We started the day like any good explorer family bright and early on an 8:30 AM city walking tour through the backstreets and heritage spots near the legendary Angkor Wat.
Our guide was a proper character full of passion, stories, and a brilliant ability to make the ancient feel alive.
He took us through the rise of Siem Reap, how it grew in the shadow of one of the world’s greatest temple complexes, and showed us places we’d have completely missed on our own.
It was cultural gold m temples, shrines, French facades, local life, and Georgia playing “spot the Buddha statue” all morning, we always enjoy a city tour because you find out things that you would always miss, but we don’t always get to do one!
After the tour, we set out to grab a few basics. What we got was a full-on teleportation back to the UK.
This wasn’t a store like Iceland or Co-op.
This was a shop selling actual Co-op and Iceland food.
We walked in expecting dusty snacks and came out genuinely questioning what country we were in.
It had everything:
From fruit to Warburtons bread, coop Belgian buns made, Cadbury drinking chocolate, gravy granules, proper British beans, sauces, biscuits Iceland frozen ready meals, spring rolls, pizzas, party food, desserts, ice creams all branded with UK pricing
We’re talking thousands of UK products, every aisle a different kind of culture shock. Even the cleaning aisle smelled like home.
It was surreal. It felt like we’d stepped into a mega Co-op on a sleepy Tuesday night back in Broadstairs.
Except… we were in Cambodia. And those UK price tags? Still on the boxes. But now marked up in USD, making that £2 box of fish fingers suddenly a luxury item (6 USD)
Still. It was worth it.
We hadn’t had real gravy or proper hot chocolate in six months. I nearly hugged the till staff in anticipation.
Afternoon: Pool Time & Wind Down
We headed back to our accommodation for a much needed splash session.
The girls were shattered and silly, switching between pool races, floaty games and making up songs about the supermarket.
Dotty did her usual drifting about and Georgia hosted the “Cambodia Pool Olympics.”
It was the perfect slow down after the madness of the morning.
Evening: Phare Circus – Not Your Average Big Top
Later that night, Georgia and I had tickets to the Phare Circus and this isn’t your usual circus, folks.
There are no lions, no popcorn, no cheesy ringmasters shouting into bad microphones.
Instead, it’s a mind blowing blend of Acrobatics Juggling Tightrope and rope tricks Interpretive dance Physical theatre
It’s emotional, hilarious, and utterly unique with a live band and a real storyline threaded through it all.
Georgia was mesmerised. She was wide eyed and gasping more than once, especially during the juggling duels and slapstick scenes.
What makes it even more special is that Phare supports disadvantaged Cambodian youth training them in the performing arts and giving them a platform to shine. And shine they do.
Quick Travel Tips
🕗 City Walking Tour: The earlier the better. 8:30 was perfect to avoid the heat.
🛍️ UK Supermarket: Ask around for the spot that sells only Co op and Iceland stock. It’s not a tourist trap it’s the real deal, your homesick taste buds will thank you.
🏊 Pool Breaks: Siem Reap gets hot and humid fast. A pool = sanity.
🎪 Phare Circus: Book ahead. You’ll laugh, cry, and cheer. It’s not a circus, it’s an experience. Section B for the best seats.!
Final Thought
This is why we travel not just for the big monuments and famous sights, but for the weird, wonderful, and wildly unexpected.
Today we saw temples.
We ate British buns in Cambodia.
And we watched a Cambodian teenager tightrope walk like it was nothing.
Not bad for a random week day!.
