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Welcome to Siem Reap
When most people think of Siem Reap, they think of the Angkor Wat temple complex. While the majestic temples are undoubtedly a highlight of any trip to Cambodia, Siem Reap has much more to offer to those who are willing to spend a little more time and explore beyond the temples.
Siem Reap has undergone a staggering renaissance in the last few years, mainly due to the arrival of tourists using the
town as a base for visiting the temples. Despite this recent boom in tourism, however, the Siem Reap province itself,
located on the shores of the Tonle Sap Lake, remains one of the poorest in the country.
Siem Reap town is a cluster of small villages along the Siem Reap River. These villages were originally developed around Buddhist wats evenly spaced along the river from Wat Preah En Kau Sei in the north to Wat Phnom Krom in the south.
Whether you’re a culture vulture, a shopping fanatic or a nature enthusiast, the initiatives listed in the following pages will give
you a richer experience and better understanding of the country and its people.
Paul Dubrule School of Hotel and Tourism
Set up to ensure that young Cambodians have access to a new world of opportunities, students at Paul Dubrule learn both theory and practical skills required for the hospitality industry. Travellers can stay at the Training Hotel, enjoy local and international delicacies at the Training Restaurant or learn how to prepare famous Cambodian dishes.
Krousar Thmey
Krousar Thmey (New Family) gives material, educational and social support to abandoned and orphaned children, street children and victims of trafficking. It has created a Khmer version of Braille and sign language, and adapted vocational training for students with sight and hearing disabilities while its centres provide a much needed home for the children.
Sala Bai Hotel and Restaurant School
Each year, Sala Bai offers 100 disadvantaged students from across the country hospitality training. In addition to training, students receive accommodation, a bicycle, meals, uniforms and manuals and a four-month internship. The fact that over 95% of the students get a job in less than three months after graduation is a testament to the school's success.
Samatoa
Created in 2004, Samatoa Cooperative is a community group that specialises in producing silk apparel. Our desire from the start has been to re-introduce the unique quality of natural Cambodian silk using the knowledge of skilled weavers and tailors. Samatoa offers a wide range of quality products made from natural Cambodian silk. We offer tailored, ‘made to measure’ silk clothes in 24 hours.
Angkor Association for the Disabled
Angkor Association for the Disabled assist landmine survivors and people with disabilities around Siem Reap, by raising funds to purchase carts or tricycles equipped to carry postcards, books, etc. Income from sale of the products keeps the cart owner away from a life of begging. Future projects include craft training, literacy training, and TV and motorbike repairing.
Centre for Khmer Studies
The Center for Khmer Studies support emerging Cambodian scholars, writers and artists, who almost disappeared during the Khmer Rouge regime. The Center boasts the largest specialized public library in Cambodia outside Phnom Penh, in the tranquil, restored Wat Damnak. It also prints books, research and reference materials.
Handicap International - Belgium
Every year, landmines and unexploded ordinance (UXO) from the recent civil war kill or maim more than 500 Cambodians. Handicap International-Belgium provides a range of support activities to the disabled, many of which are landmine victims. It has established rehabilitation centres and community outreach and sport projects and runs programs to prevent disabilities.
NYEMO
NYEMO aims to provide vulnerable women with the necessary means to regain their dignity and participate actively in the development of their country. Every year, around 800 women who are abused, trafficked, sick, affected by HIV/AIDS and/or abandoned by their families or husbands receive support from us, in addition to around 700 orphans and vulnerable children.
Angkor Hospital for Children
Providing full service, life saving paediatric care for 300 to 500 babies and children per day and over 100,000 visits per year, Angkor Hospital for Children is funded entirely by grants and donations. Designated by the Ministry of Health as an official teaching hospital, it also trains local health care professionals, working to improve available health services in the rural communities.
Singing Tree Cafe
In the growing hustle and bustle of downtown Siem Reap, the Singing Tree Café provides a welcome and memorable experience – a large and serene garden café where you can relax, surf the Internet for free or read while we serve you a delicious selection of light, wholesome and nutritious meals.
Artisans Angkor
Established in 1999 to help young people find work in their home villages, the self-financed Artisans Angkor's aim is to revive traditional craft skills. It has so far created over 1,000 jobs for both artisans and non-craftsmen in rural Cambodia. A visit to the workshops will take travellers from raw materials to splendid craft-wares.
Sangkheum Center for Children
The Sangkheum Center for Children is a joint project between the Italian NGO Progetto Continenti and the Khmer Angkor Development Organisation (KADO). In the Khmer language, Sangkheum means ‘hope’. Since 2001, we have provided hope for over 274 orphaned, abused or neglected children.
Cambodia Landmine Museum & Relief Facility
Opened in 1999 to raise awareness of landmines in Cambodia to both tourists and locals alike, the Landmine Museum provides training, education, livelihood support and for child landmine survivors, a home and school. Travellers can learn more about landmines and UXO as well as historical information on the country's tumultuous past.