DAY ONEi
09.00: Start with a caffeine fix at The Little Red Fox Espresso, where the walls are covered with photos of Cambodian rock ‘n’ rollers. You’ll find it in Kandal Village and it’s one of Siem Reap’s most sustainable coffee shops – the owners, Adam and David, built a community recycling point outside, and used cooking oil from the kitchen is turned into biofuel. Don’t be afraid to ask Adam for advice about the best spots in town for buying souvenirs – he curates shopping tours.
10.00: No trip to Siem Reap is complete without a visit to Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. You’ll need a pass to visit both Angkor Wat and the temples in what’s known as the Angkor Archaeological Park. Buy one at the ticket centre, a short drive from the centre of Siem Reap. They come in one, three or seven-day formats, starting at £28 for a one-day pass.
42 10 FEBRUARY 2022
12.00: Restore those energy levels with lunch at Siem Reap’s Pou Restaurant and Bar, where top Cambodian chef Mork Mengly serves up refined twists on traditional Cambodian street food. Must-try dishes include the grilled chicken served with red tree ants – a common seasoning in Cambodia. Dishes are cheap, with main courses starting from about £3.
13.30: Years ago, Siem Reap’s Old Market was the best place for retail therapy, whether you wanted a pair of elephant trousers or a miniature plastic temple – that is, until Kandal Village appeared. Head here to browse independent boutiques, bars and restaurants that fill the leafy side streets behind the French Quarter’s Samdech Tep Vong Road. Highlights include the lacquerware and jewellery-filled Louise Loubatieres and Saarti, for scented beeswax candles.
14.30: Nearby Tribe is owned by art-loving Londoner Nat Di Maggio, who’s got a serious
passion for work by up-and-coming Cambodian artists. Pieces on display include hauntingly beautiful photos by local photographer Phirom, who sold his tuk-tuk to buy a camera. Wander down the once-neglected alleyway next to the gallery to admire a stunning piece of street art depicting two coconut sellers. It was painted by Irish street artist Fin DAC, and was inspired by the two local women who own a coconut stall by the alleyway’s entrance. You’ll pay just a few pence for a coconut and they’ll happily pose with you by the artwork they inspired.
15.30: The restored Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor (from £341 per night, room only) is due to reopen later in the year. The heritage property explodes with 1930s grandeur, and guests will be whisked to their rooms in the original cage lift, which has been in service since the hotel opened in 1932. As much as the pool will impress (it’s one of the largest in southeast Asia), the Conservatory,
with its marshmallow-like armchairs and vast expanses of polished wood, is dazzling. Head there for afternoon tea including scones with papaya jam and sandwiches made with bright pink beetroot bread.
17.00: Take a wander along Pub Street, a bar and restaurant-lined thoroughfare that cuts through the centre of Siem Reap like a smaller, slightly dustier Las Vegas strip. But don’t be afraid to venture further afield – the flurry of development on nearby Sixteenth Avenue is part of a plan to create a more upmarket rival to this long-time backpacker hangout. Late 2019 saw one of its first openings – The Twizt, a so-called lifestyle hostel with highly Instagrammable interiors (think chandeliers and brightly coloured dormitories) and a rooftop pool.
19.00: Quench your thirst at West Alley’s Bar 43, a new cocktail bar where there’s a focus on top quality spirits and unusual ingredients – rare Japanese whiskies and Guinness syrup (it sounds odd, but
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