Angkor Wat - Siem Reap - Cambodia

Nearly all visitors to Cambodia come to see the ancient temples of Angkor, situated in Siem Reap. Built between the 9th and 14th centuries, they reflect a period of great creativity, and now fully deserve their position in the Seven Wonders of the World.


The Khmer empire at the time stretched far and wide, from southern Vietnam to southern China and west over to the Bay of Bengal. Angkor was the administrative center, built by the population, with the stone buildings which now remain the abodes only of the gods. The real instigator of the complex was Jayavarman II, who set himself up as the god-king; this concept was continued through the reigns of the other kings, with various kings producing one or other of the wonders that are available for your eyes today.


Angkor Wat is the highest achievement of Khmer temple architecture, and is today the "flagship" of the temples at Angkor. The temple is a huge pyramid structure. The compound at Angkor Wat covers an area of 1,500 by 1,300 m (4,920 by 4,265 ft) and is surrounded by a vast moat 180 m (590 ft) wide. Along the causeway leading to the enormous entrance gate are balustrades shaped as giant serpents, which are believed to represent emblems of cosmic fertility.


The temple consists of a towering complex of terraces and small buildings that are arranged in a series of three diminishing stories and surmounted by five towers. The roofed and unroofed structures are covered with bands of finely carved stone sculptures. The walls are covered with carved reliefs that illustrate Hindu mythology, principally scenes relating to the god Vishnu, to whom the temple was dedicated. The "mass of bas-relief carving is of the highest quality and the most beautifully executed in Angkor." All the temple mountains of Angkor were filled with three-dimensional images and every inch of the walls are covered by sculptures.


Miraculously, very little damage has been made on the Angkor region as a result of the bloody civil that has terrorized the Cambodia for over 30 years. The Khmer Rouge, an extreme-left organization has actively organized guerrilla activities against Prince Sihanouk's government.


In 1975, many Buddhist monks who lived in the Angkor temples were massacred along with the majority of the Buddhist population as a result of a "social reorganization". However, Angkor Wat suffered very little structural damage in that attack. Today, archeologists from all over the world are actively involved in the restoration process of the temples.


Angkor began to decline around 1220 after the death of Jayavarman VII, and then was sacked twice by the Thais, in 1351 and 1431. The Khmer court moved to Phnom Penh, and Angkor was left to the jungle, not rediscovered until the mid-19th century.


The Angkor temples miraculously suffered very little structural damage in the bloody civil wars in recent years, and today archeologists from all over the world are actively involved in the restoration process. However, in 1975, many Buddhist monks who lived in the Angkor temples were massacred by the Khmer Rouge, along with the majority of the Buddhist population, as a result of ‘social reorganization’. As society has recovered, the temples have become active places of worship once again: please remember this and dress appropriately on your trip.

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Pakse & Siem Reap

Pakse is synonymous with Wat Phou like Siem reap is to Angkor wat. Wat Phou was built by the founder of the first Khmer empire, Jayavarman II. It is somewhat smaller than Angkor but still a rival to that ancient empire.

Wat Phou redates Angkor by 30 years but the two centres co-existed for much of their dominant periods. South East Asia's highest waterfall, Khong Phapeng, and many interesting islands on the Mekong River can be found near to Pakse. It is the capital of Champasak Province and unspoiled place for the travellers.


Siem Reap is the nearest town to Angkor Wat. The name Siem Reap actually means the "defeat of Siam" — today’s Thailand. It is quite a small town
and you can walk around to see the city. It is reported to be safe enough to be out after dark. Siam Reap draws visitors for its world-famous monuments nearby: Angkor wat. Visiting the hundred-or-so temples and studying the forests around Siem Reap is still the main reason for being in the city. If you are fed up with seeing more temples you can still spend a couple of extra days to relax here and findqrtyp some nice things to do in the area. The huge natural reservoir, Tonle Sap, is just to the south of Siem Reap and provides relaxing boat trips.

Siem Reap-The Gateway to Angkor Wat

Transport:How to get there
The modern Siem Reap International Airport which is located 6 kilometres from Siem Reap City is serviced by most of South East Asia's International Airlines. These airlines include Malaysia Airlines, Lao airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways and China Airways.

In addition Cambodia's domestic airlines provide flights to on from Phnom Penh. Daily bus operators service the route from Phnom Penh with fleets of air conditioned buses. For the same travel time (5-6 hours) a river ferry service operates from Phnom Penh port along the Tonle Sap River and Lake to Chong Khneas, 11 kilometres south of Siem Reap City overload from Thailand the most direct route to Siem Reap is through the crossing at Poi pet. A large section of the road from Poi pet is still under construction so expect a bumpy ride.

How to get round:
The tuk-tuk is the most widely used form of transport around the city and surroundings. Taxis and small buses run tours to the temples and for the more energetic tourist, bicycles can be hired from accommodation sites. It is not possible to hire cars around the city.

Where to Stay:
No matter what your budget there is suitable, accommodation for everyone, from the $5 guesthouse to the $500 luxury hotel. The luxury, and in most cases new, hotels are mainly located along the road between the Siem Reap International Airport and the City centre. The cheaper hotel and guesthouse accommodation is located in the Tophel Village area or the east of the Siem Reap River over the Stone and Wat Bo Bridges in Wat Bo. In the Old Markets area there is also guesthouse accommodation on the other side of the river across the Old Market Bridge in Wat Damnke.

Where to Eat:
The area around the Old Market is the centre of the town's restaurant trade. There is a wide variety of cuisine available including traditional Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese, French, Indian and Italian Another choice is the Butterflies Garden Restaurant which is located over the Siem Reap River Bridge to the north of the Old Market. Besides its Khmer menu, the restaurant houses over 1500 tropical butterflies in a delightful garden setting.

What to see:
While the major attraction of this northern area of Cambodia is the Angkor Temples, the area has developed other sites for the tourist. Visit the modern Angkor National Museum, with its display of 1000 Buddha Images and galleries. This museum highlights the artefacts, history and culture of the Angkor. Further out of town the Cambodian landmine Museum gives an insight into Cambodia's landmine problem and the work of one man backing these issues. The Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary at the northern end of Tonle Sap Lake is a popular bird watching site and a habitat for over 100 variations of water birds.

Where to Shop:
To the casual observer the Old Market of Phsar Chase offers the traditional souvenir range to visitors and tourists. However the immediate area around the Old Market is dotted with art galleries and stylish boutiques offering genuine quality to shoppers.

Entertainment:
Daytime and sunset tours on the Tonle Sap Lake take in the floating villages. For a bit more adventure Balloon Flights and Helicopter rides offer aerial tours of the Angkor Wat temples from their base sited between the Angkor Wat Park and the airport.