Angkor Wat (Angkor Wat)

Member Name: colesy

Product:	Angkor Wat
Date:	25/06/01 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Culture, History, Uniqueness

Disadvantages: None

My wife and I visited Angkor Wat, near Siem Reap in February 2001. It was out of this world !

We flew into Siem Reap using Bangkok Airways (twice daily flights from Bangkok - 1 hr flight) who were very professional and used brand-new Boeing 717 (yes, 717s).

We staid at the Grand Hotel D'Angkor - a hotel managed by the Raffles Group of Singapore fame. The hotel was wonderful.

Of course we didn't come to simply enjoy a great hotel. Angkor itself is spread over a considerable area and requires a good 2-3 days to capture the basics. One could spend a week at least.

We spent 3 days enjoying the ancient temples built by the Khmer people. They are really beautiful and wonderfully preserved.

Compared to our previous week in Mynamar where we saw very few foreign tourists, Angkor was busier, but never too busy and there are so many temples you can easily escape.

The history of Angkor is very interesting and to get the most out of your vacation be sure to read up beforehand.

Siem Reap itself is fine - there are half a dozen 5* hotels, a great market where you meet the locals (friendly, helpful) etc.

Whilst the majority of mines have been cleared in the immediate vacinity of the Temples (and so long as you stick to the normal tourist sites you'll see no evidence of mines at all), there are areas north of Siem Reap that are still being cleared. It's reasonably common to come across people who have been mamed by an explosion.

Alongside Macchu Pichu and Victoria Falls this has to be one of the most spectacular places to visit in the world.

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