Siem Reap Höhepunkte Archives - Dine With The Locals

The rainy season in Cambodia is also a green season

Rainy season in Cambodia: Best time to travel in 2022

Written by André Ruys on 09/21/2022. Posted in Kambodscha, Khmer culture, Kochkurs in Kambodscha, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

Asia is well known for its hot weather, beaches and lush landscapes. A common misconception is the rainy season: We call it the green season here, because Southeast-Asia will look much more beautiful.

Cambodia is located on the south-western part of the Indochina peninsula and has only two seasons, the rainy season in Cambodia and the dry season. The so-called rainy season will start in May and last until October while the dry season will start from November and usually ends in April. Cambodian people love the rainy season more than the dry season because it is the season that farmers can work on the fields and harvest rice and vegetables. The rain will be favorable for the fields. Also you can save money since the price for hotels are often lower than in other seasons.

You may think that the dry season would be the only season to travel in Cambodia. A misbelief is that during the rainy season in Cambodia people get sick and you may think there is nothing to do and you have to stay in the hotel room. In fact, it is not like that, you can get very unique experiences when you travel in the rainy season in Cambodia.

It doesn’t rain every day, and most times rain happens in the night or in the afternoon. There are only a few days when the rain doesn’t stop. More common is a heavy, 30 minute rain shower and right after it blue sky again.

Angkor Wat during the rainy season in Cambodia

What to know about the rainy season in Cambodia

In the rainy season, Cambodia has two traditional ceremonies, Pchum Benh in September and the water festival in November. These ceremonies will make your trip even more wonderful. During the rainy season in Cambodia can attend the water festival or you can see what people will do on Pchum Benh day. You can get a taste of the traditional cake that is made only on the special ceremony day.

More than this you will see a beautiful landscape with flowers blooming and green fields. Also you can experience fresh air and pleasant weather when visiting Angkor Wat. It is possible that there are fewer tourists in this season, so it is time for you to enjoy your time at the temples without too much noise. You do not have to rush or wait in the long line to buy a ticket for visiting a temple.

After a heavy rainfall you may see Cambodians riding a boat on the deeper flooded places to move, what might look a bit strange for those not used to it. But even flooding after rain will retreat in less than an hour.

Best activities for the rainy season in Cambodia

Need more activities? Here are some indoor activities to do: Visit a museum. In Phnom Penh there is the National museum, but also less known museum like the one about currency. You can visit some of the art galleries showing contemporary and traditional Cambodian art tour, or find yourself at a coffee shop and enjoy the sound of rain. What makes you get more and more experience is cooking and dining with local people. Dine with the locals will give you an experience of cooking and eating with locals. Not only cook and eat, you also can learn about something new that you never did or knew about from the host.

So do not worry anymore about traveling in Cambodia in the rainy season, what you have to do is prepare things such as a raincoat, slippers, umbrella and mosquito spray. Then it is time to start your rainy season trip to Cambodia to experience both culture and food.

Jomno, one of the best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap

The 5 best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap 2022

Written by André Ruys on 07/26/2022. Posted in cooking class, eat in Siem Reap, Food adventure, food in Cambodia, Kambodscha, Khmer culture, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

While we still think that Dine With The Locals provides you the best experience regarding Khmer food, we understand that going out is also important while visiting Siem Reap. Therefore we checked who is still there after Covid-19 and who are the best 5 Khmer Restaurants in Siem Reap. We did an extensive research and found some not well known places tourists usually don’t have on their list – or which aren’t mentioned in – mostly outdated – travel books and blogs.

Our most important criteria for a good restaurant is of course the food. It has to be local food, authentic and well prepared. We also like a twist, something that stands out. The environment plays also a big role – plastic chairs should be the exemption. And we care about a good service, because this is what make you feel comfortable in the best restaurants in Siem Reap.

The price range isn’t that wide in Siem Reap, since we do not cover street food here (but soon in another post). You get decent meals in a range from 3 to 8 US-Dollar for a main dish.

Jomno – modern Khmer cuisine

This place started in a small side street behind Wat Damnak with a street food concept, but moved to a bigger house next to the Deihoy market. Jomno offers fine Khmer food with a twist, a modern approach but still authentic. They have a nice garden, but also indoor seating. It is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.

You have small bites like a frittata or fresh marinated fish. For the meat eaters, we recommend the Battambang sausage. What makes it to the top of the list of the best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap is not only the presentation of the food, but also the creative and extensive vegan menu. Try the meat ball lok lak or the plant bases sausage roll. Starters are around $3 dollar, while main courses are in the $8 range. It is (for now) open every day from 11am to 10 PM.

Battambang sausage as Jomno — Jomno, one of the best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap

Banllee – vegetarian Khmer food

We think it’s time to make a change, so this vegetarian restaurant is also on the list even if they aren’t serving some of the traditional Khmer meat dishes. The restaurant is located in Street 26 and survived Covid-19 with a focus in vegetarian Khmer food – a good decision. Banlle has some other dishes as well, but if you a craving for Khmer noodles, this is the place to go.

Out top favorite is the vegetarian Prahok Ktis. Prahok is a Khmer fish paste, and at Banlle they make it from fermented tofu. An absolute delight with fresh vegetables on the side. Talking about veggies: Many of them are grown in the garden, and you may watch the chef cutting your greens before preparing the food for you. Prices are in the $3 to $5 US-Dollar range. Opening times are 7am – 9pm, Tuesday they are closed.

The Christa – family owned restaurant near Pub Street

The owner Rak moved his restaurant from behind Wat Damnak to the street 7 right behind Pub street. It is a shop house with steep steps to reach the first floor, but a great place to watch people go by. There is even a rooftop with tables.

