Siem Reap and the Temples of Angkor

First, let me preface by saying there is no way I can do justice in words to the amazing architecture and fascinating beauty that are the temples of Angkor (ancient ruins that spread across many kilometers)...so please take a look at our photos. That being said, I will try and briefly describe our experiences exploring the temples with our friends Cory and Stacey.

When we arrived to Siem Reap in the late afternoon, we were met - to our surprise - by a friend of our Phnom Penh tuk tuk driver (he had a sign in hand that read "Ms. Mariah and Mr. Eric"). We decided to be good-willed and give him our business and agreed to stay at the guest house where he gets commission and hire him the next day as our driver to explore the further afield temples. We met back up with Cory and Stacey in the evening at a pre-determined local Khmer restaurant where sampled some of the local cuisine and got caught up on our activities from the last couple days. We all agreed to tour the temples the first day by tuk tuk and the second day by bike. And we also agreed to rally and get our butts out of bed at 4:30AM to go and see the sunrise over Angkor Wat - something the guide books claim is a must-see.

Day 1

The early morning arousal was brutal, but we eventually recovered and made up for it with a late afternoon nap. The sunrise was beautiful - despite the many other tourists motivated to do the same as us. Once the glory was over, we rushed back to our tuk tuk and headed to the temples that were 20-40 kms away, making our way slowly back to some of the main temples towards the end of the day. Each temple we saw was unique in its own way, depending on why it was commissioned and the time period in which it was built. Sometimes, we had to deal with the tour bus loads of people wandering around with us. But other times, we lucked out and were able to explore a place virtually alone - enjoying the peace and serenity of the ancient ruins. (If you visit Siem Reap, we recommend taking the larger loops that take you away from many of the most famous temples, but allow you to explore some of the unique smaller ones without the crowds.)

Day 2

We slept in a bit on day 2 to recover from the previous early morning, so set off about 11AM on our bikes for the half-hour ride to the first temple. We spent the day exploring the more famous temples including Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (which also just happened to be a bit closer and more convenient for biking). Exploring the area on bikes added a whole different feel that we really enjoyed. It made you feel closer to the ruins and it was easier to stop if you saw something along the way you wanted to explore or take a photo of - not to mention giving us a dose of exercise we were in need of.

We had planned to watch the sunset at the famous tree-covered Ta Prohm temple (which we had also visited the day before), but our explorations of other temples took longer than planned and an unexpected flat tire on Stacey's bike meant we had to do some problem solving (we eventually found her a free ride back to town in a minivan with some gracious rich tourists). Mariah, Cory and I were on our own for the bike ride back to town as dusk fell and darkness set in. All was fine and good until we took a presumed shortcut on a better road. While we could bike a lot faster on the smoother pavement, it turned out the shortcut was a bit of a detour, so we pulled into town in the growing darkness amid crazy traffic and honking horns. We only almost got hit a couple times - no problem - but in the end, made it safe and sound. After our stressful ride, we agreed to meet for dinner and a beer to relax and enjoy our last evening in Cambodia with our Canadian friends.

Overall Highlights of the Temples of Angkor

• Angkor Wat - The largest scale wat with intricate bas-reliefs stretching around the outside of the central temple complex (800m)

• Bayon - We enjoyed the giant faces (216 faces) and wandering the many halls in the compact three tiered structure


• Ta Prohm - Unlike the others, this temple has been swallowed by the jungle (featured in the original "Tomb Raider" movie)


• Further afield temples - We all enjoyed exploring the smaller temples and other structures that aren't on the main tourist path. There are many jungle lined roads weaving in and out of these ancient testaments to the former Khmer Kingdom of Cambodia.

By the end of our 2-day whirlwind tour of the temples of Angkor, we were definitely feeling like we needed more time to enjoy this area and explore the temples in more detail. They are still to this day discovering more ruins in the area that are worth a visit if you have the time and motivation to get off the beaten track. This may be a place where we have to return one day.