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Angkor Wat is the only place in Cambodia that I have visited, but it is definitely worth a visit! Angkor Wat was selected as one of the twenty wonders of the modern world, but it is not part of the seven wonders (information and photos here!).: it is, however, often regarded as the eighth wonder of the modern world. In my opinion, Angkor Wat is definitely worth more than the Christ in Rio de Janeiro, but that is obviously personal taste!
Angkor Wat is a Khmer temple that is part of the vast Angkor complex, and it is located just six kilometers from Siem Reap, a town that is now purely tourist-oriented.
How to Visit Angkor: Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is definitely the main temple of the Angkor archaeological site. It was built in the 12th century and was completed in about forty years. Angkor Wat is dedicated to Vishnu and is a Buddhist temple. A 3.25-meter-high statue is dedicated to Vishnu: its eight arms hold weapons, such as iron maces and spears, and peaceful objects, such as shells.
To visit the temple, one must first cross a bridge over a wide moat. The first impression upon seeing Angkor Wat is one of immensity: in fact, the temple has rectangular dimensions of 1.5 km x 1.3 km. As soon as you enter Angkor Wat, you are stunned by the beauty of its temple-mountain (a typical construction of the Khmer period), which is followed by connected tunnels that rise toward the central tower. In the galleries you can admire bas-reliefs recounting various historical battles and other religious legends: among them are more than 3,000 celestial nymphs. The central tower is significantly taller than the other four: it represents Mount Meru, and in addition to the four smaller peaks it is bordered by the continents, i.e., the lower courtyards, and the oceans, i.e., the moat.
There is also the possibility of reaching the upper floor of the temple. The stairs to reach the top are extremely steep: this detail was meant to represent the difficulties encountered in reaching the realm of the gods. To this day, one has to wait patiently in a queue before embarking on the climb, as admissions are limited.
Angkor Wat was most likely a funerary temple, dedicated to King Suryavarman II: however, he was never buried here as he perished in battle.
How to visit Angkor: Ta Phrom, the monument of Tomb Raider!
Ta Phrom is definitely one of the most visited monuments in the Angkor area. Also made famous by Tomb Raider, it was built in the same years as Angkor Wat. Once the Khmer empire fell, Ta Prhom fell into oblivion. The construction resembles that of Angkor Wat: there are tunnels leading to the central temple. At the four entrances are four towers that are shaped like faces.
Ta Phrom is a true spectacle of nature. Nature, in fact, over the years has regained its place, and it is still possible to admire an amazing combination of history, nature and art. Standing out in beauty are the entrances to the temple, surrounded by wide roots-a fabulous sight!
How to Visit Angkor: Bayon
Among the dozens of large buildings in Angkor, I was definitely impressed by the Bayon. This temple was built about a century after Angkor Wat and features more than 200 statues of beautiful smiling faces. Again, as at Angkor Wat, there are many bas-reliefs, representing a mix of history, mythology and social life.
The faces can be admired on the upper terrace: the impression is of always being watched by these faces, which are also carved into the central tower. Bayon is also a must-see monument!
How to Visit Angkor: Angkor Thom
The center of Angkor was named Angkor Thom, which experienced its moment of glory in the 12th century and was rediscovered in 1609 by a Western traveler, who described it as equal to Plato’s Atlantis, fantastic in the same way. Dozens of temples can be seen in the archaeological area: in addition to those mentioned, which are in my opinion unmissable, Pre Rup, another splendid temple-mountain, also deserves a mention.
The entrance to Angkor Thom was mainly through the South Gate. Once again, a smiling face is depicted above the Gate. Before entering the gate there are several statues, hinting at the immensity of the place!
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USEFUL INFORMATION ON HOW TO SEE ANGKOR WAT
- Angkor admission costs 30 euros for one day and 60 euros for three days. I highly recommend the second option.
- One of the best ways to visit Angkor Wat is…by bicycle! Starting from Siem Reap, I cycled for about 50 km visiting the places just described. It is possible to join an organized tour, such as the one proposed by Civitatis, or rent a bike in Siem Reap.
- Angkor Wat is at its best at sunrise-I highly recommend joining a tour that allows you to admire the temple at first light! There are tours that leave at five in the morning, like this one, also from Civitatis!
- Angkor is obviously part of the Unesco World Heritage Site. Throughout history, nature has tried to take back its living space. Many temples were left deteriorated as plants and trees grew. Unlike other Cambodian monuments, however, Angkor was not particularly affected by wars. Among the other damage suffered throughout history, the Buddha images unfortunately deserve mention: there were thousands of images in the Thousand Buddhas Gallery located in Angkor Wat’s central complex, but many of them were stolen.
- How to visit Angkor Wat? I personally recommend staying in Siem Reap at least two nights. The first, long, day is devoted to visiting the entire Angkor site, while the second morning is devoted to an in-depth tour of Angkor Wat.
- At least 300,000 workers and 6,000 elephants were involved in building Angkor Wat: the sandstone came from the sacred mountain of Phnom Kulen, located 50 km away.
- Siem Reap is a very touristy town. You can find myriad bars and restaurants that wink at the Western tourist: definitely not a quaint town, but still very enjoyable. I definitely recommend a beer at the Angkor What Bar!
- I slept very well in Bliss Villa, close to the city center.
- Siem Reap has its own airport, which you get to by tuk tuk or cab: it is an international airport. I personally arrived directly from Bangkok: to enter Cambodia you need a visa, which I got on arrival in Siem Reap.
- Angkor Wat is a true wonder: not to be missed!
WHEN TO GO TO ANGKOR WAT
The best months to visit Angkor Wat are from November to April. March and April, however, can be decidedly hot. Definitely the summer months are not suitable for visiting Angkor Wat: the rains are constant.
