Are you a digital nomad headed to Siem Reap? Are you worried about internet connectivity while you stop by to see the famous Angkor ruins?
I spent over a month working remotely from Cambodia. Despite what much of the internet says, the power outages and horror stories must be outdated. You will be relieved to discover that Siem Reap is well-connected city to work from. There is plenty of strong WIFI to be found in Cambodia, and countless cafes where you can find it.
What Are the Options?
As a digital nomad, you have two choices: coworking spaces or coffee shops.
If you have minimum speed requirements or if you teach online, I'd suggest heading straight for a coworking space in Siem Reap. I wrote a post about my experience at the coworking spaces here.
If you just need some decent wifi to get you through a work day, then read on.
What Makes a Cafe Work Space "the Best"?
Coffee is not a factor here. This is specifically about which cafes are good for work.
So how do you rate it?
Well, if you are crazy like me, you make your own personal algorithm. I assigned a score of 0-3 to every little thing about a cafe that I prefer. Then I put it on a spreadsheet and tallied the results.
Here are my picks.
1. Pages Cafe & Rooms (Score 2.5/3.0)
location SE side of town, off Wat Bo Road across from Viroth's hotel
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| Pages Cafe has bikes for rent if you're interested |
Pages was my favorite spot by far. They had everything I love about Siem Reap and nothing I didn't.
They are located in my favorite part of town--away from the backpacker areas and away from Pub Street. The prices aren't aimed at gouging foreigners (full breakfast spread including coffee and juice for $5) and the smoothies were good typing fuel.
The staff was extremely nice. I had a chat one evening with a server named Socheat who said good things about the owners--a group of Khmer architects who designed an upscale hotel on the same block.
For work, it was perfect. I sat in the corner for hours typing and chattering away on Skype and the staff would check on me periodically. The building is open to the air but stayed cool even on hot days.
For work, it was perfect. I sat in the corner for hours typing and chattering away on Skype and the staff would check on me periodically. The building is open to the air but stayed cool even on hot days.
Some people staying in the Rooms would have a drink, but Pages was never busy. Even so, there are plenty of electrical outlets under the benches and along the perimeter in case it gets full.
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| mocha frappe |
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| me + mint lime smoothie + my laptop |
2. Green Home Coffee (Score 2.5/3.0)
location N of town, on the western river road past Phum Trang Market
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| 3rd floor work space |
This Khmer-owned coffee shop opened shortly before I arrived in Siem Reap. It was directly opposite my street on the river. I didn't have to bike into town just to work.
Although they have the the tiny circle tables that I hate, the cafe was so empty that I just grabbed two tables and stuck them together. Voila! Space for both laptop and coffee, far away from each other.
There is a bathroom in the 3rd floor work space so you don't have to come down from your perch all day long.
The staff are nice. The coffee was good. Plenty of power sockets. Mostly empty. Lovely.
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| Green Home Coffee has 3 floors of tranquil work space |
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| 3rd floor area |
3. Little Red Fox Espresso (Score 2.5/3.0)
location downtown, west of the river before the Old Market
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| 2nd floor work space |
As for a work space, the second floor is a cozy spot to sit with your laptop. There are a few small and one large communal table to work from, all with plugs nearby. It's cute and classy and air-conditioned. There is even a small open-air veranda to take breaks.
The cafe participates in the local music scene by selling tickets for shows. After buying tickets for Cambodian Space Project that didn't have a printed date, one of the baristas went out of his way calling venues to find the correct date for me. All the service was friendly and fast.
Little Red Fox Espresso also has posters on the bathroom walls about how to be a good tourist in SE Asia (i.e. by avoiding orphanages and being aware of the exploitative use of children by NGOs and volunteerism). As a place that attracts expats and well-to-do tourists, it's nice that they educate their customers.
A foreigner magnet with award-winning coffee, you can imagine that the prices skew higher than the rest of my list. For me this was important because I was there for a month and trying to keep costs low.
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So that's it. My top 3 Best Cafe Work Spaces in Siem Reap. I'll follow up with a list of Honorable Mentions--there are a lot.
How about you? Do you have any recommendations for work cafes around the world?
Very good write-up. I certainly love this website. Thanks!
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