The wonders of Angkor Wat. (Angkor Wat)

Member Name: garymarsh6

Product:	Angkor Wat
Date:	26/08/09 (101 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Outstanding temples a legacy left for our enjoyment.

Disadvantages: Overwhelming heat of the jungle.

Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat is a UNESCO world heritage site that is part of a massive complex of temples in the jungles of Cambodia, South East Asia just outside the town of Siem Reap. It is an outstanding example of Khmer architecture. There are over 1000 temples built over a very large area. It was built at the start of the 12th century the ruler of the time called Suryavaram II and consisted of palaces, temples, public buildings and wooden houses.

I had read about Angkor Wat before going out to Cambodia and looked at loads of photos but nothing prepares you for the shear size and magnificence of the place. It actually reduced me to tears standing in front of this massive complex. I could not believe I was actually stood in front of the main causeway leading to the temple. It is a sight that is amazing and breathtakingly beautiful. I have never had any building have such an effect on me as this did. It felt almost as if you were with the Gods it was so serene and there was a very special feeling that I can not describe. It is an absolutely unbelievable sight.

Inside the compound of Angkor Wat there is a large lake just in front of the temple and the reflection of the temple and the massive palm trees give a fantastic and unique photo opportunity mirroring the temple on the surface of the lake. Some say the best time to take photos is just as the sun rises or during sun set as the colour of the temple changes and it is a great opportunity to take your photos then.

Near by there is an air balloon that is attached and anchored to the ground to get some brilliant photos from. I didn't use go on it and it was about $10 a time but it seemed to be working all day long.

Angkor Wat is a Hindu temple built to glorify and honour the Hindu God Vishnu. It was later taken over by Buddhist monks and is now used by Buddhists. There is a massive temple here in the middle of the temple the massive tower representing Mount Meru surrounded by four other massive conical tower structures. It is surrounded by a massive water field moat. It covers an area of 820,000 meters or 32 acres in total. It was a thriving metropolis and Capital of ancient Cambodia which was the seat of power and pilgrimage up until around about 1432.

The city was home to about a million inhabitants mainly artisans and stone masons involved in building the temples throughout the area. For some reason the city was abandoned. Some say it was abandoned because of plague whilst others say because of power struggles with Thailand. No one is really sure why the world's biggest temple complex and city was abandoned. It was only rediscovered by a French explorer in the latter part of the 1800's.

In 1860 Henri Mouhot after hearing talk and rumour around Europe of a large city hidden in the Jungles of Cambodia set out in search of them. A lot of the temples were over grown with trees and vegetation some of which had destroyed some of them or caused them to be dangerous. Some of the temples were used in the making of Tomb Raiders.


The temple.

You enter the temple compound via a causeway across the water moat. This is very wide and it's takes you to the perimeter walls and one of the three entrances and rooms of the outer temple. There are intricately carved bars allowing air to come inside these small shaded rooms allowing a small reprieve from the oppressive heat.
Inside there is a gigantic grassed area and central pathway leading up to the temple and a few small temple buildings mid way between the perimeter wall and the main temple.

The highest point of the temple is the central tower which is 65 meters high. It is surrounded at the four corners by four more towers intricately carved in the shape of a lotus. There are various ante chambers and temples, bathing and purification areas within the temple before you reach the main temple. There is an extremely steep flight of stairs going up to the temple that are practically vertical. The Japanese tourist in front of me kept losing his step and stood on my hand a couple of times. I am sure that there must have been a few people who have fallen down these steps as there is no handle of any kind to hold onto. To get down there is a vertical flight of steps on the right hand side of the temple with a thin metal bar to help you get down. It is extremely steep and quite dangerous.

There are massive reliefs carved into the sandstone walls of the temples which are unique to the Khmer people. Some think that they were carved by temple builders from the South of India who were experts in building new temples with fine intricate carvings on them. They represent Heaven and Hell, Vishnu, Krishna the demon God and various battles. There are also about 300 carvings of heavenly nymphs each one unique and in different styles. There are also carvings of the mythical Naga which is a giant snake. There is a miniature copy of the temple complex in the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

The temple is a fantastic site and depending on the position of the sun the colours of the stones change throughout the day. It is extremely hot and humid in this area and most trips to the temple are usually taken at first dawn before the sun rises due to the heat because by 10AM it is far too hot to be out in the oppressive humidity of the jungle. Most people take air-conditioned buses out to the temple complexes which cover an overall area of about 70 square miles.

