Navutu Dreams
Our bargain pick: a welcoming family-run hotel with lovely rooms, pools and beautifully planted grounds. A superb base for visiting Angkor.
OUR CAMBODIA
Ancient temples, lovely places to stay and a town full of character.
Angkor Wat was the reason we came to Cambodia, but Siem Reap gave us plenty of reasons to enjoy staying a little longer. The temples were every bit as extraordinary as we had hoped: atmospheric, intricate and almost impossible to take in all at once.
We loved beginning the day among the ancient temples, then returning to a comfortable hotel and spending the later hours exploring the markets, restaurants and bars around town.
We stayed at two very different hotels, Navutu Dreams and Raffles, and enjoyed both for different reasons. For us, Cambodia became a wonderful mix of history, relaxed days and lively evenings.
THE STAY · OUR BARGAIN PICK
Navutu Dreams.
A lovely family-run hotel and a superb base for exploring Angkor.
OUR EXPERIENCE
A little oasis outside the centre.
Navutu Dreams was our bargain pick, and we were genuinely very happy there. It is a family-run hotel set within a small, beautifully planted compound, with a relaxed atmosphere that made it easy to switch off after a day exploring the temples.
The rooms were great, the pools were lovely and the whole place had a welcoming, personal feel. It was an easy tuk-tuk ride into town, so we could enjoy the restaurants and markets without staying right in the middle of the evening bustle.
Most importantly, it worked brilliantly as a base for visiting Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples. We would happily recommend it to anyone looking for somewhere comfortable, characterful and good value in Siem Reap.
Our verdict: a genuinely good-value find. We liked the intimate, family-run feel and were very pleased with our choice.
THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR STAY
Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor.
A classic hotel, a magnificent pool and a lovely place to linger over breakfast.
OUR EXPERIENCE
A familiar name, in a very different setting.
We chose Raffles partly because we know the Raffles experience so well from Singapore. We wanted to see how it compared in Siem Reap, and we were very happy we made the visit.
The pool is enormous and makes a real impression. The terrace is another highlight, particularly for breakfast, with a beautiful setting in which to take your time before heading out for the day.
It is a very different proposition from Navutu: more grand-hotel in feel, with the scale and heritage you would expect from the Raffles name. We enjoyed it very much and it made a lovely counterpoint to our stay at Navutu.
Having experienced both, we would happily recommend either. They offer different styles of stay, rather than one simply replacing the other.
THE REASON WE CAME
Discovering Angkor.
ANGKOR WAT
Worth the early start.
Seeing Angkor Wat at sunrise was one of the defining moments of our Cambodia trip. The light gradually builds over the temple, and the reflection across the water makes the scene feel almost unreal.
It is an early start, but one we would absolutely recommend. Arriving before the day gets going gives the place a very different atmosphere.
THE TEMPLES
A vast world to explore.
Angkor is much more than one famous temple. The wider complex is full of extraordinary buildings, passageways, carved stone and details that reward taking your time.
We loved wandering through it rather than treating the visit as a quick stop for a photograph.
BAYON
Faces that seem to follow you.
Bayon was another highlight. Its towers and enormous carved faces give it a completely different character from Angkor Wat. It is one of those places that feels almost otherworldly when you are standing among the stonework.
ANCIENT DETAILS
History in every corner.
Some of the most memorable moments came from looking a little closer: the carved windows, weathered stone and layers of architecture. There is an extraordinary amount to discover beyond the best-known viewpoints.
THE LANDSCAPE
Temples reclaimed by nature.
Part of the magic is the way the temples sit within the landscape. Trees, roots and foliage frame the old stonework, creating scenes that feel as though they have barely changed over centuries.
TAKE YOUR TIME
More than a single stop.
We loved Angkor Wat and Bayon, but the wider temple area is what makes the experience so special. Allow time to explore, pause and take in the scale of what was built here.
A MOMENT TO TAKE IN
Angkor, in the quiet of the morning.
BEYOND THE TEMPLES
Getting to know Siem Reap.
THE TOWN
A city break in its own right.
One of the things we loved about Siem Reap was that it offered so much more than a place to sleep between temple visits. We enjoyed wandering around the markets, looking at the local produce and taking in the everyday life of the town.
