Siem Reap: Partying with the locals on New Years Eve

Throughout our trip, we usually haven’t had reservations more than a few days in advance, and often not even for that night. Instead, we’ve known our general outline of where we want to go, and just played it by ear how we were going to get there. One of the exceptions was Siem Reap. Because on this trip we’ve traveled to locations that were both fun and completely dead, we were both adamant about making sure we were in a “fun” town for New Years Eve. About a month ahead of time we did some research and found that Siem Reap was consistently named one of the best spots for backpacker NYE; once again, the Internet was right. We rejiggered our schedule a bit, made sure we would be there on December 31st, and had an absolute blast drinking and getting wet as the clock struck midnight.

On a tuk tuk through the Siem Reap countryside

New Years Eve in Siem Reap

One of the best and most unique aspects of the party was how involved the local Cambodians were. On our trip we’ve celebrated with just locals, and we’ve had amazing nights with other backpackers, but often the two are mutually exclusive. But Siem Reap is a big tourist destination for Cambodians as well, known for being a good NYE spot, and as a result there were nearly equal mixes Cambodians and foreign backpackers on the streets.

Getting There

But first, we had to get there. While we were sold a single ticket from the Four Thousand Islands to Siem Reap, the trip was anything but simple. First we had the (now normal) transfer of boats, to vans, to big buses as we made our way out of the islands. The Cambodian border was straightforward (and once again our passports and visas were stamped without even looking at us, still a strange practice for me) but we fell victim to a few small scams.

The Cambodia / Laos border.

It was quickly evident who on our bus had been through the crossing before – first, they didn’t let the bus company take their passports to get them stamped en masse. The bus company claimed they did it quicker for less cost – wrong on both counts. Second, they walked right by the Cambodian “health inspector” at the border. The inspector had a digital thermometer, and for US$1 would take each person’s temperature and issue them a certificate saying they were healthy. He claimed it was necessary to enter the country, and that the health entry certificate was needed to use doctors within the country. Wrong on both counts. By simply walking past the inspector the savvy travelers saved themselves the money and didn’t suffer any consequences. We did end up seeing a doctor in Cambodia, and she never asked for the certificate.

Jami and her health certificate

Once past the border, we were in for a full day of bus-riding. The roads in Cambodia leave a lot to be desired, and nearly all of them lead to Phnom Penh. This meant that instead of being able to drive straight to Siem Reap we had to go about 4-5 hours out of our way towards Phnom Penh before we could start heading towards Siem Reap. But we made it, late at night, and after some heavy negotiations and pressure found a tuk-tuk that took us to several cheap hotels before we found one that was open (we arrived one day before our reservation was supposed to start, so once again we were in a town at night with no place to sleep).

The Town

Siem Reap is the second largest city in Cambodia, but much of the activity is located within a small central old town, and so it feels smaller and more walkable than one might assume. In the “Old Market” area are a number of markets selling everything from tourist trinkets, to food, to local goods. With stall after stall of goods, its a shoppers dream. There are also numerous alleyways of slightly more pricey restaurants, most specializing in Cambodian barbecue.

Alleyways in Old Market

The town was also decked out with lights, creating a beautiful effect when walking through at night.

The lights of Siem Reap (it looks better than it comes out in the picture!)

Jami and I in front of a lit bridge

Around Town

The big draw of Siem Reap is, of course, the temples of Angkor. However there are a number of other sights around the town. We had time to see two of them. The first was the Cambodian Landmine Museum, a small museum set up by Aki Ra, a former Khmer Rouge solider. Cambodia has long suffered the results of decades of civil war, and one of the most persistent dangers is the landmine.

Cambodian Landmine Musem, with a large supply of disarmed landmines.

Planted by nearly all sides of various battles in order to stop opposing troop movements, a huge number of landmines remain hidden in Cambodian soil. Every year Cambodians, mainly children and poor farmers, lose their lives as a result of these mines. Aki Ra was a former child solider who became disillusioned with the Khmer Rouge and began using his expertise in *laying* mines to start finding and disarming them. Ra kept these disarmed mines in his house, and soon tourists started arriving, having heard stories of the crazy Cambodian guy with stacks of landmines in his house. The crowds forced Ra to move the museum into its own building, and it’s now its own organization, raising money to clear villages of landmines and to support victims of landmines and their families.

The second was the Banteay Srey Butterfly Center, a small but wonderful butterfly nursery where butterflies are raised and bred. We got to see a number of different types of butterflies, as well as their larva breeding closet. Very cool, and a needed break after hearing about the horrors of the Khmer Rouge at the Landmine Museum.

Butterfly Center

Jami and her friend.

A pretty one.

A new friend

The pupa box

Lots of soon-to-be butterflies

Another pretty one.

New Years Eve

The most famous street in town is “Pub Street” – a short stretch in the center of Old Market filled with bar after bar. The street is normally fun and filled with backpackers, drinking SE Asia’s standard of cheap beer and buckets.

Pub Street

On New Year’s Eve it was packed. Wall-to-wall people, bars blasting music and moving their alcohol out into the street, and crowds of locals and travelers all mingling in the middle.

New Years crowds

There were locals partying with tourists, which created a fun atmosphere.  A local TV station even interviewed us to ask our opinion of Siem Reap on NYE.  There was a lot lost in the translation.

Being interviewed.

Aside from lots of crowds and dancing, the biggest theme of the night was water. We knew that the “Asian New Years” (Songkran) in summer was traditionally celebrated with water fights, but we weren’t expecting it that night. The street was tightly packed with people dancing, and as they jumped up and down they would swing bottled water all over the crowd. Once we got over the surprise of being showered with water, it was amazing, and we happily joined in. With our two British friends we partied all night, counted down the new year with the rest of the crowd, and danced until they closed the street.

Lots of water being thrown around.

Happy New Years!