Angkor Wat…Saving the Best for Last
The fabulous temple complex known as Angkor Wat has to be near the top of the list of must see destinations for most world travelers. This UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cambodia was without doubt the highlight of my trip to Southeast Asia. Built between 1113 and 1150 as a Hindu temple, by the following century it had become primarily a Buddhist shrine and it remains so today. As the largest religious monument in the world it has become a major tourist attraction, drawing close to one million international visitors each year. In the Khmer language, Angkor Wat means ‘City of Temples’ which aptly describes this vast collection of shrines. Angkor Wat actually refers to the main temple located on 500 acres and surrounded by a moat. The other most-visited sites in this area include Angkor Thom with the Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm with its famous tree roots engulfing part of the structure, a now familiar sight that was featured in the movie, Tomb Raider.
Getting the Most Out of Your Visit to Angkor Wat
One could spend weeks exploring the temples, admiring the architecture and studying the history contained within the 154 square mile Angkor Archeological Park. Whether you purchase a one day, three day or seven day pass, I recommend hiring an experienced tuk-tuk driver to guide you around the main sites. Your driver will also be able to transport you between Siem Reap, where you will most likely be staying, and Angkor Wat, which is about three and a half miles away. Your driver will also know the way around the park and can take you to the main temples, according to the amount of time you have. For $40 I hired ‘Baby’ to be my tuk-tuk driver for two days. He drove me out to the main entrance around 4:30 PM the day before my main visit where I purchased a one day ticket for $20. The ticket was good for a quick preview that evening and all the next day. Baby gave me a tour of the city of Siem Reap that evening and then picked me up at my hotel at 8 AM the next morning for a full day tour of the temple complex.
Siem Reap
How could you not love a town that has a ‘Pub Street’! Siem Reap literally means ‘Defeat of Siam’, which refers to the ancient rivalry between Cambodia and Thailand. It has now become a sprawling little city with its growth largely due to its proximity to Angkor Wat. For most visitors to the region, Siem Reap will be your jumping off spot for your visit to the temples. With this perfect combination of town and temples, you can enjoy a vigorous exploration of Angkor Wat during the heat of the day and then cool off with the thriving night life of Siem Reap during the evening. The colonial architecture of Siem Reap reflects the French influence that began around the turn of the 20th century. The town is now a tourist magnet replete with modern hotels, quaint restaurants, markets, shops and, yes, pubs!
Getting There and Beyond
I was able to arrange a minivan ride at the City Center Hotel in Phnom Penh going to Siem Reap. The five hour ride was marred only by an incident where the young lady sitting across the aisle from me held out a bag and invited me to help myself to what she was eating. When it turned out to be fried crickets, all the passengers on the bus had a good laugh when they saw the expression on my face. This funny episode turned out to be an ‘icebreaker’ and gave me an opportunity to meet more of the friendly people of Cambodia, some of whom are now Facebook friends. My Phnom Penh tuk-tuk driver, Curly, had arranged for his friend, Baby, to meet me at the bus stop in Siem Reap. Baby drove me in his tuk-tuk to the fabulous Siem Reap Evergreen Hotel, which would be my home for the next three days as I explored Angkor Wat and Siem Reap. Be sure to check out our full report on this wonderful hotel in the next posting. At the conclusion of my visit to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, the hotel was able to book me on a bus to Bangkok, Thailand for $12. Imaging traveling on a nice bus from one country to another for $12! Alas, my three week trek through Southeast Asia would come to a close with the long flight home from Bangkok to San Francisco.
