SIEM REAP -- Area Code (855-63)

Siem Reap, a bustling trading post sprung up at the gates to Angkor's magnificent world wonders and the majestic wildlife haven of the Tonle Sap lake, is now home to the revival of traditional Khmer arts and culture as well as being Cambodia's capital of cool.

Funkiness, the fantastical and the sublime all co-exist in this friendly, safe and easy-going tropical holiday destination. You'll be doing yourself a disservice if you just fly in and out for an exhausting 2-day temple tour. There's so much to discover and the pace of life so pleasurably lazy that you can easily spend a week here without being bored.

Hidden jungle animal sculptures that pre-date Angkor, peaceful Buddhist temple compounds housing vibrant 200-year-old murals (including a market scene with four arm-in-arm same-sex couples), an air-conditioned modern Museum explaining the art and iconography you'll encounter at Angkor (do see this first before you begin your temple trek), contemporary art exhibitions by emerging Khmer artists, market places bulging with the stuff of everyday Khmer life, cheap and delicious hole-in-the-wall eateries, eco-tours to floating villages and silk farms, more than a bit of gay life and a chance to interact with friendly and approachable locals, worthy social projects addressing the many needs of a largely poor rural population, a "beach" on the edge of a cosmic ocean where locals go to swim and picnic, a chance to get all your Christmas shopping done in a day -- Siem Reap provides vivid memories at every turn.

The population is about 100,000 (that's nearly 4,000 Utopians).

• Men in Siem Reap message forum

  Navigating the local gay scene is easy with our interactive Utopia Map of Gay & Lesbian Siem Reap:

The Utopia Guide to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar & Vietnam offers a remarkable insider's glimpse at the gay and lesbian scene in 14 cities in four emerging Southeast Asian countries, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon, Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Yangon/Rangoon, Phnom Penh, and Angkor Wat/Siem Reap. Listings include organizations, bars, discos, accommodations, spas, restaurants, and more. Enjoy savvy comments and recommendations from local Utopians, as well as gay travelers. Click here to order the collector's First Edition

• ABOUTAsia Services
  ABOUTAsia House, Charming City, Charles de Gaulle Ave, Utopia Map, 760-190, email. Gay and lesbian-friendly, ABOUTAsia travel offers guiding, with particular expertise when visiting Angkor Wat. They offer bespoke tours, upscale hotel accommodation, transport and spa deals throughout Cambodia, and can offer advice on gay-friendly clubs while you're here. Utopia Member Discount
• Affinity Angkor
  012-254-554, 015-254-554, email. Professional, licensed and openly gay guide to Angkor Wat and Siem Reap vicinity. Explore the wonders of Angkor as well as the charming small-town points of interest. Find out what's new on the local scene and experience an insider's view of historic and contemporary Khmer life. Flexible hours and completely custom intineraries with your interests in mind. You'll steer clear of tourist traps and commission shopping. Honest, friendly and a good sense of humor about life. English and Mandarin spoken. Reasonable rates. Car and tuk-tuk arrangements.
• Gold Tuk-Tuk
  092-501-691, email. Gay and lesbian-friendly tuk-tuk driver who is prompt and honest. He knows the gay scene venues, the temples and also the off-beat places and cheap laundry and Khmer food joints. Reasonable English and sincere service. Call when you arrive or send a simple email request well in advance of your trip. You can call his mobile phone whenever you need to get from point A to Z in Siem Reap and Angkor.

  Sam Veasna Center #0552, St 26 (off Wat Bo Rd), 761-597, email. Gay and lesbian-friendly ecotourist agency which organises remarkable insider itineraries across Cambodia to see rare birds and other wildlife in some of Southeast Asia's most undisturbed countryside. Visit great temples on route. Interact with local residents. Get off the beaten tourist path into the wild and experience the Cambodia that most visitors never encounter. Utopia Member Discount

Click here for Siem Reap hotels and accommodations.

Navigating the ruins of Angkor is easy with our interactive Utopia Map of Angkor:

Click here for Siem Reap bars and clubs.

Click here for Siem Reap massage and spas for men.

• Along the west river bank river at dusk, starting across across from the FCC and continuing a couple of blocks south, Utopia Map. Young men studying foreign languages sit on the benches and eye passersby. They may be needy, but it's fun to flirt and a lovely place for an evening stroll.

