Where to Stay in Siem Reap: Wat Bo, Old Market and Riverside

Siem Reap is a compact, low-rise town bisected from north to south by the tree-lined Siem Reap River, where building height rules stipulate that no hotel may rise taller than the central spire of Angkor Wat. As a result, even modest mid-range properties are built as lush two- or three-storey tropical sanctuaries wrapped around saltwater swimming pools, lotus ponds and frangipani gardens. Choosing the right bank of the river sets the tone for your evenings after the temples.

Wat Bo and Wat Damnak (East Riverbank: best all-round base for most travellers)

Stretching along the eastern side of the Siem Reap River around Wat Bo Road (Streets 20 to 27) and south toward Wat Damnak, this leafy neighbourhood is the sweet spot of Siem Reap. You are a five- to ten-minute stroll across the wooden footbridges from the Old Market, yet you are safely insulated from the late-night bass of Pub Street. The tree-shaded lanes hold the highest concentration of independent Khmer-owned boutique pool hotels, social-enterprise training restaurants (such as Haven), garden cafés and contemporary Khmer dining rooms.

Kandal Village and Little Kondal (independent boutiques and coffee roasters)

Immediately north of the Old French Quarter along Hup Guan Street and parallel lanes on the west side of the river, Kandal Village has evolved into a walkable three-block creative enclave. Restored 1950s concrete shophouses house speciality coffee bars, homeware and textile studios, art galleries and intimate design hotels, five minutes on foot from the river promenade.

Old French Quarter and Old Market / Psar Chas (central and lively)

Centered around the colonial-era shophouses of the Old Market (Psar Chas) on the west bank, this is the commercial heart of town. It is convenient if you want night markets, foot-massage parlours and bars right outside your door, though light sleepers should book a hotel at least two or three blocks away from the neon strip of Street 08 (Pub Street).

Charles de Gaulle Avenue and the River North (grand garden resorts closest to Angkor)

Heading north from the Royal Independence Gardens along broad, tree-shaded Charles de Gaulle Avenue toward the Angkor park checkpoints, plots of land grow much larger. Here you will find Siem Reap's flagship five-star heritage hotels and sprawling spa resorts, cutting ten minutes off your dawn tuk-tuk ride to Angkor Wat while keeping town five minutes away by remork. Fit your base into our three-day Siem Reap itinerary.