The Morning Monks' Alms Round: A Quiet Walk in Siem Reap's Old Town

The City Before the Crowds

Siem Reap stirs early. At 5:30 am, the streets around Wat Preah Prom Rath are still dark, the air cool and scented with frangipani and woodsmoke from the first fires of the day. We walk from our guesthouse on The Lane, past the silent shutters of Psar Chas, and turn onto the tree-lined road that leads to the old pagoda. A few tuk-tuks idle hopefully, but the real traffic this hour is quieter: a woman sweeping her doorstep, a noodle vendor setting out plastic stools, and then, in the half-light, the first flash of saffron.

The monks come in single file, barefoot, their bowls wrapped in cloth. They walk the same route they have walked for decades, stopping at houses that leave offerings on their gates. We stand at a respectful distance, watching. No one speaks. The only sounds are the soft pad of feet and the clink of a ladle against a pot.

How to Take Part Respectfully

If you want to join the alms round, the best way is to ask your guesthouse or hotel to arrange it. Many places in the old town, especially around Wat Bo Road and the lanes near the river, can prepare a small basket of rice, fruit, or packaged snacks for you. You do not need to buy anything special; plain steamed rice in a clean bowl is enough.

When the monks approach, kneel or sit on the ground, remove your shoes, and place a small portion of food into each monk’s bowl as they pass. Do not touch the monks, and do not walk in front of them. It is customary to wait until they have finished before you eat or take photos. The whole ritual lasts no more than twenty minutes, and then the monks return to the pagoda for their morning chanting.

We joined the line outside Wat Preah Prom Rath, a 15th-century temple that sits on the riverbank, its walls covered in bas-reliefs of the Ramayana. The abbot, a gentle man with a shaved head and round glasses, nodded to us as he passed. After the round, we followed the monks into the courtyard, where they sat in a circle and chanted in Pali. The sound rose and fell like a tide, echoing off the old stone.

A Breakfast That Follows the Monks

After the chanting, the monks eat their first meal of the day. In the monastery’s kitchen, lay volunteers dish out rice porridge, fried noodles, and fresh fruit. The smell of garlic and fish sauce drifts across the courtyard. We are not invited to eat with them, but we are welcome to sit in the shade of the tamarind tree and watch.

When we leave, the sun is already high, and the old town is waking up. We walk down the river path, past the Artisans Angkor workshop where stone carvers are chipping at sandstone blocks, and cross the bridge to the west bank. There, at a small family stall on Street 2 Thnou, we order kuy teav, the Cambodian noodle soup that is the standard post-alms breakfast. The broth is clear and porky, topped with crispy garlic, green onion, and a squeeze of lime. It costs a fraction of what the hotel buffet charges, and it tastes like the city itself.

The Quiet Side of the Old Town

Most visitors rush past this part of Siem Reap on their way to Angkor Wat. But the old town, bounded by the river and the moat of the old city wall, has a slower rhythm. After breakfast, we wander down the small lanes that run between Wat Bo and the river. Here, wooden houses on stilts sit next to modern guesthouses. A monk sweeps the courtyard of a small pagoda. A woman hangs laundry on a bamboo pole. The air smells of jasmine and dust.

We stop at the small museum of Wat Bo, which houses a collection of Buddhist artefacts and a beautiful 19th-century mural of the Reamker. The caretaker, a retired teacher, is happy to explain the scenes in halting English. He tells us that the temple was once a refuge for monks fleeing the fighting in the north, and that the mural was restored by a Japanese team in the 1990s. We leave a small donation and walk on.

Getting there

The old town is Siem Reap’s historic core, just north of the river and east of the Royal Independence Gardens. From the centre of town, it is a 10-minute walk from Psar Chas or a 5-minute tuk-tuk ride from most hotels. To reach Wat Preah Prom Rath, cross the bridge at the end of Pub Street and turn left; the pagoda is on the west bank of the river. If you are staying outside the old town, ask your driver to drop you at the Wat Bo roundabout, then walk south along the river path.

Good to know

The alms round happens every morning, starting around 5:45 am, but the exact time varies with the season. Ask your guesthouse the night before.
Do not wear shorts or sleeveless tops when joining the alms round. A simple sarong or long trousers are fine.
Keep your camera at your side during the ritual. A few discreet shots are fine, but do not stand in front of the monks or use a flash.
If you are not comfortable joining, you can still watch from a distance. The monks do not mind observers, as long as they are quiet and respectful.Staying in Siem Reap? Bungalow 1955 is nine private apartments around a shared pool, minutes from Angkor — enquire about dates.