Aha Opposite Linga Bar, on The Passage, parallel to Pub St, Utopia Map, 965-501. Right in the heart of the nightlife and shopping scene. Chef Johannes of Hotel de la Paix has created a sensual series of tapas trio plates to compliment the selection of fine wines on hand. The Classic set features grilled mussels, Provencal marinated olives, and roasted potatoes in garlic aioli. There's also a Khmer trio; Veggie trio with warm cauliflower mousse; and an inventive Cheese trio. Plus more solo dishes and desserts for the sweet tooth. Outstanding modern design and friendly service from their quality staff.

• BBQ Buffets
  Located mostly on Bo St, Hansa BBQ (and others just like it) are super cheap (US$3+) all-you-can-eat cook-at-your-table restaurants that are a great place to take your hard-working tuk-tuk driver for a local-style feast. Spring rolls, meat and vegetables, fruit, rice and dessert. Unpretentious and popular with Khmer diners.
• The Blue Pumpkin (bakery and ice cream)
  Utopia Map, 063-963-574. Where else in the world can you find a fresh baked "chocolate linga" but in Siem Reap? This hip bakery features superb goodies including breads, tropical fruit pastries, cakes and Cambodian-inspired ice creams. Sandwiches, quiche and drinks are also on the menu. The perfect place to refuel after a long, hot day climbing stone temples.
  

• FCC (Foreign Correspondents' Club) (international)
  Pokambor Ave (on the river, next to the Royal Residence), Utopia Map, 760-283. Dine or drink in casual style with a brezzy, beautiful view of the river.
• Hawaii Pizza House (pizza and pasta)
  Same road and side of the road as Home Sweet Home guesthouse, Utopia Map. New location of this favorite haunt of local expats who love the excellent pizza and pasta in this unpretentious and inexpensive local dive.

  Les Orientalistes (French, Moroccan and Khmer cuisine) 613 Rue Wat Bo, Utopia Map, 012-894-207, email. Colorful to say the least, this Arabian-nights-inspired restaurant and guesthouse serves a variety of tasty French flavors and Moroccan specialties, along with Khmer favorites. Sit in the old villa, surrounded by exotic paintings, or on the patio and in the garden under tent-like fabrics. High romance, excellent kitchen and friendly staff. Open for lunch and dinner. Gay and lesbian-friendly.

  Madame Butterfly (Khmer, Thai, French) Airport Rd, Utopia Map, 016-909-607, 963-816, email. Local and regional specialties in a Khmer heritage home accented with Asian antiques. Beautiful garden setting and crafts boutique. Fine dining and service. Extensive menu and wine/champagne list. Curries, soups and salads of Cambodia and Thailand, along with select French favorites. Dinner only (or by reservation for groups). Closed June 1-July 15. Same owners as La Palmeraie hotel.

  Meric Hotel de la Paix, Sivutha Blvd, Utopia Map, 966-000, email. Chef Johannes graces Hotel de la Paix's fine dining restaurant with the results of his endless experimenting with local flavors, fresh ingredients and culinary techniques. The Khmer Tasting Menu is simply superb, featuring an ever-changing multi-course sampler of seasonal specialties, served in unexpected dishware sourced in local markets (a glazed roof tile, for example). Paired wines are thoughtfully suggested at a price that won't emaciate your wallet. The regular menu also has much to rave about, including a mandarin orange and liquorice duck breast or roasted Mekong lobster in a ledolant Vermouth foam bisque. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

  Restaurant L'Escale des Arts & des Sens (Khmer/French fusion) Oum Khum St (in back of the Post Office), Utopia Map, 761-442, email. The beautiful garden and Asian heritage ambience of this gay-friendly restaurant and bar is well-matched by the superb food. Their creative menu of new Asian cuisine with a French touch highlights fresh, local ingredients and regionally sourced produce (their homemade cheese from goats milk imported from Vietnam is mild and miraculous). Artful presentation and exquisite technique brings the natural flavors to the fore. We sampled their mango-wrapped foie gras with a salty and sweet passion fruit sauce (outstanding); an appetizer set of a variety of fresh spring rolls and Indochine saké (a work of art in itself); sweetly caramelized pork from a number of different cuts (they offer a similarly deconstructed whole duck); and large, sweet tiger prawns bathed in vanilla/cinnamon butter. Full range of wines and cocktails to compliment. World-class fine dining at a very reasonable price by international standards. Open daily from lunch through dinner. Utopia Member Discount

