Siem Reap airport tips

A quick Siem Reap airport guide to find all you need to know about the second busiest of all the airports in Cambodia! to know for your trip to Angkor Wat, Siem Reap.

I chose to fly on my trip to Cambodia. To arrive then at the airport in Siem Reap Cambodia! More so, I decided to use Siem Reap Airport, which is near my destination, Angkor Wat. It is the nearest airport, but if you plan a trip to Angkor Wat from Siem Reap Airport, there are a lot of details you need to know. It is the best way to use these Siem Reap airport tips.

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Siem Reap international airport

I’ve been investigating fantastic information about this airport, and you’ll get to know everything about Siem Reap airport in this blog.

Siem Reap International Airport is nearby Angkor Wat and serves Siem Reap, a popular tourist destination. After Phnom Penh International Airport, it is the second busiest airport in Cambodia.

Siem Reap Airport is one of the busiest hubs in Cambodia for domestic and international flights, recording more than one million annual visitors to the region.

The full name is Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, following Angkor’s famous ancient temple town, which is Siem Reap’s star attraction. In 2006, the new, modern terminal continued to grow to accommodate the growing number of arrivals every year.

A number of international carriers are receiving the airport, including Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Air Macau, Singapore Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Jetstar Asia, Lao Airlines, PMTair, Royal Khmer Airlines, Bangkok Airways, and Vietnam Airlines.

The airport is above mean sea level at an altitude of 60 feet (18 m). It has a 05/23 runway with a concrete surface measuring 2,550 by 45 meters (8,366 ft/148 ft).

The new terminal situated at the airport was inaugurated on August 28, 2006. The government of Cambodia is planning to replace the airport with a new one, 60 km from Siem Reap. As of 2008, there are extensions to the apron and parking areas of the airport.

Siem Reap airport facilities

There are international brands as well as some local brands such as the FCC Bar at Siem Reap Airport dining outlets. At the Free Internet Corners, the departure lounge also has free Wi-Fi, as well as telephone services via ONLINE and BBG. If you want to send off a last-minute postcard, there is also a post office.

The 300m2 Le Salon lounge is available for a small fee for passengers traveling on all airlines in any passenger class. All-day food and beverage facilities, Wi-Fi and built-in desktop computers, music, comfortable seating, and global newspapers, magazines, and TV are included in the lounge. Le Salon Lounge is situated on the departure hall’s first floor.

The international departure hall provides smoking rooms and prayer rooms for use.

Siem Reap airport code

Siem Reap International Airport codes

IATA: REP

ICAO: VDSR)

This airport is serving Siem Reap popular tourist destination, all Angkor Wat visitors, being the second most energetic airport in Cambodia behind Phnom Penh International Airport.

For more info on the airport check here.

Siem Reap airport check-in

Siem Reap airport food

No food and drink concessions are available 24 hours a day at this airport. Most airport-wide food concessions operate from 6:30 AM until the last flight. The FCC Bar offers local beers, wines, and other alcoholic beverages in the International Departure Hall lounge.

Asian Spice, a restaurant serving local dishes, coffees, and shakes of fruit, is situated in the foreign arrival area at the public competition.

Deli Paris sells cookies, pastries, and soft drinks from the West and France. It is located in the check-in area for international departure.

Blue Pumpkin offers snacks, pastries, and soft drinks from Western and French. It is situated in the hall of the international departure.

The Queen Dairy sells ice cream, waffles, burgers, hot dogs, and so on. It is located in the hall of the international departure.

Burger King is a well-known fast-food chain in the world.

Beauty Spa Foot Massage in the international departure hall provides relaxation and all sorts of massages.

Le salon CIP Lounge, situated in the international departure hall, is a restaurant and relaxing area with total privacy.

Outside the check-in, you will find the last ATM machines before you process your check-in and pass to the duty-free area.

Shopping at Siem Reap Airport

Siem Reap Airport has an impressive range of duty-free shops selling cosmetics, perfumes, chocolates, tobacco, and alcohol. Artisan’s d’Angkor also has an outlet where you can find interesting works of art and souvenirs. A variety of fashion-forward beachwear, lingerie, and a number of useful travel pieces such as shoes, purses, and neck pillows are available in several shops.

The duty-free shop is situated in the international lobby, departure, and arrival zone.
Bamboo Indochine is a boutique of clothing and accessories situated in the departure lobby.
In the international departure area, there are Soma Garden, a garden, a souvenir shop, and a decoration store.
Monument Books is located in the international departure lobby, selling books and toys.
Artisans d’Angkor is a boutique of arts and crafts situated in the departure hall internationally.

Siem Reap airport arrivals

If you touch down at Siem Reap Airport, you’ll have to walk out from the aircraft to the terminal building a short distance of at most 200 meters.

Once inside, at the desk inside, you may apply for a Visa on Arrival. For a business visa, a tourist visa costs US$ 30 or US$ 35. The visa application form must be completed and sent together with your passport, one photo, and the fee.

Up to eight separate people will receive your application and passport, so don’t panic if you see this happening. Within around 10-15 minutes, your visa should be issued.

The helpful officers behind the desk will support you by photocopying your passport if you forget the photo, but this slows down the process, and we strongly recommend that you get fully prepared.

Even nearby there are are two ATMs if you forgot the bring with you the fee amount.

Instead of applying for your visa in advance at your nearest Cambodian embassy, you can bypass all of this and get to save yourself the long queue and wait.

Once you have your visa, go to the immigration officer who will send the arrivals stamp to your passport. The baggage claim is only up to the next room, and the customs zone is closely followed. Pass him the declaration form you filled in on the plane if there is a customs officer present.

If not, slip it into the given bin and proceed to the hall of arrivals.

A currency exchange booth is located in the arrival hall at Siem Reap Airport, which deals in most major currencies.

