Park Hyatt Siem Reap

In Siem Reap, after returning from the temple tours in the evening, many tourists are taken to the Pub Street to take advantage of the happy hour deals or a good meal. The street is so named because it is lined end to end on both sides by pubs, restaurants and shops. The street is closed to traffic in the evening; allowing pedestrians to stroll about freely. The street comes alive when the bars crank up the music and join the restaurants to spill their seats out onto the curbs. On this street, one can find bars and restaurants serving drinks and food of almost all culture and flavours. Here too are a few fine galleries for the discerning to enjoy.. Like the one in Phnom Penh, the Angkor Night Market is also designed to give visitors a secure and enjoyable shopping and dining experience in a vibrant, contemporary Khmer environment. Both these night markets offer a wide variety of stalls offering a diverse range of goods and services. A ‘must visit’ when in the vicinity.

The Angkor National Museum is classified as one of Cambodia’s premier museum sites. On display are thousands of important Buddhist and Hindu sculptures from the various Angkor temples. Many original pieces recovered for safe-keeping by the authorities from the temple ruins are also on exhibit at this museum. Since the discovery of the Angkor temples, many of the antique artifacts have been stolen and sold to private collectors, museums and auction houses all over the world. Over the years, efforts have been made by the Royal Cambodian government to recover them and with the cooperation of various government agencies from around the world, many of the lost pieces have found their way back to Cambodia. The Angkor National Museum houses and exhibits many of the recovered items amongst the several thousand exhibits now on display. In this very modern building, tourists will discover the Golden Era of the Khmer Kingdom and through state of the art multimedia technology, enjoy a full story of the legend.

Constructed: Early – Mid 12th century C.E. Religion: Hinduism King/Patron: Suryavarman II Style: Angkor Wat Angkor Wat which literally means ‘City Temple’ is a Hindu temple complex built to replicate the heavens on earth. Constructed for King Suryavarman II in the early twelfth century, it is the best-preserved temple and is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation; first Hindu, dedicated to Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. This magnificent temple combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture; the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture. Constructed within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles) long with three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next, it is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology. At the center of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west and this has scholars divided as to its significance. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture. The extensive bas-reliefs and the numerous guardian spirits adorning its walls serve as evidence of the strong Khmer religious beliefs.