Siem Reap, a city you'll want to visit again.

🇹🇭🚞🇰🇭 We took the train from Bangkok to the Cambodian border, entered the country, and obtained visas on arrival. The visa on arrival costs 30 baht and doesn't require a photo. If they ask for your photo, they're most likely trying to scam you! Chinese travelers entering Cambodia from Thailand are called downstairs to process their visas. The visa officer usually asks some simple questions, such as why you're coming to Cambodia; just answer truthfully. 🛺 After clearing customs, the streets outside are quite chaotic, with many drivers soliciting passengers for Siem Reap. We were initially wary, but we needed to get to Siem Reap, so we still needed to find a car. We negotiated a price of 8 USD to Siem Reap. There were only three people in the car; perhaps because there weren't many tourists, the driver didn't wait for a full occupancy before setting off. And that's how we arrived in Siem Reap. What struck me was the significant impact of telecom scams on the local tourism industry; tourists are generally distrustful and wary of them. 💸 I recommend preparing US dollars, buying a SIM card, and purchasing Angkor Wat tickets online (3-day pass $72). 🏠 In Siem Reap, I stayed at Lub d Siem Reap Hostel, 32 RMB/day. The location was great, the beds were large and clean, and there was a motorcycle rental place across the street for $8/day. Most of the guests were white. 🛵 On the second day, I rented a motorcycle for three days across the street. A full tank of gas cost only $1, and then we started our Small Circuit and Middle Circuit tour of Angkor Wat! Since the rented motorcycles couldn't be used for the Grand Circuit, we had to skip it. I want to share two restoration projects that impressed me: ⚠️ 🇨🇳 The Chinese restoration of Ta Keo Temple was characterized by its scientific approach, minimal intervention, and respect for the original appearance. My first impression of Ta Keo Temple was that the architecture was very intact; you could tell the team put a lot of effort into the restoration, and there was large-scale structural reinforcement. However, the stairs were extremely steep; you had to use both hands and feet to climb them. 🇮🇳 India's restoration of Ta Prohm Temple preserved the unique landscape of trees and architecture coexisting. They didn't arbitrarily fill in missing parts, only restoring essential structures, so you'll see some areas still in a collapsed state. It's fair to say that each country has a different restoration philosophy, but they are all protecting their best cultural heritage in their own way. 🍽️ P2, P3 The supermarkets on the streets of Siem Reap are mostly filled with imported goods; you could say they're practically catering to white tourists. ☔️ May–October is the rainy season, but the rain usually stops quickly, and it cools down considerably afterward. It can be cold riding a motorcycle; wearing a raincoat will make it much more comfortable. PS: The locals are generally very friendly and honest. The tuk-tuk drivers outside the hotels don't actively solicit passengers; they mostly wait for passengers at fixed locations. Most tourists at Angkor Wat are white, and the overall security is very good; you don't need to worry too much about safety.