About

Postcards form a Backpacker

In 2005 an Englishman by the name of Mark Inns followed in the footsteps of explorers of old and embarked on an adventure that would see him circumnavigate the globe through the wilds of Africa round to the Rio Carnival in South America. Read about his adventures in the online diary and discover some of the journeys highlights.

Day 176

Angkor Wat

Posted in South East Asia, Cambodia, Siem Reap

I had arrived in Cambodia the previous day on having come to the end of 36 hours almost straight on various buses. I arrived in the country’s capital Phnom Penh early evening time and checked into a guest house, had some local food and went to bed. The next morning I had an early start and another bus ride to Siem Reap. On the bus’s arrival, the bus was mobbed by hawkers trying to get you to go with them to their guesthouse. I was approached as soon as I stepped off the bus and ended up going with a guy on his cyclo, in this case, a moped with a carriage attached by a joint on the saddle. The guesthouse was $5 a night with cable TV, a fan and ensuite. The rooms were clean and when I was checked in I asked about Angkor Wat. My guide agreed to take me around the temple sites the next day and told me if we went today at 4.30pm the ticket would be valid for the next day too.

The ruins are spread across a large site and number over 100 stone temples. They were built by the Khmer civilisation between 802 to 1220 AD and, are one of the man made wonders of the world as well as being classed a world heritage site. The largest temple is Angkor Wat which was built in the early part of the 12th century by Suryavaram II and honors the Hindu god Vishnu. I visited twice once on the first night and then lastly on the second day.

To enter the park you need to buy a ticket which is checked upon entering each of the temples. A day pass like the one I brought at the time of writing this is $20 USD. According to the guide books to really appreciate the temples you need to spend at least 3 days to a week here. For these passes a passport photo was required. Unless you are that interested in Khmer history, I think a week would be too long for me. After my visit in the evening, then returning for the whole of the following day, and visiting more than 10 separate temples, I think I had had my fill of temples.

The other most mention worthy temples are that of the Bayon temples, this is covered in stone heads and the other is Ta Prohm. Ta Prohn, unlike the other temples, has been left as it was found, preserved with tropical forest still growing through the monument. The rest of the sites have been cleared over the last few decades, some now supported by concrete pillars and wooden braces. The preservation of the sites has been going on for decades, mostly funded by foreign governments. There have been some glitches during the fighting that took place during the times of war in the region.

Angkor has been the highlight of my time so far in Asia, and by far the most impressive architecture of any ruins I have seen during my travels around the world to date.

If you visit Angkor and arrive in Siem Reap I can recommend my guide Mr Manat. You can text or call his mobile on (855) 12584785 to arrange for him to meet you at the bus station and take you to pleasant accommodation. He took me to Nokorpech Chamroeun Guesthouse that had an en-suite shower and western style toilet, fan and cable TV for just $5 USD per night. Tours of the site can be arranged for between $20-$80 USD (excluding park entrance fees) depending on how many days you want to spend around the ruins.

Suits You Sir

Kuala Lumpur Petronas Towers

Destination

Related Guide Books

Cambodia Country Profile

  • Population: 14.4 million
  • Capital: Phnom Penh
  • Area: 181,035 sq km
  • Official language: Khmer
  • Currency: Riels

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under Pol Pot. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom Sihanouk abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom Sihamoni, was selected to succeed him.