Siem Reap And The Temples Of Angkor

Angkor Wat

Siem Reap is located to the north-west of Cambodia. However due to the terrible state of the roads across the country (there just arn't any roads generally) - you have to go all the way back to Phnom Penh first. The whole trip can be done in a day though, so it's not too bad.

Siem Reap is a small town, but has sprang up over recent years as more tourists come to visit the nearby temples. The town itself is a nice enough place, with interesting restaurants and some cool bars. It's a quiet and littered mainly with cheap guesthouses (my room was $2.5 a night) and some lavish 'super' hotels that almost compete with the temples themselves. Although I spent about 4 days in Siem Reap, I never really wondered the streets or took in too much - for Siem Reap is for most - a gateway to the Temples of Angkor. It's the reason it has become so popular and always will.

You can take a 1 day, 3 day or 7 day pass to see the temples. I didn't have the time for a full week and spending only one day here would be a crime. Accordingly we all got a 3 day pass ($40). Angkor, the area of jungle which in the 1960's was rediscovered to contain thousands of temples (built between the 9th and 13th centuries) is big. You couldn't walk them all easily and in the jungle heat during the hot season you wouldn't want to. We tuk tuk'ed it from one temple to another (after some major bargaining) and just walked in each temple complex. After Angkor's discovery 150 years ago the area was cleared of jungle which concealed the stone structures and now the temples are on view for the whole world to marvel at.

Day one was an early start. You have to reach Angkor Wat for sunrise and that means getting up at 5am. Angkor Wat is unquestionably the most impressive temple in the whole of Angkor, and as such is now considered a "wonder of the world" (man made wonder) along with Machu Pichhu, the Taj Mahal etc.

At sunrise it is quite extraordinary - aparently divine inspiration is the most commonly used word for it. Unfortunately it's popularity means that even at ridiculously early hours of the day does not guarantee you a sunrise on your own. It didn't deter from it's amazing beauty however and after a thousand photo's we spent a few good hours wondering in the temple and around it's outer grounds.

We then headed to Ta Prohm, the temple made famous after it's appearence in the film Tombraider. Here, nature is slowly consuming the brick stucture as giant finger-like tree routes wrap around each stone. As a result, most of the temple is collapsing but it is mightily impressive nontheless. We then ventured to Angkor Thom, which encompasses the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King, the Baphuon (a temple like a giant jigsaw puzzle) and the most famous temple in Angkor Thom, situated at it's centre - The Bayon. This eerie temple from a distance looks like a pile of rocks but as you move closer it is intricately carved with 216 faces, all looking at you - from all angles. After lunch back in Siem Reap, Siobhan and I headed back for sunset at Pre Rup where at the top of the steep temple, at great height - is a man selling ice-cold Angkor Beer - we thought it rude to decline.

On day two we covered some of the temples again. Everyone wanted to see Angkor Wat at sunrise just one more time. We also added in Preah Khan, Preah Neak Pean, Ta Som and some smaller temples, each containing their own charm. For sunset we headed to the temple Phnom Bakheng - the most popular for this time of the day as there is spectacular views to the west looking over a large reservoir. It's allso swamped with people, however most had left as it looked a bit cloudy. We hung around and as a present from god - the clouds parted like the Red Sea and the sun peaked through before disappearing completely. Perfect!!!

While most of Team Cambodia had given up for day three (it is tiring), Peter and I went out one more time. We only visited two of the temples but they happen to be the furthest two away. To give you an idea of how big Angkor is - Banteay Srei is about 25km from Siem Reap (16km from the main Angkor area) and Kbal Spean is 40km away!!! We went to the furthest temple first. The tuk tuk drivers hate taking you there and you soon realise why. The last stretch of the journey has no road. Your essentially on a bumpy dirt track. Each time a car passes, your open tuk tuk and therefore you - get covered in dust. It gets in your eyes, in your mouth and basically every other bodily crevass that dust can find it's way into!!! I now understand why god gave us all eye-lashes. Despite that and the fact that when you go over a stone your almost thrown out the side of the tuk tuk - it was by far the best journey i'v been on. The scenery was amazing - just how you imagine Cambodia to be. Dirt track, palm trees line the make-shift street, kids playing in muddy water - their parents farming in the fields behind.

When you reach the area to Kbal Spean - you have to trek through the jungle for about 30mins, the trees sometimes clearing to show you stunning views of the Cambodian jungle. You have to stick to the path on the jungle trek too - as there are still land mines in the surrounding area. Land mines are a major problem all over Cambodia and there are still fatalities each year. When you reach the temple - your suprised at what you see. Kbal Spean is not like other temples. It's essentially a river and waterfall with carvings (of animals, people and gods) set into the river bed. some are difficlt to see as they are buried under-water and as your walking around you will suddenly spot another poking out of the river-bank. It's bizaar but definately worth the trek. The final temple - Banteay Srei is like any temple in Angkor but is worth seeing because it has the most detailed and finest carvings of them all.

After three tiring days I eventually leave Siem Reap and Cambodia and head back to Bangkok (Thailand). I have immensley enjoyed the time I spent in Cambodia and will one day definately return. The country is majorly corrupt, some of which I have experienced myself, yet it's charm and out-right beauty conquers any negative thoughts that may spring into your perceptive thought. The countryside and beaches, the jungles and mad cities, the Temples of Angkor and the fabulous people - they all make the country what it is. When you come to Cambodia, your guaranteed an adventure in some way or another - even your taste buds take a real journey in this country, for I have tried some very interesting food here too. On a do-it-yourself BBQ, I ate Crocodile (really tasty - bit like pork), Kangaroo (good too - like deer - very strong taste) and Snake (like very chewy beef - although i'm not sure if it was chewy because it is or just that we hadn't cooked it long enough - it's a do-it-yourself BBQ and how am I supposed to know when snake is cooked!!!). It turned out to be a Python too - which is actually an endangered species so I felt pretty bad afterwards!!!

Anyway, there was no time to contemplate now for I was off - onwards and upwards (well actually Southwards and westwards) and back to the best food in the world - Thai food.