Angkor
Wat known worldwide, is certainly the most famous attraction in
Cambodia; it is located only 6km from the old market in Siem Reap -
take Charles DeGaulle Blvd to reach the main Angkor Wat temples.
Tourists used to not be able to rent motor bikes for
personal use (to drive to Angkor Wat - renting a bike for use around
Siem Reap is permitted for tourists). You can either rent a taxi,
tuk-tuk, regular bicycle, or go with someone on a motorbike. Tickets
per day are $20 US - 3-day passes are also available or $40. The
ticket gates are situated to the right of the main road as you drive towards
Angkor.
There are over 100 temples in Angkor Wat all built of only granite,
sandstone and wood (the wood has long since decayed of course)
between the 9th and 14th centuries. The main temples can be seen in
about a day - many people find that several days is a good amount of time
to be able to visit the main temples as well as some of the other smaller
less visited temples. When you look at the temples its
amazing to think that they are so old and that they were all made
without the help of modern machines. For a brief synopsis of the
history of Angkor Wat please visit: www.gocambodia.com/angkor/angkor_history.asp
If you just have a single day to visit, consider taking the
"little circuit" which is 17km in length and covers most
of the main part of Angkor Wat. The main temples are the most
crowded of course, but there are many temples that
if you stop to visit you probably will find you are among only a few
tourists visiting.
To reach the top of some of the temples you have
to climb up incredibly steep steps (steeper than even the Mayan
pyramids in Mexico). In addition to the steepness of the pyramids
the steps are now slanted downwards because of years of erosion and
rain. They can be incredibly slippery during the rain and its
seriously recommended that you not try to climb to the top of these
during
rainy conditions. At this point its best to take pictures at the base.
Most of the local guidebooks do not recommend venturing into the
"jungle" while you are at Angkor Wat due to the
possibility of there still being unexploded land mines. Some guide
books say that the area in and around the main temples of Angkor has
been cleared of unexploded land mines. Its always best to stick to
paths that are well traveled and refrain from being adventurous.
Dave's recommendation: stay away from impulse bushwhacking new
trails through the jungle.
There are plenty of restaurants and refreshment stands near the main
temples. These areas are a good place to meet people from all over
the world. The owners of the restaurants can be quite solicitous of
your business as you approach them. Sing song voices inviting you to
their particular restaurant will call out as you approach the
restaurants. Note the bathrooms within Angkor Wat are free with your
admission, however you will find that many of them have children out
front who will try to charge you a nominal admission. These are very
enterprising youngsters as they make it appear that you have to pay
to use the restroom. Sometimes they will have made a sign and they
hang it above the main entrance indicating their entrance fee. This
practice is obviously accepted as officials seem to have done
nothing to stop them.
The best time for photos of course is during the golden hour in the
evening when the sun casts a somewhat golden hue on everything.
Because of this reason, on your tour you may want to consider
leaving the main temple for last.
If you have a large budget you can rent a helicopter from
Helicopters Cambodia in Siem Reap for an aerial tour of Angkor. Hot
air balloon rides are also available on site at Angkor.
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