This will be my first trip to Thailand and Cambodia. I'm a single female traveling solo for part of the trip and need some advises please.

I will be traveling from May 19 to June 1. I will be in Bangkok with a friend till May 26. Then I will be on traveling onward by myself to Siem Reap from May 26 to May 29. I was wondering if it would be better to prearrange a tour guide for Angkor Wats or would I be fine hiring a tuk-tuk driver and touring the temples with my Dawn Rooney book?

For the last part of my trip, I will be in Phuket and was wondering which hotel to stay at. I have narrowed it down to Le Meredian and Sheraton Grande Laguna. Which one is closer to town for shopping and dining. Which hotel is nicer in terms of room size and conditions? I'm not much for lounging on the beach and don't feel safe doing water sports alone.

Please advise. Thanks.

You'll be fine with a tuk tuk and Dawn rooney, unless you are like me, and cannot absorb from a book while I am walking and looking. I'd get a guide for the first day at least.

If you haven't already chosen a place in Siem Reap, i highly recommend 7 Candles guesthouse. it is not a luxe hotel, but it has a/c rooms, good TV, private bathroom, comfortable beds, and is immaculate. Around $20 per night. The staff are mostly the owners and it has a very friendly vibe. I like the location, No pool, but the Bopha Angkor Hotel, a block or so away, will let you hang out at their pool for $3.50 per day.

The guesthouse has a gang of charming& honest tuk tuk drivers who pretty much hang out there for the 7 candles guests. You'll be totally safe with them.

It is also the home base for theplf.org, an amazing charity that lots of people here have worked with. They won't even hint about it to you as a guest, but you can ask if you want!

Dawn Roneys book is pretty good, and I also recommend " Ancient Angkor" by Michael Freeman & Claude Jacques. Both available on Amazon.com.
Recommend purchasing one book before you go to read up on the place. There is so much to see, that, for a first timer, it becomes a little bit bewildering.

I have done 4 trips in 13 months now. For the past two trips, I stayed at Shining Angkor Hotel. Its a couple of kilometers out of the center city, but, a $2.00 tuk tuk ride will have you in town. I like this place because its clean, friendly people, and has good beds and air conditioning. ( thats important to me.) Also has free wireless internet in the rooms. Prices are around $30.00 to $35.00 a night..
That price includes a small breakfast. The hotel has a pool as well.

Tuk Tuk is best way to get around. I never used a guide, and I am certain, if you get a book well before you go, you can map out a schedule.
Main temples ( and also most people) are ANGKOR WAT, BAYON, Ta PROHM, PREAH KHAN, and another great small temple is BANTEAY SREI..Its about 35 km from town and takes about 75 minutes by tuk tuk. I recommend seeing it from say 3:00PM to 5:00PM. Best for photography on the west side.

You mention that you are travelling from Bangkok to Siem Reap. I have done this trip four times by bus and taxi.
That works out the cheapest. If you need more information, just ask.

There are many more temples, but, as you are there for three days only, its best to take in the major temples.
Carry plenty of water as well.

I hope this helps you...

Here are some photos to wet your appetite.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/f...0&l=84b6dd5b94
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/f...0&l=0db9bc0645
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/f...0&l=cbd6576798

I am all for traveling and discovering sites on my own, but (in my opinion) Siem Reap is one of those places that investment in a QUALIFIED guide will be worth it. You have to deal with history, religion, fables, art, fauna and architecture and to try to read about it... the place is just too large. Besides Angkor Wat, there is Ta Prohm (of Tomb Raider fame) where the jungle roots are still wrapped up in the temple, The Bayon (the Khmer palace with four-headed statues), the elephant terrace, and even visiting the people who live ON the Tonle Sap lake.

I'm fairly certain you will still need to get a visitor's pass with your photo on it to visit the ruins, so bring extra passport photos with you.

When I visit SE Asia, I usually book travel arrangements and hire guides through Diethelm Travel, based out of Bangkok. They are reliable and have great guides, have been around for years. Prices for guides are blissfully much less than Europe. I think the owner is a Dutch expat. They also do group tours, but I use them for private tours.
http://www.diethelmtravel.com/Pages/home.aspx

In Siem Reap, I stayed at the hotel owned by The Raffles Group, but the name escapes me at the moment...

Like most people who respond to this forum I travel a LOT, and out of all the ancient sites I have seen (Peru, Egypt, Jordan, India, China, Greece, Turkey, etc.) I found Siem Reap absolutely the most exciting of all. Enjoy!

The visitors pass office now has digital cameras and your photo is taken and incorporated in the pass by them.

Another tip:If you purchase you pass at 5 PM, you get that evening free and don't have to wait in line the next morning either.

English speaking guides are $20 - $25 per day (plus tip). They can be arranged through your hotel or guesthouse. Tuk tuks are about $15 per day (plus tip) for the temples near SR. If you travel further afield (Banteay Srei for example) then the price goes up accordingly.

