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(A page from my Travel Journal)

I’ve just spent five fantastic days exploring the stunning Angkor Wat temples together with my friends Allan and Nigel. We flew to Siem Reap, Cambodia, on Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur (about a two hour flight) and we stayed at a beautiful hotel, Bopha Angkor. The hotel is just a short walk from the heart of Siem Reap (map) and is surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful Khmer sculptures and other artworks. The room I had was very spacious and was decorated in traditional Khmer style. Loved it.

A stroll around Siem Reap

Siem Reap itself is a charming town with a wide variety of restaurants, bars and cafes. The large expatriate community and a constant stream of tourists give this small town a unique international character – this is reflected in the amazing range of cuisines available, and a plethora of bars, restaurants and hotels that suit all types of budgets.

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A street in Siem Reap.

On the afternoon of our first day in town, we explored the Old Market and the surrounding neighbourhood. The market with its maze of narrow alleys was fascinating, albeit stifling hot (it’s covered by a rather low zinc roof), with the locals selling everything from vegetables to chickens, frogs, clothing, textiles, gem stones, etc… There was even a section for hairdressers and seamstresses.

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Frog legs anyone?

We also walked along Pub Street and Pub Alley which are chockful of restaurants and bars, and had a delicious Khmer lunch at Le Tigre de Papier – yes, there’s a large French influence in Cambodia (some of the waiters/waitresses even speak fluent French in addition to English and Khmer). Later, we got some amazing ice-creams from the Blue Pumpkin cafe (a popular hangout for expatriates and tourists). I can definitely recommend both places for a meal.



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Touring the Angkor Wat temples

Siem Reap’s main claim to fame is its proximity to Angkor Wat – the main temple complex is about 7km away from town. Transportation is easily available as there are loads of tuk-tuks and taxis around. On the first day, we hired a tuk-tuk for the late-afternoon/evening and paid USD 5 to bring us around the temples (we wanted to see the famous sunset at Angkor Wat). Unfortunately, when we got there at 6pm, after getting our 3-day Angkor Wat passes (USD 45), large dark clouds rolled in from nowhere and we were soon soaked by a heavy tropical downpour!

We didn’t give up, since we were already there, and decided to continue to the lookout point. As we climbed out of the tuk-tuk, a group of kids approached us selling mineral water, beer, umbrellas, raincoats, guide books, etc… They were quite persistent and refused to take no for an answer to their constant calls of “Sir, too dollah, I sell yoo rencot” or “I sell yoo water for wan dollah” or “yoo wan beer?”. My favourite was a little girl who came up to us after we’d managed to negotiate a path through the first group of kids. She had something very unique to sell: “Sir, for too dollah I gib yoo pees an kwa-yuht”…. we couldn’t stop laughing about what she was offering for two dollars. That kid was a genius!

We hiked up the hill in the rain and reached the lookout, which was actually atop a magnificent temple, the Phnom Bakeng. As we reached the top, the heavy rain seized for a moment and we got to enjoy the fantastic views over the Angkor Wat complex. At that moment, I didn’t care that I was completely drenched and that my shoes were flooded up and covered in thick mud, the view of the misty, jungle-covered hillsides, the broad plains below with their mosaic-like rice fields and the majestic towers of Angkor Wat just breaking through the tree-tops was simply breathtaking.

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Phnom Bakeng
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Me at the top of Phnom Bakeng, soaked but excited.

That evening, we discovered a fantastic restaurant for dinner: Viroth’s. Viroth’s is owned by a French/Combodian couple and has a wonderful contemporary feel. The decor is simple but enticing, and the Khmer/fusion food is just superb. Don’t miss this restaurant if you’re in Siem Reap. The prices are very reasonable too; the three of us had four starters, four mains and two desserts, and including drinks (wine and beer), the bill came up to about USD 60!

The temples of Angkor

We spent the next day exploring the Angkor Wat complex. There are so many temples spread out over a large area so a tuk-tuk or taxi is absolutely a must. I saw some tourists on bicycles (must’ve been Dutch) but I thought that was a rather dodgy thing to do (especially in the rain).

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This bridge lined by statues was really impressive.

