The name Siem Reap means ‘Siamese Defeated’. This dates back to the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and the Khmer.
The town of Siem Reap
Siem Reap was little more than a village when French explorers discovered Angkor in the 19th century. With the return of Angkor to Cambodia, Siem Reap began to grow, absorbing the first wave of tourists. French colonialism is very evident when strolling around the French Quarter which can be compared to the quaint town of Franschoek.
Colonial architecture is everywhere as most of the buildings have picturesque balconies with ornate balustrades and pillars. Whenever they walk around the town Mandy is constantly hailed with a polite “Tuk Tuk, madame?”. “Madame” being the common title for foreign women in Siem Reap and possibly the whole of Cambodia.
The Grand Hotel d’Angkor opened its doors in 1929 and the temples of Angkor remained one of Asia’s leading draws until the late 1960s, luring visitors including Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Kennedy. With the advent of war and the Khmer Rouge, Siem Reap entered a long slumber from which it only began to awaken in the mid-1990s.
Tourism is the lifeblood of Siem Reap and the gateway to the ancient world and the temples of Angkor. Visitors come here mostly to see the temples. Angkor is a place to be savored and not rushed. When you are all templed out, there is still plenty to do in and around the city.
Finding an apartment
Job hunting
Settling in
And there are some lovely restaurants such as The Butterfly Garden where one can sit in the shade of the trees with butterflies fluttering around while enjoying a cooling refreshment or a good meal.
