Siem Reap Pre- or Post-Cruise?

First time to SE Asia in 2017, doing a 10 ni CEL Constellation cruise (Singapore r/t). It stops in Ko Samui, Bangkok, Ho Chi Mihn and Nha Trang. Using frequent flier miles so we have to go through Hong Kong coming and going.

I definately want to go to Siem Reap - either before or after the cruise. I was also thinking of a night or two (each) at Hanoi/Halong Bay/HKG. Any preference as to which to do first, and which to do last? Or any reason to do one first over the other?

Thanks so much. So much to see I don't know where to start, and trying to get as much in as possible. Husbands priority is Vietnam (thus the Hanoi add-on), mine is Thailand and Siem Reap.

Ann Marie

We did a Celebrity cruise last November plus a trip to Siem Reap before the cruise. It was very hot and humid there and each day was busy and tiring. We had one night in Singapore then joined the cruise. It was lovely to relax on board after the hectic days of temple viewing.

Siem Reap was on my bucket list and it was terrific to combine it with a cruise. It is definitely worth 3 days there. I looked the smaller temples more than the huge Siem Reap complex and we also spent a half day visiting Tonle Sap lake and the floating village.

Hope you enjoy your trip, whatever you decide to do.

We are in Thailand now. Doing a two month trip that includes Cambodia and Vietnam.

Not certain when you are going however the weather is very different in Halong/Hanoi than it is in Siem Reap or Thailand. Hanoi is further north and can be cool. Lots of good discount airlines here in SE Asia. Air travel between these places can be/is inexpensive.

We are in Hong Kong now for a few days before doing Celebrity to Singaore via Vietnam and Bangkok. A couple more days in Singapore then Siem Reap. As well as choosing Angkor Wat to be the grand finale, we wanted to start with weather that isn't as hot and humid as Siem Reap to make adapting a little easier. But you could equally argue the reverse...I'm sure there's no right answer. Have a great trip!

It really doesn't make a difference if that's what you want to know....a matter of preference.

We did it as a pre... just because the cruise departed from Singapore & ended in Hong Kong.

So as a logistic matter for us a very convenient, easy & inexpensive to fly from Singapore to Siem Reap.

As others said be prepared for a hot, humid, tiring experience the visit to Cambobia....

Nevertheless a wonderful experience which I enjoyed very much.

Whatever you decided Enjoy ....

We have just come back from Siem Reap, very hot, lots of tourists. I would do that before a cruise to recover! We also went to Halong Bay ten days before Siem Reap, simply amazing! We spent 2 nights there. The weather was cool up there. If this is your only trip to Asia ever, try to see both, but Hong Kong is worth a few days as well. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't spend so much time hopping around with lost time at airports.

How many days did you spend in Siem Reap?

We will be flying there on Saturday and plan to spend four nights-really three full days. We figure on two days at Angkor with a day in between for something else.

Does this sound reasonable? Our next stop after that is Phnom Penh where we need two folk days to secure a Vietnam land entry visa.

Three full days sounds very good. We only had two days and rushed around because the area is vast. It's going to be hot! Even our guide had a small kroma (cotton scarf) to wipe his face. Wear good walking sandals/shoes. The grounds are uneven and many trails are sandy.

In Phnom Penh, we had 1 1/2 days. I found our visit to the infamous prison 21and to one of the killing fields extremely taxing. I used up all my tissues to wipe my tears. We also saw the palace - nice - and the downtown market hall - busy.

Thanks for your opinion floridiana.

We are in Thailand at the moment. It is 33/34 but we are mostly by the sea. The breeze cools and tends to cut the humidity a little. I suspect that Cambodia will be a very different experience for us. No sea breezes in Siemens Reap!

Indeed, Angkor Wat had no breezes, but you will already have adjusted to the temperature.

We have just returned from SE Asia and were very pleased with our itinerary. We flew to Hong Kong & then a short flight to Siem Reap where we spent 6 nights. We combined temple time with rest time with a cooking class. All was good including accommodation & restaurants.

Next was Singapore where we spent 3 nights. It is a great city but is quite expensive for both food and accommodation. Highlights for us were the SEA aquarium and the botanic gardens.

We then did 2 back to back cruises which ended in Hong Kong. Spent 3 nights before flying home. A really great vacation. Enjoy your planning!!

Jan

this is our third day in Siam Reap. It is warm...33/35 maybe warmer.

Best thing we did was hire a car and guide. We spent 2 days touring Angkor with him. He knew when to go where to avoid the crowds plus he was a fountain of knowledge. $150 for a professional guide and A/C Lexus SUV. Later this evening he takes us to an Aspersa performance. Start early in the AM so you can get back mid afternoon for a swim at your hotel...so glad ours has one.

My Mum and I did Siem Reap last July and it was super humid. We did it over 5 days with a rest day and then a tour day which was perfect. We had a driver and a guide and it was so worth it for the aircon and cool drinks. Hubby and I were going to go to Siem Reap after a cruise Jan 2016 but it didn't eventuate, and I am now thankful for this.

Next year hubby and I are talking about another cruise out of Singapore and this time we will add Siem Reap at the beginning.

