Beyond Angkor Wat: The Best Things to Do in Siem Reap That Aren’t Temples

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If you’re planning a trip to Siem Reap and considering staying a bit longer and wondering how to fill your days, this is the ultimate guide to the best things to do in Siem Reap besides temples, including cultural experiences, countryside adventures, food tours, day trips, and hidden gems that will make your trip unforgettable.

18 Best Things To Do In Siem Reap Besides Angkor Wat

Visit a Lotus farm

Outside of visiting the stunning temples this was a real highlight for me in Siem Reap. A short drive outside the city you can visit a Lotus Farm that grows lotus flowers and create vegan silk and other products from the flower and stem.

They organize multiple workshops and tours you can choose to join, the shortest one being a 30 minute tour of how everything is made, to workshops where you make something yourself over the course of a couple of hours. For me the highlight was a tour on the water where the cutest lady rowed us around through the lotus fields and showed us around. She picked some of the flowers and made both a hat and a bouquet for me.

They also have a really nice café if you're biking around the area and just want somewhere nice to relax for a bit.

You can choose to organize it on your own or book a tour like this one depending on what kind of experience you want. I highly recommend coming here during your time in Siem reap.

Book a visit to the lotus farm in advance here

Grab a drink at Asana Wooden House

Not thecnically a sight, but I thought it was really nice so I'm adding it here. This wooden house is a really charming bar, but used to be a traditional family home. It's renovated, but they have kept the charm and design from the way people used to live in the area before. So, this is the only original house left in this area.

If you want somewhere nice and calm to grab a drink in the evening, and want to get away from the hustle and bustle of pub street, I highly recommend this place.

Explore Pub Street (At Least Once)

So this is the kind of place you probably either hate or love depending on many various factors. It’s the most touristy street in all of Cambodia I would say, but still not as bad as the party streets in Bangkok or Phuket if you’re familiar with those.

It’s chaotic, loud, and very touristy… but also kind of fun. For one night at least. We walked through it a couple of times in the evening and had one really fun night out celebrating the Khmer New years here in April. It was insanely fun, but one night was enough for me.

Even if it’s not fully your scene, it’s worth walking through, grabbing a drink and people-watch for a bit. The energy here at night is wild.

Eat at the Night Markets

Along the river, close to the city centre you’ll find rows of stalls selling all kinds of street food. It was pretty packed with people every time we walked past, both tourists and locals alike enjoying all kinds of different dishes and deserts. It definitely has its charm with small tables and plastic chairs along the river front. At parts the vendors can be quite pushy, but in my experience it was better the further up the river you walked.

Explore the Old Market

In the middle of the city centre, and right next to Pub Street you'll find the Old Market. A huge area filled with different stalls selling all kinds of souvenirs and clothes. As I'm travelling full time and don't have room to buy anything I didn't explore this to the fullest, but I walked through it a couple of times and it was always quite fun.

Grab a souvenir from Handmade in Cambodia Market

Compared to the Old market mentioned above, I do think that the Handmade in Cambodia Market offers a much better variety and quality of things you can purchase if you're looking for a souvenir or gift to bring home.

Whether the things are actually handmade in Cambodia I cannot say for sure, but I personally think the market was a better experience in general. Again I didn't buy anything because I just don't have room for it, but it was worth a visit. It’s a bit outside the city centre compared to the Old Market, but it has a bit more charm in my opinion.

Walk Along the Siem Reap River

Sometimes the best moments are the simplest ones. Just taking a walk along the river, especially in the late afternoon or evening was such a nice way to explore the city at a slower pace. In addition to some of the food stalls, you’ll find lots of boats and bridges all lit up, making it a very charming evening stroll. It's not long, and it's a good combo after visiting the Handmade in Cambodia Market on your way back to the city.

Visit APOPO Visitor Center (Hero Rats)

This sounds strange… but stay with me. After the war in Cambodia there is a huge amount of landmines laying around everywhere, and to help clean this up, they've trained rats to help find them.

At the visitor centre you can learn more about this work, watch how it's done and actually hold one of the rats (if you want to). It’s a very fascinating and surprisingly fun activity, that also supports an important cause.

I think it's the perfect activity for everyone visiting, maybe especially if you're a family travelling with kids.

Visit the Floating Villages on Tonlé Sap Lake

This is an activity that gets mixed reviews and I can honestly understand why. I've been there twice, once 12 years ago and one recently, and the difference was quite huge. More tourists are visiting the area so they’ve made some changes to how they organize things and not all are for the better in my opinion. I do think its worth a visit, but maybe not at all times of the year.

In this area houses, schools, and even shops float on the water — and life here moves in a completely different rhythm. Just exploring the area and seeing a different side of the country is worth it in my opinion. In addition your supporting the local community living here.

However, a couple of things worth noting. Most tours offer a sunset variant and the spot where you're supposed to watch the sunset is at a crocodile farm. It all looked pretty sketchy too me so we actually decided to leave early and never saw the sunset. I could do this because I went on my own, something you probably can't if your on a bigger group tour. Even if you visit during the day you’ll probably stop by here, but you wont have to stay.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are different seasons on Cambodia, the dry and the rainy. I’ve visited the village during both and it was two completely different experiences. When I visited during the rainy season the boat ride took us through the village for a long time and we got to see how everyone lives and interacts. When we visited in April, the driest month of the year, there just wasn't that much left of the lake to explore. Yes you could see the houses, but the biggest portion of the boat ride was just on the lake, not amongst the houses.

So all in all, I think the trip is worth it, just keep in mind when and how you visit.

