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Looking to visit in May and any suggestions for accommodation, bars , restaurants etc would be appreciated along with the must-do's and the best - to - be - avoided!

Cheers
Daff

I think there's a big temple place nearby. Name escapes me at the moment

Really ?

take "Off"

canuck wrote:take "Off"

said the Canadian.

We always stay at the Shinta Mani
http://www.shintamani.com/reservations1.php
it's a very nice place and not too expensive.

Many aeons ago there was a cafe/butterfly zoo (not sure what to call it), nice relaxing place for a coffee and watch lots of butterflies flying around

daffodil wrote:Looking to visit in May and any suggestions for accommodation, bars , restaurants etc would be appreciated along with the must-do's and the best - to - be - avoided!

Cheers
Daff

I can recommend the Soria Moria Boutique Hotel which was a short walk from the Old market which is well worth a visit! This hotel participates in many community schemes which makes it a feel good place to spend your money.
www.thesoriamoria.com
There's so much to do besides the temples, although the temples HAVE TO BE DONE as they are amazing!
Most of which can be booked direct with this hotel...temple tours (obviously), horse riding, quad biking, golf etc etc

If you want to indulge, be sure to head to the FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club) and I can highly recommend a Khymer massage and good local eats near the Old market...

I must get there one day. At what age would kids start to not get very bored at a place like Siem Reap and Anchor What ?

sluggo wrote:We always stay at the Shinta Mani
http://www.shintamani.com/reservations1.php
it's a very nice place and not too expensive.

Closed for renovations until July. Thanks anyway Sluggo!

baloo wrote:I must get there one day. At what age would kids start to not get very bored at a place like Siem Reap and Anchor What ?

21

I prefer Tiger What.

Give the kids a happy herb pizza and stand well back. Am sure there won't be much boredom

Baloo, I am in awe of how 2 friends of mine (2 mothers) took 4 boys (ages 7-11) to Siem Riep and had a fabulous time. With heaps of research and preparation they devised a full blown treasure trail beforehand for the boys to follow. I don't know the details but the clues, hunting for various sculptures and the fun presentation of some of the history went down very well with the kids.
I'm guessing that things like the sunset elephant ride and temple climbing (pretty hazardous) are obvious winners but enthusiastic counting games (eg how many elephant reliefs can you find) and gory history facts will all help.

We went without kids and stayed at Grand Hotel d'Ankor

Is that kind of thing still an option there? I remember seeing bags of the stuff in the open market in PP before I headed to SR.

I can't give advice on hotels there because I hear it's like night and day since I was there in '96. At the time there were only very few 2 maybe 3-star hotels.

BoD wrote:Give the kids a happy herb pizza and stand well back. Am sure there won't be much boredom

Tack wrote:Baloo, I am in awe of how 2 friends of mine (2 mothers) took 4 boys (ages 7-11) to Siem Riep and had a fabulous time. With heaps of research and preparation they devised a full blown treasure trail beforehand for the boys to follow. I don't know the details but the clues, hunting for various sculptures and the fun presentation of some of the history went down very well with the kids.
I'm guessing that things like the sunset elephant ride and temple climbing (pretty hazardous) are obvious winners but enthusiastic counting games (eg how many elephant reliefs can you find) and gory history facts will all help.

We went without kids and stayed at Grand Hotel d'Ankor

What a fantastic experience for those kids. That's a life long memory for sure!

Tas wrote:

Tack wrote:We went without kids and stayed at Grand Hotel d'Ankor

What a fantastic experience for those kids. That's a life long memory for sure!

Maybe, but I'm more inclined to follow Tack's approach.

Hotel de la Paix. Central boutique luxury.

Second the FCC for lunch, cocktails, nice wine before slumming it on Pub Street.

Go for a drink at the Strand (Raffles - the SR equivalent to Le Royale...)

Thanks JJ - I've been looking at the Hotel de la Paix website, top choice methinks.

Another great game: Who makes it through a mine field

Given flying is never straightforward (or cheap) from Manila, the best options seem ot be via Bangkok or HMC. Done BKK many times, not been to HMC so perhaps a stopover on the way back from Siem Reap is the way to go.

Recommendations for things to do / see on a short stay in HMC - 2 days max ? I loved Hanoi, guess this would be a very different experience!

Thanks in advance

daffodil wrote:Given flying is never straightforward (or cheap) from Manila, the best options seem ot be via Bangkok or HMC. Done BKK many times, not been to HMC so perhaps a stopover on the way back from Siem Reap is the way to go.

Recommendations for things to do / see on a short stay in HMC - 2 days max ? I loved Hanoi, guess this would be a very different experience!

There is this bloke on the board who constantly posts HDR pics from Saigon.. he should know. Daytrips into the Mekong Delta are also possible but with 2 days you probably better off to spend them in Saigon

I think he's too busy photographing it to experience it.

Loads of things to while away a weekend in the Ho. Just pick up a Luxe guide - its really accurate on recommendations... Stay at the Park Hyatt. Although the intercon has opened since i left and thats meant to be quite good but not as central. Dinner at Temple Club used to be fab (Brangelinas "place")... Refinery/Camargue also good, Vietnamese - for Pho and fast Viet food Pho24 and Wrap&Roll are good, Pho Pasteur is good for the original Pho, Ngoc opposite the Palace is best for Vietnamese mid market, Temple for Vietnamese upmarket . Bars: Amber Room, The new bar at the Hyatt on the Hai Ba Trung Side, Xu, Vascos, Spa: the one at the Park Hyatt used to be my oasis, along with L'Apothecaire villa in district 3, and Armani on Dong Du is good for facials.
Touristy things to do: if you are in to kitsch or just weird things the Reunification Palace is, erm, interesting. The best thing is to go to the War museum for their collection of photos. Mekong Delta trip is ok if you dont mind the heat, visiting lots of tourist "cottage industries" and a bus load of backpackers, but personally I would give it a miss.
Shopping - all over the place but dont miss Ms. Romyda Keth's stuff at Rouge (in Gaia on Thon Thap Thiet st)...

Thanks JJ, I've just picked up Luxe guide to SR / Laos so will add another to the collection.

Mekong Delta is off the list, particularly as on tight timeline, War Museum sounds like a good option.

About Rougue - is that the Mother / Sister branch of Rougue at Dempsey by any chance? I bought a fab LBD for New Year on my last stop in Singapore in Dec, could have spent up big time but suitcase (and wallet) restriction came into play