Why is Siem Reap So Popular?
Siem Reap ranked 14th on TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best list for 2025, placing it fourth in Asia. In 2025, Skyscanner recorded a 529 percent increase in travel searches for Siem Reap from Australian travelers, making it their top trending destination globally. In the first quarter of 2025, the city welcomed over 806,000 visitors, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers by more than two percent. The question is not whether Siem Reap is popular. The question is why.
Angkor Wat
The obvious starting point is Angkor. The largest religious monument ever built, a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering 400 square kilometres, containing over 70 temple sites representing one of the greatest architectural achievements in human history. No other destination in Southeast Asia has anything comparable. Angkor Wat alone would be sufficient reason to make Siem Reap one of the most visited cities in the world. The fact that it is surrounded by a city with so much else to offer makes it exceptional.
Value
Siem Reap offers extraordinary value by any international standard. A full day at the temples costs $37. A skilled massage costs $7. A genuine Khmer breakfast costs $1.50. A private villa with a pool costs less per night than a mid-range hotel room in Bangkok or Bali. Visitors consistently report getting more for their money here than anywhere else in Southeast Asia, which drives longer stays and repeat visits.
Accessibility
The opening of the new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport in late 2023 changed the practical equation for many visitors. Direct routes now operate from Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, and a growing number of international destinations. Round-trip flights from Bangkok start at around $95. From Singapore, under $150. What was once a destination that required planning is now one that requires very little. That shift in accessibility has opened Siem Reap to a much wider range of visitors than at any previous point in its history.
The People
Every guide to Cambodia mentions the warmth of the Cambodian people. The reason it keeps being mentioned is that it keeps being true. Visitors who arrive expecting a transactional tourist experience consistently describe something different: genuine curiosity, generosity, openness. For a country that survived one of the most devastating genocides of the 20th century less than fifty years ago, the warmth of its people toward strangers is remarkable. It is the most commonly cited reason visitors say they want to return.
Beyond the Temples
Siem Reap has grown significantly as a destination in its own right. Visitors who arrive for three days to see Angkor frequently extend their stay, not because they run out of temples but because the city keeps offering things they did not know to expect. A cooking class that teaches you how Cambodian food actually works. A cycling tour through rice paddies that shows you the countryside fifteen minutes from Pub Street. An evening at Phare, the Cambodian Circus, that would hold its own in any city in the world. A slow boat across the Tonle Sap to Battambang that takes all day and is worth every hour. The region consistently delivers more than people plan for.
Cultural Depth
Siem Reap was named ASEAN City of Culture for 2021 to 2022. It has a performing arts scene anchored by Phare, the Cambodian Circus, described as world-class by audiences who have seen it everywhere. The revival of traditional Khmer crafts through organisations like Artisans Angkor, the contemporary art scene, the Buddhist ceremony experiences, the cooking schools, and the cultural tours all contribute to an experience that goes considerably deeper than temple sightseeing.
The Timing
Perhaps the simplest answer is that Siem Reap has become popular now because it has never been easier or more rewarding to visit. Better flights, improved infrastructure, a city that has invested heavily in the visitor experience without losing its character, and a growing global appetite for travel that feels meaningful rather than merely comfortable. Siem Reap delivers all of that and charges less for it than almost anywhere else.