Bayon

We started out at 7am for the magical ancient city of Angkor Thom (adjacent to Angkor Wat) and began with (my absolute favourite) the Bayon temple. This temple, with its 181 faces is just stunning. To get there, we crossed a magnificent bridge over a large moat leading to the South Gate. Both sides of the bridge are lined with amazing statues.

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The magnificent Bayon temple.
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The faces of the Bayon temple.

Ta Keo

We then continued to the Baphuon and the Phimeanakas temples, and walked along the Terrace of the Elephants. We then proceeded to Ta Keo, probably the tallest of the temples. The climb up its steep face was challenging but the view was quite spectacular. 

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Ta Keo

Ta Phrom

Down the road from Ta Keo lies what is probably the most popular temple in Angkor: Ta Phrom. This walled temple was left untouched for many centuries and the jungle had completely engulfed the entire complex when it was discovered in the last century. It was amazing to see how the massive trees have grown around and atop the structures, their roots seemingly strangling the temple’s towers and other buildings. Parts of the Tomb Raider film were filmed here – and it’s not hard to see why, the place is simply enchanting.

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Ta Phrom

Angkor Wat

We ended our trip in the late afternoon at Angkor Wat itself. After seeing all those other temples, Angkor Wat itself didn’t seem so impressive anymore! However, its setting, surrounded by huge moats, and within its walls were large ponds filled to the brim with gorgeous water-lilies, was quite stunning. What I thought was truly impressive were the bas reliefs on its outer walls depicting ancient tales. The carvings were magnificent and its length, at least several hundred meters, was quite mind-boggling.

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Angkor Wat
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Stone carvings adorn the walls at Angkor Wat.

We decided to spend our third day at the pool which, with hindsight, was a great idea as we were just ‘templed-out’ (it’s a popular term here in Siem Reap!).

 

Banteay Srei and Kbal Spean

On our fourth day, we hired a tuk-tuk to drive us to the north of Siem Reap to visit the temple of Banteay Srei and the mystical ruins of Kbal Spean (a 100km roundtrip). The drive to Banteay Srei was very scenic. We passed mile after mile of gorgeous palm-fringed rice fields (the different hues of green were just breathtaking) and rustic villages. 

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We passed mile after mile of verdant rice fields.

Everywhere we went, the friendly Cambodians waved to us and readily flashed us a warm smile. The people out here in the countryside are very poor but I was really impressed with how clean and organised the villages looked, and how proud the people are. Many NGOs are active out here and there are innumerable projects to provide clean water, irrigation, schools and clean up land mines (a major problem throughout the country) and there were signboards everywhere announcing which NGO or individual (and from which country) was involved with the project or had donated money to the project.

Banteay Srei

After about an hour’s drive, we arrived at Banteay Srei. This temple is probably the smallest of the Angkorian temples but what it lacks in size, it definitely makes up for in grandeur.

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Banteay Srei

The carvings on the temple’s facade are so intricate that it is said that only the nimble fingers of women could’ve created them. I’m not too sure about that 😉 but the carvings on the temple walls and portals are indeed exquisite.

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The beautiful Banteay Srei.

Kbal Spean

From Banteay Srei, we headed northeastwards to Kbal Spean. Kbal Spean is an ancient place up in the Kulen mountains where religious structures were carved out of the rocky riverbed. It is believed that these structures were sacred and would purify the river water that was later used for drinking and irrigation. From the base of the mountain, it was a pleasant 45 minute hike to the top where we got to see the many structures that are still visible today just below the water’s surface (really amazing considering these structures were carved out of the rock about a thousand years ago!).

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Kbal Spean rock carvings
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A close-up of one of the carvings.
Locals enjoying the waterfall at Kbal Spean.

That evening, we had another wonderful dinner, this time at the Cambodian BBQ restaurant. In addition to the usual meats such as chicken, beef and pork used for a typical BBQ, the restaurant also served python, crocodile, ostrich and kangaroo! We went for the chicken, beef, crocodile (yummy) and python (not too impressed!).

I truly had a fantastic time in Siem Reap. The temples were stunning, the food was great and the people were just beautiful.

