Back to Siem Reap after 2.5 years

[hanno]

A couple of weeks ago, I finally made it back to Siem Reap to see my daughter. I hadn't been back since December 2019, for obvious reasons.

I was therefore very excited to make it back. I had applied for an E-visa on a Saturday and received it on the following Monday, which I found very impressive. There are no direct flights from Hanoi to Siem Reap at the moment so I opted to fly via HCMC. When I first checked flights a couple of months ago, the price for the roundtrip ticket was a whopping USD 1,200. I decided to hold off booking the ticket until a week before and booked a ticket for USD 250. The number of surcharges was ridiculous though: USD 70 airline fuel fee, USD 15 system and admin surcharge, USD 8 domestic passenger surcharge, USD 20 international passenger surcharge, USD 40 passenger and baggage screening surcharge, USD 25 passenger service charge and
USD 5 "L5" surcharge, whatever that is. Surprised that I got not charged for breathing. Total just under USD 450.

Whilst the domestic airports in Vietnam were completely overrun, the international terminal was dead. Dead to the extent that getting something to eat was a challenge.



I am not a big fan of Burger King and decided to have a beer instead. Luckily, the bar was open and I got myself a glass of Tiger draft for a whopping USD 10.



The flight was supposed to have been on an ATR, but finally it was on a jet that was about 90% full. Mostly Westerners with a few Koreans and Japanese sprinkled into the mix. No Chinese that I could make out.



After a very bumpy flight, it was good to get on the ground in Siem Reap.



I started my stopwatch after taking the above photo. Immigration was a breeze, seems I was the only person with an E-visa as everyone else headed for the immigration counters. There was just that one flight and the very friendly (!) immigration officer stamping my passport told me that they only had 5 flights that day. Anyway, it took me exactly 7 minutes to stand outside with my luggage and a cold Cambodia in hand.



The mother of my Princess picked me up but Princess was still at school. We had planned to eat at Crocodile Bistro but could not find the new location. One thing I noticed quickly: a lot of my favourite restaurants had moved, there seems to have been a big exodus away from Riverside and towards Sok San Road.

Whilst trying to decide where to eat, I was astonished by the amount of large roads. I saw all the bitching and moaning during construction, and it must have been hell, but the result is bloody amazing. Wide, open roads, decent driving (compared to Vietnam that is) and clean. Good first impressions.

With no breakfast and lunch, I was in desperate need of some chow and we ended up at the Maybe Later Mexican Restaurant and Grill. Nothing changed here, still big portions, decent food and good service. By now, my Princess had joined us and it was a great evening.



Next morning I went for a little run and was once again impressed with the pavements and even a cycle path. Someone had written elsewhere that the sidewalks were all congested but I did not see that myself. During the week I stayed there, I saw one car parked on the bike path.





Compare that to Vietnam:



I would run a few more times whilst in Temple Town and it is mostly a ghost town. A lot of the hotels are still closed, including the Victoria Angkor where I worked for a few years. Quite a contrast to Vietnam where domestic travel is huge and the hotel I currently work at is full most days. Cambodia's population is obviously a lot smaller and there is probably less of a middle-class that can afford to travel. I loved the quiet and the absence of Chinese bit for businesses it is devastating.

I wanted to go to Dakshin's for lunch. My favourite Indian in a town that seems to have 20+ Indian restaurants (I was also the very first customer when they opened). Whilst their Facebook page said they were open, we arrived to a shuttered restaurant. No sign, no explanation, not sure if the closure is permanent. We went to another Indian but I cannot remember the name for the life of me. Food was decent but it was no Dakshin's.



In the evening we caught up with a few friends and had dinner at Jungle Burger. Yet another restaurant that has moved to Sok San Road. I have never cared much for that particular street as it is difficult to park but obviously this was not an issue at this time. We had a lot of kids with us and Jungle Burger delivered. It has been years since I had a meat pie and I was a happy bunny.





The next morning set the pace for the next few days: sit in the garden, watch the birds, and drink a coffee. It was warm throughout my stay but not unbearably so. I’ve lived in Sa Pa in northern Vietnam the last 4 years and it was very enjoyable to not freeze my but off or sit in dense fog.

For lunch we headed to Elia Greek Kitchen. They opened just before my last visit in 2019 when I ate their a few times. They also moved location but just two doors up into a much larger venue. They are obviously doing well for themselves which is little wonder: great food and the best service I had on this visit. My Princess is a very fussy eater, but she gave it a thumbs up too.



Somehow, my stay seemed to revolve around eating and drinking and we went back to another favourite, the Hashi Japanese restaurant. The place was pretty deserted but the service was attentive and the food very good. What I really liked was that they made a real effort with the children's menu. Too often, a children's menu is limited to chicken nuggets and french fries, here they really tried to do something a little special. This was much appreciated by my Princess. The adults' food was also very good though I was a little sad that the Sushi did not not come in the shape of a Panda. Not cheap, but then good Japanese restaurants never are.







In the afternoon, we wanted to join the resurrected Siem Reap Hash House Harriers. Nothing like the old Victoria Angkor days when we would have huge numbers, but a few intrepid people made it and I was looking forward to a little run. We met at the Pomme restaurant before setting off for the run site.



And this is where things went very wrong. Google maps sent us completely the wrong way and we ended up on muddy tracks that almost had me get stack though I was driving a 4-WD. When we did make it back to a decent road, the car died and would not start again. As is usually the case, a couple of friendly guys came along and helped us out. I let the mother of Princess take the car to the garage and ran back.



