Thinking of visiting Siem Reap with kids? There is so much to do in Siem Reap for families, and while Angkor Wat may bring you there, you’ll find there’s are many more things do in Siem Reap than you expected. Siem Reap is one of our Spirit Towns – we feel happy and at home whenever we are there – the people are lovely, the vibe is beautiful and the temples are inspiring.

This guide will share our favourite things to do in Siem Reap with kids – from mini golf to theatre, the Phare circus, Tonle Sap, zip lining – and of course, the magnificent Angkor. 

Before you travel:

There are a few things you really should have before you travel. Here’s a handy packing list and here are tips for traveling with carry on luggage only (my fave).

Make sure you have:

• Travel insurance – we use CoverMore
• A VPN – this will protect your data and keep you from being hacked. It will also let you access shows from all over the world
• Our travel safety guide – only $16 AUD for everything you need to know about traveling safety.

 

We usually do everything ourselves – tuk tuk drivers are friendly and your guesthouse or hotel can organise everything for you. But if you like doing tours check out Klook’s guide to the best Siem Reap activities. You can also buy the Lonely Planet Guide to Cambodia if you like having a paper reference in your hands. 

Also, a few tips…don’t stress about money – both Cambodian Riel and US dollars are used interchangably here and you can pay in US and get Riel back. It pays to always have some riel with you or small US notes. Always bargain with tuk tuk drivers! Try to use local guesthouses and restaurants and please don’t ride the elephants at Angkor – we’re very excited this is going to stop in 2020.

Also please make sure you have travel insurance before you leave – we use Covermore.

Getting around is easy – you can read our post about traveling around Cambodia here. 

Here’s some of our fave things to do in Siem Reap for families:

Angkor Wat Putt

Mr Tee has worked hard to build his miniature golf complex, and his passion shows in the attention to detail and pristine condition of this amazing course. Most of all, it’s a super fun activity for parents and kids in Siem Reap and supports Mr Tee and his family in their fabulous endeavour to bring putt putt golf to Siem Reap!

Located about 15 minutes out of Siem Reap town opposite rice paddies and with cows wandering past, Angkor Putt Putt is a beautiful oasis from the steamy heat of the town. Misting water floats down from overhead to cool you as you play a round of 18 holes that take you through incredible miniatures of Cambodian Temples – with tunnels, angles, hills and valleys to navigate. Holes in one are rewarded with a free beer, and you can take snacks with you to enjoy at the undercover chairs and tables. Mr Tee can call you a tuk tuk when you’re ready to leave, and he even has his own website now. Check it out here. 

Sister Srey Cafe

Sister Srey is one of the yummiest cafes in Siem Reap, started by two Aussie sisters who stopped in here years ago on their way to the UK and only recently left. Beautifully decorated with menus inside old Little Golden Books, Sister Srey pours a fabulous cup of coffee and has a delicious breakfast and lunch menu including my favourite, the bowl of goodness with brown rice, veggies and tahini.

Most importantly the cafe is a social enterprise, training young Khmer and supporting them to find the balance between education and working to support their families. It’s committed to sustainability and environmental protection and is an all-round feel good place to stop and support locals.

Stop in for a meal when you’re in town and just chill for a bit. It’s opposite the river and kids and adults alike with be entertained watching the world go by.

 

Cruise the Tonle Sap and take a small bamboo boat past stilt villages

This incredible lake on an alluvial flood plain provided food and and water to the city of Angkor and now supports many rural villages who live in stilt houses amongst the trees and along the rivers edge. 

The lake and river connects to the Mekong and is seasonal – if you’re in Siem Reap at the right time you can travel down the river to Battambang, sitting on the roof of the boat and just loving the world. Read about our trip and getting around Cambodia here.

 

We took a tuk tuk out to the lake where we bought a ticket and were allocated a captain to take us up the river in his boat. We stopped at a small jetty and paid a women with a swaddled baby laying on a bamboo mat to paddle us around the villages. We glided through huge overhanging trees with sparkles of sunlight shining through and watched kids jump from the houses straight into the water.

After, we went further up to the large lake where we stopped and watched the sun set over the water.  I had a beer and thanked the universe for such amazing experiences. If you’d prefer to be a little more organised check out this tour to Tonle Sap.

 

Angkor zipline

When you’re inside the park take some time out for ziplining! Yes, there’s a zipline in Angkor which Emmie just adored, and went around twice. I did a lap and sat the second one out! For families this is a great way to break up the day for kids or use as an incentive to keep them going. And it’s just SO MUCH FUN! You can read all about our adventures ziplining at Angkor here.

Book your tickets here!

Cooking class as a rural village

Who doesn’t love a cooking class?! We love them and this family-friendly Cambodian cooking class is run by local Khmer through Beyond Unique Escapes, a socially responsible business – owned by Cambodians and Australians with a vision to provide real experiences with local people.