The Christa offers affordable Khmer food in a wide range. Our favorites are the machu ktis, a dish with tamarind sauce and the Cha Kreung, mixed vegetables with Khmer spice paste. The kitchen offers all main Khmer dishes, like Amok and beef stew, but we would recommend some less known meals, like the Khmer curry. We like that you can choose if you want meat or tofu for most dishes. They do have good cocktails as well. Opening times are every day from 11.30am to 10 pm.

Temple coffee ‘n bakery – one of the best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap

The Temple group owns nowadays half of Pub street, but the venue at the riverside is less popular with tourists – but great when it comes to Khmer food. You can go there for breakfast and enjoy a well done fried rice with pork (somehow called school children breakfast) or for lunch or dinner some of the more fancy dishes.

They are popular with younger people, in particular in the evening. What stands out are the comfortable lounges upstairs and the rooftop bar with a pool – best place for sunset. The quality was never an issue for us in the last six years, but they did raise the prices. Expect $5 to $9 for a dish. Recommended are the Khmer noodles and the Prahok Ktis.

Tevy’s place

Tevy started her restaurant as a basic street food stall between the two Wat Damnak temple areas. Just before the Covid-19 pandemic she moved to street 7 and opened a new place. She is a hardworking woman, employing a few Khmer women now and became very popular with expats in Siem Reap. Her food is all freshly made, she has Khmer dishes but also offers some western food. You should try her fish amok and her Samlor Koko, a traditional Khmer soup. It’s open everyday from 730 am to 9.30 pm.

What else? Some others of the best restaurants in Siem Reap

With close to 1,000 restaurants and eateries, picking just the 5 best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap is not an easy task. Most other places offer good local food as well. We can recommend Khmer Kitchen and Khmer Grill as a well as Haven. The latter has also lovely vegetarian and vegan dishes and is a training restaurant – you eat for a good cause there.

Another runner-up is Romsai cafe next to the Salakamreuk village office. But if you want to try Fish Amok, one of the popular dishes, we have to recommend you Ms. Laum, one of our hosts in Siem Reap. She will show you how it’s made and share the meal with you. It is an extraordinary food experience!

If you would like to know more about Khmer food, check out our YouTube Channel and follow us on TikTok (@dinewiththelocals). You can reach us through the booking form on the host pages as well as through Telegram and WhatsApp. Or just send an email to feedme@dinewiththelocals.com.

Frogs in Cambodia: Not just great street food

Written by André Ruys on 07/09/2022. Posted in cooking class, eat with locals, food in Cambodia, Kambodscha, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

When you live a bit outside downtown, you will hear the sounds of frogs in the evening after the rain. and you will see some men with a headlight and a stick: They are hunting. The lights usually keeps frogs to freeze and the hunters pick them up and put them in a bucket. Frogs in Cambodia are a delicacy, and in the countryside moist people go out and hunt them.

Skinned: Frogs in Cambodia at the markets

The taste for frogs is not related to the French occupiers, who famously prefer the legs of the amphibians. In Cambodia, frogs are eaten since centuries. You can even find some stone carvings in Angkor Wat featuring frogs. It is said that frogs in Cambodia are present since before the Angkor period, however there are no documents left.

While hinting is an original way to supply the family with some proteins. frogs are gibt business. There are frog farmers all around the country, making a living from raising and selling them to markets. Around 700 of them got nearly 500.000 US-Dollar recently from the government to help them surviving during the Covid-19 pandemie. On the local markets, frogs are sold either alive or already skinned.

How to eat frog in Cambodia

if your are a traveler in Cambodia, best way to eat frog is as a street food or in a restaurant. Many street food places like along the river in Siem Reap or on road 60 in the evening will grill frogs over charcoal. The easiest way is to just skin them and then takes intestines out. Then its grilled until nearly charred. Some take the head of, some not.

Stuffed frog

Another popular dish is stuffed frog. The inside of a frog is filled with pork and spices. You need to create the famous spice paste kreung for this recipe of frog n Cambodia. If you want to learn the make the paste while in Cambodia, some of our hosts will teach you!

The fresh kreung paste ist then mixed with minced pork. It is common in Cambodia to mince pork with a cleaver on a wooden chopping pork rather then buying it from the market – for freshness reasons. The frogs you use are usually without heads.

Battered frogs

A bit more efforts takes a delicious version of frogs in cambodia: Battered and deep fried. You just need to buy skinned frogs at the market, create a batter with baking powder, flour and water. Dip the frogs in the batter and deep fry them. As a sauce you crush small green chilli and garlic in a mortar until you have a paste and mi this with palm sugar.

How does frogs in Cambodia taste like?

Frog meat tastes a bit like chicken meat. Since frogs are significantly smaller, you may order a full plate of fried or grilled frogs when in a restaurant. You just eat the whole animal, with carefully taking bones out like you would do it with fish bones. At Cambodian parties, fried frogs are served as a snack, sometimes with fried insects or even spiders.

At our host families we usually don’t offer frog, since demand is not much for it from traveller s. However, if you are keen to try frog in Cambodia, please get in contact with us and we can talk to the hosts families if they can prepare it for you – you will also learn how to do it. The frogs will then bought at the market.

Two ways to get around in Siem Reap: By tuk tuk or by rickshaw

5 best ways to get around in Siem Reap

Written by André Ruys on 07/05/2022. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, Experience Cambodia, Kambodscha, local life, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

Arriving in Siem Reap is breathtaking: Coming by plane you will see the vast area of the Tonle Sap lake and may get a glimpse of Angkor Wat. Traveling by bus, you will enjoy the countryside. But then comes the challenge how to get around in Siem Reap. The good news is: You have a lot of choices.UPDATE: We added a new e-bkk rental place. See below!

At Dine With The Locals we do not include transport to our hosts, but three families in Siem Reap actually offer the service – the husband is a rickshaw driver and will pick you up. If you don’t rent a car and driver for your stay (what is at least 30 Dollar per day) you need to arrange your transport but yourself.

