Neither dogs nor roosters are caged in Siem Reap. so I don't know that anyone can guarantee that you won't hear dogs or roosters at a hotel there. That said, I don't remember particular problems with noise in hotels in Siem Reap.

There are many claen modern hotels in the town. They range from small boutique properties such as Hotel de la Paix and La Residence and the FCC Angkor to large modern hotels like the Sofitel. There is also Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, which struck me as a hotel for people who didn't want to be in Cambodia.

A pool side room at La Residence would be very quiet. Or maybe a high floor at De la Paix.

As Kathie says, no guarantee that the odd barking dog or crowing rooster might slip through the sound barrier.

Thank you! We have 14 days December 12 to Bangkok and leave December 28 from Singapore. After I read about Sime Reap weather is really hot, some restaurants does not have AC & etc, I am worried about being in Siem Reap. There seem to be nice resorts in Malaysia too. So I can't make up my mind on which locations to visit. I am all about food, some sightseeing and spa services. We have to go to Bangkok to see my dad. I am trying to squeez 3 locations within 14 days. Perhaps we should go to beach resort in thailand and skip Siem Reap.

If you're going in December then that is perhaps one of the nicest month to be there weather wise.

Resorts in Malaysia vs Siem Reap(Ankor Wat) is no comparison IMO as one is for visiting ancient structures and the other is just for resort life.

Another hotel, bit expensive, is the Amansara in Siem Reap.

If you aren't interested in the temples of Angkor, don't go to Siem Reap.

If food is the number one thing on your agenda, I'd suggest time in Bangkok - lots of fabulous Thai food - Singapore - a foodie's paradise - and the Georgetown area of Penang world famous for it's hawker food.

There are wonderful hotels in all of those places, as well as spa services.

Thai beaches are beautiful, but you will be traveling at the busiest and most expensive time of the year. You'll no doubt find good food, but it won't be as interesting and exciting as the food in Bangkok.

yes, skip Ankor Wat (it is not on the beach), go to Phuket instead.

I don't know...Siem Reap has some really amazing restaurants now, and both Frangipangi and Bodia (sp?) spas are pretty wonderful. But if you want beach & spa time, it would certainly be cheaper to go to a thai Beach Resort

lcuy, I'm so pleased to see your post today. We'll be in Siem Reap in a couple of weeks and this sounds like a good thing to do in an evening, or afternoon between "treks"!

Whew, is a tough call. Thank you all for your time. Has anyone heard of Andrea Ross- Cambodia expert- Travel Agent which was listed on Conde Nast Magazine?

A lot of the restaurants in Siem Reap do not have AC. Personally I love restaurants at which I can sit almost on the street watching the passing parade. I'm not sure where you come from but I do not find SR very hot. (I'm from southern Australia) My daughter (who lives there) has been complaining about having to buy rugs for her dogs to keep them warm at night. (December - January).

There are a lot of dogs and roosters in SR and the former seem to enjoy a general party in the early hours of the morning. One barks and the rest follow!

Do you know much about the Angkor Wat complex as this should influence your decision? There are plenty of trip reports and links to photos here that will give you a good idea.

No have not heard about that agency. But you do not need a travel agent for Cambodia. So easy to make your own arrangements. All kinds of accommodations from nice guesthouses to luxury hotels.

Andrea is the wife of the couple from CA who own and run Journey's Within B & B in Siem Reap. The also run a travel agency out of CA. I've heard good things about their service, though they really don't do more than you could do yourself. The impression I get about them is that they are very good for clients who need a lot of attention and sometimes hand-holding - that they are very patient, work hard to meet clients' requests, and are very good about communication.

Their Journeys Within gets very positive reviews. It is, however, not inexpensive. Service gets high marks.

www.golden-banana.com

my fav awesome check TA reviews

wonderful pool for those muggy days...

www.goldenbanana.info sister lodging the very best boutique...

You are correct KimJapan. It is not cheap. The quote for the trip including internal fights is $6K (not all meals included). The hotles are not 4 or 5 star except in Siem Reap. I have been following you, Kathie, Bob, Hunuman/Pook, Marmot and so many folks reviews and advise on this board. I need to make a decision. We loved FS Sayan & The Legian in Bali. In Bangkok we stayed at FS, Hotel Davis & Dusit Thani. I thought having a tour guide would be nice otherwise it took a while for us to figure out the route/taking the Skytrain and etc. Thank you all so much again.

