http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/myanmartimes/no192/MyanmarTimes10-192/19202.htm|archive-date=22 August 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> *{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Fontainebleau]], France, since 11 June 2000 *{{flagicon|GER}} [[Sankt Goar]], Germany, since 13 May 2015 * {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Jiangxi Province]], China * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Orland Park, Illinois]] *{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kōta, Aichi]], Japan<ref name=International>{{cite web|url=http://www.clair.or.jp/cgi-bin/simai/e/03.cgi?p=23&n=Aichi%20Prefecture|title=Local Government International Exchange: Sister city information Database|publisher=Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)|access-date=21 November 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224052656/http://www.clair.or.jp/cgi-bin/simai/e/03.cgi?p=23&n=Aichi%20Prefecture|archive-date=24 December 2015}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{commons category|Siem Reap}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071019045033/http://www.siemreap-town.gov.kh/ Official Siem Reap website] *{{Wikivoyage-inline|Siem Reap}} *{{OSM|n|257838557}} {{Coord|13|21|44|N|103|51|35|E|region:KH_type:city(147866)|display=title}} {{Navboxes |list = {{SiemReapProvince}} {{Cities in Cambodia}} {{Most populous cities in Cambodia}} }} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Siem Reap| ]] [[Category:Cities in Cambodia]] [[Category:Populated places in Siem Reap province]] [[Category:Provincial capitals in Cambodia]]'