Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) Travel Guide

Angkor Wat attracts several million tourists every year. The 12th-century temple, literally known as the Capital Temple, is just one of hundreds in Siem Reap province in northwestern Cambodia. In 1992, the famous temple, part of Angkor Archaeological Park, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As one of Southeast Asian’s most important archaeological sites, the ancient Angkor Wat remains one of the finest monuments in the world despite the country going through many years of civil war. To Cambodians, Angkor Wat is an object of national pride; its symbol appears on the country’s flag and currency note.

If you only have 24 hours to spare, here is a suggested itinerary for your day at Angkor Wat:

Most tourists usually spend more than a day to explore and delve into this sprawling temple complex. The architecture and sculptures of Ankgor Wat tell a series of stories about the ancient empire of the Kingdom. While the sight of the grand monument is breathtaking at any time of the day, some of the best moments to witness the temple are at sunrise and sunset. Getting up early to see Angkor Wat as the sun rises is quite an amazing experience for travelers. Sunset at the temple also provides a great view that visitors shouldn’t miss given the opportunity to view and capture the temple structure over-under the most beautiful light of the day. A unique way to have an amazing aerial view of the entire temple and its surrounding areas such as Phnom Bakheng and West Baray is taking a tethered helium balloon ride. The Big Yellow Balloon site is just 3km away from the temple.

Best of the Rest

Angkor Wat is the most complex architecture among all the temples in Siem Reap, and it looks overwhelming for first-time visitors. Hire a certified tour guide to walk you through bas reliefs depicting scenes from various mythological stories and historic events. Once entering the temple, take your time to wander and explore the detail.

Before sunset, throngs of tourists climb the 9th-century old Phnom Bakheng, a Hindu temple in the form of a temple mountain, to get a better view of the state temple Angkor Wat. This unique view of Ankgor Wat from Bakheng is featured in the 1996 Tomb Raider movie.

For any travelers who want to give back to the country, Dr. Beat Richner’s Jayavarman VII Children's Hospital is the perfect place to start.

Hidden Gem

As the temple is surrounded by moat/pond, one real treat is to take a boat ride to see the temple.

Accommodation

Modeled in French architecture, the Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa Hotel in Siem Reap is one of a few choices. It has all the convenient facilities any modern hotels provide. The hotel is close to Angkor Wat temple and only 7km from the international airport. A single bedroom per night is priced at $100. However, if you are on a budget, don’t worry, there are plenty of cheaper options available.

Siem Reap at night

In recent years Siem Reap’s new night market keeps the provincial town awake until the small hours of night. As many tourists have so much sight-seeing to do during the day-time, shopping in the evening before or after dinner is another good opportunity to make the most of this charming town, the main gateway to the great temple. Around the market and along the river bank, a handful of restaurants serve Asian and Western foods.

Retail Therapy

Markets such as Psar Chas, Central Market, and Phsar Leu Thom Thmei give tourists plenty of shopping options. These are some alternative shopping areas where you can get souvenirs to take back home. You will also find plenty of opportunities to stock up on souvenirs and handicrafts during your tours of the temple.

Transport

The Siem Reap is less than 10km from the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport. With Cambodia’s Open Sky policy, this country’s most popular tourist spot is accessible via Cambodia’s capital city Phnom Penh as well as many other Southeast Asian nations.

For budget travelers, it takes about 7 hours from to get there from Phnom Penh by buses, which run at a few times from the early morning until lunch time.

There are a couple ways to get around central Siem Reap and to reach Angkor Wat. Mototaxi and Tuk Tuk drivers are almost everywhere on the main streets waiting for tourists. You can also get a cab from your hotel.

Tharum Bun was born in Cambodia in 1982. He has been blogging since 2004 and is currently based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He is also a Contributing Author for Global Voices Online. Read more from Tharum at his blog – Musings From Cambodia [http://asiancorrespondent.com/tharum-bun-blog].