Wonderful Guide for Siem Reap/Temples

I would like to recommend Pheng (pronounced %26#39;Peng%26#39;) as a guide for the Siem Reap area + Temples. We were recommended him through John Teng, another popular guide for the area. We travelled in a comfortable airconditioned van with a driver he had organised for two full days. Pheng speaks very good English and his knowledge of the area and temple history was just amazing. He was also very flexible, creating an itinerary to suit our interests (we liked to have an early start, return to the hotel for lunch and a swim then continue again from arvo to evening!). He knew which times of the day for temples would be less crowded and took us to areas less visited. Pheng also allowed us to experience other aspects of Cambodian life by stopping at interesting rural sites. I would highly recommend Pheng as a guide.

His email address is chbunpheng@yahoo.com should you wish to contact him.

Wonderful Guide for Siem Reap/Temples

Thanks for the tip. Am off there 30 Jan and will look him up.

Wonderful Guide for Siem Reap/Temples

Do you mind me asking what he charged for the day?

Can You tell how much he charges, thank you.

All licensed guides charge $25 for an 8 hour day, if you want dawn guiding services, late night, remote temples or long days, then it%26#39;s $30. The rate is for the GUIDE, a driver (guides are not allowed, by law, to drive) is $25 for a Toyota Camry w/ A/C, free bottled, cold water %26amp; moist towels (which are divine after a temple tour). Drivers are NOT allowed, by law, to enter temples.

There are APSARA Authority guards 24/7 and they check for ID.

All good guides are usually booked weeks in advance, if not months. So, for the person who wants to hire Pheng Jan. 30th, I%26#39;d email him now.

We had Leng Tek (who is a friend of John Teng, whom I met while we were touring Banteay Srei) who is licensed to guide (in English) in both Siem Reap %26amp; PP for a total of 6 days visiting temples, remote temples, the countryside, the Preak Toal Bird Sanctuary (which is only viewable in the dry season), schools, orphanages, all in a van with A/C, which is more $ than a Camry... but I wanted a van.

Tek can be contact at: LengTek@yahoo.com

I agree with Gecko20, a good guide gives you a more thorough tour, with less hassle, faster, more in-depth with fewer crowds.

We also did the early AM, swim/lunch during the heat of the day for 3 hours, then return to touring at 3 PM. Tek took care of everything, including hiring a private boat to take us across Tonle Sap Lake to see the bird sanctuary %26amp; taking us to the hot air balloon (tethered) over Angkor Wat, which at sunset is worth the $15pp.

Tek speaks great English %26amp; has a hilarious, warm engaging personality.

This looks good, my wife %26amp; I are visiting Sikanoukville January 20- February 5 and somewhere in between we%26#39;d love to visit Angkor Wat %26amp; Siem Reap. Have we left it too late to arrange a guide? especially as it would be nice to go with one that is highly recommended, and do they do pick-ups, or do we start this guided tour when were already in Siem Reap?

thanks for helpful info! sounds like a wonderful experience. are there any suggestions for accomodations? we would like to go jan14-17 or so. should accomodations be booked ahead of time? we are not picky about what type of accomodations we get as long as they are clean and safe.

thanks!

I think we paid US$55 each which was for 2 full days including a 5am sunrise pickup for one of the days, Pheng our guide, airconditioned van (four of us so van was better) and driver.

I%26#39;m not sure how far in advance you need to book with a guide, we requested a few weeks in advance i think from memory? It wasnt too far ahead.

We stayed at the Tara Angkor, it was moderately pricey ($US100 a double room perhaps?) but it was really lovely - really new, great pool area etc. It was slightly out of town ($US3 tuk tuk ride into for 4 of us so it wasnt an issue) but closer to the temples. I%26#39;d stay there again.

And a lot of the guides/drivers can do airport pickups etc, just ask when you are contacting them by email to see if they are free at that time. Everyone we spoke to seemed really flexible. I%26#39;m not sure if accommodation needs to be booked ahead or not.