The north-west

Siem Reap

Siem Reap is a provincial town next to the Angkor archaeological parks. People who live there year-round are not on a short visit, and the daily pattern is different from Phnom Penh.

The visitor economy around the parks shapes shops, restaurants, and many jobs in the town. It also means that some services are seasonal, and that traffic near the park entrances is heavier on busy visiting days. If you are moving for a job that is not in tourism, still expect that much of the town's infrastructure is built around those visitors.

Housing is often a house or a low-rise apartment rather than a central high-rise. Distances look short on a map and can be slow in the rain, or at the hours when tour traffic is moving. The living notes cover those daily questions, including food and the lake to the south of the town.

School choice is narrower than in the capital. Start with the country listing of international schools and then read whatever admissions page the school you are considering actually publishes. Do not assume a Phnom Penh school has a Siem Reap campus unless that campus is named on the school's own site.