Top Things to do in Siem Reap

	Angor Wat
	This amazing temple is what brought you to Cambodia and you won’t be disappointed. Despite so many other things to do in Siem Reap, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat is still the primary draw for tourists. Constructed in the 12th century by the Khmer people, the temples of Angkor Wat must be seen to be believed. Scores of temples - some restored and some still overgrown with jungle vines - make up Angkor Wat which is about 8 kilometres north of Siem Reap.

		Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary
		This has become one of the most important breeding grounds for endangered water birds in Southeast Asia. Located in the marshes of Tonle Sap Lake, this bird sanctuary provides a chance to tour by boat and see rare birds outside of captivity.

	Balloon Ride Over Angkor Wat
	Just west of Angkor Wat, a touring company offers an exciting - and different - way to appreciate the ruins without fighting the hordes of tourists and touts. Seeing the site from high above gives a new perspective on just how massive the temple complex really is.

		Land Mine Museum
		The Khmer Rouge in 1975 and the Vietnamese occupation in 1979 have contributed to Siem Reap's tumultuous, war-torn past. Siem Reap did not begin to stabilize and become safe enough for tourists to visit until the 1990s. The many legless beggars in town are a living testament to how dangerous these artifacts still are in the present day. The Cambodia Land Mine Museum was founded by a former child soldier whose parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge and is staffed by victims and orphans of mines.

	Military Shooting Range
	Forty minutes from Siem Reap, tourists may shoot an array of automatic weapons at an old military shooting range. The prices are not cheap - $1 U.S. a bullet and up - but where else will you have the opportunity to fire an AK-47 or throw a live hand grenade?

		Aqua Swimming Pool
		During the months of March, April, and May, temperatures can reach over 40C in Siem Reap. One great way to escape the sun and oppressive, jungle humidity is to head for Aqua - an Australian-owned bar and restaurant situated around a giant, public swimming pool.

	Angkor National Museum
	Here are housed thousands of artifacts recovered from Angkor Wat and the surrounding areas. Art, statues, and well-planned video presentations make this museum well worth the $12 entrance.

		Cello Concert at Children’s Hospital
		Dr. Beat Richner from Switzerland has been helping the children of Cambodia since 1992 and has even appeared in films. Every Saturday evening around 7 p.m. Dr. Richner gives a free cello performance at the Jayavarman VII Children's Hospital to anyone wishing to see - and help - his efforts to give local kids a better future.

	Kampong Phluk
	About 25 kilometres from Siem Reap, Kampong Phluk is a fishing village constructed on stilts in the swamps around Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Cambodia. Only a handful of tourists make the journey by boat or bus to Kampong Phluk, which has helped the village retain much of its authenticity.

		Wat Thmei
		Siem Reap suffered horribly under the Khmer Rouge, and the area’s victims are commemorated today in this monastery. A glass-walled stupa on the premises holds a mass of bones belonging to massacre victims. Like its counterpart Tuol Sleng in Phnom Penh, Wat Thmei provides a stark reminder of the insanity that ruled Cambodia in the 1970s.