Help plan to plan a holiday trip to Cambodia Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) in June

[rOnGrEn]

Hi all,

First of all, thanx in advance for any suggestions that anyone have for me! I know that this is not a travel forum, but since I visit CS everyday a dozen of times, I shall just post here in Kopitiam :bsmilie: .. hope you all don't mind an extra thread here as I wouldn't wanna crash on other's threads. Nonetheless, if any other bros wants to ride on this thread to ask questions regarding Siem Reap or Angkor, Please feel free to ask! Have visited other online sites and even borrowed 3 guidebooks, but nothing beats first-hand advices from the helpful folks here.

Plan to visit Siem Reap from 26th to 30th June with my gf for a sightseeing (and me photo taking) trip... Before I plan on the itinery and stuffs, I would like to settle the air tickets and accomodation first.

1) Air tickets
Just a few days ago, I found from zuji.com.sg that a 5 day "package" to Siem Reap via Silkair, staying at a 3 star hotel for 2 person is only $840... Today when i check again, the price has increased to $1631 !!! :bigeyes: What could be the reason? Have i missed out on a promotion or missed out do a deadline for cheap Silkair tickets??

Looks like we will have to fly by Jetstar asia... The flight to SR and Back is $78 and $78... but theres a SFT of $61 for the departure trip and $40 for the arrival trip. Thats S$541 for a return trip for 2. Pardon me but this is the first time i am booking tickets DIY.. so whats does SFT stand for?

2) Accomodation
I found this site http://www.angkorhotels.org/accommodation_midrange.php to be quite informative about the accomodation there. And from there, we have sort of narrowed out choices to "City River Hotel" at USD$38 ,Angkor Star Hotel at USD$30 and Ta Prohm at $45. Any bros who stayed there before? any opinions?

I hope I am not asking too much, but can anyone recommend accomodation of USD$40 and below which is preferably comfy, clean, safe, air-conditioned, private bathroom, with good location close to the "happening" areas? Wifi in the room would be a bonus so I can surf CS while i am there.. (I haven't been there before but I gather that Psar Chas "Old Market" or Sivatha St would be good with restaurants/pub/shopping nearby?) Hotels or Guesthouses will do as long as they are within budget.

Or any other hotels that you would recommend?

Thanx in advance for any inputs!! Hope to settle the air tickets and accomodation first as I do not wish to see the price double again.. :sweat:

 

[rOnGrEn]

alamak!! "Help plan to plan" in topic..... :sweat: Pardon the typo. :embrass:

 

[nikonrus]

check with other people if possible, but I think june's the wet season for upper north.

 

[rOnGrEn]

check with other people if possible, but I think june's the wet season for upper north.

hi.. thanx for the concern. No choice leh... I only finish my attachment in june and have 1 week to travel before school reopens.. :sweat: so June is the only time I can go...

For those who are interested..I dunno if the climate is different within Cambodia, but this is what I gather from the guidebooks on the climate of general Cambodia.
Dry and cool season --> Nov to Feb
Dry and hot season --> March to May
Wet Season --> June to October (the later months will be cooler)

 

[LOTUSfairy]

hi.. thanx for the concern. No choice leh... I only finish my attachment in june and have 1 week to travel before school reopens.. :sweat: so June is the only time I can go...

For those who are interested..I dunno if the climate is different within Cambodia, but this is what I gather from the guidebooks on the climate of general Cambodia.
Dry and cool season --> Nov to Feb
Dry and hot season --> March to May
Wet Season --> June to October (the later months will be cooler)

i was there in august last year, it was sorching hot..and rained during sunset...so no chance of taking sunset photo for angkor wat..:cry:

 

[eastwest]

I've just got back from Siem Reap and I stayed at the peaceofangkor guesthouse, paying US$13.50 for a room with double-bed, air-con and fan, cable tv, bathroom with hot shower and free wi-fi.

A tuktuk will cost you $12 a day (8 hours) but you'll pay extra for early start.

For food I recommend the Blue Pumpkin, Molly Malones, The Red Piano. Lots of happening bars, Temple Bar being the loudest, cheapest and most salubrious.

 

[rOnGrEn]

i was there in august last year, it was sorching hot..and rained during sunset...so no chance of taking sunset photo for angkor wat..:cry:

aww... sorry to hear that....Hope you had wonderful memories and other nice photos of that place though. =)

..hope it dont rain too much when i am there.. :bsmilie:

 

[rOnGrEn]

I've just got back from Siem Reap and I stayed at the peaceofangkor guesthouse, paying US$13.50 for a room with double-bed, air-con and fan, cable tv, bathroom with hot shower and free wi-fi.

A tuktuk will cost you $12 a day (8 hours) but you'll pay extra for early start.

For food I recommend the Blue Pumpkin, Molly Malones, The Red Piano. Lots of happening bars, Temple Bar being the loudest, cheapest and most salubrious.

wow.. US$13.50 sounds like a good deal for all the facilities you mentioned. Just been to its website.. looks like peaceofangkor is very photographer oriented! Hope you had a great time! Me and my gf are more or less settling on "The Villa Siem Reap" after receiving a PM from another kind bro. Its more ex at US$30 per nite though.. but reviews of that place has been good.

