13 Unusual and Non-Touristy Things to Do in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cambodians have been making sophisticated ceramics since the Third Millennium BC. By the time Angkor Wat was constructed in the 12th century, it was trading finely-glazed pottery – far more sophisticated than contemporaneous Europe’s – with China and Siam. The Khmer Ceramics & Fine Arts Centre was founded in 2006 to revive the art. Production techniques exactly mirror those of Angkor, and the centre has even built a reproduction clay dragon kiln. There’s a shop on site and the centre offers two-hour pottery classes.

Cambodia is one of the most heavily-bombed and mined countries in the world. Decades of conflict saw the United States drop munitions, the Khmer Rouge mine the jungles and the Vietnamese leave unexploded ordnance. Dozens of farmers are still killed or injured by UXOs every year. This moving museum tells the story of the casualties of conflict and serves as an education centre for young Khmer people. The money from tickets supports a relief centre and school for children.

Wild giant honeybee-honey has been harvested in Southeast Asia since prehistoric times. But the species is notoriously aggressive and doesn’t take to hives. Cambodians are among the few peoples to perfect the art of cultivating them, constructing tree-pole rafters on the edge of secondary forest at precise angles, which the bees favour, and then smoking out hives for honey. Come and join a tour, then you can try some of the honey, which is considered among the world’s best.

Most people use a pummice stone for foot massages, but in Siem Reap you can pay to have freshwater fish chew the dead skin and calluses off your toes. The procedure is simple: you sit down with a book, take off your shoes and plunge them into a tank filled with fish, which creates a tickling sensation and leaves your feet marshmallow-smooth. Treatments can be combined with a standard massage or, if you’re feeling bold, a full-body fish-tank immersion.

Only a fraction of the temples and ruined palaces around Angkor have been unearthed. Dozens of others remain unexplored or barely visited, in remote forests, reachable only on trails or dirt tracks. Contact the company Kickstart Cambodia, and they’ll take you there on scrambler bikes. Tours take a minimum of four days, starting with Angkor itself and getting increasingly remote – visiting the pyramids in the ancient capital at Koh Ker and the ruins that dot the remote Dangrek mountains.

This is some discovery: lush rainforest, ruined temples submerged in rushing mountain rivers, giant reclining Buddha statues… Phnom Kulen National Park is packed with sights. The Khmer golden age began here in the 9th century when Jayavarman II declared himself King of Kings, founding what would become the Empire of Angkor. The park can be visited in a day trip – it’s less than an hour from Siem Reap, and agencies in the town offer tours.

Roll up, roll up, the circus is in town – every night at 8pm, in fact. And this isn’t your typical circus, Phare, the Cambodian Circus is the product of an NGO school and Professional Arts training centre, Phare Ponleu Selpak. Plucking youngsters from poverty, the centre provides training in a range of performing arts, including circus, with students putting on Cirque du Soleil-style shows for you to enjoy – with Cambodian flair throughout.

Eat like a local and learn more about Cambodian cuisine with Siem Reap Food Tours. As the brainchild of expats Steve and Lina – a chef and food writer – the morning and evening tours showcase the weird and wonderful world of street food, from savoury noodles and fresh seafood through to tempting sweet treats. The tours take guests through the streets of Siem Reap and delve into the food that fuels Cambodians. There are plenty of opportunities to sample dishes along the way. Recommended by Marissa.

Just 30km (18.6mi) from Siem Reap is southeast Asia’s largest lake, dotted with floating villages. Tonle Sap is a biosphere reserve, home to nearly-extinct Siamese crocodiles and myriad birds, including six near-threatened species. Try to come at the end of the day when village fishermen are on the water on their dugouts, casting nets over the water. At this hour, with the sun orange over the horizon, the bird life is at its most prolific.

Every evening at about 5pm, the straight one-kilometre stretch of Road 60 on the outskirts of Siem Reap town becomes a hive of activity as locals gather for the evening. Stalls line each side of the road, selling everything from deep-fried tarantulas and crickets to frogs legs and a rainbow of tropical fruits. Many locals will buy their food and a can of Angkor beer before picking out a place on the many mats laid out and enjoying their dinner, picnic style. Recommended by Marissa.

The Cambodian calendar is packed with public holiday. Khmer New Year, which falls in April, sees festivals taking place across the town. The Water Festival in October or November brings a colourful array of boat races to Siem Reap River over three days, while Pchum Ben in September or October sees the town’s temples overrun with offerings as Cambodians remember their dead. Recommended by Marissa.

The Cambodian Cultural Village contains everything you could want to know about traditional Cambodian arts. Made up of artificial villages that each have their own themes, events and culture, guests can spend the day wandering around, watching shows, including traditional wedding ceremonies and the Umbrella Dance. A final evening show rounds off a visit. Recommended by Marissa.

Angkor Wat couldn’t be any closer if it tried, but escaping the packs of tourists isn’t as difficult as you’d think. The West Boray Lake is about 25 minutes from Siem Reap centre and offers a welcome reprieve from the well-trodden tourist trail. Surrounded by nature, the expanse of water welcomes few foreign guests but is popular with locals, who like to rent a hammock in the shade, take a cooling dip and spend the afternoon relaxing over board games. Recommended by Marissa.