What does the $6000 include exactly?

Include the following.
4 nights at Sofitel Silom- Bangkok (Breakfast), 7 nights-La Residence-Siem Reap (Breakfast & Lunch), 4 nights- Swissotel Merchant Court- SIN (Breakfast). Tours in Siem Reap (Ankor Wat, Tonle Sap, Villae tour & Market, Bamteau Srei), Air ticket BKK-Siem Reap-SIN. Boat tickets, Car with driver, Tour guides, Tours and admission fees.

Yipes! Now that is a profit-making company. If you need the hand-holding, it might be worth it to you. Otherwise, book things yourself and save the money - maybe even dontate the money you save to www.theplf.org a wonderful charity started by a Fodorite.

Do your research and decide if you are intersted in Angkor. Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor: A Guide to Cambodia's Wondrous Temples is the best book on the temples.

For 2?
Figure Sofitel at $150/night 4 nights $600
La Resience at $250/night 7 night $1750
Very good lunch for two in Siem Reap $15 7 days $105
7 day temple pass $120 for two
Tour Guide and car/driver in Siem Reap $50 -$60/day
A day to a nice village on Tonle Sap rather than the nearby trap add $50 to per dirk
Banteng Srei add $15 to per diem.
Guide car driver 7 days $420 plus say $300 for longer trips to lake, phnom Kulen, Koh Ker.
Flights for two BKK to REP on Bangkok Air $400 +/-
flights for two REP to SIN $150 +/- on Jetstar, $400 +/- on Silk Air
Swisshotel Merchant Court $300 for peak. 4 nights $1200

All of my estimates are high, especially for the hotels and air.

Stay in Siem Reap at the Victoria for about $120/night. Upgrade Bangkok to the Peninsula for $250/night. Fly Jetstar to Singapore and save a bundle if you get a promo rate. Otherwise Silk Air is good. Don't have lunch included in Siem Reap. There are countless excellent restaurants where you can eat for even less than the $15 I quoted. Swissotel Merchant Court is popular with families but unless it has undergone a facelift is tired. Seems like this agent likes Swissotel.

Overall, the price is not a total rip off as far as an agent arranged tour. If you prefer to have someone else do all the work that's fine. You've got tons of time, though, and everything listed you can easily book yourself for less. Hotel choices abound, and with a bit of research, you may find their picks are perfect for you, or not. But there are lots and lots of choices. And you can without a doubt duplicate the exact itinerary they have given you for less.

Thank you KimJapan. My husand and I need to decide whether to visit Ankor Wat or skip and go to Phuket or Karbi in December. On the itineary she put us onform REP to SIN is on Silk Air. So that is about $1800 for two from REP to SIN. If we decided to go to Siem Rep, 7 days is too long for us. We might stay 4 days only.

I've checked the following:
BKK to REP on Bangkok Air for 2 adults : $600
REP to SIN on Jetstar for 2 adults220 include carryon/ 20kg checkbag.
REP/La Residence350/night for 3 nights: $1155/tax(include BK & tax)
SIN/Intercontinental300/night for 5 nights: $1500(include BK & tax)
BKK/Four Seasons300/night for 7 nights: $2400(include BK & tax)

Summary for Air and Hotels: $5875 without Tours, guide and driver/car. Travel Agent quote: $6000 with lower hotels ranking.

You should be able to get better prices on all of your hotels by booking though booking sites like www.sawasdee.com for Thailand and agoda.com for other places (or many other booking sites) or sometimes through the hotel's own site.

SInce you are traveling at the highest season, you'll find hotels at the beaches to be at their highest prices. These hotels often reqiure you to pay for an Xmas/NYE "gala" for in excess of $100 pp as well.

We are just back from Siem Reap and loved La Residence. It was a quiet relaxing place to spend a couple of hours after lunch. In the extreme heat at this time the cool sandwiches ( Shrimp and avocado was my favourite) was a perfect light luncheon and we also enjoyed the 2fer1 happy hour in the evenings.