Other Travel Journal entries include:

 

33 Responses

  • Hi Rachel,
    That wasn’t my intention at all and I’m sorry if it came across that way. I tried to convey this funny experience exactly the way it happened and how it sounded. It wasn’t how he said it but what he said that made us laugh (‘Two dollars for some peace and quiet’). As a traveller, I’m used to hearing people speak English in different accents, and though I may find it cute sometimes, I never make fun of their English, because I don’t speak their language and I greatly appreciate their efforts to communicate with me.

    Cheers,
    Keith

  • Lucky you didn’t take a bike like we did, what a horrific experience we had! I am catching a nostalgia as I am reading this… Loved Cambodia, such an amazing country!

  • […] Read the accompanying post: “The wonders of Angkor Wat“. […]

  • Aerial view of the Cambodian countryside | The Happy Explorer

    […] Read the accompanying post: ‘The Wonders of Angkor Wat‘. […]

  • Great photos, Keith! We’re REALLY hoping to make it to Cambodia either this fall, or next spring! It’s my husband’s biggest bucket list item other than Antarctica, which will probably never happen. Thanks for sharing! Enjoy reading your site!

  • […] Read the accompanying post: “The Wonders of Angkor Wat“. […]

  • […] Read the accompanying post: “The Wonders of Angkor Wat“. […]

  • […] the accompanying post: ‘The Wonders of Angkor Wat‘. Monday, August 9th, 2010 Asia TAGS: Cambodia, […]

  • […] the accompanying post: ‘The Wonders of Angkor Wat‘. Friday, July 23rd, 2010 Asia TAGS: Cambodia, […]

  • […] the accompanying post: The Wonders of Angkor Wat. Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 […]

  • Hi Keith,

    Luv your pix & blog. U always had a flair with words.
    Siem Reap’s on my list but haven’t done anything about it… for fear of the heat (I’m a ‘puteri lilin’).
    U should check out Prembanan & Borobudur. Not as large as Angkor Wat but Borobudur was fascinating.

  • Amazing photos – and very interesting information. Thank you for this “virtual” trip and useful recommentation!

  • Very impressive posting. I enjoyed it. I think others will like it & find it useful for them. Good luck with your work. 😉

    Bathmate

  • What a wonderful post! Took me back. And I can tell any future readers that this part of the world has a certain magic that no pictures can really do justice. I was there about 2 years ago and felt the time we spent in the Angkor area was of the best of my trip in South East Asia.

    Traipsing around these old stones, only to go back to town and live large for very little money was completely irresistible.

    Being just as fascinated by the local Cambodian culture and scenery as I think Keith is, I did my little part and also wrote a blog post about it. If you like, you can read about Angkor Wat on the Airtreks blog: http://bit.ly/n9a5i

    Thanks for posting this Keith!

  • Unfortunately, we missed Angkor Wat / Siem Riep when we were in Asia. I remember travelling through Thailand and planning on going to Cambodia but we got severely sick in Phuket. Your photos made me seem like I was there, though.

  • Thank you Vera for your comment. The market is indeed a fascinating place to visit. I remember walking out from the market and there was a man on a bicycle selling boiled or roasted eggs. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the eggs had holes in them and peeking out of the holes were little chicks (feathers, beaks and all)… totally boiled/roasted. I kind of, um, freaked out. I learned that Cambodians eat these eggs as they believe it gives strength/virility. I took it as it was, didn’t judge, but I did lose my appetite for the rest of the day! 🙂

  • Oh, yes, this does bring back memories. We stayed at the Angkor Thom hotel, very close to the market. My husband did not appreciate our pre-breakfast stroll past the meat-sellers stalls. Definitely lose your appetite.
    Banteay Srei had only recently been reopened to visitors when we were there. (because of the Khmer Rouge) Its delicate golden beauty will stay with me forever. One legend is that all the men had been killed in a war with Thailand, and the women became warriors and this was their camp.
    And the children hawking things–at the very tip top of Angkor Wat, a young girl sold hand-made bracelets. It was soon after the movie Titanic came out and she was wearing a Leonardo di Caprio t-shirt with her long cotton skirt and straw hat.
    Thanks for the memories.

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