Wat Bo

Overview

Wat Bo takes its name from the ancient Wat Bo temple — one of Siem Reap's oldest pagodas, founded in the early 19th century. The neighborhood spreads east from the Siem Reap River along Wat Bo Road and its branching lanes, covering a roughly 1 km² residential grid of low-rise houses, mature trees, and flowering gardens.

Unlike the Old Market Area and Sivatha Boulevard, Wat Bo has never been "developed" in the conventional tourist sense. Instead, individual homeowners have converted colonial-era houses into characterful guesthouses and small hotels, creating one of the most charming boutique hotel districts in Southeast Asia. Streets 26, 27, and Wat Bo Road itself are the main thoroughfares.

In the mornings, the neighborhood has a genuinely Cambodian tempo: monks walking single-file with alms bowls past locals sweeping courtyards, children cycling to school, and small coffee carts doing brisk business. By late morning it transforms into a quiet haven for travelers reading on hotel verandas or cycling toward the temples.

Where to Stay

Wat Bo is Siem Reap's boutique hotel capital. Most properties occupy renovated colonial or traditional Khmer homes:

• Viroth's Hotel (Wat Bo Road): One of Siem Reap's most lauded boutique properties; immaculate design, pool, extraordinary breakfast; from $85/night
• Victoria Angkor Resort (Street 26): Colonial-era grand hotel with pool and spa; from $120/night
• Babel Guesthouse (Street 24): Excellent mid-range choice with a garden pool; from $35/night including breakfast
• Golden Temple Retreat (Wat Bo Road): Khmer-style bungalows with pool in a tropical garden; from $55/night
• Mandalay Inn (Street 26): Budget-boutique with helpful staff and bicycle lending; from $20/night

Where to Eat

• Cuisine Wat Damnak (Street 26): Siem Reap's best fine-dining restaurant — modern Khmer tasting menus from $32 using seasonal local produce; book well in advance
• Miss Wong (The Lane/Street 9 — walking distance): 1920s Shanghai-style cocktail bar and Cantonese kitchen; creative cocktails $5–7, dim sum $4–8
• Marum (Street 27): Social enterprise restaurant training disadvantaged youth; beautifully presented Khmer and Asian dishes $6–12; tree-house-style dining in a garden
• Local rice stalls (Wat Bo Road): Plastic-chair Khmer rice shops serving generous rice plates with three toppings for $1.50–2.50; the best budget lunch in the neighborhood
• Trattoria Da Giovanni (Street 24): Italian-run wood-fired pizza and pasta; mains $7–11; popular with expats on weekends

What to Do

• Wat Bo Temple: Explore the 19th-century pagoda with its distinctive murals depicting the Reamker (Cambodian Ramayana); free entry, open dawn to dusk
• Morning riverside walk: The Siem Reap River running along the western edge of Wat Bo offers peaceful morning walks; monks crossing the footbridges at dawn are a memorable sight
• Bicycle to Angkor: Wat Bo is the most convenient area for cycling the Angkor circuit — wide roads lead north with minimal traffic after 8 AM
• Siem Reap Art Center Night Market: 15 minutes walk toward Old Market; excellent curated Cambodian art, fashion, and food; open evenings Thursday–Sunday
• Cooking class: Several Wat Bo hotels offer or partner with cooking schools for morning market-to-table Khmer cooking sessions ($25–35)

Getting Around

• Walking: Old Market Area is 15–20 minutes on foot via the river footbridges
• Bicycle: The flat, quiet streets of Wat Bo are ideal for cycling; hotel rental $2–3/day
• Tuk-tuk: Abundant — negotiate $1.50–2 for local town trips; $4–5 to Angkor Wat
• Grab: Works well in Wat Bo; rides within town $1.50–2.50

Budget Guide

• Budget traveler: $25–40/day (guesthouse $18–25, local meals $2–4, bicycle rental)
• Mid-range: $60–100/day (boutique hotel $35–60, mix of local and restaurant dining)
• Comfortable: $110–200/day (premium boutique $80–120, fine dining, private driver)