I say the beginning as after coming home with Mum we really would have loved some down time and not gone straight home after such a wonder full trip. So different! The climate, the culture, the history was all so much to take in.

We came home shell shocked and reckon to get on a ship and just cruise would allow the experience to really sit and allow us to come back down to earth more slowly.

We came home shell shocked and reckon to get on a ship and just cruise would allow the experience to really sit and allow us to come back down to earth more slowly.

I agree. I also agree with having a guide and a driver.

I have traveled to Siem Reap several times when living in Thailand and now the Philippines. It is a really interest place and can be lots of fun. Several ways to get to Siem Reap, first you can fly directly to the airport which is only a few miles outside town. Most of the discount Airlines Lines: Tiger, Air Asia, Bangkok Air, have many flights each week.

You will find direct flights from Singapore Bangkok Manila Hong Kong just to name a few. Pr you can fly to the capital Phnom Penh and take one of the river boats to Siem Reap. Which is a short trip several hours and gets to the city right around Sunset. Really breathtaking views.

You can also go by land from Bangkok or Phnom Penh (bus or Tour Car) but I would not recommend the roads are poor. That said it is a very poor country but inside Siem Reap very friendly and safe. The US Dollars is used for most business the ATM machines even give US Dollars or Cambodian Dollars.

The thing here is the Angkor Wat and the other temples. Yes you can rent a private car and driver or you can rent the local transportation which sounds bad but is fun and safe. They take a small motorbike and add trailer hitch ball behind the driver on top of the seat. And then they tow a carriage around behind the motorbike.

You will need to pay a fee for Angkor Wat it is $20 to $25 dollars per day. While they do not have gates checking (1 gate and several roads entering with no one) you should still buy tickets. Most people find one to two days to be a good time touring the temples.

For hotels: really they have everything here from Backpacker style places $2-$3 per night to 5 star luxury resorts at $300 per night. You can find nice safe rooms in the $35 to $70 dollar range all over. Shopping is also very good but for local SE Asia products, not I-phones, laptops, high tec stuff.

Siem Reap has really good food and lots of small local places, again for any budget. Have a great trip.

We enjoyed Siem Reap very much. Bus trip to Phnom Penh was fine.

We like cruises but when we looked at SE Asia cruises to the places we wanted to see we were not very excited. Besides, two months of independent land travel in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam will probably cost the same as a cruise given the current pricing and the devalued state of our currency.

hslf way through the trip. For us it was a great decision. We have been able to see and experience do much more than otherwise would have been possible on the cruises that were offered.

Pr you can fly to the capital Phnom Penh and take one of the river boats to Siem Reap. Which is a short trip several hours and gets to the city right around Sunset. Really breathtaking views.

Wow! Now I am wondering how I can squeeze that in, too ;)

Can you tell me how to find out more info about this river boat? Is there a specific company that operates it, or is this just local transportation?

Thanks.

Ann Marie

Thanks everyone for the wonderful advice! We've decided to jump right in and go to Siem Reap first, but we have allowed enough time to tour the temples and just chill, too. Can't wait!

Wow! Now I am wondering how I can squeeze that in, too ;)

Can you tell me how to find out more info about this river boat? Is there a specific company that operates it, or is this just local transportation?

 

Thanks.

Ann Marie

The companies involved in offering these river tours are small locate companies. They do not run year round because of water levels. The time it takes is about the same as a bus ride. It is really not something you can do in advance of being there. Even if you find a company on line and pay in advance it still could be cancelled once there.

Also remember these are third World companies, limited safety equipment and the crews are not professional. I have used them but you really need to investage and look at the boat and the conditions before boarding.

Don't over plan. Things change quickly with regard to various travel options. We have just travelled through Cambodia, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh,Kampot. Sometimes it is best to book a day or two in advance. We are finding the same in Vietnam though it is certainly ahead of Cambodia in that respect.

Pr you can fly to the capital Phnom Penh and take one of the river boats to Siem Reap. Which is a short trip several hours and gets to the city right around Sunset. Really breathtaking views.

 

We saw several low-slung river boats from our hotel boat. Our guide said they take 7 hours and even though they have a very shallow draft, there are months when the lake is too shallow for them. I would have loved to take the boat. We took the bus, was fine. They are working on some parts of the road, hopefully finished soon.

We took the bus last week. Water is too low. The lake, according to our guide, smells awful.

In the meantime, I was reading about the boat rides on trip advisor. Sounds like the bus is a much better option and we both did well to take one.

How do you continue from Phnom Penh?

After Phnom Penh we went to Kampot for two nights. It is a small riverside town. We enjoyed it very much.

Then by land/ferry to Phu Quoc Isand in Vietnam for five days on a fabulous beach.

Just did a homestay and tour in the Mekong Delta. We are now on the bus to HCMC.

Then by land/ferry to Phu Quoc Isand in Vietnam for five days on a fabulous beach....We are now on the bus to HCMC.

Cool! I'm planning this for June.

Any tips/recommendations?

Plus, please tell us about HCMC when you can find the time, and how you found the bus experience. I was advised to fly from Phu Quoc to HCMC.