Checking out Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples was always high on the list of things to while in SE Asia, and it didn’t disappoint!
Around two years ago on my European road trip I listened to the Fall of Civilisations Podcast episode on the Khmer Empire, and this really inspired me. As an aside, I only discovered this excellent podcast due to the host dunking on Musk.
The visit was planned on the itinerary for the Nomads in Wonderland retreat, so we all went out as a group on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sunset at Phnom Bakheng
On evening before the main event, we went out to Phnom Bakheng for the sunset. This is free in with your ticket for the following day since it’s after 5.30pm. The tickets can be got on the official website, and there is an app as well, so you just show barcode when entering. There are 1-Day, 3-Day, and 10-Day passes. I opted for the 1-Day.
A small bit of a walk up to the temple on the hill for the nice sunset vantage point. It was a little bit on the smoggy side but the sun still looked really cool. This temple was built in the late 9th century and was one of the first major temples in the Angkor region. It was originally dedicated to Shiva but later became a Buddhist site.
The window of opportunity for this pic was pretty small
Sunrise at Angkor Wat
On Wednesday we were up around 5am to get out to the temples for the crack of dawn. Glad I had an early night (unlike some people!) or would have been absolutely wrecked.
3 tuk-tuks were arranged to bring us around for the day. It worked out about ~€8 each which was well worth it. They were dead on, although during the break they tried dissuading us from a restaurant in favour of another, supposedly better, one (where they get a bit of commission). Gotta love the hustle!
Out at Angkor Wat we waited outside the perimeter for daylight to break before entering the temple and watching the sunrise—‘twas class! The temple itself was built in the early 12th century by King Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, but by the 14th century, it had transitioned into a Buddhist temple. At over 160 hectares, it’s officially the largest religious monument in the world.
From here we went exploring the temple and surrounding area. As it happened, it was a religious holiday so some parts were closed, but there was still so much to see.
I had the GoPro with me so took the opportunity to do some timewarping.
Ta Prohm
As majestic as Angkor Wat is, I actually preferred Ta Prohm with its ruins and banyan trees taking over.
I’ve not seen the it but apparently it’s the set of the Angelina Jolie Tomb Raider movie, though having played the original games, it absolutely gives off that vibe. No sign of any mansion out here, sadly, so remains to be seen if there is a place to lock your butler.
Ta Prohm was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and university. At its peak, it housed thousands of monks and students. Now, it hosts a bunch of banyan trees amongst the ruins, which make it one of the most atmospheric temples in Angkor.
Wandering through here really is incredible though and is a must-do if out at Angkor Wat.
Can’t help but think of this meme
The timewarp video below shows the extent of it. The start, in particular, shows some truly majestic trees living among the rubble.
The Bayon
Our final stop was Bayon. Another very impressive temple—it’s notable for its 216 massive stone faces, which are said to resemble King Jayavarman VII himself.
Bayon was built in the late 12th or early 13th century as the official state temple of Jayavarman VII. Unlike earlier temples, which were Hindu, Bayon was dedicated to Mahayana Buddhism. The carvings on its walls tell stories of both historical battles and everyday life in the Khmer Empire. A bit like a massive stone comic strip.
It was absolutely roasting at this stage so after a lap of the temple, we made our way to the tuk-tuks and back to the villa.
The gang entering Bayon in the midday heat
We got back early enough having had a very productive morning! There are tons of temples about and each have their own thing so you really could spend ages out there. I’m happy enough with the 1-Day for now, but perhaps I’ll return some day to explore more.
DavAI SummAIriser
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