Siem Reap War Museum

The War museum in Siem Reap, Cambodia displays numbers of old military equipment, such as aircraft, tanks, landminesand and guns, all in quite shabby condition.

The Siem Reap War Museum is located on National Route No 6 near the Cambodian Cultural Village. Coming from Siem Reap town on the right hand side, just behind the military office. Take a Remok, Motorbike or car.

The guy that runs this small and very new place was forced to join the Khmer Rouge as a boy and trained to make as lay landmines, something they were all too good at. The Vietnamese-installed government rescued him in 1985-so his story goes-and thereafter he helped the government in clearing areas where landmines have been laid. His name is Akira and he is a friendly guy that speaks English and Japanese ad is happy to visit with people that come by. 

He has a lot of the weaponry on hand that has been used over these past few decades, during Cambodia?s civil war and the long struggle against the Khmer Rouge that followed. It?s worth a look. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. To get there, go past the Hotel Grande de Angkor (on the road to the Angkor ticket checkpoint) about 1 km to a small sign on the right for the Civil War Museum. Turn right, and follow this road to a four-way intersection and turn left. 

There is a sign for the place here. Go about 1 km and you will see it on the right.

Civil War Museum, Siem Reap is one of the popular tourist attractions in Siem Reap. Whenever you come to Siem Reap, visit this sightseeing spot to get a better insight into the history of the region. The Civil War Museum, Siem Reap is run by a guy who was forced to join the Khmer Rouge as a boy and trained to make as lay landmines, something they were all too good at. After the Vietnamese-installed government rescued him in the year 1985, he helped the government in clearing areas where landmines have been laid. The name of this boy is Akira and he is a friendly guy. He speaks English and Japanese and feels very happy to meet the people who come to visit this place.

The guy who runs the Civil War Museum, Siem Reap has a lot of the weaponry on hand that have been used over these past few decades, during Cambodia?s civil war and the long struggle against the Khmer Rouge that followed. The collection in this Civil War Museum in Siem Reap is definitely worth a look for one and all who are intrigued by the turbulent past of this place. 

The admission to the Civil War Museum, Siem Reap is free, but donations are appreciated. If you want to get to the museum then go past the Hotel Grande de Angkor on the road to the Angkor ticket checkpoint about 1 kilometer to a small sign on the right for the Civil War Museum. Then turn right, and follow this road to a four-way intersection and turn left. You will find a sign for the place here. Drive for more 1 kilometer and you will reach the Civil War Museum.

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Siem Reap Pub Street

Siem Reap offers a wide range of eating and drinking options with new businesses at all price ranges opening almost daily it seems. The Old Market area is, depending on your perspective, either an exciting and vibrant place offering a vast selection of eating and drinking options that is not to be missed, or a tourist ghetto offering a vast selection of generally non-authentic eating and drinking options that should be avoided at all costs. More likely your reality will lie somewhere in between, closer to which side is entirely up to you. Personally, I would neither over nor under-emphasize the area. Go at least once and draw your own conclusions and don't feel ashamed of your opinion no matter which side of the spectrum it should fall.

The growth of the area started on what is now almost officially (there's a sign up now) known as "Pub Street"; or "Bar Street,"; depending on your choice of terminology, but food and drink options have since spread to a number of surrounding streets as well.

Siem Reap Pub Street itself would at this point, probably be more accurately known as "Food Street". With two exceptions, TheAngkor What? Bar and Temple Club, as the emphasis here is now almost entirely on food opposed to drinking. That said, in the alleys and streets running both parallel and perpendicular to "Pub/Bar/Food Street" you can not only find more restaurants but many bars as well. Drinking until the wee hours of the morning remains a very viable activity here. The alleyway to the north of "Pub Street" has recently seen several new bars open, while the alleyway to the south has been filled up with restaurants.

There are also a number of restaurants along Sivatha Blvd (the main north - south road a block or so west of the market) offering a variety of Western and Asian cuisines. And more recently a string of garden style restaurants have appeared on Wat Bo Road, east of the river.

The listings here are only a sampling of what is out there and the best course of action is simply to wander the neighborhood and try out a few places, whether they are listed here or not. The temptation is to allow the Old Market/Pub Street magnet suck you into this tourist ghetto, and while definitely a worthy endeavor for consuming alcohol, you might consider that by and large, the best food options are *not* found here, but rather spread around town in less congested areas where there is less price competition that can result in an inferior product. This is not to say that there isn't good food in this area, but that there are some excellent opportunities found elsewhere - in particular farther up Sivatha and over on Wat Bo Road, and a few places like Abacus and The Touich that aren't near anything but themselves.

