From Siem Reap to Angkor Wat - Angkor Wat - Cambodia
The journey to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, is a bumpy one, however, ten hours of rugged dirt tracks do little to diminish the sheer intrigue and anticipation of finally seeing the ancient temples of Angkor Watt for the first time.
Built between seven and eleven centuries ago when the Khmer civilization was at its peak, during this period the Khmer’s empire was magnificent stretching from what is now the Bay of Bengal in the west through Vietnam to the east right up to Yunnan in China. Consisting of over 100 temples, perhaps the greatest surprise to visitors is the sheer size of the Angkor complex which spreads out into the now overgrown jungle of surrounding Siem Reap.
Following the rapid fall the Angkor Empire in the intervening years, nature took it’s course and engulfed much of the Angkor complex. It was not until 1860 when French naturalist Henri Mouhot published an article on the temples, following his voyages through south east Asia in Le Tour du Monde, that western archaeologists took to research Angkor. As a result of an unstable, violent century for Cambodia marked by war and dictatorship, any real excavations of the area have been near impossible until very recently.
Even today much of the area is still hidden in dense jungle which has taken its toll on the temples. Now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, extensive restoration work is underway, and the main sites are now accessible to visitors. Nevertheless, the task at hand is huge and large areas remain heavily mined following the Khmer Rouge’s enforced rule.
When visiting the temples a number of safety considerations are paramount, above all, never ever stray from the well marked paths as mines are still prevalent in the area. To put things into perspective, 1 in 250 Cambodians are amputees following the incomprehensible dumping of over 5 million land mines across rural Cambodia, these warnings are deadly serious.
To visit the temples, officially, you have to have a local guide to escort you, though it is possible to visit without a guide. Local guides know the area well and know exactly where to go and where to steer clear of. In reality, the logistics of seeing the temples of Angkor without a guide would be near impossible. Dispersed up to 40km apart, without a guide to lead you, you would be hard pushed to find your way. Like most backpackers, we hired local teenagers to scooter us about on the back of their moto-bikes for the three days, friendly and informed they were ideal companions.
The three most magnificent temples are Bayon, Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm. To begin to a get a feel for Angkor you will need at least three days. This will give you time to properly view the major temples as well as an array of some of the more ornate smaller complexes further out such as Banteay Srei.
Angkor Wat is considered by many to be one of the greatest monuments ever constructed. Like the Taj Mahal or the Pyramids, with its soaring five towers and beautiful bas reliefs, few people fail to be in awe of the sheer grandeur of these ancient temples.
In comparison, Bayon is far more intimate, built around 1200 by Jayavarman VII, the most illustrious of the Angkor leaders, from a distance it looks more like a mess of decrepit ancient rock, yet, as you near, Bayon takes shape to reveal 54 huge faces of Avalokitesvara staring down at you from all areas. There is definitely an other-worldly feel to Bayon, every turn revealing yet another gigantic disdainful stare from the ancient god, as P Jennerat de Beerski wrote in the 1920’s, ‘with slightly curving lips, eyes placed in shadow by the lowered lids (they) utter not a word and yet force you to guess much’.
Finally, of the ‘big three’ is Ta Promh. Located close to Bayon, here the ancient ruins have deliberately (and questionably) had little restoration, and the awesome effect of the jungle can be seen, as thick powerful roots thrust from the earth and rip huge sections of the temple walls apart. Massive stones lie scattered like building blocks to leave narrow passage ways and corridors which act as light relief from the searing heat. There is definitely a feeling of discovery at Ta Promh unlike any of the other central Angkor temples, as we climbed through the rubble and roots to unearth another secret passageway or statue. Ta Promh brings you closest to replicating the atmosphere that the first French explorers must have experienced 140 yrs ago.
Practicalities
Siem Reap is the nearest town to the temples. Heavily dependent upon tourism, hotels and hostels cater for all budgets are widely available. Siem Reap now has its own airport to accommodate the new influx of attention, though most international flights arrive in Bangkok and then transfer to Siem Reap which takes under an hour. The cheaper option is to take one of the several mini-bus runs across the boarder from Bangkok (8hrs). Travel from Phnom Penh takes about 10hrs. Roads are not tarmaced so get ready for a bumpy slow ride.
To visit the temples you have to buy a visitors pass with photo ID, so make sure you bring some passport photos with you. Entry is $25 for one day, $40 for three days or $60 for a week pass. Payment is taken at one of the several gated entrances to the main section of the Angkor complex.
By Max Jennings |
What's a travelogue? - A chronicle of your adventures from the
road. Intimate stories from the Silk Route to Route 66, the highs
and the lows - We want to read your travel journals from around the
world!