Angkor Wat – Cambodia

We’re covering Cambodia and Vietnam on this trip, starting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, then travelling north along the coast up to Hanoi.

Cambodia is one of the oldest countries in SE Asia and best known for its ancient temples complex.

Siem Reap

When we arrive in Siem Reap, the temperature is in the high 20s, humid but bearable.  Two wheelers / cyclos (motorbikes that pull a two-wheel carriage) are the most popular mode of transport for men and women.  Most riders wear face masks as protection against the dust.

First on the itinerary is a visit to the Ton Le Sap lake which is home to the floating village, Kompkong Khleang. The houses are built on stilts and the water is about 7m deep. The locals live a simple life and are self-sufficient but they are moving with the times and now have electricity. They grow rice in the low wet season and have designated fishing areas in the floating jungle. One of the biggest fish in the lake is called Barb weighing in at 200 pounds!  Throwing a barb on the barbie would not be an easy feat for an Aussie!  The traffic is busy on this aqua highway, with boats taking daily gifts to the Monastery, fruit and vegetable vendors going about their business, tourists going along for a joy ride and kids driving speedboats.

Angkor Wat

The next day we visit the famous Angkor Wat Temple Complex built in the 12th century.  We depart at the crack of dawn, aiming to get in early before the crowds, to watch the sun rise. Hundreds of other tourists have the same intention as we see several bus loads. The entrance ticket has your photo ID. It is fairly painless to get your photo … picture a railway station with multiple booking windows plus a camera … the queues move quickly.

At the complex, we sat around the moat waiting for sunrise. It was well worth the wait. The first rays broke through the clouds creating a lovely reflection.

It took 900 years to build these temples and they have stood for centuries … an archaeologist’s dream!  The Bas relief carvings on the walls told pictorial stories of royalty, daily life and battlegrounds. We only climbed to the second level as the queues for the top (third) tier were far too long, even at the early hour!

Any constructed buildings in Siem Reap have to be under 65m in height so as not to overtake the height of the Angkor Wat temple.

Some distance away is the Angkor Thom… 54 stone statues lining the entrance, happy faces on one side and angry ones on the other.  Further along, the Elephant Terrace has walls of elephant carvings and live four-legged creatures if you want a ride.  Next stop is the Ta Prohm also called the Jungle Temple or Tomb Raider temple, following the movie filmed here starring Angelina Jolie.

Its ruins are intertwined with the roots of huge trees. More climbing involved here too.

The  complex has a UNESCO world heritage listing. Restoration work is ongoing with international assistance in many of the locations.

Phnom Penh

We had a brief stop in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.  A major attraction is the Royal Palace of the reigning Cambodian royal family.

The Coronation Palace is on the same grounds, designed in the unique pagoda style. Alongside it is the Silver Pagoda, also mind-blowing, with its silver-tiled floor and enormous Buddha statue made of 90kg gold with 2000 diamonds!

From Phnom Penh we proceed to Vietnam stopping at cities along the coast and going north as far as Hanoi and Halong Bay. Read about it in my next post on Vietnam.