Anyway, there is really plenty of bank branches and ATM all around the city at easy reach.

Moving your money to US dollars is preferable, which is widely accepted in Cambodia and is much easier to switch back to your currency when you get home. (ATM will always give you US dollars at your choice)

If you need something to eat before moving to Siem Reap, there’s also a bakery here, right outside the gate.

Now! Before we move to the next topic I would love you to remember some important points

Siem Reap airport tips

If you are arriving at Siem Reap for the first time and from International transfers, you are paying the Visa here.
Everybody would also suppose you are coming here to enjoy visiting Angor Wat temples and all the other famous temples. This being said I want you to remember that you will be also paying the entrance fee to Angkor Wat, so plan your days very well and accordingly and if you will not have many days, I suggest you go for the 3 days entrance fee, as this will allow visiting with a goo peace all the major temple but also the less visited and most beautiful temples.
As you have arrived, if you had booked already a hotel, remember that most of the hotels and resorts offer free airport pick up, so do not forget to contact the hotel before you fly so you can give them the details of your arrival time.

Outside the arrivals gate, once you walk out on the right side, you will also find a few stalls selling Mobile cards with really good internet plans that can be really useful during your stay.

Siem-Reap-airport-Phone-cards-stalls-outside-the-arrivals-area.

Some examples here of the most common mobile internet plans

From Siem Reap airport to Angkor wat

Getting from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat by TUK TUK

If you’re staying in downtown Siem Reap, you’re going to do a lot of walking around town on foot, while tuk-tuks are great in the hottest part of the day and heading out for dinner at night.

A quick tuk-tuk ride around the old town and shopping center along Sivutha Boulevard costs US$ 1-1.50. Double that if you’re staying in a hotel on the edge of town, Breezy tuk-tuks are also the perfect way to explore Angkor Archeological Park, Angkor Wat’s birthplace.

Not only are tuk-tuks cooler than riding a bike, but they are also great for shooting, without the glass windows of an air-conditioned vehicle, bringing you close to the action, be it temples, monkeys or elephants.

Many people go on a tour on their first day (see our guide to the best tours in Siem Reap) and then explore by tuk-tuk independently. Expect to pay anything for a regular8-hour day from a minimum of $10; $12-15 for a long day if you start early for sunrise and go to sunset; and up to $20 for a long day.

Hotel staff can book tuk-tuks for you, but most are going to give you higher rates than these as some are going to take a commission. Once you find one you like using our suggested prices, we recommend that you negotiate with the tuk-tuk driver yourself.

Getting from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat by Motorcycle Taxi

If you’re a solo traveler or budget traveler, you can use a motorcycle taxi or’ mood up’ and driver and ride pillion to get around Siem Reap temples.

It is the most affordable way to see the temples, and it will cost you no more than US$ 8 for a day, much less if you’re going for sunrise or half a day, and a total of US$ 10 for a long day, which would cost a tuk-tuk of US$ 20. You’re going to see around Siem Reap on street corners.

Getting from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat by Air conditioner van or car

You can also rent an air-conditioned car or bus if you’re traveling with a few friends, older family members, or small kids. Tariffs will start at US$ 30 a day for an old Camry with no facilities and go up to US$ 100-150 a day for something much more luxurious, with the driver offering icy cold towels and iced water each time you step back in the car.

The air-conditioned cars and vans collecting passengers from Siem Reap International Airport also do temple tours, and their regular prices are listed on a sheet behind the driver’s seat, or if you don’t see one, you can ask for a price list.

If you’re talking about this and you like your airport driver and his car, I strongly recommend that you pick his business card and hire him on temple tours. Otherwise, you’ll never know who you’ll get.

From Siem Reap airport to the city Hotels

You will be overwhelmed by tuk-tuk drivers and taxis wrestling for your attention when you enter the arrival hall. If you have arranged one, look for your hotel pick-up, or pick a friendly driver to take you on a short trip to the city.

The city is less than 15 minutes from the airport, and all the hotels in the area are paying a flat rate of US$ 7. There are no buses or other options available for public transport.

From Siem Reap airport to the city Hotels by taxi

Just outside the airport, there is a taxi stand. At the airport taxi service counter, you can book a taxi for $10. It only takes around 20 minutes to get to the center.

If you are traveling in a group of more than four people, we advise you to book a bus. It will cost $15, and up to six passengers will be seated.

Another choice is to use your phone to check PassApp or Grab to order a taxi. There is PassApp’s route from the airport to Siem Reap city; the fare was just $6. Bear in mind, however, that if you use these taxi apps, tariffs will vary throughout the day.

From Siem Reap airport to the city Hotels by tuk-tuk

The tuk-tuks can be found at the airport near the taxi stand. These airport tuk-tuks charge the city center with a fixed fare of $9.

A cheaper option is also available at the airport parking exit. Negotiate a good deal and expect the center to pay $4-$6.

Many hotels offer free pick-up services, so don’t forget to check if your hotel also provides this. Other hotels offer roughly $7 pick-up services. Even still, online, you can book a tuk-tuk and pay only $5 for the whole ride.

From Siem Reap airport to the city Hotels by motorbike taxi

To solo backpackers who like the excitement of a motorcycle rider, a motorcycle taxi is a good option. We suggest taking a taxi or tuk-tuk instead if you are traveling in a group or carrying a lot of luggage.

Near the taxi stand, you can find the motorbikes and book them for $9 at the airport taxi service. The motorcycles parked at the airport parking exit are a cheaper option. They sell tickets to the city center as cheap as $2. Just make sure you agree in advance on the fare.

While most rides go without accidents, we would like to remind you that the safest option is not to jump on the back of a motorcycle. Also, don’t carry your backpack on your back, as bag snatching has occurred in some cases.