• Sugar Palm (Khmer cuisine)
  Tapul Rd, Utopia Map, 964-838. Open air, fan-cooled heritage terrace on 2/F with local art on the walls and superior crafts in the bookcases. Order their fantastic amok first thing as it needs time to bake. Good variety of Khmer specialties and fruit smoothies. Relaxed ambience and great service from the charming staff.
• Triangle Restaurant and Pub (Khmer favorites)
  Salakanseng Village, Svaydangkom Commune (just on the edge of town), Utopia Map, 012-757-855, 012-713-965. Look for the Khmer sign showing three frosty mugs and the modern-style paper lanterns hanging under the roof. This is one of a number of totally-Khmer tank-up restaurants where (mostly male) locals go from 8-10pm to eat and (primarily) get drunk on giant, gumball-machine-like towers of ice-cooled beer (we watched as one table of five young men went through three of these multi-liter mega kegs. Many gays mixed in here and many more happy-to-be-gays after a few rounds. People wander or beckon you to visit their table and groups grow and shrink organically. At 10pm most of the guys move on to the Khmer dance clubs and the place becomes more gender mixed and rolls on until the wee hours. The food is surprisingly good and the menu is also in English. Still, you will probably be the only foreigner here and well-noticed. A truly Khmer atmosphere - relaxed, polite and super friendly.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "I just want to reaffirm that there are indeed some local gays hanging out at Triangle Restaurant and Pub...even some shemales will bring their partners to this place before hitting Pyramid or Zone One. They have a very cheap cocktails. Flirt around with some local gays or gay wanna-bes, haha. Completely agree about the food - cheap, yet tasty and generous. Love the fried corn." -- b1shonen, Jul 12, 2010

  Viroth's Restaurant (Cambodian) 242 Wat Bo St, Utopia Map, 016-951-800, FAX 760-774, email. Gay-owned restaurant whose gorgeous and understated Cambodia Cool design is as much a showpiece as its refined Khmer home cooking. Specialities include chicken satay, green bean salad, yahorn, and roast chicken. We loved the tender lemon pork and large pots of iced Earl Grey. Beautiful urban garden setting and romantic atmosphere. Recently added 2-story addition is super stylish and the perfect setting for birthdays or private parties. The all-male service staff are gorgeous and friendly. Moderately priced food and drinks, good selection of cocktails and wines. Drop by for lunch or dinner. Reservations are a good idea in high season.

Click here for Siem Reap saunas for men.

• Artisans Angkor
  Stung Thmey St, Utopia Map, 963-330. Superb traditional arts and crafts shop with a modern twist. You can wander through their on-site workshops watching stone carving, metal-working, silk painting, wood carving and more.
• Eric Raisina Haute Couture
  53 Veal Village, Kok Chork, Utopia Map, 012-965-207. By appointment only, but don't miss a chance to see Eric's studio workshop. He's designed fabric for top fashion houses like Lacroix and Gaultier. Born in Madagascar, trained in Paris, he's established a cutting edge workshop on the outskirts of town that produces hand-made, vibrantly colored scarves, hats, bags, shirts and dresses at very reasonable prices. Inventive and artful use of local silk and organics, combining Khmer, African and modern European techniques, in surprising textures and super saturated colors that match the visual energy of modern life in Asia. Pieces also available at select 5-star boutiques, such as the Heritage Suites.
• Garden of Desire
  The Passage, parallel to Pub St, Utopia Map, 012-319-116. Superb contemporary Khmer jewelry and wearable art. Truly world-class designs by owner Pisith and other top local craftsmen. He's usually there in the evenings and besides being a fascinating artist (almost every piece has a compelling conceptual story behind it), he is also dedicated to cultivating artisitic creativity in young Cambodians.
• Poetry
  The Passage, Utopia Map, 015-378-088. Fun and funky arts, crafts, jewelry and apparel from designers Loven and Don.
• Prolung Khmer Pottery and Weaving Center
  Bakong, Roluos area, Utopia Map. Fantastic Khmer pottery workshop and cotton/silk weavers. Prices here are much lower than at the market shops in town and it's a just short tuk-tuk drive out into the countryside. You will also get to interact with the craftspeople and watch the process of producing the wares on sale here.