Visitors to Siem Reap are spoiled for choice as regards entertainment. Whether it's the lively nightlife in Siem Reap's numerous bars and clubs, cultural performances, art galleries, sport, educational sites, spas, massages, eco-tourism or traditional events, there's something for everyone somewhere in the town and its surroundings.Cambodian classical dance is a favorite, rarely seen outside the country itself. Dancers train from a very early age to be able to coordinate the elegant movements, with their traditional silk costumes and jeweled headdresses making for a spectacular show.
Energetic visitors can book a golf package at an upscale resort and play on an international-standard course. While those who enjoy hiking and biking can rent bicycles or take a tour which includes camping as well as cycling.
The Apsara Theatre at Angkor Village Resort north of the town offers an evening of classical dance performance set in an atmospheric traditional wooden building, with a buffet supper included. The Grand Hotel D'Angkor's attractive theater is on the banks of the river, opposite its main buildings.
Massage parlours are everywhere in the city, but for a luxury experience, the Bodia Spa is popular. Packages include four-hand treatment massages along with champagne, and provide great relaxation therapy after tramping around ruined temples on a hot day.
This popular game is well represented in Siem Reap, with all-inclusive golf packages available at several upscale hotels, including the Sofitel Golf and Spa Resort. The new Phokeethra Golf Course is of international standard, as is the 18-hole course at the Angkor Golf Resort.
The town center is packed with bars and clubs, but for a sophisticated night out sipping classic cocktails in a 1930s Shanghai-style atmosphere. Miss Wong's is the place to go in Siem Reap. Western owner Dean Williams, also a radio journalist, has a loyal and mainly expat clientele.
If you've fallen in love with Khmer cuisine, then why not learn how to cook it? At Le Tigre de Papier's daily classes you can choose your three-course menu, your guide will take you to buy the ingredients at the local market and a Khmer chef will teach you how to make the dishes for your own lunch!
For energetic eco-tourists who are happier on two wheels than four, bicycles can be hired in town. Roads outside (and sometimes inside) town are a little rough in places, but the countryside is even more beautiful if you can easily stop and stare.
For eco-tourists, Boeng Peae Wildlife Sanctuary is a daytrip away. The larger Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary will demand two days. The sanctuaries - two of Cambodia's 23 protected wildlife areas - are rarely visited. Bird-watching is a favorite, but even tigers as well as other wild species can be spotted with a little patience.
