Angkor Wat

Trip Start Jul 07, 2008
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Trip End Oct 01, 2008


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Wednesday, September 3, 2008

The Angkor Wat temple complex really is a sight to behold.  It is a huge complex spread over a vast area so is most easily explored by tuk tuk which you will probably arrange on your way into town with the tuk tuk/taxi driver who'll undoubtedly give you a good price from the ferry to town.

On our first afternoon there we went to the main Angkor Wat temple for sunset.  The following morning we went got up at 4am!! to head out to the temples for sunrise, we started at the ancient bath, Srah Srang, where the view of the sun rising is reflected in the water of the lake and is a truly special place.  Also there were hardly any people there as we were told most people go to Angkor Wat for sunrise.  Our next stop was a temple called Banteay Kdei which was magical as the sun came up and we walked around without a single other tourist to be seen. It really was like the cliché of the Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider (which was shot here) movie, walking through all the corridors seeing all the faces, gods and animals carved into the walls. The Ta Prohm temple is a little different to the others as it has really succumbed more to the jungle than the others. Throughout this temple there are large trees that have grown through, over and around the walls creating a really eerie feeling, especially in the early morning light.

As the day got hotter we moved over to the more visited sites, Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat. Angkor Thom has some temples/buildings inside its boundaries, notably the Bayon, into which are carved more than 2,000 large faces, the Baphoum with the giant reclining buddha. Also at Angkor Thom are the Elephant Terrace and the Phimeanakas (or Flying Place).

http://www.cambodianonline.net/angkormap.htm
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