Angkor: The Holy City

Words cannot do justice to the beauty of Angkor, which literally translates to 'Holy City' or 'Capital City'. The temples of Angkor provide a journey back in time; to an ancient world of kings, empires, regal architecture and life constructed around the religion and beliefs of the day.

The town of Siem Reap serves as the gateway to the ruins of the ancient Khmer Empire, which thrived between the ninth and twelfth centuries AD. 'Khmer' refers to the "dominant ethnic group in modern and ancient Cambodia" (The Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide, 2011). In the area of Siem Reap, one will find temple ruins; the remnants of the ancient 'Angkorian' capitals. These ruins represent the height of Khmer architecture, art and civilisation; when the area had a population of more than a million, when the Khmer kings ordered the building of grandiose temples and advanced water systems and Angkor was dominant over Cambodia and large areas of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos in military, economy and culture (The Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide, 2011).

The Angkor Archaeological Park had been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and the best-known ruins of Bayon, Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat put it on par with the great wonders of the world. The area of Siem Reap has been hosting foreign visitors to the ruins for over a hundred years. And the Khmer people, descendants of those who lived in the ancient capitals, welcome visitors with open arms.

If you fly to Siem Reap, like we did, you will arrive at the most quaint of airports; a beautifully designed one-story building with terracotta roof tiles and surrounded by palm trees. One automatically feels the effects of a relaxed environment. Tuc-tucs (the popular mode of transport in Siem Reap) await to 'chug' you into town along the airport road; a parade of make-shift, red plastic chair restaurants, chickens, 5-star Angkor hotels and Coca Cola umbrellas. (Isn't it amazing that Coca Cola seems to have reached every place in the world?)

We booked our first night's accommodation at The Palm Garden Lodge, a very cheap bed and breakfast near the town centre. Our tuc-tuc driver took us along the town's main road, which was relatively tarred and wide, but we soon turned off onto dirt roads with giant potholes, street cafes boasting meals of chicken heads, hair dressers, scooters and smiling pedestrians. Palm Garden was near the end of a narrow road and we were greeted by Adan, the manager of the accommodation. We were pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and cleanliness of the place. With no time to waste, after a quick shower, we headed to town by Palm Garden tuc-tuc to explore the Night Market and find a bit of light supper. Siem Reap's Night Market is a coming together of class, colour, vibrance and excitement. In between the stalls of hand-sewn handbags, headbands, landscape paintings and beautiful dresses, one finds fish pedicures with "complimentary beers" and gorgeous gazebo bars. Island Bar's beef and lemongrass stew and fresh spring rolls did the trick. Once we'd eaten and flattened a couple Anchor beers, we were ready for a good sleep before our 4:30am departure to witness sunrise at Angkor Wat.

If you manage to make sunrise or sunset at Angkor Wat (most visits to the temples are centered around this temple), you won't be disappointed. We managed to make it in time for sunrise. We watched from the northern reflecting pool in front of the massive three-tiered pyramid. As the visitors' guide (2011) says, "the visual impact of Angkor Wat, particularly on one's first visit, is awesome...like a giant postcard photo against the sky". The sun rises behind the temple so that all one can see is a silhouette of its towers against the early morning light.

The temples of Angkor deserve weeks of exploration. They "vary in importance, interest and condition and are spread over a large area, often kilometres apart" (The Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide, 2011). For even the most uninterested visitor, each ruin offers something completely different. But if you only have a limited period of time, like we did, it is recommended that you make sure to see the South Gate of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Angkorian empire; Central Angkor Thom (Bayon, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King); Ta Prohm, a huge monastic complex; and Angkor Wat, constructed in dedication to the Hindu god, Vishnu.

We traveled to Siem Reap at the end of July, which means it's the hot/rain reason. And there is no escaping the humidity. Fortunately, refreshments, notably cold beers, are available from vendors throughout the Park, along with books, postcards and food. The temples are really too far to walk (even though the mad few do 'hike' it anyway), and so we made use of a tuc-tuc for the day, which was a wonderful way to travel through the temple complex. Our weary feet were given a rest in between temples but we could still feel the fresh air and experience the scenery properly.

On our return to Siem Reap town proper, we found a fantastic local restaurant with plastic table cloths and lime green, roughly-painted walls. We ordered delicious prawn and coconut curry with basmati rice and banana pancakes for dessert. Our bill for three came to the grand total of $10 including drinks; a steal.

Siem Reap offers a little something for every kind of person. It is a place still getting used to the influx of foreign visitors; which means the locals are polite and excited to meet you (even if only to make a quick dollar), they appreciate it if you make an effort to learn a couple Khmer words, like 'hello' and 'thank you' and they are proud of how far they have come. One can't be sure how long it will stay this way. But for now, Cambodia is certainly the destination in south-east Asia, a destination you won't regret ticking off on your bucket list. Siem Reap certainly stole the heart of my traveling group. Two days: far too short. This place needs time...I long to return one day.

*A one month tourist visa for Cambodia can be obtained on arrival at the international airports in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh for US$20.