We were particularly looking forward to today. Today, a visit to the temples of Angkor Wat was on the agenda.
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Things to know about Angkor Wat
Angkor Archaeological Park is an area with many temples north of the city of Siem Reap and was the center of the mighty Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th century. The entire ruins of the region have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992 and cover around 200 square kilometres. The most famous temple complex is Angkor Wat. Every year, more than one million visitors come to the Angkor region. The entrance fee for the temples is USD 20. There are also tickets for 3 days (USD 40) and 6 days (USD 60). In the latter two, a passport image is taken on site and printed in the ticket. There are two round tours for the main area: the Small Tour Circuit and the Grand Tour Circuit.
The stations of our day tour
There are several ways to explore the really large temple complex of Angor. You can rent a bike in Siem Reap, rent a taxi or tuk tuk for the whole day or (like us) take a guided tour with a local guide. In the run-up to the trip we booked our guide via GetYourGuide. After some research we wanted to see the following temples in Angkor:
(1) Sunrise at Angkor Wat Temple
(2) the south gate to Angkor Thom
(3) Bayon Temple
(4) the terrace of the elephants
(5) Victory Gate
(6) The Temples of Ta Prohm
(7) The Temples of Banteay Srei
(8) The Temples of East Mebon
(9) the main temple Angor Wat
There are still some more temples, but seeing everything in just one day is virtually impossible. But with this selection we have selected the most important and worth seeing spots 🙂
Our current route through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor
Sunrise over the Temple of Angkor Wat
The sunrise at the Temple of Angkor Wat is part of the care program of each Angor Wat visit. For this we have chosen a position just north of the Rainbow Bridge (Google Maps).
The Temples of Angkor Thom
Since many go to the main temple of Angkor Wat after sunrise, we decided to continue to the Temple of Angkor Thom, against the crowds. Angkor Thom is a 9 km2 walled old royal capital. It was the last capital of the Angkor Empire. The five main gates, each crowned with 4 faces, are striking for Angkor Thom.
The Temple of Bayon with the Stone Faces
Bayon Temple is located in the centre of Angkor Thom and is considered one of the most famous and important sites in the world. Its complex structure is unique to this day (due to its various religious influences of god worlds, Hinduism and Buddhism). Bayon is best known for its many stone faces in the 37 temple towers that still exist today. Just north of Bayon Temple is the elephant terrace. From here we drove over the Victory Gate towards Ta Prohm.
The overgrown buildings of Ta Prohm
The Ta Prohm Temple Monastery is famous for its spectacularly overgrown parts of the building.
The ornate temple complex Banteay Srei
Banteay Srei is a temple complex 20 kilometers north of Siem Reap. Thanks to its delicate stonemasonry, it is today one of the most artistic installations of the main area of Angkor.
The former East Mebon Water Temple
East Mebon is a temple that rises on an artificial island in the now dehydrated East Baray.
The main temple complex Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is the largest sacred building in the world. It is a large pyramid with 3 levels and 5 towers that rise up to 65 meters above the ground. The complex is surrounded by a wall with a length of 1300 x 1500 meters. At the Temple of Angkor Wat you can see the architectural style of the Angkor period as an example: the sanctuary has an exact symmetry and the central and highest of the five towers embodies Mount Meru, the center of the world. In addition, each individual structure in the floor plan is divided into four squares, which is related to the number four (absolute perfection) which is important in Hinduism.
This was a truly wonderful day. And even if the temples are “somewhere in the nowhere” in Cambodia, we can only recommend a visit to Angor Wat.
All travelogues from South-East Asia (2013)
In this holiday through South East Asia we travelled through 5 different countries. Starting with our flight to Hong Kong (China), then on to Bangkok (Thailand), to the million metropolis Singapore, then into the jungle to the UNESCO World Heritage Angkor Wat to Siem Riep (Cambodia), on to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and finally to the island of Borneo (Malaysia). An unbelievably fascinating journey with an incredible number of impressions and experiences.
China: Hong Kong - Explore tourist attractions & things to do China: Hong Kong - Peak Tram & the viewpoint from Victoria Peak China: Hong Kong - Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery & the Big Buddha
Thailand: Elephant Camp – Bathing with elephants in the Khwae Noi River Thailand: Kanchanaburi – The Tiger Temple Wat Pa Luangta Maha Bua Thailand: Bangkok – The Royal Palace, Wat Pho & Wat Arun Thailand: Ayutthaya – The Temples & Ruins of the UNESCO World Heritage Thailand: Ayutthaya – The Elephants at the Royal Elephant Kraal Village
Singapore: Chinatown, S.E.A. Aquarium & Sentosa Island Singapore: A day trip to Singapore Zoo Singapore: Marina Bay Sands Resort & the Infinity Pool
Cambodia: Siem Reap – Hotel, Old Market & the Butterfly Farm Cambodia: Siem Reap – The temples of Angkor Wat
Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur – The Petronas Twin Towers Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur – The Batu Caves & the Aquaria KLCC
Malaysia: Borneo – Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre Malaysia: Borneo – Proboscis Monkey Labuk Bay Sanctuary Malaysia: Borneo – Gomantong Caves & Jungle Elephants Malaysia: Borneo – Diving at Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort Malaysia: Borneo – The Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort