Cambodia // Angkor Wat in one day: W(h)at to do and see!

The Angkor Archeological Park is often referred to as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” and we don’t see any reason why this amazing temple complex shouldn’t bear that title. We made an 800 km detour from our trip in Thailand just for this magnificent Khmer site, and it was worth every km!

Crossing the border from Thailand to Cambodia can be a bit tricky, but once you are gazing at the world-famous Angkor Wat temple you will forget about that crazy maniac speeding at 200km/h across the narrow Thai “highway” to take his precious clients (that’s you) to the border, where visa scammers are delighted to take you across for only a little bit of that bundle of Thai Baht in your pocket.

Siem Reap

The gateway to the old center of the Khmer civilization is Siem Reap, a small tourist town with plenty of entertainment options. We would advise you to book a hotel with a pool, because after spending the entire day in a minivan with only a short break at the dirty and dusty border the first thing we wanted to do was to jump in that pool!

We didn’t immerse ourselves too heavily in Siem Reap’s nightlife (which wasn’t easy…), as the next day we had to get up before the night was even over! The reason for this is quite obvious: seeing the sun rise slowly above the beautiful Angkor Wat temple.

Visit Angkor Wat

The best way to get around the temple complex is to hire a Tuk-Tuk for the day. For a reasonable amount a Cambodian driver will be pleased to pick you up at 5am in the morning and take you from temple to temple throughout the day. Every time we stopped to visit a temple, our driver got comfy in the back of his Tuk-Tuk to take a nap. Getting paid to sleep, who can beat that, right ;) !?

Entrance Fee

The Angkor site was once the capital of the Khmer empire that during its heyday covered present-day Cambodia, large parts of Thailand and Laos, as well as southern Vietnam. The site is huge, and it is impossible to visit everything in one day.

Fortunately there are several ticket options according to the time you have to spend (and your level of adoration for Khmer buildings). You can either buy a one-day (US$20), three-day (US$40) or seven-day (US$60) pass.

We only had one day to visit the temples, which was another reason why we wanted to be there when the park opened!

Here’s an overview of what we consider must-sees during a visit to Angkor:

1. Angkor Wat

Known as the largest religious structure in the world, this famous temple is one of the best preserved temples of the entire Khmer city. It is also one of the most popular places to watch the sun rise over the northern reflection pool.

The huge building complex was built in the 12th century by the Khmer King Suryavarman II. After his death he was buried inside the Angkor Wat temple (although the temple was still under construction). Once the sun’s up it’s time to make a move on, as you might be able to beat the crowds at the next stop!

2. Angkor Thom

About 1.7km further to the north from Angkor Wat the last capital of the Khmer empire is situated: Angkor Thom (meaning “Great City”). Built by Khmer King Jayavarman VII this huge city covers about 9km² and is just like Angkor Wat surrounded by walls and a huge moat.

Angkor Thom has five impressive entrance gates. We entered through the best preserved of all, the South Gate, which is accessed by a bridge crossing the moat around the city. The bridge itself is built up with 54 impressive stone figures on each side.

The next three structures are all located with Angkor Thom’s impressive 8m (26ft) high city walls.

3. Bayon Temple

Once our driver had manoeuvred his Tuk-Tuk through the narrow gateway of Angkor Thom, he brought us to the center of the city where the beautiful Bayon temple was constructed.

This temple can easily be recognised by the many peaceful and enormous stone faces that have been incorporated into the Khmer temple.

4. Baphuon Temple

Being one of the taller temples in the former Khmer capital, this one had us test our endurance to the max!

By the time we got to the entrance walkway the sun was already at its highest and the temperature was so high it felt like we were inhaling hot steam. Then came the climb… drenched in sweat we dragged ourselves up the stairs until we reached the top platform where we turned around to enjoy the magnificent view (and emptied an entire bottle of water at a draught).

5. Terrace of Elephants

This amazing temple platform is about 300m (1000ft) long and can easily be recognized by the elephant carvings on the eastern side. The rest of the temple was mostly made of organic material and has vanished over the years.

6. Ta Keo Temple

Located outside of the Angkor Thom complex, this well-preserved temple has five towers and is one of the oldest structures of the Angkor site. If you still have some energy left, go ahead and make the climb to the top!

7. Ta Prohm Temple

This is probably our favorite temple of the entire Angkor site. Not because Angelina Jolie was once hopping around here as Lara Croft during the filming of the Tomb Raider movie, but merely because nature has provided this temple with an additional feature that makes it all the more special.

Giant tree root grow between the temple walls, from ceiling to floor, and create besides astonishing picture opportunities an excellent place to play hide-and-seek!

After visiting these temples we crashed in the back of our Tuk-Tuk and asked our lovely driver to take us back to Siem Reap. We were exhausted… so what better way to end the day than to get soothing massage at one of the many spas in town :) !

Quick Tips:

• Haven’t got your tickets booked yet, but can’t wait to explore the site? Check out Google Street View for an impressive sneak preview!
• The Cambodian climate can get extremely hot and humid. Bring lots of water and a small fan to avoid dehydration and a whole day without peeing ;-)
• While you’re wandering around Siem Reap Tuk-Tuk drivers will come up and offer to be your tour guide for the day. Make sure you negotiate the price and he/she knows a thing or two (besides the obvious) about the historic site.
• You’ll notice many Buddhist Monks visiting the temples. They are super friendly and usually don’t mind their picture taken, but women are not supposed to touch them – it is considered an offence.