Since there is not public transport like busses or hop-on-hop-of-services like in Thailand and other countries, you have only private transport option. But that doesn’t mean it is difficult to get around in Siem Reap – it’s actually quite easy, mainly because the city isn’t that big.

The most convenient way to get around in Siem Reap: Tuktuk and Rickshaw

Since 2019 the old tuktuk, a trailer pulled by a motorbike, is replaced by Indian style rickshaws – there-wheelers with a cabin. They are smaller, but offer a more comfortable and faster ride. On a hot day however the cabin warms up a bit – for a longer ride a tuk tuk would be a better option.

How to get a tuktuk or a rickshaw

You habe two options: Just check in fron of your hotel or guesthouse for drivers and negotiate with them. Or download one of the ride-hailing apps. Most popular in Siem Reap are PassApp and Grab, Tada is also gaining market share. The apps are convenient since they offer you a fixed price, the driver is know to them and you can see in a map where you are going (some freelance drivers take a longer way to ask for more money).

If you want a day trip, for example to visit the temples in Angkor Wat, it’s best to hire a rickshaw or a tuk tuk for the day. They cost about $25 to $30 per day, depending where you go. If you book our hosts Ms. Vannarith, Ms. Sokvy or Ms. Chan Mony, their husbands can make you a good offer for a trip and they also speak English, so you don’t need a guide, and they know the way around).

These Indian rickshaws can be ordered with an app

Renting a motobike in Siem Reap

There are shops in Siem Reap renting out motobikes. While many tourists love the idea of driving around the temples or through the ricefields in Cambodia, there are some thing to know. First, technically you need a Cambodian driving license to operate a motobike. An International Driving licence is not recognized. Also, because you would drive illegally, your health insurance may refuse to pay in case of an accident. The police regularly stops tourists in Siem Reap, but mostly for traffic violations like turning when its not allowed or not wearing a helmet (all passengers have to wear one).

Then there is traffic: Cambodia it’s one of the highest death rates form traffic in the world. Rules are not respected like in western countries, and especially on overland roads and at night driving is dangerous. For locals motorbikes are the best way to get around in Siem Reap, but for foreigners it might come with a risk

And last but not least the shops renting out motobikes are not always trustworthy. Usually you have to leave your passport as a deposit, although we recommend to refuse this and leave money instead. Some shops will then complain about damage when you bring it back – this can ruin the day or even the stay here.

Many shops offer motobikes and bicycles for rent in Siem Reap.

There is a legal solution we recommend: Rent an electric bike. The E-Green shop at Sivutha road in downtown rents out two models, a smaller one and a scooter like Vorlagen Matrix. The latter is as good as a motobike, the charge is sufficient for a day in Angkor Wat. You don’t need a driving license.. Top speed is up to 50 km/h on the highest setting – but that will drain the battery fast. Go with setting 1 and you are fine. We still recommend to wear a helmet.

UPDATE: THE NEW KOREAN POPLE BIKES

Recently a Korean shop opened not far from the National museum on the Charles-De-Gaulles-Road. It’s called Pople and they rent out quite nice looking electric motobikes. They charge $10 for 1/2 day tour and $15 for a full day or $30 for three days. What is impressive beside the building quality of the e-bikes is the charging station. They do battery swaps, so if you are running out of juice you can just switch the battery pack. Also, the electricity for the charging comes from solar panels the installed on the roof top of the building – which also hosts a coffee shop and community space. They even sell Carbon-certificates.

The project is funded by the Korean government. It is definitely worth a try. Get more information at www.facebook.com/CafeandTour or on INstagram @poplestation.

Renting a bicycle in Siem Reap

The most environmental friendly and cheapest way to get around in Siem Reap is by bicycle. There are many shops in the city where you can rent a push bike. Some hotels and hostels even offer them as a service to guest. We recommend to get a new mountain bike style bike. Old city bikes often have broken brakes and aren’t well maintained. The costs is around $6 per day. We recommend Angkor Cycling Tour in Tapul road for renting bikes – they also offer bicycle tours around Siem Reap.

If you want to explore Angkor Wat by bicycle, be prepared for a longer ride. It’s around 10km from the city to the main temple. The small circuit is 17 km long, the grand circuit is 26 km long, plus 10 km to get back into town. The roads are in a good condition and its flat, and the trees in the Archeological Park are cooling down the air.

Cheapest way to get around in Siem Reap: Rent a bicycle.

To get around in Siem Reap on a bicycle you can use your phones map for orientation. There are now bicycle lanes in downtown you can and should use. Make sure you lock the bicycle when you take a rest properly – they can get stolen.

All of our hosts in Siem Reap can be reached with a bicycle. We will give you the coordinates and a description, so you can take a ride from your hotel and enjoy the local houses and scenery along the way.

Kochkurs in Siem Reap: Lernen Sie Familien kennen

Written by André Ruys on 06/07/2022. Posted in Kambodscha, Kochkurs in Kambodscha, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

Die Kultur eines Landes kann man durch Sehenswürdigkeiten wie Angkor Wat in Kambodscha, vor allem aber durch Traditionen kennenlernen. Ein Kochkurs in Siem Reap gibt nicht nur Einblicke in die Landesküche, sondern auch in die Geschichte eines Volkes. Oder wussten Sie, dass das berühmte kambodschanische Gericht Beef Lok Lak (Rindfleisch Lok Lak) schon in der Zeit von König Jajavarman II. etwa 1000 n.Chr. gekocht wurde?

Ein Kochkurs in Siem Reap: Spaß mit Einheimischen

Was bietet ein Kochkurs in Siem Reap?

