My first visit to Thailand was back in 1991 when the country was nicknamed, ‘The Land of Smiles’.
The calming demeanor of the smiling Thais was something I had never seen before and it left a lasting impression.
Flash forward to 2025, Thailand has completely modernized toward western standards which inevitably means increased prices. Tourist arrivals have surged, and consequently, the Thais have clearly been jaded and vaguely annoyed by this mass tourism. Although Thailand is still one of my favorite countries in the world, the ‘Land of Smiles’ title should now belong squarely in the hands of Cambodia.
The kindness of the Cambodians is so genuine. The locals are incredibly kind and genuinely happy to see tourists. We have been thanked on numerous occasions by many of the service workers, restaurant employees and locals for coming to their country. They sincerely appreciate tourists visiting and they display their appreciation by looking directly in our eyes, with the broadest smiles.
We spent one month in Siem Reap as our chosen playground. Home to one of the most amazing natural wonders of the world, ANGKOR WAT, the architectural equivalent of a mic drop.
This is our second visit to Siem Reap. On our last visit we only stayed for five days and that was 10 years ago during the first year of our Round the World journey. We really enjoyed the serene lifestyle back in 2015, and keeping up with our new philosophy of ‘slow travel’ (aka “we’re too damn old to move quickly”), we elected to hunker down for one full month. We strategically broke up our month stay. We spent our first week in a beautiful Airbnb pool villa in the town center and were able to conveniently enjoy all the restaurants, cafes and markets. As well as the energy pumping nightlife on Pub Street.
The remaining three weeks we stayed just outside of town at a wellness center focusing on healthy living. The resort was equipped with an expansive gym, Japanese bath house, yoga/pilates studio and a large variety of spa treatments. The resort also offered a wide range of wellness activities including a really unique meditation/relaxation experience known as ‘Crystal Bowl Sound Healing’……something we had never experienced before and thoroughly enjoyed. However, I am not sure the other participants in the sound healing program appreciated Big Doug’s snoring. The session is so damn relaxing it was virtually impossible for my big old ass to stay awake. Hey, it is a meditation session after all, so I owe nobody an explanation.
Cambodia is the ultimate value destination and one of the only true value destinations left standing after inflation has hit just about every country in the world. Everything is cheap! Massages, food and transportation – you can live like royalty without spending a fortune. Transport to get around this compact town is also ridiculously cheap. A Tuk Tuk or Romorque ride will take you to just about any destination for about $1 USD. The Angkor Grace Wellness Resort, where we hunkered down was a fraction of the cost of a similar wellness retreat elsewhere in the world.
Siem Reap is home to a billion massage parlors where getting a massage is cheaper than your morning coffee. It’s so inexpensive that that if you ever dreamed about having a 4 hand massage (that entails two masseuses simultaneously rubbing on your knots), Siem Reap is your place to live out this fantasy. You can splash out on this dreamy 4 hand massage for about $30. I bet if I had inquired about a 6 hand massage that did not appear on the spa menu, these adaptable Cambodians would easily deliver on this request as they are always out to please.
The least expensive street side massage parlors, offer 60 minute Khmer massages as low as $8 per hour. The mid range massage parlors are priced from $15-$20 per hour. These midrange massage joints met our discriminating comfort standards just fine. (i.e Lemongrass Garden Spa)
However, if you are in search of a more luxurious setting, being pampered like a king or queen, you can also opt for one of the many higher end spas. (i.e. Khmer Tonics Spa, Sokkhak Spa, Mahalaya Spa, Bodia Spa and many resort hotel spas)
Siem Reap town is calm and peaceful and a great place to kick back and relax. This super laid back lifestyle reminded me so much of the way Thailand was back in the 1990’s. Either the locals are just naturally relaxed or maybe they are just really good at meditation? I was convinced that everyone had eaten a bowl of quaaludes for breakfast.
The absolute scorching heat during the ‘hot season’ (March thru May) definitely contributes to this relaxed feeling. Think sauna with a side of brain melt. Perfect for those who dream of being a human baked potato. My pro tip…..if visiting during the hot season, bring your own pool or make sure you have access to a pool to cool off your brain.
The town is unbelievably quiet….a very zen like feeling immediately hits you upon arrival to Siem Reap. The mode of transport is mostly scooters, tuk tuks and really cool throwback ‘remorques’ which look like motorcycle chariots. Amazingly, there is no traffic despite all these modes of transport zipping around a town with no traffic lights nor painted lanes on the roads. The flow all miraculously works perfectly……just pure, unadulterated chaotic harmony.
And the woman! I took note of the natural look of all the women in Cambodia. Their natural beauty was so refreshing to see. No plastic surgery, no fake eyelashes, no face lifts. Actual faces! It was like stepping into a time capsule.
Siem Reap is a fantastic place to visit if you want a relaxing and affordable vacation. The people are friendly, the prices are low, and the atmosphere is peaceful. Barbie and I really enjoyed our month in Siem Reap and the town has left a lasting impression. We left with smiles, a deep appreciation for the art of the $10 massage and with few extra knots in our back untangled.
It is now onto our next Southeast Asian destination…….Vietnam.
Big Doug & Barbie Drop Out of Society 