I stay at the Ancient Angkor guesthouse which has a pool and is fairly close to Pub street. ($15-$20) per night.

As suggested earlier it is probably a good idea to buy one book before you go to gain a feel for the place. There are numerous children selling books on Angkor around the temples. However, they are pirated - and the price will depend on your bargaining skills.

Also, as a single female you should feel quite safe and comfortable in Siem Reap. My daughter has lived there for 5 years and happily rides her bike home late at night.

for sure the meridien is a nice hotel with a private beach and imo in a much better location....both are a 10 min. taxi ride into patong town... both are issolated...

<<<If you travel further afield (Banteay Srei for example) then the price goes up accordingly.>>>

Yes, we paid $17USD for all day with a tuk-tuk driver around Siem Reap, but the day we went farther afield -- to Kbal Spean, Bantay Srei and Beng Melea (even further than Bantay Srei), we paid $40USD.

I would have no hesitation doing this as a single female.

rhkkmk, which hotel other than the meridien are you referring to when you say "both are isolated"? I agree, I'd rather stay walking distance to Old Town, given the choice.

sf, I think Bob is responding to the OP's question about Phuket hotels, rather than talking about Siem Reap. Le Meridien is closer to things than the Sheraton Grande Laguna.

Bonster, The people of Cambodia are lovely and very sweet. You will be very safe. The only time I ever feel uncomfortable travelling is when I accidentally have contact with a drunk tourist and then beware! However, do watch your things, keep your purse tucked into your body at all times, don't flash jewelry unneceesarily, etc etc. Your hotel in Siem Reap will be able to sort you out with a licensed guide within minutes, plus tuk tuk, who will take you through the permit process, give you advice through the temple complexes, and tell your tuk tuk driver where to go and where to meet you again. (some temples are best to walk through to the other side, and some are in and out through the same door way. Also, a single person, male or female, it's good to have someone accompany you. The guide can help you on the steep stairs in the incredible May heat, run and buy you waters, provide someone to talk to in the hours and hours it takes to see the temples, and of course will be able to inform you about just what it is you are seeing. Guide books are an absolute necessity, but since you are going all the way to Siem Reap to see the temples, it really pays to have a guide...at $25 a day. Tuk tuk $15 a day. Plus you will be contributing to the local economy.

Personally I cannot understand why people want to flash expensive jewelry in the third world. However I lug quite expensive camera equipment around and am also male so how would I know.

Its good advice to keep an eye on your gear and watch out for drunken tourists. I'd agree with kuluk about the guide. What's $25 a day? If you are happy with him a tip would be appreciated at the end. The same applies with tuk tuk drivers, massage girls etc. I normally don't bother tipping with the fish massage though! You'll understand the reference when you get there. [Oops, I just realised you might get the wrong idea when I mentioned 'massage girls'.] I'm talking legitimate massage - $6 for a one hour foot massage at Dr Feet is thoroughly recommended - or go upmarket to Frangipani.

Thanks for the wonderful response! I am so excited to visit Angkor Wats. I am actually more excited to visit Cambodia than Thailand. I originally booked Le Meridian Hotel in Siem Reap and decided to cancel and stay at Seven Candles guesthouse. I was able to get a very good rate at Le Meridian through family discount, but with the money I am saving I will be able to bring some much needed supplies to donate to Ponheary Ly Foundation.

Gearsau-your pictures were amazing and I'm looking forward to see them in person.

Thanks for the all great advices! I have decided to hire a guide and tuk tuk for one day and then the other day I will just hire a tuk tuk.

<<<$6 for a one hour foot massage at Dr Feet is thoroughly recommended>>>

I had a mani/pedi at Dr. Feet, and a fish pedicure, and a nightly $1.00 foot massage in the night market! For a foot massage at the night market, go to the very end of the night market (away from Hospital Street) and ask for "No. 56" -- she was fantastic.

(There are oodles of places to get a fish massage, but I will attest to the one right outside Dr. Feet, at the intersection of Pub Street and Hospital Street (across the street from the Blue Pumpkin, where you should try Passionfruit Sorbet!))

By the way, we didn't stay there, but we did bring some items to donate to the PLF, too, and went to drop them off. The heavens opened up while we were there (ask Lori), it was like a March monsoon. We got in the tuk-tuk and the driver took us to old town --- we had on ponchos, but he didn't and he was soaked, but laughing, when we arrived. The streets were so water-logged, we had to roll up our pants to cross the street. 45 minutes later, you wouldn't have even known it had rained!

What a great idea, staying at a guesthouse and putting the money saved to a good cause. You'll love Cambodia, its a great place.

Glad you chose 7 Candles -- we stayed in January this year & also had Ponheary & her brother Dara as guides. Wonderful experience! Definitely a great lodging choice on your part and if you are considering using a guide for a couple of days of touring the temples I can't recommend them highly enough. They're wonderful