Bei Dinewiththelocals wollen wir Ihnen nicht Kochschürzen umbinden und vorbereitetes Gemüse schneiden lassen, sondern Ihnen ein Erlebnis bieten. Deswegen haben wir Familien in unserem Netzwerk, die Sie zu sich nach Hause einladen. Sie kochen gemeinsam drei verschiedene kambodschanische Gerichte. Jede Familie hat ihre eigenen Gerichte ausgesucht und wird Ihnen erklären, wie diese zubereitet sind.

Für einen guten Kochkurs in Siem Reap braucht man natürlich eine Küche: Unsere Gastfamilie laden Sie in ganz unterschiedliche Küchen ein. So sitzen Sie bei Frau Laum auf dem Boden oder einen kleinen Hocken, bei Frau Sokvy wird in einer Außenküche gekocht und bei Frau Dary bereiten Sie das Essen auf einem modernen Gasherd zu.

Alle Gerichte die Sie in einem Kochkurs in Siem Reap zubereitet werden nach einheimischen Rezepten gekocht. Unsere Gastfamilien erklären Ihnen auf Englisch, um welche Gerichte es sich handelt und welche Zutaten verwendet werden. Wir verzichten auf einen gemeinsamen Gang zu Markt, weil Sie vielleicht einen solchen schon gesehen haben. Für uns ist es wichtiger, Zeit für ein gemeinsames Erlebnis zu haben.

Kochen und Essen beim Kochkurs in Siem Reap

Diese Gerichte kochen Sie in Siem Reap

Eines der berühmtesten Gerichte in Kambodscha ist Fisch Amok. Dabei wird Fisch in einem Curry aus Kokusnussmilch und einheimischen Gewürzen langsam gekocht. Unsere Frau Laum zeigt ihnen, wie man alle Zutaten vorbereitet – und auch, wie man kambodschanische Waffeln (Num Poum) macht.

Ingwer kommt ebenfalls in vielen Gerichten vor. Frau Dary bereitet mit Ihnen zusammen Huhn, Schwein oder Tofu (je nach Vorliebe) mit leckeren einheimischen Ingwer zu. Sie macht auch Nam Ban Chock mit Huhn (oder Tofu) – Reisnudeln mit vielen frischen Kräutern.

Wissen Sie wie man Fischbällchen macht? Frau Vannarith führt Sie in ihrem Kochkurs in Siem Reap in das Geheimnis ein. Sie lernen, warum man das Fleisch des Fisches (oder Schweinehack) mit viel Wucht und Kraft mehrmals auf eine Holzplatte werfen muss.

Wie man in Kambodscha isst

Das Prinzip bei Dine With The Locals ist, gemeinsam zu kochen und zu essen. Sie werden also nach der Zubereitung des Mahls mit der Familie an einem Tisch sitzen. Die Kambodschaner erklären Ihnen dann auch, wie etwas gegessen wird. Denn es gibt keine unterschiedlichen Gänge, wie in in Deutschland. Entweder kommen die Gerichte nach und nach aus der Küche, so wie sie gerade fertig werden, oder alle zusammen. Man nimmt sich dann etwas Reis auf den Teller und dann etwas von den Gerichten vom den Platten. Suppe wird meistens in einer eigenen Suppenschüssel gegessen.

Hygiene beim Kochkurs in Siem Reap

Wir haben alle unsere Gastfamilien in grundlegender Hygiene bei der Zubereitung von Essen geschult. Viel musste wir gar nicht tun, denn traditionell werden Gemüse, Reis und Fleisch mehrmals in sauberem Wasser gewaschen. Auch Händewaschen war schon vor Corona eine oft geübte Praxis. Die Zutaten werden am gleichen Tag frisch am Markt gekauft und geschützt aufbewahrt, bis Sie zu Ihrem Kochkurs in Siem Reap erscheinen.

So buchen Sie einen Kochkurs in Siem Reap

Wenn Sie auf das Host-Untermenü auf unserer Webseite gehen (oder in der Suche eine Stadt auswählen), dann werden Sie viele Familen zur Auswahl haben. Jede Familie bietet auch noch eine Aktivität an, wie Fischnetz auswerfen, Armbänder aus Palmblättern basteln oder einen heimischen Garten erkunden. Schauen Sie sich die Gerichte an und wählen Sie einfach eine Familie aus. Mit dem Formular auf der Seite können Sie uns Ihre Anfrage übermitteln. Wir melden uns dann umgehend bei Ihnen. Sie können uns auch über Whatsapp erreichen.

An update for 2022: Dine With The Locals and food experiences in Siem Reap

Written by André Ruys on 03/23/2022. Posted in cooking class, Kambodscha, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

Cambodia has finally re-opened its borders to international tourism. You do not need a PCR anymore nor get tested at the airport. However, prof of vaccination is still required. At Dine With The Locals we had a hard time during Covid-19. So far, no one of us or the hosts got seriously sick, although some got infected.

Since we had no tourists coming, the business broke down and we had to close the company we founded in 2020 as a start-up. It is now back as a web service in the hands of the Co-founder Thomas. We also lost some hosts, mainly because they got jobs, moved or other personal reasons. But we still got some requests for bookings, so we want to keep this going, but on a smaller level.

Dine With The Locals is a platform connecting hosts and guests. We see ourselves as a digitales service we provide. Although we promote our hosts and try to promote Cambodia as a tourism destination, our main goal is to provide a fast and easy service to hosts and guests. Thats why we withdraw from sites like AirBnB and Tripadvisor. We think, small is beautiful, and we do not want to give money to cooperations who see us as just a number in their database.

We do take commission from our hosts, but the main amount goes to the hosts families. We encourage guests to leave tips or buy products our hosts sell and produce. We want to help families and in particular women to get an additional income. So far, we did well until the pandemic hit us. The near futures will tell, how fast Cambodia can recover – and how fast we can get back on our feet. The team is small, we are still looking for people to join us – but recruiting for start-ups in Siem Reap is not an easy task.