Next day's lunch was at Khema. I had had breakfast at their Phnom Penh venue a few times but never been to the one in Siem Reap as it is a little posh for me. Turns out that I missed out. Great venue, great service, and the USD 15 "free flow" lunch is great value if you are hungry. The Princess was more interested in the cakes. After a lot of begging, I was allowed to sample the chocolate cake and it was excellent.





As an added bonus, I saw a flock of Hornbills in the big trees along the river. The staff told me that they are now a regular sight.



Obviously no visit to Siem Reap would be complete without eating at Mamma Shop; for me the best Italian in not just Cambodia but also better than anything I have had in Vietnam. They do absolutely great pasta and not just the Spagbol and Carbonara like most restaurants. We went a couple of times and I had the Tortellini Pasticciati and the Raviatelle Al Pomodoro and they both rocked. Service was a little grumpy on both occasions but the food made up for it.



The end of my stay came way too fast. We did have a little get-together at the house though details are a little blurry.



I ran a few more times:





My Princess won a prize at school:



Probably for this fine piece of art I discovered on the ceiling of my car:



I did go to Pub Street the last evening. The place was depressing: not only was it dead but it should be called Temple Street now as the Temple Group obviously owns most of it. I had a couple of beers at a soulless place called Cheers but did not stick around long.



And then it was time to go. The airport was completely dead. This was a good thing as the check-in process was incredibly slow. Not sure how airport staff will manage when it gets busy again. The few people in front of me took an hour to process.





It was obviously not easy to leave. Not just because of the greatest Princess of all times but I also quite do like Siem Reap. Obviously this was a holiday and it probably would have been less enjoyable if the Chinese had been back, but still.

[atst]

Great report,I'm amazed your ( I presume) Khmer wife can eat at all those different restaurants nothing but Khmer food my my girlie.

[hanno]

Great report,I'm amazed your ( I presume) Khmer wife can eat at all those different restaurants nothing but Khmer food my my girlie.

She has never had a problem with that and will eat pretty much everything. I think she only draws the line at really smelly cheeses.

[ExPenhMan]

I'm like you, I do "quite like Siem Reap." Pub Street is OK in small doses or remote doses, away from anything named Temple. I remember the headache music and loud, drunken millennials in the bad old days. Oh, and the dodgy electricity supply. But I still want to go back for a lengthy visit. Maybe late this year.

What a great smile on that daughter of yours.

Thanks for the super report.

[Tootsfriend]

With all those add-ons to the air ticket I would have said stuff you and walked or travelled by bus. Thanks for the great report and pictures of your princess, I don't know how you could stay away for so long and miss out on all those fun times you could have been sharing with her.

[hanno]

With all those add-ons to the air ticket I would have said stuff you and walked or travelled by bus. Thanks for the great report and pictures of your princess, I don't know how you could stay away for so long and miss out on all those fun times you could have been sharing with her.

I am six hours north of Hanoi, that would have been heck of a bus ride .

Not really my choice to stay away that long, flights that were actually somewhat affordable only started recently. I looked at flying in May but it would have taken 25 hours and cost close to two grand.

[hairdo]

I don't understand this thread, it's really nice and personal. But is it sponsored by Chip Mong Group? Cambodia Beer draft has undoubtedly taken me to places to enjoy. But I can't say you'd want to miss anything firsthand for any reason other than the rice. And as a friend of proper marketing, I can only say, how would that work in Germany? If they started producing a beer called "Deutschland". Or how about the US? 'America' beer. It also appears that the Chip Mong Group is acting as an aggressive entity in the local beer market, forcing competitors to adapt at unprecedented levels.

So you have a problem with Burger King!?!

I'm fine with both, Cambodia Beer and Burger King. Feels like the same to me..

[hanno]

I don't understand this thread, it's really nice and personal. But is it sponsored by Chip Mong Group? Cambodia Beer draft has undoubtedly taken me to places to enjoy. But I can't say you'd want to miss anything firsthand for any reason other than the rice. And as a friend of proper marketing, I can only say, how would that work in Germany? If they started producing a beer called "Deutschland". Or how about the US? 'America' beer. It also appears that the Chip Mong Group is acting as an aggressive entity in the local beer market, forcing competitors to adapt at unprecedented levels.

So you have a problem with Burger King!?!

I'm fine with both, Cambodia Beer and Burger King. Feels like the same to me..

Myanmar Neer, Beer Lao, Taiwan Beer are a few beers that I can think of that are named after countries.

I have no particular problem with Burger King, I also do not eat at McDonald's, Jolly Bee, Subway, or any other fast food chain.

One picture of a can of Cambodia and you think I get paid by Chip Mong Group. Pretty sure there is a picture of a Tiger beer in there somewhere too.

[nemo]

I don't understand this thread, it's really nice and personal. But is it sponsored by Chip Mong Group? Cambodia Beer draft has undoubtedly taken me to places to enjoy. But I can't say you'd want to miss anything firsthand for any reason other than the rice. And as a friend of proper marketing, I can only say, how would that work in Germany? If they started producing a beer called "Deutschland". Or how about the US? 'America' beer. It also appears that the Chip Mong Group is acting as an aggressive entity in the local beer market, forcing competitors to adapt at unprecedented levels.

So you have a problem with Burger King!?!

I'm fine with both, Cambodia Beer and Burger King. Feels like the same to me..

WTAF?

[Alex]

Nice report, Hanno! I haven't made it back to Siem Reap yet, but plan to visit next month.

That Greek restaurant was really great when I went there in 2019, and I came back many times during my stay - good to hear it's alive and well, something to look forward to!