Day 7: Phnom Penh/Siem Reap

Up too early for the hotel’s breakfast, we made a quick meal of oatmeal and coffee in the room before leaving for the bus station. There are several travel options between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (air, boat, bus, taxi), and we opted for the cheapest: $12 bus tickets on the Mekong Express. The ticket included transport from the hotel to the bus station, where we boarded a comfortable, air-conditioned coach bus. The trip took six hours, and we were provided cold towels, snacks, and water, along with a guide who offered information on the areas we passed through.

Fancy oatmeal breakfast

Mekong Express bus station

Making announcements in Khmer, followed by English

Halfway to Siem Reap we stopped at a restaurant in the province of Kampong Thom. We opted to skip lunch and instead checked out the large market across the street filled with housewares, food, and more endless racks of clothes.

Pit stop in Kampong Thom

All TVs inside the market were tuned to the live Bradley-Pacquiao fight

These cookies are yo' friend

As promised, six hours from our departure in Phnom Penh we pulled into Siem Reap’s small bus station, where a tuk-tuk driver from our hotel was waiting to pick us up.

Entering Siem Reap city limits

Unfortunately, not our driver's tuk tuk

Ready to roll

The Golden Banana Hotel is a gorgeous boutique hotel located in southwest Siem Reap, and our room is one of the coolest we’ve stayed in: poolside, two stories, high ceilings, rain shower, and private balcony with super-cool hanging ‘basket’ chair. We loved it immediately and I would like to stay forever. 🙂

Two-story hotel room

We spent a relaxing afternoon by the pool, then after a nap we walked over to check out the nearby night market.

One of Siem Reap's night markets (helpfully pointed out!)

Shopping at the night market

Today was pretty uneventful, but we’re set up in a lovely hotel and are ready for some hardcore temple trekking during our three days in Siem Reap!