The markets are colourful, busy and full of interest. They are well worth exploring, even if you are not looking to buy anything in particular.
We also found the contrast between the relaxed daytime pace and the livelier evenings around Pub Street particularly enjoyable.
LOCAL LIFE
A market worth wandering.
We enjoyed getting away from the main sights and simply exploring. The markets give you a glimpse of local life, with stalls selling fresh produce and all sorts of things you might not see at home.
We even tried tarantula during our time in Siem Reap — certainly one of the more unusual food memories from the trip.
EVENINGS IN TOWN
From market strolls to lively nights.
After the early starts and temple visits, Siem Reap was a lovely place to enjoy the evenings. Pub Street and the surrounding lanes have plenty of energy, with bars and restaurants close together and an easygoing atmosphere.
We particularly enjoyed Miss Wong for cocktails and Madam Fan for a drink. For food, Lost City Pizza was a favourite, as was Elia Greek near the market. We also enjoyed Sokkhak River Restaurant.
It was a great balance: relaxed days exploring, followed by the option of a much livelier evening whenever we felt like heading out.
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
How to make the most of Siem Reap.
A few practical thoughts from our time here, to help you plan a stay that includes more than just the headline sights.
HOW LONG TO STAY
Three to four nights
We would allow enough time for an early visit to Angkor Wat, the wider temple complex and Bayon, with time left over to enjoy the town, markets and restaurants without rushing.
GETTING AROUND
Tuk-tuks make it easy
We found tuk-tuks a convenient way to get between the hotel and town. For the temples, arrange transport for the day so you can move between the different sites at your own pace.
THE TEMPLE VISIT
Start early
Angkor Wat at sunrise is worth the early alarm. Give yourself time for the wider temple area too; Angkor is a collection of remarkable places, not just one viewpoint.
WHERE TO STAY
Choose your atmosphere
Navutu Dreams is a lovely, good-value boutique option with a family-run feel. Raffles offers a grander hotel experience, a huge pool and a beautiful breakfast terrace.
DAYTIME & EVENINGS
A good balance
Spend the day among the temples and markets, then head into town for dinner or a drink. Pub Street and the surrounding streets are particularly lively in the evening.
WHO WILL LOVE IT
Culture with character
Siem Reap is a rewarding break for anyone who enjoys history, architecture, local food and a town with plenty of places to explore after the sightseeing is done.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
Places & experiences we loved.
Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor
A classic hotel with a huge pool and a lovely breakfast terrace. We enjoyed comparing it with the Raffles we know in Singapore.
Angkor Wat at sunrise
An early start, but one of the defining experiences of the trip. Allow time to enjoy the wider temple complex afterwards.
Bayon Temple
Its remarkable carved faces and distinctive towers made it one of our favourite stops in the Angkor complex.
Miss Wong
A great cocktail bar and a lovely choice for an evening drink in Siem Reap.
Madam Fan
Another bar we enjoyed discovering while exploring the town in the evening.
Lost City Pizza
A favourite food stop during our time in Siem Reap.
Elia Greek
A good restaurant near the market that we were very happy to find.
Sokkhak River Restaurant
Another restaurant we enjoyed during our stay. Worth adding to your Siem Reap list.
The markets & Pub Street
Make time to wander the markets during the day and explore the lively streets around Pub Street after dark.
OUR EDIT
Come for Angkor. Stay for Siem Reap.
Angkor Wat was always going to be the centrepiece of this trip, and it absolutely lived up to expectations. The sunrise, the scale of the temples and the extraordinary details at Bayon made it a genuinely memorable experience.
But what made Cambodia such a good break was everything around it. Navutu Dreams gave us a lovely, good-value base; Raffles offered a different take on the classic hotel experience; and Siem Reap itself was full of places to eat, drink and explore.
We would come back for the temples, but we would also come back for the town. Our advice is simple: don't treat Siem Reap as somewhere to sleep between temple visits. Give it a little time of its own.
OUR MAP
Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The hotels, temples, markets, restaurants and bars that made this such a memorable city break. We'll continue building out our wider travel map as The Expat Edits grows.