The Apsara Khmer minibus picked us exactly at 7.30 a.m. It was a 15-seat minibus. The ticket to Siem Reap was US$10, including bread and mineral water. The benefit that you can get if you use minibus are: 1) Minibus is much faster, it only takes 4 hours to get to Siem Reap (if you use conventional bus, the journey will take 6 hours); 2) Of course, much comfortable and less stopover. The minibus only stopped at a restaurant in Kompong Thom, for only 30 minutes. We had our lunch there. The food was quite expensive ($ 3 - $5) and wasn’t very special.
At about 12.30 p.m., we arrived at Siem Reap town. My first impression about Siem Reap was less hectic and much more organized than Phnom Penh. The minibus stopped at Apsara office and the tuktuk drivers from Mandalay Inn have come to pick us. It was a free service and we had our first tuktuk experience in Siem Reap. It was nice, exploring Siem Reap by tuktuk.
Tuk-tuk-ing in Siem Reap
Siem Reap is greener than Phnom PenhPhoto (c) Zarwindo S, 2010
Finally we arrived at Mandalay Inn. They have a hilarious slogan “Looks expensive but actually not”. Well, I must say that the slogan was completely true. I stayed at triple room, equipped with hot water, cable tv, and fridge. The room was also quite big. With all those facilities, I only paid for $16 per room per night ($5 per pax). I think, it was incredibly cheap, not to mention that we also had free internet and wi-fi service. The location was also quite strategic, near to the central market and the French quarter.
Mandalay Inn
Looks expensive but not!!!! (LOL)Photo (c) Zarwindo S, 2010
I had a pharyngitis at that time. It made me feel so weak, fatigue, and nauseous. I must say that I couldn’t enjoy my visit in Siem Reap because of that. I had a non-stop cough with runny nose and also muscle pain. I went to the pharmacy to buy some medicine in the central market but unfortunately they couldn’t speak English, so I had to use my body language. When I got the medicine, I laughed so hard because the medicine was produced in Bekasi!!!!
We hadn’t do much activity in our first day in Siem Reap. We took a rest first. At 4 p.m. we went to the central market for shopping. Yes, we loveeee shopping The price in Siem Reap was almost the same as Phnom Penh. You had to bargain if you want to reduce the price.
Siem Reap Central Market. Looks like Indonesian traditional market, doesn't it?Photo (c) Zarwindo S, 2010
After shopping at central market, we moved to supermarket to buy our daily needs. Again, I laughed after I read a “Fi-Wi” poster. Fail.
Free Fi-Wi Service!!!Photo (c) Zarwindo S, 2010
After sunset, we went to French quarter. It was the Siem Reap’s tourist center. So many foreigner from all over the world came to this place. French quarter was a complex of old two-stories building from French colonization era. Nowadays, The French quarter was packed with café and restaurant. Every night, this area was packed with tourist.
French Quarter, full of cafe, restaurant, and bar
Red Piano. Angelina Jolie visited this cafe in 2000 and made her own mixturePhoto (c) Zarwindo S, 2010
We had our dinner in a street hawker. They sold BBQ set with only $3 per pax and fresh juice (3000 riels). We also ordered chicken amok. My friends said that the foods were great but for me, I couldn’t comment because I had lost my appetite since I was sick. During our dinner, I could see four or five bus, filled with Korean tourist, stop in front of our restaurant. There were many Koreans visiting Cambodia.
Cheap BBQ!Photo (c) Zarwindo S, 2010
Actually. There was a night market but we didn’t go there because I was too tired to go there and also because we had to wake up very early for the next day. At the hotel, we reserved two tuktuk for one day tourin Angkor Wat. The tuktuk costed us $13 from 4.30 a.m. until sunset. Stay tuned for our story in Angkor Wat
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