Trip to Cambodia

Keywords: Siem Reap, Cambodia, Angkor Wat

We arrived in Siem Reap on 31st Oct 2018 from Kuala Lumpur. The most convenient way to reach Siem Reap is through Kuala Lumpur. Kuala lumpur has one of the best flight connectivity in South Asia. I had booked Air Asia flight. We departed Kuala Lumpur at 1:30 P. M and reached Siem Reap around 2:30 P. M. Since I had already obtained e-Visa, we didnt have to apply for Visa on arrival at the airport. After collecting our baggage we took an airport taxi to our hotel in Siem Reap. It cost us around 10 USD. Please note that even though the local currency is Cambodian Riel, all major trade happens in USD. I had booked our 3N stay at Lucky Angkor Hotel and Spa through Cleartrip. I must say this was one of the best stay.

Lucky Angkor Hotel and Spa

The hotel is about 10 kms from airport and about 4 kms from Siem Reap city centre. My package also included buffet breakfast.

The hotel has a spa, swimming pool and a restaurant. The staff was just excellent and always ready to fulfill any kind of request. We rested the whole afternoon and enjoyed the evening at the pool. Night we had food at the restaurant itself.

Angkor Temple Complex

I booked this voucher through viator from Journey Cambodia which included hotel pickup and drop in an AC vehicle. The hotel pickup was as early as 4:30 A. M in the morning. This was specifically to witness the Sunrise at the Angkor Wat temple. Before departing to the temple, we were required to purchase the tourist pass for a day which costs 37 USD/person. After buying the pass from the tourist centre, we finally reached Angkor Wat temple complex. This place was always in my wishlist and I must say I was very excited. Our guide for the day was Mr. Tan. I must say he was one of the best guide to have. 

Angkor Wat was built in the first half of the 12th century. Estimated construction time of the temple is 30 years by King Suryavarman II, dedicated to Vishnu (Hindu), replica of Angkor Thom style of art. Angkor Wat, the largest monument of the Angkor group and the best preserved, is an architectural masterpiece. Its perfection in composition, balance, proportions, relief's and sculpture make it one of the finest monuments in the world. This temple is also listed in the Unesco World Heritage Sites.

Wat is the Khmer name for temple, which was probably added to "Angkor "when it became a Theravada Buddhist monument, most likely in the sixteenth century. After 1432 when the capital moved to Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat was cared for by Buddhist monks.

It is generally accepted that Angkor Wat was a funerary temple for King Suryavarman II and oriented to the west to conform to the symbolism between the setting sun and death. The bas-reliefs, designed for viewing from left to right in the order of Hindu funereal ritual, support this function.

We arrived through the western entrance. Just outside the main temple complex, we witnessed the breathtaking sunrise. we almost waited here for an hour for the sun to come out. Next we walked inside the temple complex.

The plan of Angkor Wat is difficult to grasp when walking through the monument because of the vastness. Its complexity and beauty both attract and distract one's attention. From a distance Angkor Wat appears to be a colossal mass of stone on one level with a long causeway leading to the center but close up it is a series of elevated towers, covered galleries, chambers, porches and courtyards on different levels linked by stairways.

The height of Angkor Wat from the ground to the top of the central tower is greater than it might appear: 213 meters (699 feet), achieved with three rectangular or square levels (1-3) Each one is progressively smaller and higher than the one below starting from the outer limits of the temple.

Covered galleries with columns define the boundaries of the first and second levels. The third level supports five towers –four in the corners and one in the middle and these is the most prominent architectural feature of Angkor Wat. This arrangement is sometimes called a quincunx. Graduated tiers, one rising above the other, give the towers a conical shape and, near the top, rows of lotuses taper to a point.

The temple tour takes about 3 hours. 

Bayon Temple

The Bayon is a richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th or early 13th century as the state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom. Following Jayavarman's death, it was modified and augmented by later Hindu and Theravada Buddhist kings in accordance with their own religious preferences. The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and smiling stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak.

This is a must visit in Siem Reap. 

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm is the modern name of the temple at Angkor, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara. Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray, it was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm is in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors. UNESCO inscribed Ta Prohm on the World Heritage List in 1992. Today, it is one of the most visited complexes in Cambodia’s Angkor region. The conservation and restoration of Ta Prohm is a partnership project of the Archaeological Survey of India and the APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap).

The temple tour ended with this and we were dropped back to the hotel around 12:30 P. M. This was surely an experience of a lifetime. 

Banteay Srei

Since we had the day pass we decided to visit Banteay Srei temple. The journey cost us around 40 USD. Banteay Srei is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in the area of Angkor, it lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25 km north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom. Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. 

Well honestly, the temple is miniature in size compared to the mammoth size of the main temples of Angkor. And considering 40 USD for the travel, the place was a little disappointing. The place was good but after witnessing the main temples, somehow it was difficult for this place to create a lasting experience.

Pub Street

At night we went to pub street which is famous for its night life in Siem Reap. We took a tuk-tuk from hotel which cost us only about 2 USD.

This is also a must visit in Siem Reap. With this our first day in Siem Reap came to an end. 

Tonle Sap Lake 

I booked this voucher through viator. we were picked from our hotel around 3:00 P. M. On our way, we visited a lotus farm. Tonle Sap lake is famous for its floating village inhibited by Vietnamese people.

The package also included a buffet dinner with unlimited drinks. After dinner, we were dropped back to our hotel.

We had a memorable experience in Siem Reap. Everything here was so wonderful. The people, hospitality, heritage, night life etc. Given a chance, i would definitely visit this country again.

Key Takeaway's:

Places to Visit: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei, Tonle Sap, Pub Street

Expenditure on Activities, Transport, Food and Shopping: 200 USD/ 2days/ 4 Person

Transport: Tuk-Tuk

Best Place for Shopping: Pub Street

Food: Pub Street