If you are interested in authentic food experiences while visiting Cambodia, our hosts are here for you. We are available in Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchay, Phnom Penh and Stung Treng – and hopefully soon again in Battambang.

We wish you all healthy days ahead!

Another view of the famous pubstreet in Siem Reap during road works

Siem Reap ist eine große Baustelle

Written by André Ruys on 06/23/2021. Posted in Kambodscha, Kochkurs in Kambodscha, Online-Experience, Siem Reap Höhepunkte, Uncategorized.

Die Covid-19-Pandemie hat Siem Reap zu einer Geisterstadt gemacht. In der Pub Street sind fast alle Bars und Restaurants geschlossen, die Straße zum Flughafen ist gesäumt von Hotel mit einem Schild “Zum Verkauf” oder “Zur Miete” an den zugezogenen Gittern an den Eingangstoren. Die Zahl der ausländischen Touristen ist um über 90 Prozent gesunken. Kleine Läden, die in Angkor Wat einst kühle Kokosnüsse und gebratene Bananen verkauften, bieten jetzt Gesichtsmasken an.

Gleichzeit hat ein gigantisches Bauprojekt begonnen. Die Zentralregierung in Phnom Penh hatte 2020 beschlossen, 38 Straßen in Siem Reap zu erneuern. Dafür wurden 150 Millionen Dollar budgetiert – das meiste Geld stammt aus Verkäufen von staatlichem Land.

Seit einigen Monaten nun haben Bagger die Touristenbusse abgelöst, Bauarbeiter mit Helmen und Warnwesten stehen dort, wo einst chinesischen Besuchergruppen ihrem Führer hinterherliefen. Die Sivutha Road im Herzen von Siem Reap wird ebenfalls erneuert wie die Airport Road. In der Pub Street werden neue Abwasserrohre verlegt. Wo einst Angelina Jolie einen Cocktail trank, sind heute die Rolläden heruntergelassen. Das Red Piano hat eine zweite Dependance in der Sok San Road eröffnet, die bereits fertiggestellt ist.

Hier und da kam es zu Protesten, weil einige Häuser in die Straße hineingebaut wurden oder Stände einige Meter öffentlichen Raum in Anspruch nahmen. Da halfen aber die sonst so guten Beziehungen nicht, manches Hotel musste seine Einfahrt zurückbauen oder verlor gar seine Rezeption.

The Red Piano in Siem Reaps Pub Street is closed — Das Red Piano ist derzeit geschlossen.

Die neuen Straßen werden nicht nur einen neuen Belag bekommen. Zu dem Projekt gehört es, dass die meisten Kabel in die Erde verlegt werden. Gleichzeitig werden die Straßen auf die ursprüngliche Breite vergrößert, viele bekommen sogar einen Bürgersteig.

Derzeit, um Juni 2021, sind die meisten Wasser- und Abwasserrohre verlegt, die Gräben und Löcher wieder zugeschüttet. Am Jajavarman-Hospital sind die ersten Abschnitte schon fertig. Die Airport Road bekommt in einigen Abschnitten bereits ihren Asphalt.

Wenn in 2022 Touristen wieder nach Siem Reap kommen, werden sie sicherlich ein anderes Bild sehen als noch zuvor. Die City Hall malte in einem Video das Bild von prachtvollen Boulevards und Booten auf dem Siem Reap River. Auch wenn da einige bezweifeln, auf jeden Fall wird Siem Reap anders aussehen.

Noch sind aber Touristen in weiter Ferne. Die Zahlen mit Neuinfektionen sind landesweite im mittleren dreistelligen Bereich, in Siem Reap zwischen 20 und 30 täglich. Es gibt ein Verbot von Alkoholverkauf, außerdem ein Verbot von Versammlungen und eine Ausgangssperre zwischen 22 und 4 Uhr. Derzeit wird in der Haupstadt Phnom Penh und den am schlimmsten betroffenen Provinzen geimpft. Die Quote liegt bei 20 Prozent, die meisten Impfstoffe kommen aus China, SinoPham und SinoVac.

Kambodschas Premierminister Hun Sen hat angekündigt, bis 2022 alle Bürger geimpft zu haben.

Street food in Siem Reap you should not miss

Written by André Ruys on 09/26/2020. Posted in Food adventure, Kambodscha, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

Everyone is talking about street food in Siem Reap, but only few actually know where to get the best dishes. As food lovers our team went out for dinner to our favorite places in Siem Reap, and some of them are not on the usual bucket list for tourists.

The riverside stalls in Siem Reap

Beside the stalls on road 60 the riverside from Wat Preah Rath all the way down to the roundabout opposite the cinema provides a large selection of street food. You get grilled chicken and pork, squid and other seafood as well as classics like fried rice and fish amok. The stalls south of the police post at the bridge are usually more touristy, while locals eat at the stalls north of the old market. One of our favorites is nearly at the end of the line and run bu a couple, who worked here for four years. This stall has probably the best pork rips and chicken legs, but serves also a rare delicacy: steamed cow brain with mushrooms. The soup is quite famous in Cambodia, but only few stalls actually serve it.

Street food at Road 60

Opposite the Angkor Wat ticket counter is another street food in Siem Reap paradise, although not the best place for vegetarians. In the early afternoon this part of road 60 starts to fill with vendors pushing their carts and unfolding tables and stands. Within an hour the first grills are up and running. at some places you van buy take away, others have some plastic chairs and tables when you can sit and enjoy grilled chicken, fish, meatballs and of course lots of fried insects. The area is popular with locals, and most vendors don’t speak English. Best is to just point on something and ask how much (“Bon man”) They will usually tell you the price in dollar.

Street food in Siem Reap by Ms. Hong Ginlai

One of our most booked food experiences was making street food in the morning at the restaurant of Ms. Hong Ginlai. She moved her stall in 2020 from the behind the provincial hospital to the street where the high school is located. And she got so busy, that unfortunately she can’t cook with tourists anymore. However, you can still watch her making lots dishes and of corse try them.