There is a continuous programme of restoration and preservation preventing further deterioration of the sites as the jungle has overgrown some of them and it is a constant battle to try and take back the sites from the encroaching jungle. The massive roots of the trees work their way into the tiniest gaps in the stones and grow stretching and separating the stones from each other causing them to collapse. One has to be very careful when in the temples. A lot of them would be inaccessible if they were in our country due to safety issues.

Approximately 500, 000 people visit Angkor Wat every year and that is one of the main attractions in the country opened up again now to tourists and to the western world due to the wars in Cambodia and the oppressive regime of Pol Pot who murdered and massacred up to two and a half million or 21% his own people. City dwellers and academics were forced into the country side to work and either starved to death or were just executed for the fun of it. Many of them dying in the paddy fields where their bodies were left to rot hence the term the Killing fields. The countryside is also dangerous because of land mines that are still there so it is advisable to stick to marked pathways only.


The other notable temples close to Angkor Wat include the Bayon and Ta Prom with hundreds of relief carvings and carvings of massive heads carved into the stones. These are truly stunning.


How to get there.

Most tourists arrive by plane via one of the major portals in South Asia such as Phnom Penn, Bangkok, Hanoi or Ho Chi Min City to the nearest town of Siem Reap.

Siem Reap can be reached by road on cheap buses on fairly decent roads from the Capital city of Phnom Penn, Thailand, Vietnam or Laos to Siem Reap.

Visas are issued free either at the border or at the airport on arrival. These are free.

Siem Reap is a fairly large town spread over a wide area which has all kinds of accommodation to meet all ranges of budgets from small hostels, bed and breakfast accommodation up to five star establishments ranging from a few pounds up to the hundreds. Please make sure you have your mosquito repellent and always make sure you sleep under the mosquito nets where provided. In air-conditioned hotels it is still a good idea to use the nets if they are provided as there may be a stray or errant one that enters the room.

There are lots of restaurants, cafes, bakeries, small shops and roadside eateries. Only drink bottled water that is still sealed and buy from reputable shops or from you hotel. You must take bottled water with you when visiting the temples it is imperative and vital to maintain hydration in the heat of the jungle.

There are plenty of taxis or Tuc Tucs (motorised bikes) who wait patiently outside the hotels trying to tempt you into giving you a ride around the town or out to the temples. My advice would be not to take these as they can be quite dangerous and it is recommended you either take a tour with one of the local tour firms or you can hire bikes and do it independently.

Usually people would visit over a couple of days and you can buy an entry ticket for one, two or three day's sight seeing roughly about $20 a day. You need to provide a couple of passport sized photos to be put on your entry permit. You should only buy your tickets from the government park entry gates and not from people on the street as these tickets are usually fake but they are usually quite persuasive but stick to your guns and tell them No thank you.

The Cambodian people are a happy friendly people. They are extremely poor and are willing to please and assist you in anyway however do be aware that as it is such a poor country there may be a few beggars' about. In the actual park you may come across small groups of people who have been maimed, missing legs or arms or blinded by the bombs and mines left in the killing fields. They may be playing musical instruments or making some handicrafts. They are unemployable due to their disabilities and usually live in government or charity based accommodation and rely heavily on donations. Please offer them a little if you can as they have no other means of support. Some of the children you may see around begging may not necessarily be poor and may be part of a racket to relieve you of your cash.


Would I recommend a visit here?

Without a doubt it is one of the great wonders of the world and testament to the past civilisations who left their legacy in the form of this massive temple complex. I can not recommend highly enough that if you ever get the opportunity to visit then you should do so. It is awe inspiring both visually and spiritually and it is absolutely stunning. Some of the sites will leave you speechless and you feel quite insignificant in the great scheme of things marvelling how talented and how hard these people toiled must have been hundreds of years ago without all the modern cons we have today.

Check out the photos on Google images you will be amazed at the beauty.


I hope you have enjoyed reading this and it encourages you to make a trip.

Thank you for reading.

Summary: Heaven on earth in the middle of the jungles of Cambodia.