The great Temples of
Angkor Wat are the main attraction in Siem Reap. After centuries of being
hidden in the jungle the temples finally
revealed themselves. The temples are considered to be the biggest temple complex
of the world, the whole area is about 400km2 this also includes the
surrounding forest. There are three important things you should know about
Angkor Wat before you go there: first of all it is probably one of the most
beautiful sites on this planet. Second it is much larger than you think, it is
not just Angkor temple only the complex is much bigger than that. Last but not
least no temple is the same, the temples were built in different times which
gives them all their unique characteristic.
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| Angkor Wat |
Tickets for the
temple complex can be bought at the entrance. Please note that they only accept
cash. One day-pass is USD$ 20.00, three day-pass is USD$ 40.00 and a one week
pass is USD$ 60.00. If you buy a three day-pass it does not mean you have to go
three consecutive days same goes for the week pas. A three-day pass is valid
for one week and the week pas is valid for a month. It is not necessary to
bring a passport photo as they will make one at the entrance. There are plenty
of places where you can eat some lunch and buy something to drink. Also there
are many locals trying to sell books and handicrafts.
There are several
ways you can visit the temples. It is advised to take some kind of transport as
the temples are wide spread over the complex. It is possible to book a van or
car depending on the number of people you are travelling with. If you prefer a
more local way of transport it is also possible to take a tuk tuk, this is a
fun and easy way to get around. A less common way of visiting the temples is by
going on the bicycle. The biggest advantage of going on the bicycle is that you
can enjoy the scenery a lot more than when you are in a car of in a tuk tuk.
When you have chosen
the kind of transport you would like to
take you have to make a second choice, do you want to take the small
circuit of 17 km or the big circuit of 26 km. If you want to see everything you
need at least two or three days. It is better to spread it out a bit more than
to do everything in one day. It is recommended to take a tour guide as he or
she will know which temples are worth going to and can tell you more about the
history of all the temples.
The highlights are:
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is the
main attraction. Covering 1.5 km2 it is considered one of the
biggest Asian pyramids. The temple is 65m high and divided into different
layers. In the centre stand four towers in the shape of lotus flowers. The
central temple is 800m long en is covered in beautiful bas-relief which display
different battles, heaven and hell and so on.
It is the most
breathtaking temple of the whole complex.
Bayon
The Bayon temple
stands in the middle of Angkor Thom. With its 54 towers and 216 faces Avalokiteshvara,
it looks the best just after sunrise or in the afternoon when the sun shines on
the faces. From a distance you cannot see the actual beauty
of the temple, it mostly just looks like a pile of rocks. Once you get closer
and the faces become more clear it reveals its beauty to you.
The Bayon temple
stands in the middle of Angkor Thom. With its 54 towers and 216 faces Avalokiteshvara,
it looks the best just after sunrise or in the afternoon when the sun shines on
the faces. From a distance you cannot see the actual beauty
of the temple, it mostly just looks like a pile of rocks. Once you get closer
and the faces become more clear it reveals its beauty to you.
The Bayon temple is
built up in three levels. The first two are rectangular and the third one is
circular. The Bayon has over 1.3 Km of bas-reliefs corresponding to more than
11.000 figures. Most of them depict every day's life scene of the Cambodia in
the XII century.
Ta Prohm
Unlike other temples
at Angkor, Ta Prohm has been left in the same state it was found in. This was
preserved to serve as an example of what a tropical rain forest can do to a
architectural monument as this. Although the walls, roofs, chambers and
courtyards have been sufficiently repaired to avoid further damage. The Ta
Prohm gives people a chance to imagine how the temple would have looked like
when it was first discovered!
Ta Prohm is also
very famous as Tomb Raider the movie was filmed there.
Banteay Srei
Though it is 35 km
ride to Banteay Srei it is definitely worth a visit. The soft colors of
the sand stones and the beautiful reliefs make this temple a typical example
for the Khmer culture.
Watching the sunrise and sunset is also very popular. Although to see sunrise it does mean getting up early it is definitely worth it.
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