 

[rOnGrEn]

I've just got back from Siem Reap and I stayed at the peaceofangkor guesthouse, paying US$13.50 for a room with double-bed, air-con and fan, cable tv, bathroom with hot shower and free wi-fi.

A tuktuk will cost you $12 a day (8 hours) but you'll pay extra for early start.

For food I recommend the Blue Pumpkin, Molly Malones, The Red Piano. Lots of happening bars, Temple Bar being the loudest, cheapest and most salubrious.

oh yar,... Heard of Blur pumpkin for the pastries n ice cream and 50% off after 7pm.. thanx.. will check out the places there when I am there... 2 months later.. -_-""".. already very excited liao! haha

 

[yanyewkay]

I just asked this like last month. ;p
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=266539

most hotels i found were <$25USD.. most budget ones in the range of $10-20USD
I went on a "last minute" trip so booked the first one I found at $20USD called Golden Orange.

The place is clean and I felt quite safe. wifi for free too. (was surfing CS from my room. ;p) Personal toilet included, free breakfast and relatively near pub street (5mins on tuktuk)

I went by JetStar, last minute booking cost me $250+ I heard if booked earlier costs only $200 or less.

 

[raincool2005]

how long is the travelling from sg to camb ?

 

[rOnGrEn]

how long is the travelling from sg to camb ?

it writes on my flight itinery 6am singapore flight, reach cambodia 7.05am cambodia time... So depends on the timezone Cambodia is in.. :bsmilie: It could be 1 hour, or more if different timezone.. haha..

but the return flight takes longer... I think got 1 stopover ... depart from there 7.50am, reach sg 11.10am

 

[rOnGrEn]

I just asked this like last month. ;p
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=266539

most hotels i found were <$25USD.. most budget ones in the range of $10-20USD
I went on a "last minute" trip so booked the first one I found at $20USD called Golden Orange.

The place is clean and I felt quite safe. wifi for free too. (was surfing CS from my room. ;p) Personal toilet included, free breakfast and relatively near pub street (5mins on tuktuk)

I went by JetStar, last minute booking cost me $250+ I heard if booked earlier costs only $200 or less.

yeah bro.. i saw your thread... a good start for some information =) din wanna crash there so started this ... hmmz my Jetstar flight cost $257 too.. and i am already booking it 2 months earlier.. so maybe the <$200 is some promotion?

 

[liquidforce]

hi.. thanx for the concern. No choice leh... I only finish my attachment in june and have 1 week to travel before school reopens.. :sweat: so June is the only time I can go...

For those who are interested..I dunno if the climate is different within Cambodia, but this is what I gather from the guidebooks on the climate of general Cambodia.
Dry and cool season --> Nov to Feb
Dry and hot season --> March to May
Wet Season --> June to October (the later months will be cooler)

It'll typically rain during the evenings, which is fine by me cos i like dramatic shots with overcast skies

The key thing about going during the wet season is that there's water in the moats, which makes for a hell of a cool picture..

BTW, the last time i was there (05) the tuk tuks can be had at US$8 a day, US$12 if you're going to banteay srei.

Fly your own way is much cheaper.. the additions SFT thing is probably tax.

Sorry, can't help with the accom, i stayed in a US$4 a night room

 

[rOnGrEn]

it writes on my flight itinery 6am singapore flight, reach cambodia 7.05am cambodia time... So depends on the timezone Cambodia is in.. :bsmilie: It could be 1 hour, or more if different timezone.. haha..

but the return flight takes longer... I think got 1 stopover ... depart from there 7.50am, reach sg 11.10am

ah .. sheesh.. looks like i not thinking.. just checked..Cambodia is GMT +7, Singapore is GMT +8.

So outgoing flight is 2 hr 5min, incoming flight back to singapore is 2hr 20min... if i am not wrong... :bsmilie:

 

[yanyewkay]

soo smart :bsmilie:

 

[rOnGrEn]

It'll typically rain during the evenings, which is fine by me cos i like dramatic shots with overcast skies

The key thing about going during the wet season is that there's water in the moats, which makes for a hell of a cool picture..

BTW, the last time i was there (05) the tuk tuks can be had at US$8 a day, US$12 if you're going to banteay srei.

Fly your own way is much cheaper.. the additions SFT thing is probably tax.

Sorry, can't help with the accom, i stayed in a US$4 a night room

water in the moats... hmmz reflections of the temples? looking forward to capture some nice pictures too~ :bsmilie:

 

[moriarty]

For staying, you may want to consider Earth Walkers http://earthwalkers.no/ . Very friendly staff, cheap and clean accommodation. Don't worry about the rain. It shouldn't be incessant and you should be able to enjoy your stay. But, be prepared with some protection cover for your camera and gear

 

[renegade150]

haha bro come over 1 day i'll tell u some tips..alot of lessons i learnt the hard way sia...
u might wanna reconsider going there with ur girlfriend..no pun