Wow, is a though choice. KimJapan, Kathie, Pook, Marmot & others, Bob- I know you are too busy in Europe, otherwise you will tell me I lost my mind-lol). What do you think? I cannot decide whether to visit Ankor Wat or go to Phuket or as Kathie stated above go to Penang? My husband and I are not history buff but Angor Wat is something unique to see. We don't know much about Ankor Wat, so we thought it would be intersting. I know is a personal perference but as you can see I need help & indecisive. Thank you very much!

My husband, myself and my now 13 year old love Siem Reap and all of the temples. There is more tgan temples there, too, so you needn't limit yourself to temples every day. A day at Phnom Kulen is great, with a picnic or food from the restaurants there, see the lingers in the river and the newish temple with a huge reclining wooden Buddha. A swim in the river under the falls is wonderful. Few foreigners, but loads of Cambodian families enjoying the day. Ultralight flights, horses, spa, food and more food, cooking class, shopping, just relaxing. Hotels are numerous, and La Residence is certainly one of the nicer ones. If you want to spend less I think the Victoria is wonderful.

We've been to Siem Reap three times and each tine stay longer. Last time, 17 days, and we still didn't want to leave. My daughter has brought two different friends, and both loved it. One loved temples, the other not so much, but both loved Siem Reap.

Weve also been to Phuket three times, Bangkok maybe seven times, KL, Hong Kong three times, Singapore... Of all the places we've been, Phuket is my least favorite, mostly because it really feels like it's just an international beach resort, with all the good and bad that comes with that. It's nice, there are sone nice hotels, it's relaxing to hang out in a resort, and the kids enjoy the kids activities at the resort. It is pretty poor value for money, especially at Christmas abd New Year, with minimum stays, compulsory overpriced gala dinners, and highest room rates of the year which reflect more of the demand than the actual quality of most resorts.

Your original plan sounds good to mr, just not so much the hotel choices in Bangkok and Singapore, and the high price for little other than hotels and air.

If you want beach instead of Siem Reap, perhaps consider Khao Lak. I find the beach nicer, hotels more reasonable, still plenty of restaurants, and same easy access from Phuket Airport.

Or, swap out Siem Reap for Bali. Easy connections to both Bangkok and Sibgapore.

Thank you again KimJapan. So I googled A day at Phnom Kulen. How did you arrange tour guide/car and etc? Which tour company did you use for Ankor Wat & Phnom Kulen? Ahh, horses, spa and food -oh yessss! I am thinking 4 night in Siem Reap. How did you book the hotels and tours in SIN, REP & Bangkok? I guess I really don't need to use Travel Agent. I can use all the help I can get. I checked Sawadee and Agoda site but I need to compare with hotel's own site as Kathie mentioned. Truth be told: our previous trips, my dad's secretary managed all of them. But this time I don't want to bother my dad. Since I am an adult I want to do it on my own. As you can see is not going so well, pathetic but I am having fun.

I booked everything myself. First time, we stayed at the Victoria. Booked vise-mail directly and negotiated extra bed and breakfast for 3 included in rate marched to lowest I could find anywhere. We've had both Ponheary and Dara Ly as guides, and for Phnom Kulen we go with the whole family - maybe not what everyone would like, but got us, the family day out experience I'd special. We've done it each trip. Guides can be pre-booked or arranged by your hotel when you are there.

Our next two trips, we've stayed at Srvrn Candles Guesthouse. Notuxury, but very nice. Ponheary and family live there, along with Fodors poster offwego.

Booking yourself is easy. You can always contact the hotels and ask for exactly what you want, and if you like the answer, stay there. If not, keep looking.

Do some research on the temples at Angkor before you decide. Buy a copy of Dawn Rooney's book, read trip reports here on Angkor, talk together about it. WHile Kim is right there is more than just the temples, the reason to go to Siem Reap is the temples and if you aren't interested, choose elsewhere.

Take a look at some photos - they might help. www.marlandc.com has our photos from at least a decade of travel, including Siem Reap, Penang, Bangkok and Singapore, all places you've mentioned.