Cambodia’s Temples Of Angkor
The temples of Angkor were all that I had imagined and more. Angkor Wat was of course a highlight but almost every temple that we visited during our 2-day visit was special in its own way. The other two that particularly stood out for me were the Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom with its carved faces and of course the tree-strangled ruins of Ta Prom.
Angkor Wat is around 20 minutes from the town of Siem Reap and it takes little imagination to travel back into the Golden Age of Angkor.
Even though my family and I were visiting at one of the busiest times of the year (Khmer New Year, 13-15 April), I still found an inherent tranquillity to the temples. It is as if all the effort and devotion that had been put into their design and construction still imbues the structure: I am truly in awe of those responsible for their creation.
Weather-wise the best time to visit Angkor is from December to March. April is the start of the hot season and from May to September the rains can be heavy.
The weather was mixed during our stay in April. We had some heavy rain, gales on one afternoon but sunshine most of the time.
In spite of the Khmer New Year crowds, Angkor Wat did not disappoint, far from it in fact.
To avoid the hubbub at the front of the temple our guide took us through the trees at the back. On first sight it did not look anything special but the bas relief depicting the Hindu story of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk was the first indication that this was indeed a Wonder of the World.
I had seen pictures of Angkor Wat but it was not until we started walking along the many corridors that I appreciated the sheer scale of the temple. Even though the New Year crowd was growing, my experience and appreciation of Angkor Wat was in no way diminished.
Angkor Wat was occupied for longer than most, if not all, of the other temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park which might explain why, despite its age (around 900 years), it is in a very good state of repair.
I knew there were a lot of temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park which is why, for convenience and to save time, I opted for a private, organized tour for our relatively short visit. By the way, I suggest 2 days is the bare minimum amount of time you should allow.
We purchased a 3-day pass for the temples at a cost of US$40 per head. You will need a passport-size photo for the pass: we took our own along but I understand they will take one on the spot for you at no charge.
The other main highlights of our visit were:
I suppose the key reason I found the Bayon Temple so appealing was the large, enigmatic faces carved into the brickwork. I didn’t count them but apparently there are 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, which in Sanskrit means the lord who looks in every direction.
Ta Prohm is best known as the backdrop to the movie ‘Tomb Raider’: it is truly so fantastical it is almost unreal. Large trees straddle, and in many cases, are strangling this ancient monument. I understand that the task of restoring this temple would be so huge that the authorities are currently leaving it to nature to continue its ravaging march. To an extent it must look now as it would have done to those explorers who re-discovered these abandoned temples of Angkor in the 19th Century.
For a sense of how Ta Prohm might look restored visit Preah Khan temple, built by King Jayavarman VII. Preah Khan has towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors like Ta Prohm but it is in a better state of preservation and there are ongoing restoration efforts to improve it.
We also did our, almost obligatory, sunset stop at Pre Rup. I don’t know if, over the years, I have become blasé about sunsets (I hope not) but I did not find this anything special. Just a lot of people waiting around for a long time, for not very much. On the positive side, the setting (and, I imagine, the rising) sun picks out the colour of the red brickwork.
I feel certain that I shall return to Cambodia and a repeat visit to Angkor will certainly be on my list.
If you have visited the Temples of Angkor what were the highlights for you?
Images Credit: www.Hookedonasia.org Creative Commons