A tuk tuk will take you to visit a local family in a village outside Siem Reap where you will meet the family and visit their home, gaining an understanding of local life. Afterwards you’ll cook up a feast in an outdoor kitchen with herb garden, learning tips and tricks from locals.

Check out prices and availability here. and if you feel like being a little bit more fancy, on this tour (also by Beyond Unique Escapes) you’ll make a three course gourmet meal and desert, all overseen by a chef.

Angkor Archeological Park

The magnificence of Angkor is why most of us visit Siem Reap. I definitely advise getting tickets the night before you plan to visit, and it’s super helpful to have a guide too although you can of course take yourself around. It’s not difficult because even a tuk tuk driver will be able to help and will follow a route around the park. It just really depends if you want to get an in-depth knowledge of the story of Angkor or if you’re going to simple absorb its history and vibe. Your guesthouse and hotel will be able to help you with hiring a guide and/or driver – although you will probably meet a kind tuk tuk driver and get them to take you as we did. We have had a guide and have done it ourselves with a tuk tuk driver and both were great experiences, although of course a guide will give you that extra insight into the history and the meaning behind the temples. 

There are many tours you can do to Angkor – by car, by bike, with a guide – you can check them all out here. 

You can go around the park on bike, electronic bikes, by tuk tuk or car. Sunrise at Angkor is one of the ultimate activities at Angkor and definitely not to be missed. You can read all about how to survive Angkor with kids here

Phnom Kulen and the 1000 linga river + Banteay Srei

The waterfall on Kulen mountain is a half day trip that you should try to take if you can. The falls are beautiful and surrounded by swings and hammocks, with novice monks swimming and playing in the water. You can hire inner tubes to float on and swim out to the falls through they swimming hole below. It takes about 1.5 hours to get there and you have to get there early as the road is one way. Traffic can go up in the wrong and back down in the afternoon. You should visit the reclining Buddha and stop at the Thousand Linga River on the way down, and on the way back to Siem Reap spend some time at the stunningly beautiful pink ladies temple, Banteay Srei – part of the Angkor Archeological Park and included in your ticket price.

You can book tours on Klook – this one is to Kulen and the Thousand Linga River  and this tour is to Banteay Srey by tuk tuk. You can negotiate with a driver to take you to both Kulen and Banteay Srey – its a long day though and you do need a car for it. You can check tour prices for Bantaey Srey here. 

Donate blood at the Angkor Hospital for Children

One of the best ways for families in Siem Reap to give back to the local community, in my opinion, i say donating blood. This is a job for mum and dad and its simple and very safe and professional. It’s so easy to do at the Angkor Hospital for Children and it’s likely you will save a childs’ life with your donation. You can read all about it here and here is the Angkor Hospital for Children website.

Khmer Ceramics – support the hearing impaired and create Khmer pottery

This is a great class for families in Siem Reap to enjoy, create and learn about Khmer art…for just $25US you’ll be picked up and dropped back to your hotel and have am intimate one hour and 45 minute class where you’ll make a Khmer pot – and it will be fired for you. Emmie just loved it because she got to try to use the turning wheel. Plus the centre employs hearing impaired workers so it just feels good in your heart as well.

There are four classes a day and you can book tickets here. 

Royal Gardens and Preah Ang Chek Temple

Emmie and I wandered through these lovely gardens on the way into town from the first guest-house we stayed out (it was a little out of town) and stumbled up on the temple. There was music, and worship and incense we wandered to the street behind it buy lotus flowers to offer buddha. It was so beautiful and emotional. THere are many more temples in Siem Reap, just wander around and discover them. It’s truly beautiful. I love Cambodia so much.

Bambu Stage  – the incredible 150 years of photography in Cambodia show

I’ve seen the photographic show  – Snap! 150 Years of Photography in Cambodia – twice and I loved it just as much the second time around. The Bambu Stage owner, Nick curated this collection of beautiful photographs that illustrate life in Cambodia over the past 150 years from the story of ancient royal life through to current times. With theatrical flair and subtle props and music, the stories are enhanced and brought to life. I learn so much about life in Cambodia from this amazing multidimensional performance.

On arrival you will walk through beautiful gardens to the bar where you will enjoy a welcome drink and snacks before moving into the outdoor theatre. It’s an intimate setting for about 20 people and comfy chairs that are slightly elevated at each row so every seat has a view. You can take your drinks in, and grab refills.

Join for the show only or for dinner too, served after the performance.

The traditional puppet shows will have younger kids enthralled, Angkor Roo is a show about reducing plastics in the environment and the Angkor Temples Decoded show will give you all the side tips for your visit to the park.

Read more on the Bambu Stage website here. 