Every day she prepares up to 15 dishes, from sour soup to Koh Kor, fried fish cakes and her signature dish, prahok ktis. She is open from 8 am until everything is sold out, usually around 5pm. While she doesn’t speak English, ordering dishes is simpel: just point on the dish you want to eat. One of the most authentic street food in Siem Reap experiences.

The best Num Pang (Banh Mi) in Siem Reap

This Num Pang Saik Ko ang street food in Siem Reap shop is here since 30 years — This Num Pang Saik Ko ang shop is here since 30 years

The marinade recipe was developed by the grandmother

If you haven been to Vietnam, you most likely had a banh mi, the sandwich with pate and beef or chicken and some pickeled vegetables. Cambodia has its own version called Num Pang pate, but there is also a sandwich with grilled beef which is then Num Pang Saik Ko Ang. One place near wat Damnak is famous for it grilled beef sandwiches, it on the corner where Rabutan Lane starts and where the Khmer Grill was once. This small restaurant sells the sandwiches since 30 years. What makes it so special is the marinade. Its the old recipe developed by the grandmother. The stall opens late afternoon, around 5pm and you cannot miss it, just stop where all the motobikes are parked.

Khmer waffles made by Ms. Laum, best street food in Siem Reap

Another of our hosts, Ms. Laum, is also a street food seller, but for the sweet tooth. She makes some of the best Khmer waffles, Num Pom, in Siem Reap. She uses not only coconut milk, but als fresh grated coconut flesh, and prepares the batter every morning in her home, You can find her on Sivutha road, where the pub street starts, from 8am until she sold out. In case she isn’t there, another alternative is the stall under the big tree opposite Amazon cafe on the river side.

The barkeepers at Bar 43, one of the best five bars in Siem Reap 2020

The five best bars in Siem Reap 2020

Written by André Ruys on 08/18/2020. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, Experience Cambodia, Kambodscha, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

In Siem Reap, cocktails are served on every street corner. Since the beer was reduced to 50 cents a few years ago, cocktail prices went down as well. But the venue operators could only do that because they used cheap spirits. Those who drink a Pina Colada for 2 dollars hardly get a good rum in it. Additionally, as it is so often usual in Asia, every bar and restaurant has the same offers on the menu. The standards and the shooters. But there is light on the horizon. We found the top five bars in Siem Reap 2020 that make more than just gin tonic and margarita. We went out to look for quality and style, and we found some real gems!

Bar 43: The creative bar

Midnight monk cocktail at Bar 43 in Siem Reap

You can tell how good the drinks are just by looking at the bottles on the shelf of a bar (https://web.facebook.com/Bar43REP). In the new Bar 43 you will not find any of the usual suspects like Jameson or Gordon’s Gin. Instead, premium ingredients are used here. There you can eve have a Japanese whiskey in a cocktail. The menu is small but very creative. There’s also very fancy gin, rum and whiskey for those who like a neat drink. Standards are also offered. The ambience somehow takes the visitor into a French road movie of the 70s, also because the two owners look like they just jumped out of this movie.
Recommended cocktail: Midnight monk
Location: West Alley 43, a small side street near the Pubstreet

Miss Wong – the classic bar in Siem Reap 2020

Miss Wong is something like an institution. She definitely belongs to the five best bars in Siem Reap 2020, if only because of the decoration. The bar has just moved to 26nd Street, and has become even more beautiful. The interior reminds of a middle-class Chinese house and is a colorful mixture of decoration and design. The cocktails have it all, the ingredients are exclusively premium spirits. For the small hunger there is Dimsum.
Recommended cocktail: Rose & Lemongrass Martini
Location: Street 26

Menaka Lounge the quietest of the five best bars in Siem Reap 2020

Menaka Lounge is the only Speakeasy place in Siem Reap — Menaka Lounge is the only Speak-easy place in Siem Reap

Finest Japanese whisky is on the shelf at Menaka lounge

The only real speakeasy bar in Siem Reap is not easy to find. Opposite the Old market you have to walk through the Menaka Bistro and then climb up the stairs, but the climb is worth it: Old leather sofas in English club style invite you to stay. In the Menaka one has his quietness, even if it is only a few meters away from the party mile Pubstreet. On the menu there are own creations of cocktails that are sorted according to the different eras of Angkor Wat. Accordingly, ingredients such as Jackfruit and Kampot pepper are found. There are also some rare Japanese whiskeys and excellent rum.
Recommended cocktail: Don’t Miss Me Baby
Location: 2 Thnou Street, Old Market Area

Elephant Bar Raffles: For fine spirits

The Raffles Hotel in Siem Reap is one of the best addresses and since its renovation has been brought up to date without forgetting its colonial history as the Grand Angkor Hotel. State guests and royals stayed here. The Elephant Bar is accordingly legendary. The barkeepers are discreet enough to name names, but they can tell a story or two what happened here. Sitting in one of the leather armchairs, you feel like you’ve been transported back to the times when European business people discovered Asia. The assortment is top class, only the finest whiskies are available here as well as gins and other spirits.
Recommended Cocktail: Airavata
Location: Roya Garden, opposite Palace

Chi at the Anantara Hotel – best whiskies

T he Chi is actually the restaurant in the luxury Hotel Anantara, but it also has a bar where you can take a seat and enjoy excellent spirits. Most cocktails are standard, but with premium ingredients. Whisky lovers will get their money’s worth here, though, as there are a few rarities of single malt and Japanese drops on offer. It’s best to go straight to the bar and see what’s new in the range.
Recommended drink: Macallan 12 fine oak
Location: Airport road, next to ferris wheel

Summary:

Our favorite of the best five bars in Siem Reap 2020 is Bar 43, followed by Miss Wong and Menaka Lounge. All have excellent cocktails and an impressive selection of spirits. Also, the interior is inviting and relaxing, and prices are very reasonable.

