Two posts in one day because that's how amazing Siem Reap is.


So when I booked a reservation for the Aspara dance and dinner show, I expected just a simple dinner served at tables surrounding a stage, thus I was quite jaw dropped to see where my tuk tuk had dropped me off for my reservation. It literally is pamper heaven here. I had stepped into an ethnic built restaurant known as Koulen Restaurant with high ceiling fans and shaded lights, and a very Khmer atmosphere inclusive of dim lighting and rustic wooden furniture. Most of the tables were reserved and I was brought to my table with my hostel's name on it. I was pre-told that it would be a buffet style dinner, but I couldn't believe how grand the set up was. There was food being heated under those portable silver gas stoves everywhere. Adjacent were also booth-like kitchens where you can order your own fried or soup noodle and satay skewers. A dessert selection of Bo Bo Cha Cha toppings were in a line up of bowls (sort of like shave ice but all liquid topping), and there were even some international items to cater to the westerners. The selection was endless from Khmer options to some cross over between Thai and Vietnamese dishes. I realize that Khmer food is quite the fusion between Thai and Viet food (no surprises here when it's a country sandwiched between the two); not spicy like Thai food, but not as flavourly strong as Vietnamese cuisine either. It sort of meets in the middle being more mild and simpler with more fish options than the former two as well.


The dance started an hour after dinner and out came six girls in traditional Khmer costumes and displayed a performance of balancing acts and hand gestures to traditional music being played live in the background. The males soon followed and as the show progressed through the six ish (I lost count) mini dances, I realize each dance represented a story of Khmer culture and of course there was a love story intertwined into it. At first I felt the dance was a bit slow for my liking, but it got more interested as it went on and I was very drawn to the costumes they were wearing (textile and clothing background alert haha). At the end I even got to take a photo with one of the Khmer girls where I realize they were so much shorter in person than from watching her on stage. Her headpiece probably added 20cm to her height and her face was also drenched in sweat, probably from her layers of gold accessories and costume getup.

I would highly recommend this venue just for the experience even if you aren't into the cultural dance scene. It was so worth it and a great opportunity to taste various Khmer dishes as well. I felt like a princess today as girlie as that sounds.