Cambodia
Traveling Tips for
Siem Reap
Pro Tips Before You Go
Buy a local SIM card when you arrive — reliable internet, and some apps require a local number.
Download apps in advance (PassApp, Grab, Tada, NHAM24, Foodpanda) and add your Visa/Mastercard so they’re ready.
Search on Booking.com (or similar) for offers, but call the hotel directly — they often give a better price.
Traveling with kids? Bring a small portable fan — a lifesaver in the tropical heat.
Helpful Apps
- NHAM24 – food delivery
Grab – transport & delivery
Foodpanda – food delivery
PassApp / Tada – tuk-tuks & rides (no haggling, set price, card or cash)
Perfect if you’d like meals at your hotel, want to skip restaurant waits, or need quick, easy transport.
Family-Friendly Play & Eat
Babel Guesthouse – pool, playground, lovely restaurant and a guesthouse with lovely owners & staff.
Source Café – cozy spot with delicious food and high chairs.
Wake Park – beautiful space with a small beach, wakeboarding, a restaurant, plus playgrounds both on land and in the water. Highly recommended!
Chocolate Garden – spacious, with lots of greenery for kids to play.
Kameng Leng – restaurant with both indoor & outdoor playgrounds, plus an AC room for families.
Navutu Dreams Resort & Wellness Retreat – 10$ entrance ticket you can use in the restaurant. Three different pools and a nice place to relax and eat.
The town is always renewing!
Ask at your guesthouse/hotel, or connect with other parents of toddlers — they’ll know about new places or family arrangements happening during your stay.
🛝 Playgrounds & Kid-Friendly Spots
Blue Water Park – water play area for kids. 2$ entrance
Riverside Playgrounds – Electrical mini cars and a small playground. Pay a small amount if you want to use the cars.
Aurora Store Playground & Baby outlet – indoor play areas connected to the stores. Free
Angkor Wheel Playground – fun slides and play space. 1$ entrance
Heritage Walk & Heritage Walk Restaurant – Inndor playgrounds, and a Resturant with playground as well.
Botanical Gardens – peaceful green space for families with animals and a cafe. Free entrace.
Butterfly Garden – walk among colorful butterflies.
Phare Circus – family-friendly cultural show with acrobatics and storytelling.
Riverside Walks – Nice in the evening with all the lights and animal statues.
Fern Café – cozy café with animals you can feed.
- Art box- 3D paintings and air condition.
Transport
Tuk-tuks
Best daily choice — cheap, quick to arrive (2–4 minutes via apps), and perfect for short rides with kids.Sleeper buses
Great for longer trips (like Phnom Penh or the islands). Toddler-friendly, with decent space and usually comfortable AC.Bicycles
Rentals are available, but few places offer child seats, so not the most family-friendly option.Cars
Rarely equipped with car seats. Because of the heat and comfort, most families use tuk-tuks for short rides and cars with AC only when necessary.
Other tips
Always carry sunscreen, hats, and plenty of water.
Visit temples in the morning — it’s cooler, less crowded? and better for family photos.
Use a baby carrier when exploring temples. If it gets too hot, look for temples with plenty of shade, or take a tuk-tuk tour around the temple areas to enjoy the Angkor vibe. You can ask the driver to stop whenever you see something interesting, and they will wait for you. The Temple area is a great playground. Also to see the monkies, but be careful
Respect local customs — dress modestly at religious sites and remove shoes where required.
Take breaks with little ones and look for air-con up-front.
Living In Siem Reap
Cambodia – Our Chosen Destination
When we were searching for a place to both travel and settle for a period of time, we eventually landed on Cambodia.
Why Cambodia?
Stine had a strong wish to work at a Waldorf school abroad, so we began exploring options around the world. Several possibilities came up, but in the end, Siem Reap in Cambodia felt like the right choice—and it became the place we decided to call home.
First Impressions
Siem Reap offered exactly what we were looking for: a safe, calm, and welcoming environment. It was the perfect place for Theo Vilje to take his first steps—both literally and figuratively—as he grew from a baby into a little boy. The city is vibrant yet manageable, with a mix of excellent restaurants, lively markets, and plenty of playgrounds and open spaces to explore.
Climate & Adjustment
Transitioning from Norway’s winter to Cambodia’s tropical climate was a shock. We left behind –20°C and arrived in Siem Reap at +35°C. The heat hit us hard, though Theo Vilje adapted the quickest. We quickly learned that this was not the place to chase a tan—instead, shade and air-conditioned spaces became essential.
Settling In
Like any move, it took some time to understand how things worked—from navigating food markets and tuk-tuks to discovering local traditions and celebrations. But within weeks, the rhythms of the city felt natural, and we realized how fortunate we were to call Siem Reap our home.
Temples & Heritage
Just outside the city lies the vast Angkor Archaeological Park, home to dozens of temples including the world-renowned Angkor Wat. Rich in history and cultural significance, Angkor is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site but also an experience that belongs on everyone’s travel list.