Nach Kambodscha reisen: Jetzt ist’s günstig

Written by André Ruys on 02/27/2020. Posted in Kambodscha, Kochkurs in Kambodscha, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

Auch wenn Reisen gerade nicht auf jedermanns Prioritätenliste steht, gibt es gute Gründe jetzt nach Kambodscha zu reisen.

Günstige Preise, gute Verbindungen

Kambodscha ist eines der wenigen Länder, in denen es keine Fälle des Covid-19-Virus gibt. Damit ist es ein sicheres Reiseland, und derzeit sind die Preise auch recht niedrig. Die Regierung hat nicht nur den Hotel Steuererleichterungen gegeben, sondern auch die Gültigkeit der Eintrittskarten für Angkor Wat bis Ende Juni verlängert. Das Ein-Tages-Ticket gilt jetzt 2 Tage, das drei Tage Ticket hat 5 Tage Gültigkeit. Damit haben Reisende noch mehr Zeit, die Tempel und die Umgebung zu erkunden.

Außerdem fliegt die arabische Fluggesellschaft Emirates jetzt Phnom Penh direkt an, so dass man aus Europa kommend nicht mehr in Bangkok oder in anderen Städten umsteigen muss. Qatar Airways wird ab Ende des Jahres sogar direkt nach Siem Reap fliegen und es noch einfacher machen, nach Kambodscha zu reisen.

Reichhaltige Kultur

Die kambodschanische Kultur ist eine der ältesten noch bestehenden Kulturen und bildete die Grundlage für die thailändische und laotische Kultur. Das Reich der Khmer war einst größer als das von Karl dem Großen und auch heute noch ist das Land reich an kulturellen Angeboten. Am bekanntesten ist natürlich die Tempelanlage von Angkor Wat, es gibt auch ach noch weitere Sehenswürdigkeiten. Ein kleiner Geheimtipp ist Banteay Chhmar, etwa 3 Stunden westlich von Siem Reap. Hier wird ein Khmer-Tempel von der Dorfgemeinschaft gepflegt, die auch Reisenden anbietet, im Dorf zu übernachten und zusammen zu essen.

Kunst ist ein Grund, nach Kambodscha zu reisen

Sowohl in Siem Reap als auch in Phnom Penh und in Battambang entwickeln sich Kunstszenen von modernen einheimischen Künstlern, die immer mehr Beachtung finden. Sie greifen sowohl historische Themen wie das Khmer-Reich und die Schreckensherrschaft der Khmer Rouge auf, aber auch moderne Entwicklungen wie Klimawandel und Umweltverschmutzung.

Nach Kambodscha reisen und das Essen genießen

Die kambodschanische Küche wurde in ihren Grundzügen bereits zu Zeiten des Königs Jayawarman II. begründet, der auch das Khmerreich in seinen größten Ausdehnungen regierte. Sie hat Einflüsse aus Indien, beinhaltet aber viele lokale Gewürze und Zutaten. Fisch ist eine der wichtigsten Zutaten, weil es eine einfach zu bekommende Proteinquelle war. Heute gibt es aber auch sehr schmackhafte Fischgerichte, wie einen Fleischtopf und das bekannte Beef Lok Lak.

Zunehmend kann man auch vegetarische Gerichte bekommen. Im Kambodscha werden viele verschiedene Suppen – Samlor – gekocht, die von einer sauren Brühe bis zu einem cremigen Curry reichen. Außerdem wird gerne gegrilltes Fleisch gegessen, das Reisende auch an Straßenständen kaufen können. Wer es exotisch mag, kann auch gefüllte Frösche und frittierte Insekten probieren.

Zauberhafte Landschaften

Wer zwischen Phnom Penh und Siem Reap mit dem Auto oder Bus fährt wird einen ersten Eindruck von der Landschaft bekommen. Entlang der Nationalstraße 6 gibt es Reisfelder, die manchmal bis an den Horizont reichen. Aber Kambodscha hat noch mehr zu bieten, zum Beispiel die Wälder in Norng Kabat in der Provinz Ratanakiri. Hier gibt es noch wilde Tiere und unberührte Natur zu sehen, außerdem atemberaubende Wasserfälle und verborgene Teiche, in denen man Angeln kann. Viele die nach Kambodscha reisen, sind überwältigt von der Natur.

Nette Menschen kennenlernen

Wer in einer Gruppe oder mit anderen Touristen unterwegs ist, wird manchmal keine Zeit haben, mit Einheimischen in Kontakt zu kommen. Dabei bekommt man einen viel besseren Einblick in die Kultur des Landes und die unterschiedlichen Gepflogenheiten. Bei Dine With The Locals kommen Sie mit kambodschanischen Familien zusammen und verbringen gemeinsam ein paar Stunden bei einem ganz besonderen Kochkurs. Sie kochen und essen gemeinsam, haben auch aber Zeit, sich das Haus der Familie und die Umgebung anzuschauen und sich auszutauschen.

The food adventure with local families

Written by André Ruys on 02/16/2020. Posted in Eat in Vietnam, Food adventure, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

We were recently thinking how we describe our service. The best way to do that is a brainstorming session, so we took our post its and wrote down words who came in mind related to what Dine with the locals is actually doing. The result was “The food adventure with local families”. We think this and our name really tells our story. It is not just having a meal with a local family. It is not a cooking class or a food tour. We offer a food adventure, because every host is different, every menu is different and every environment is different.

Our food adventure with local families bring you to new places

Why food adventure with local families?

