🇰🇭 Siem Reap | The Smile of Angkor · An Unexpectedly Amazing Trip

This year’s most surprising travel destination? Siem Reap! Angkor Wat is seriously underrated by Chinese travelers. The city is full of Western backpackers, locals are incredibly friendly, and it’s super safe for solo female travelers—I had an amazing time! 🛂 Visa, SIM Card & Transport Visa: Visa on arrival available. SIM Card: Sold at the airport (check my other post for details). Transport: Airport buses run to the city center. 💰 Money Matters USD and local currency (KHR) are both accepted. Pro Tip: Avoid wrinkled or torn USD bills—many vendors won’t take them! 🎫 Angkor Wat Tickets 1-Day Pass: $37 3-Day Pass: $62 7-Day Pass: $72 Buying Tips: Purchase in person at the ticket center (photo required). OR buy online in advance (recommended—saves time!). 📅 5D4N Itinerary DAY 1: Morning: Airport bus → Check into hostel → Book sunrise tour for Day 2 ($15). Afternoon: Tuk-tuk to Angkor National Museum ($12 entry + $5 audio guide). Sunset: Phnom Bakheng (iconic temple sunset). DAY 2: Small Circuit (Sunrise Tour!) 4:20 AM Departure → Angkor Wat Sunrise → Explore Angkor Wat → Ta Prohm (the "Tomb Raider" temple!) → Bayon Temple (famous for the "Smiling Faces") → Afternoon nap → Evening city walk + $5 massage. DAY 3: Grand Circuit (Group Tour) Preah Khan → Banteay Srei (stunning pink sandstone carvings) → Beng Mealea (jungle-covered ruins) → Bakong Temple (ancient capital). (Skipped Tonlé Sap Lake—didn’t seem worth it.) DAY 4: Off-the-Beaten-Path Day Trip Preah Vihear Temple (on the Thai border) + Koh Ker Pyramid. DAY 5: Brunch → Fly home. 💡 Pro Tips: 1️⃣ Solo Travel Hack: Join hostel tours—great way to meet travelers worldwide! 2️⃣ Do Your Homework: Watch Angkor docs (Bilibili has great ones!) or visit the museum first—it makes the temples way more meaningful. 3️⃣ Ticket Trick: Buy tickets at the counter after 4:30 PM to get FREE sunset access at Phnom Bakheng that day! (Online tickets only activate the next day—I had to wait until 5:20 PM to enter!) 4️⃣ Pace Yourself: Angkor is HUGE—lots of stairs, extreme heat, and humidity. Stay hydrated, pick key temples, and take breaks! #AngkorWat #CambodiaTravel #SiemReap #OffTheBeatenPath #TravelDiaries