Most people have never heard of the city of Siem Reap. But the mention of Angkor Wat usually conjures up images of culture, history and pilgrimage. So it was no surprise both of us wanted to explore the listed UNESCO World Heritage Site and discover for ourselves the mysteries of the Khmer people and appreciate their ancient architecture. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world but what many don't realise is that it actually sits within an archaeological park that contains other unique ancient temples. Entrance to the park costs per person $20 usd for a 1 day, $40 usd for 3 days and $60 usd for a 7 day pass. The guesthouse organised our tour using their in-house tuk tuk driver at a very reasonable price. We opted for the sunrise tour at Angkor Wat ($5 usd) followed by the Small Circuit Tour ($14 usd) on our first day. Tip: It's recommended you hit the road by 5am to stake out your spot (one near the lake is best) in order to get the customary shot of the sun rising behind Angkor Wat. Our second day consisted of the Grand Circuit Tour plus Banteay Srei ($22 usd - touted as the prettiest temple of them all). So what can we say about the temples? Well, there is such a thing called being "all-templed out". While we wanted to immerse ourselves with the intricacies of each individual temple, the unending midday heat meant the temples would blur together by the end of each day. However there are a few must-sees that would be a real shame if you missed them: Angkor Wat, Ankor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, East Mebon, Pre Rup, Banteay Srei and our personal favourite - Banteay Samre (which we had all to ourselves as a reward for getting there super early). Surprisingly, the impressiveness of each of the temples was overshadowed by the genuineness and kindheartedness of the Cambodian people. Yes we met a few duds that lived up to their reputation of trying to fleece us for all we were worth but it was our tuk tuk driver who restored our faith in humanity. On our last day with him, we were travelling along the road to the next temple when suddenly he frantically started honking at the coconut-carrying motorbike in front. Dumbfounded and more than a little alarmed, we thought perhaps it was his friend that he wanted to catch up to. As he sped up to block him, all we could do was hold on. Finally the motorbike stopped and after a few words were exchanged, our driver came to us carrying two gigantic coconuts. Thinking he was buying it for his family we were absolutely stunned when he pointed to the two coconuts and back at us. For someone who makes little money driving tuk tuks everyday and who had no obligation to buy us anything at all, this one act truly humbled us. Despite the difficult history and circumstances of the majority of the Cambodian people, their kindness and generosity remains forever inspiring.
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AuthorWe're two Kiwi Malaysians navigating life in a modern global society. We love to seek adventure and are unashamedly food fanatics (without the pretentiousness). Most of all, we love connecting with others so please share with us your stories, opinions and recommendations! Archives
August 2017
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