Whether you’re a journalist from out of town looking for a place to hunker down or a Siem Reap expat who has realized they get more done when they aren’t at home, there are great spots in Siem Reap to work remotely. From coworking spaces to quiet coffeeshops, in no particular order these are the best places to work remotely in Siem Reap with details about what makes them special.

Coffee and quiet, two remote working essentials, at Footprints in Siem Reap.

Footprints

(Best feature: the quiet)

Footprints is a lovely little haven about a ten-minute stroll from Pub Street that has a lovely coffeeshop and a dedicated coworking area upstairs which has got to be one of nicest workspaces in Siem Reap. Cool air and a very chill ambience make Footprints a great place to head to if you want to work in relative peace and quiet compared to many of the hipper spots around town.

The main room’s aesthetic is dominated by shelves full of books, which had a very positive influence on my productivity. The espresso brewed by their dedicated baristas is as good as any I’ve found in Siem Reap. Comfort-style Western breakfasts and other local crowd-pleasers make up the menu, and everything is prepared with care and seasoned and presented nicely. LIke many of the other successful cafes and restaurants around town, Footprints offers patrons literature about responsible tourism.

But the real draw at Footprints, for those looking for a place to work, is the beautiful, well-lit, spacious shared work area upstairs with sofas, small desks, long desks, a meeting room and super-reliable wifi. If you have an extended work day ahead of you, and need to concentrate, this is the place to go. There’s a charge of $1 per hour, $5 for an all-day pass. They also have lockers if you’d like to make it your base for more than a day.

Bang Bang

Bang Bang Bakery and Cafe

(Best feature: the food)

Bang Bang has been open for two years and in that time has become a firm favorite with visitors and residents alike. Consistently ranked one of the best breakfast spots in town, It’s also a great place to catch up on emailing/accounting/staring at social media while pretending you’re working.

The food is a huge draw. Bang Bang’s sourdough breads are baked in house and are the best bread to be found anywhere in the country. This gives Bang Bang a huge leg up when it comes to menu offerings such as house-made bagels with house-cured salmon and cream cheese, caprese sandwiches, and shakshuka with toast on the side, all very reasonably priced for the quality of the food. There’s also a tantalizing array of cakes and cookies as Instagrammable as they are delicious. Great coffee, too, which can be important for getting things done.

Food aside, Bang Bang is also a very comfortable place to work, with staff happy to leave you to get on with whatever, solid benches or comfortable padded seating, as you prefer, and a reliable wifi connection. Combine all that with great music set to a suitable background level, and Bang Bang is a perfect place to spend a few productive hours. There’s no air con, but the beautiful, well-lit open-plan space is kept cool with several powerful fans. Being off the street and well shaded, it’s comfortable even when the world outside is stiflingly hot. One caveat: If you go for lunch and stay on for more than an hour, in my experience it’s a near certainty that you’ll end up eating cake.

BioLab

BioLAB Coffee & Office

(best features: desk space and budget menu)

BioLAB on Wat Bo Road is a welcome addition to Siem Reap’s daytime “hang out, work, and drink coffee” circuit. Spread out over two floors with an additional covered roof terrace (accessible on the second floor) Bio-LAB offers plenty of table space to work at and an excellent wifi connection, plus lockers, a meeting room, and other amenities.The ambiance is great and the place is large enough so that you can talk privately, or use their VIP meeting room. Staff are friendly and helpful. The covered terrace is perfect if you want to work soundtracked by the background hum of Wat Bo Road.

In addition, there’s an extensive menu to help keep you fueled while you work. There are all kinds of iced coffees, sodas, and frappes, plus pizzas, pastas, and salads, plus a special vegetarian section. The local staples are pretty typical of a downtown Siem Reap eatery/cafe but prices are very good value, with the average cost of dishes between $3 and $4.

Looking for peace and quiet and extremely potent coffee? Head to Little Red Fox.

The Little Red Fox

(Best feature: the coffee)

The Little Red Fox has become something of a Siem Reap institution, known all over Southeast Asia because practically everyone who comes through town writes it up and blogs about it on every conceivable platform. Luckily, its great reputation is well deserved. In addition to serving some of the best coffee in town, the Fox has a solid local team led by welcoming and friendly management, plus tasteful decor and music selection. Aircon set to a sensible level makes it easy to sit there for hours and get work done, and the friendly, accommodating staff will keep you caffeinated.

The place is Australian-owned and the Aussies take their coffee seriously. A wide range of gourmet coffees are on offer, including turmeric and charcoal infusions, or a cold drip if you’d rather take your caffeine chilled. A very reliable and fast wifi connection will keep you plugged in for as long as you need.

The Little Red Fox also promotes responsible tourism and posts information about child safety issues and sustainable tourism. The owners and staff are always happy to provide further details; just ask.

AngkorHub offers a serious workspace with lots of networking opportunities.

Angkor Hub

(Best feature: the networking)

Angkor Hub, a short walk from Sok San Road, provides the most professional workspace you’ll find anywhere in Siem Reap. At this co-working and co-living venture, work is the primary focus, not food and drink.

As a place to work, Angkor Hub has it all: tables, comfortable chairs, decent coffee, fantastic wifi, air-conditioning, international outlets, and hammocks if you’d rather use their garden as your office. There’s even a Skype room you can book if you need some privacy for a conference call and assurance of awesome connectivity. The friendly staff are happy to show you what’s what or, if you prefer, leave you to your work.

In addition, Angkor Hub prides itself on being a co-living space: “Co for Community, Co for Cosmopolitanism, Co for Connections.” They offer not just a place to sleep, but a variety of services, including 24-hour use of the co-working space, airport pickups, a SIM card, bicycles to get around town. A Western breakfast is included, and so is a communal lunch with your fellow residents (day guests can also pay in to join the group).

Connecting with your fellow freelancers and digital nomads is really the point of Angkor Hub (after getting work done, of course). The lunches give guests a chance to chat each other up, and the weekly popup bars offer additional networking opportunities. In addition, Angkor Hub is dedicated to supporting recent Cambodian graduates by helping them find opportunities to put their education to gainful use. In addition to encountering expats at Angkor Hub, there are regular networking events as well as the Angkor Hub Academy where you will meet bright young Cambodians eager to find their own place in the global business world.

Prices to become part of the community start at $5 for a day pass, $25 for a week, and $89 for a month. If you want to move in, it’s $119 per week for space in their dorm or $219 for a private room. Rooms are basic but cleaned regularly and have AC hot showers, and private rooms are en suite. In town for a month and need to get some serious work done? Then a dorm bed will set you back $449, a private room $799.

Footprints Cafe and Coworking Space
Open daily, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., co-working space 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (but often later)
Street 26, Wat Bo Village, Siem Reap [map]
T: +855 (0)92 800 308
footprintcafes.org

Bang Bang Bakery and Cafe
Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Taphul Road, Siem Reap [map]
T: +855 (0)98 976 987
facebook.com/BakeryBangBang

BioLab Coffee and Office
Open daily, 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Wat Bo Road, Wat Bo Village, Siem Reap [map]
T: +855 (0)87 616 816
biolabcafe.com

The Little Red Fox Espresso
Open daily, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Wednesdays
593 Hup Guan Street, Kandal Village, Siem Reap [map]
T: +855 (0)16 669 724
thelittleredfoxespresso.com

AngkorHub
Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sundays.
896 Angkor Night Market Street, Siem Reap [map]
T: +855 (0)88 706 8879
angkorhub.com