Things to Do in Siem Reap

Meet the remarkable rats trained to detect landmines and unexploded ordnance and see them demonstrate their skills. The hour-long visit also provides accessible context around Cambodia’s recent history and ongoing demining work.

Spend an evening enjoying traditional Cambodian dance with a buffet dinner. The performance brings together classical Apsara dance, music and costume in a relaxed setting, making it an easy way to experience another side of Khmer culture after a day at the temples.

Shop for ingredients at a local market, then learn to prepare traditional Cambodian dishes in a hands-on three-hour cooking class.

Unwind after a day exploring the temples with a massage or spa treatment at The Secret Eden Spa. Choose from traditional Khmer massage, aromatherapy, body treatments, facials and relaxing spa packages.

Get hands-on with traditional Khmer pottery in a relaxed workshop where you can shape and decorate your own piece to take home. A good option for a quieter afternoon and a more creative look at Cambodian craft traditions.

Travel out to Tonlé Sap to explore Kompong Phluk, a community of towering stilt houses transformed by the lake’s dramatic seasonal rise and fall. Tours typically include a boat journey through the village and, depending on water levels, the flooded forest.

Leave the main roads behind on a guided quad-bike ride through rice fields, villages and rural countryside around Siem Reap. Short sunset rides make this particularly easy to fit around temples or other sightseeing.

Cool off at Aqua Land with an inflatable water course, swimming and a beach area beside the lake. Wakeboarding is also available separately for beginners and experienced riders.