Check prices & availability for the most highly reviewed tour

Phnom Kulen National Park

Phnom Kulen national park is a really cool day trip you can take from Siem Reap. You can either go on a guided tour or just hire a driver for the day. There are multiple spots in the national park to visit, everything from temples to waterfalls you can swim in.

The area in it self is beautiful and I had such an amazing day driving around the national park. You can check out different viewpoints and explore or just spend the day swimming and relaxing, it’s all up to you.

There is enough water there even during dry season for it to be worth a trip, but if you want to just come here and swim I recommend the rainy season because the water is clearer and it feels a bit fresher.

During weekends and holidays it can get quite crowded, so if you want to swim or just prefer a more peaceful day I recommend planning your visit on a weekday.

We just hired a driver for the day, but after exploring the area I think it would have been even better to go on a tour with a guide who spoke English and could show us more around and explain the significance of the area.

The best guided tour to Phnom Kulen National Park

This is the guided tour I would've booked if I was going back to Siem Reap soon.

Treat Yourself to a Boutique Hotel Stay

Siem Reap has some of the best value-for-money hotels I’ve ever seen.

Think beautiful pools, lush gardens, and stylish rooms — often for way less than you’d expect. It’s the perfect place to slow down and recharge between adventures. I tried so many different hotels during my time in Siem Reap, and some of them I just never wanted to leave.

If you're looking for a budget friendly, but stunning stay I highly recommend this one. If you just want to spend some time relaxing by the pool this is a great option. They have two pools, both equally stunning.

Visit the Landmine Museum

This museum is actually almost an hour outside town so I unfortunately never made it there. I was visiting so many similar museums throughout Cambodia that I prioritised differently here. However, if Siem Reap is your only stop in Cambodia, visiting a museum like this and learning more about the history of the country is very interesting. If you’re visiting some of the temples a bit further outside town or the national park it can be a good day to add this.

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Get a Traditional Khmer Massage

After long days temple-hopping, your body will thank you. A khmer massage is usually a bit firmer than Thai ones, but you can get it pretty much how ever you like it. There’s no shortage of great spots to choose from with amazing treatments for really affordable prices all over town.

Try Local Khmer Food

Before you leave Cambodia you should try a couple of the local dishes like fish amok, khmer red curry, lok lak and mango sticky rice. I promise you wont be dissapointed.

The food is very similar to Thai food, but still has its own tastes. There are so many great restaurants in Siem Reap — from street food to more upscale spots, where you can try it. Check out my Guide to the best places to Eat for more tips.

Alternatively you can choose to set aside some time to join a khmer cooking class and actually learn how to make some of the famous dishes or join a guided street food tour to sample many different local dishes at once as well as learn about the city and culture as you go.

Taste local dishes on this street food tour around Siem Reap

I recommend this local cooking class

You get to create your own 4 course meal, shop at the market and learn to cook with a local.

Join a Pottery Class

If you have some extra time, want to bring home a souvenir and feeling creative, a pottery class might be a fun thing to check out.

The classes are led by local artisans who walk you through traditional Cambodian techniques, and it quickly becomes less about making something perfect and more about the experience itself. By the end, you’ve made yourself a handmade souvenir that actually mean something. It’s a nice, slower-paced activity to break up your itinerary.

Book the best pottery class in advance here

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Day Trip to Battambang

If you have a bit of extra time in Siem Reap, a day trip (or even better, an overnight stay) to Battambang is 100% worth it. The journey itself already feels like stepping into a different side of Cambodia—rice fields stretching endlessly, small villages passing by, and a much quieter pace of life.

Battambang is known for its colonial architecture, laid-back atmosphere, and quirky experiences like the famous bamboo train. You can explore temples, watch bats fly out of caves at sunset, and just enjoy a slower, more raw version of Cambodia.

If your itinerary allows it, this is such a rewarding escape from the crowds around Angkor. I personally stayed a week there and had such an amazing time.

If you don't have time to add an overnight stay in Battambang to your itinerary, I recommend this day trip that takes you to all the highlights in one day.

Explore the Countryside Outside Siem Reap

Just a short drive outside the city centre, everything changes. The roads get quieter and bumpier, and suddenly you’re surrounded by rice fields, wooden stilt houses, and locals going about their daily routines. Whether you explore by tuk-tuk, bike, or on a guided tour, the countryside gives you a glimpse into real Cambodian life beyond the temples.

I found it incredibly fascinating to see how country life unfolds and even watching people living almost on top of a ruin, or elementary schools as the next door neighbour to a temple ruin that's not yet extracted. If you want to slow down and see a more genuine side of Siem Reap, this is something you really shouldn’t skip.

I highly recommend this tour that takes you around on a vespa

Watch the Sunrise at Angkor Wat

Yes, I know this article is about the things to do other than the temples, but I just can't skip watching the sunrise at Angkor Wat. It's honestly one of the best mornings I've had in a long time. We might have been extremely lucky, but when I walked into the temple complex and saw the sight of the sun rising above the temple I was awestruck. It was just something completely different and I'll remember it forever.

If you also want to read more about what temples I recommend visiting and how to properly plan your visit to the Angkor Wat Complex, check out my specific guides for that.

Is Spending More Time in Siem Reap Worth It?

Yes, absolutely!

Don’t make it all about Angkor Wat. Yes—wake up early, explore the temples, and take it all in. But Siem Reap is so much more than just a gateway to Angkor Wat — it’s a destination in its own right. So give yourself time to slow down, wander, and experience everything else this place has to offer.

And don’t be surprised if you end up staying longer than planned… I definitely did.

I hope this helps you plan your upcoming vacation to Siem Reap. If you have any questions about travel in Siem Reap or Cambodia in general, or just want to follow along as I travel the world full time, don‘t hesitate to reach out to me on social media. I would love to connect and help out!

-Ingrid

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