Welcome to Siem Reap

Siem Reap town is the provincial capital of Siem Reap and is situated on the side of the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. Siem Reap was the capital of the Angkor era that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries and which serves as the gateway to the Angkor ruins that are designated as a World Heritage site.

The town itself is charming and pleasant enough to roam around, with some fine examples of French colonial and Chinese style architecture in the old French Quarter around the Old market. There are opportunities to see traditional dance performances, shadow puppet theatre, art and craft shops and silk farms.

The Great Lake

The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, covering 27,000 hectares in dry season (November to May) and 150,000 hectares during the rainy season (June to October). The Tonle Sap River reverses according to the season and the Tonle Sap acts as an overflow reservoir for the huge Mekong River. It is a beautiful and tranquil place to explore by boat and visitors to the area shouldn’t miss the opportunity to do so.

The Tonle Sap is more than just a pretty face though. It is vital to Cambodia’s already tenuous survival. It produces 100,000 tons of fish every year – an incredible 80% of the population’s protein intake. Unfortunately, huge dam projects in China along with others in Laos and Thailand are affecting the flow of water and threatening the ecosystem of this magnificent body of water.

Satellite image : Angkor Wat, Cambodia (21 Jan 2005)
click on image to enlarge