The Angkor National Museum

The whole family will enjoy this museum – it’s like a treasure hunt as you discover artefacts and pieces from the Khmer Kingdom and learn about just how advanced and magnificent this culture was. The museum showcases art, architecture, textiles and has interactive exhibitions to help visitors learn about the culture and history of the Golden Era. Read more and buy tickets here

Phare Circus

The original Phare Ponleu Selpak is in Battambang and that’s where the performers are trained. It started as a way to help traumatised youth returning home from refugee camps following the Khmer Rouge decimation of the country. Now it provides schooling and modern training in things like animation, while still keeping its grass roots acrobatics and performance to tell stories of Cambodia’s history and tradition.

You can buy tickets to the Phare Circus in Siem Reap here.

A visit to the Phare Circus not only helps you see further inside Cambodia’s heart, but also helps find these vital programs to assist local communities and disadvantaged people.

 See more at the Phare Circus website

Day and Night Markets

Markets markets everywhere! Day markets and night markets with clothes, nicknacks and food. There are lots of night markets in Siem Reap for families, where you can eat food from little stalls or sit down for a curry at makeshift restaurants. If you want to try slippery oil-covered bugs or giant tarantulas this is where to go, or you can take the highly rated Fried Insect Cuisine Adventure and try it all!. After eating you can grab a cheap foot massage on comfy chairs and sip your coconut shake and enjoy the chill.

This After Dark Foodies Tour on a Vespa is run by Siem Reap Vespa Adventures, a local company owned by Akim, a woman who survived Pol Pot and was raised as a boy by monks. Her family run company supports local youth and aims to share Cambodias heritage with tourists. This tour is loved ny everyone who goes on it and includes religion, secret foodie treats, exhilarating rides around the city and delicious food. You can read more here. 

Our favourite restaurant was across the road from our guesthouse, Try Me (who also now has their own website! Whoop!) – family owned and run they made the best curries and were just adorable with the children. Plus we made friends with a family we met there! Great memories.

Wander through the markets in the main street and stock up on your elephant and rainbow pants. I gave Emmie a few riel and she went off and found a little jumpsuit she wanted and bargained with the stall owner.

There are lots of clothes to buy here in Siem Reap, and we found Emmie’s favourite dress at a small stall just outside the gates of Angkor where we stopped to buy her something to cover her shoulders and legs. Children are allowed to visit the park uncovered (women and men must have legs and shoulders covered) but I we always wanted to show respect so Emmie covered up too.

Ice creams & coconut shakes

Ladies wander the streets with old metallic tubs on wheels, and inside are delicious screams on sticks. They make a great treat in the heat of the day. The coconut shakes here in Siem Reap are divine, you can find them all over town. We’d grab one each day.

Emmie also loved the Snow Yoghurt restaurants that are scattered around Siem Reap. There is one under Lucky Mall and another down by the riverside. It’s your usual frozen yoghurt operation with lots of toppings and it’s just fun for kids to have a kind of western treat once a while.

 

Where to stay in Siem Reap:

We’ve stayed at a variety of places in Siem Reap – from the luxury of the Anantara Angkor to the lovely guesthouses all throughout town. Accommodation in Siem Reap is affordable – around $20 US a night – and usually includes air-conditioning, breakfast and swimming pool. You can search booking.com here for guesthouses and hotels in Siem Reap. Here are some of our favourites.

Anantara Angkor Resort 

This is the most beautiful resort with such lovely staff and get a gorgeous vibe. The pool, breakfast and staff are all amazing

We love it. Emmie and I stayed here with my mum and then my sister went there with mum and dad. It’s the best! You can often get really good deals here too.

Here’s our review and you can check prices and read more reviews here.

 

 

Angkor Museum Boutique Hotel

We enjoyed our stay at the this hotel.

It’s near the Museum, the beautiful royal gardens and the Preah Ang Chek temple I mentioned above.

You can check prices and book here.

 

 

Hima Boutique Hotel

We loved this hotel, we basically walked in off the street and paid around $US22 a night. The rooms were big and air conditioned, the breakfast was basic but fine and the pool was awesome. Try Me restaurant is just across the road and it’s a short walk for a morning coffee at Browns, to the mall or into town and the markets and river. It really was perfect for us.

Check prices and book here. 

 

 

De Sonyn Boutique

We also stayed here for a few days as Hima was booked up so we just moved across the road. It was also great. A good pool, simple breakfast and great location.

You can check prices here. 

 

If you’re planning to explore more of Cambodia take a look at Kep, Kampot and the beautiful Koh Rong Samloem.

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And if you’re feeling nervous about travelling check out our comprehensive family travel safety guide HOLIDAY SAFE: The complete guide to staying safe when traveling with kids It has everything you need to know about traveling safely on our family holiday or extended trip.