Siem Reap is a popular tourist destination for visitors who are looking to visit the temples at Angkor Wat. Being just a few kilometres from the famous temples has transformed Siem Reap into a tourist hub which welcomes millions of visitors each year. Understandably, these visitors need to know how to get around Siem Reap town. Fortunately, there are many options for getting around Siem Reap.
The town itself is fairly small. Most journeys are just a few kilometres or less and won’t cost a lot. If you’re looking to visit the temples, Cebu Angkor Tours can provide you with all the transport options you need including bicycles, tuk tuks, taxi, minivans or minibuses. This blog post will explain how to get around Siem Reap town and not the temples.
Walking
We’ll start with the cheapest option. Walking is free. It doesn’t cost you a single cent (or Riel!) but it isn’t always the best option. The town is fairly small and you can walk to most of the attractions in Siem Reap in an hour or less. Many of the most popular attractions are located in and around Pub Street and are very easy to reach.
However, there are not paths or sidewalks in most of the town. When you do find a path, you will often find it full with street sellers, motos, cars and other obstructions. In most cases, you will be sharing the road with cars and having to look in all directions to keep yourself safe.
Another disadvantage to walking is that, as a foreigner, you will be targeting by people selling their products and services. You won’t escape the cries of tuk tuk drivers, massage parlours, souvenir sellers and anybody else who might think you’ll buy something. Most of the time a simple “no, thanks” and a shake of the head will suffice. But, if you walk even a short distance, you’ll find yourself saying “no thanks” plenty of times!
Cycling and e-Bikes
You might want to consider renting a bicycle or e-bike to get around town. You need to be careful as it’s difficult to understand the rules of the road here in Siem Reap. The rules can be difficult to fathom for most people, but there are rules. Go slowly, watch the traffic, expect the unexpected and try to stay as far away from everyone else as possible. Follow these simple rules and you’ll be fine.
Bicycle rentals start from just $1 a day. E-Bike rentals are around $10 per day.
Motos
It’s possible to rent motos at many places in Siem Reap. However, you should be careful because it’s not 100% legal for tourists to rent motos and if the police stop you, they may confiscate the moto. Moreover, driving motos isn’t often included on many travel insurance policies, so you should check first.
You can easily rent a motodop (moto taxi) for the day. Your driver will be able to take you anywhere in Siem Reap cheaper than tuk tuks. Make sure he has a spare helmet for you because passengers are also required to have helmets.
Tuk Tuks
You’ll see tuk tuks everywhere in Siem Reap, it won’t be hard to get one! Many tuk tuks stand by outside hotels, restaurants, street corners and anywhere they can park. Nowadays, Siem Reap has apps where you can hail a tuk tuk. The two most popular ones are PassApp and Grab. These are often significantly cheaper and you don’t have to haggle the price. You might need to wait for one a bit longer than hailing one from the street.
Taxis
There are also metered taxis which drive around town. Although these aren’t as popular and readily available as other transport options, they can be pretty cheap. It’s best to get the phone number for a taxi company and call them to pick you up.
As you can see, there are many ways to get around Siem Reap town. You can walk, cycle, take a moto, hail a tuk tuk or take a taxi. If you need any help with transport options during your stay in Siem Reap, just ask Mr Hok and he will be more than happy to help you.