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Balloon Ride over Angkor View

Enjoy The Siem Reap Balloon Rides with your eye view of Angkor and its historical landmarks as you sail with the clouds and admire the majestic Angkor Wat. From the stationery balloon’s vantage point, you’ll be able to see the city of Siem Reap and the Baray, a large 10th century structure which provided irrigation but had more functions which are unknown. Soar over the skies and admire the picturesque Cambodian countryside with its rice fields and villages, the highlight of your sightseeing in Angkor!

Approximately 1km west from Angkor Wat a bright yellow helium balloon resembling a giant egg yolk offers visitors a bird's-eye view of the magnificent Angkor temples.

The German made helium balloon is attached to a rope and ascends approximately 200 metres, floats for a while and then descends. It isn't actually a tour and it only lasts about 10 minutes but it is enough to get some great pictures of Angkor Wat on a clear day.

The balloon flies approximately 30 times a day from sunrise to sundown and can carry up to 30 passengers.

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Angkor Horse Riding

Travel away from the tourist areas and in to the heart of the Cambodian countryside on horseback and bicycle. Start with a two hour horseback ride, passing rice fields, local villages, and the remote Wat Atvea at a leisurely pace. This afternoon, pedal your way along the local river to explore rural Siem Reap and meet friendly locals.

Enjoy half hour to half day explorations through Siem Reap’s surrounding countryside and temples on horseback. The experience is great for individuals or families, as there are horses suitable for all experience levels from placid ponies that are suitable for first time riders through to young lively geldings for experienced riders. Most of the horses are one hundred percent Cambodian bred. The ranch does their best to ensure you are given a horse that is most suited to your experience.

This horse riding tour is made to give the opportunity to riders to mix horseback tours, in a wonderful and exotic setting, and the discovery of world wide known sacred places of Cambodia.

Angkor Wat, a wonder of the world, totally unique, opens its gates for you ! You will also have the opportunity to meet the inhabitants of the famous lake dwellings, and to marvel at the verdant vegetation of this secret kindgom.

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Crocodile Farm Siem Reap

Siem Reap Crocodile Farm is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Siem Reap. The crocodile farm is located on the road to Tonle Sap Lake on the left hand side. It is home to about 300 crocodiles of various sizes and dispositions. You will have to pay a fee of US$ 1 for admission of foreigners and 1,000 riel for Cambodians. You can buy stuffed crocs on the premises. Getting to the Crocodile Farm, Siem Reap is quite easy - just head south on Sivutha Street, cross the bridge and it’s down another half kilometer from there. 

"Help preserve wild animals," is printed on the tickets that you buy for admission into the Crocodile Farm. The crocodiles are more likely to be preserved by a Thai handbag maker than an ecologically minded zoo operator. Nonetheless, the crocodiles at the farm have been here for a good time, if not a long time. From the moment these crocodiles poke their snouts out from the crack in an egg, they are treated like the precious possessions that they are. 

You can also see the crocodile nests in the Crocodile Farm, Siem Reap. At first sight, the crocodile nests look much like any other pile of dirt. After the 75th day of the incubation period passes, some brave soul waits until mama crocodile goes for a swim, then take the ready-to-hatch eggs to a shaded area where the little ones snap their teeth for the very first time. 

Hatching of these crocodiles usually happens early in the morning, so early visitors get the best look at minutes-old crocodiles and sometimes the staff will even let you hold one. A good breeding crocodile can yield up to 40 eggs a year and a full-grown female crocodile fetches about $400. There is also a conveniently located Crocodile Restaurant close by the gates. Diners are advised to call ahead to make sure the reptile is on the menu. A tour to the Crocodile Farm is a must if you happen to visit Siem Reap for business or leisure.

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Cambodia Shooting Range

Public Shooting Range at Military Training Centre, Siem Reap

Our large shooting range is distance of 25 meters with a capacity that will fit more than 20 people to shoot all at once. A technical will be present to instruct you at all times, so even a group of first timers, women or elderly may enjoy a safe and a pleasant shooting. And for serious shooters who wish to skill-up their shooting techniques and score-up their shooting ability, a well-trained officer may instruct you individually if requested.

Watched one too many action movies and want to give it a try?  Forty minutes from Siem Reap, tourists may shoot an array of automatic weapons at an old military shooting range.  The prices are not cheap - US $1 a bullet and up - but where else will you have the opportunity to fire an AK-47 or throw a live hand grenade?

Retired soldiers supervise the range and continuously harass you to try the latest and greatest in firepower, including belt-fed machine guns.  Those with enough money and guts are even invited to fire an old, soviet-made rocket launcher!

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