Diversity and variety is what drives us. We want you as a traveler to be open and curious, without to many expectations but looking forward to a new experience. We have now 20 hosts in Cambodia and Vietnam, and every adventure is unique. Sometimes you spend a lot of time just chatting, like with Vannak Khun, a contemporary artist. Or you explore the hidden valleys in Saigon and discover Thun and his family in her house. You meet Ms. Laum, who tries to make a living form selling Khmer waffles on the side of the street or find the way through the forest to Vannariths house. You join Panha in Phnom Penh whi will take you to the village where she grew up. You buy food at a market in Stueng Treng in the northeast near the Lao border.

Unforgettable moments and a great adventure

And you always make new friends and create memories. The food adventure with local families means you will experience a new and different environment, a new culture and new customs. At the same time it is a safe thing to do, no zipline or rock-climbing involved.Our hosts have clean homes and clean food as well, nothing to worry about.

Was kann man in Siem Reap machen?

Written by André Ruys on 02/12/2020. Posted in Kochkurs in Kambodscha, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

Auch wenn Siem Reap vor allem wegen Angkor Wat bekannt ist, kannst du als Tourist mehr machen als nur die Tempel anzuschauen. Die Stadt und die Umgebung haben eine Menge zu bieten und wir haben einmal einige Dinge aufgeschrieben die du in Siem Reap machen kannst. Wir wollen dabei helfen, länger in Siem Reap zu bleiben und mehr als nur die – in der Tat atemberaubenden – Tempelanlage zu sehen.

Kunst

Es gibt viele einheimische Künstler die in Siem Reap ausstellen.

Wir haben eine Menge Künstler und Galerien in Siem Reap, die du besuchen kann. Den Anfang macht die Tribe Gallery in der Market Street, gleich hinter dem Provinzhospital. Die beiden Besitzer stellen hier Werke von kambodschanischen, aber auch internationalen Künstlern aus. In der gleichen Straße ist übrigens unser Host Ms. Hong Ginlai, bei der du morgens lernen kannst, wie man Straßenessen kocht.

Eine weitere Gallerie ist Theams House https://theamsgallery.com/ , ein Wohnhaus, das gleichzeitg Atelier und Gallerie ist. Gegründet wurde sie von Lim Muy Theam, einen bekannten kambodschanischen Künstler der hier auch Workshops anbietet.

Die Batia Sarem Gallery ist noch recht neu in Siem Reap, hat sich aber einen Namen mit modernen kambodschanischen Künstlern gemacht, die hier ihre Werke zeigen. Gleich gegenüber ist die Bamboo Stage, die abends Schattenspiele zeigt, aber auch kambodschanische Folklore-Musik.

Sport

Cycling is on of the things to do in Siem Reap — Was kann man in Siem Reap machen? Zum Beispiel Rad fahren.

Wenn du gerne Fahrrad fährst, ist Siem Reap perfekt für dich. Du kannst du an vielen Hotels und kleinen Shops Räder ausleihen. Am besten nimmst du ein Mountain-Bike. Gegenüber vom Park Hyatt Hotel gibt es auch einen Laden, der Elektro-Fahrräder hat. Du kannst Radtouren zum Beispiel mit Siemreaper buchen, du kannst dich aber auch selbst aufmachen. Eine einfache und interessante Route ist: Fahre entlang des Wat Damnak Richtung Süden und finde Angkor Wat Put. Hier kannst du auch Minigolf spielen. Von hier aus fahre Richtung Westen bis zum Fluß und dann entlang des Flusses Richtung Norden. Du kannst bis in den Wald von Angkor fahren, allerdings wirst du am einem bestimmten Punkt ein Ticket haben müssen.
Wir haben einige Hostfamilien, die auch per Rad erreichbar sind. Frau Vannarith lebt mit ihrer Familie im Angkor-Wald in einem einfachen Haus. Frau Sareth lebt am Fluss und hat sogar eine Krokodil-Farm.

Unterhaltung

Die New Cambodian Artists

Siem Reap hat eine großartige Tanzgruppe die New Cambodian Artists. Sie haben ein kleines Studio und bieten Vorstellungen an Samstagen an, manchmal gibt es auch Sondervorstellungen. Du kannst aber auch den Phare Circus besuchen, dessen Artisten mittlerweile auch in anderen Ländern auftreten. In der Pub Street wirst du viele Restaurants und Bars sowie Nachtklubs finden, manche haben bieten auch Live-Musik an.

Ausflüge

Recht bekannt sind die Floating Villages am Tonle Sap Lake. Leider sind mittlerweile zu viele Touristen dort, und wir empfehlen ins Kompong Khleang zu fahren, wo es etwas ruhiger ist. Eine andere Alternative sind Vogelbeobachtungen. Rund um den See und seinen Ausläufern gibt es viele heimische und zum Teil auch seltene Vögel zu sehen. Wenn du etwas weiter fahren willst, dann buche dich im Community-Projekt in Banteay Chhmar ein. Das Dorf kümmert sich um den dortigen Tempel, bietet Führungen und Übernachtungen an. Eine andere Alternative ist ein Besuch des Landmine-Museums. Hier wird die Geschichte der Bombenabwürfe und Landminen erzählt, und du kannst dir viele Ausstellungsstücke anschauen, Das Projekt wird von einem ehemaligen Minenräumer geleitet. Auch die Ratten des Vereins Apopo arbeiten im Minenräumdienst, und du kannst sie sogar besuchen.

Essen mit Einheimischen

Ein Abendessen mit einer kambodschanischen Familie.

Am besten kannst immer noch ein Land kennenlernen, wenn du in Kontakt mit Einheimischen kommst. Genau deswegen haben wir Dine With The Locals ins Leben gerufen. Du verbringst eine wunderbare Zeit mit einer kambodschanischen Familie und lernst kochen wie ein Einheimischer. Und außerdem gibt es noch was leckeres zu essen. Wir haben ein breites Angebot an Gastfamilien in Siem Reap.