Jgriffindor6

5.00 United States - 23-Sep-24 -

It has been a dream of mine to visit Angkor since i was a child, and the experience was perhaps even better than I could have imagined! Massive would be an understatement for the scale of this place. There are enough ruins here to keep you occupied for days, and then some. Angkor wat itself is of course a highlight, but don't miss Banteay Srei! Its a bit out there compared to the others but the artwork is amazing. It is totally worth it to get up early for the sunrise over angkor wat. Stay later for the sunset too! 

Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero

5.00 The Philippines - 07-Dec-23 -

This is my third visit to Angkor. In my first visit I did the small circuit with a very competent guide who has had been part of many studies and documentations of the site (including as the assistant for the LIDAR scanning done by Sydney Univ.). My second visit was during the UNESCO-UNWTO Conference where we did a technical visit to Phnom Bakheng, a priority project then of the World Monument Fund, together with the project supervisor of the organization. I even then had the rarest chance of admiring Angkor in the evening when Cambodia, being the host, lit all the monuments in Angkor Thom during a dinner hosted and graced by the king. This time, I did the grand circuit, and I was still impressed with what I saw. Things that have changed since 2015, however, include: marked pathways in exploring the temples (some sites are strict about this rule, and some sanctuaries can no longer be accessed), having a lot of ticket inspectors on each site, and the single day entry, as mentioned in earlier reviews, is now at 37$ -- a strange way of commemorating Apsara Authority's 37th year anniversary and, apparently, because there are 37 steps leading to the main shrine of Angkor Wat! This move has since then discouraged a lot in taking the more expensive 3-day and 7-day passes, so more than 90% of visitors only take the single-day pass. Apsara did not stop there. Beng Mealea, which previously had its own entrance ticket, is now absorbed by the Angkor Pass. And now, even the three Angkorian period temples close to/within Siem Reap that are not even part of the buffer zone of the inscribed area have been given the standard stone markers bearing "UNESCO" and the WHC logo. And by doing this, Wat Athvea and Phnom Krom can no longer be visited without having the Angkor Pass. Wat Preah En Kosei, however, is still free to enter -- until when, we cannot tell. Ta Prohm restoration is finished while Bayon and West Mebon are ongoing (its hard to imagine that the East Mebon used to be a floating temple too!), the Jayataka Baray surrounding Neak Pean had been re-flooded during the pandemic (which eventually rotted many trees, but beautifully repopulated with lotuses), the island in Sra Srang has been restored, and all the paths connecting the temples are now cemented. Some have even been diverted. Another realization is that it is nice to witness sunset on the bridge at the Southern Gate of Angkor Thom, a decent alternative to crowded Phnom Bakheng. 

Photo: Wat Preah En Kosei (one of the only five private temples standing, the best example is of course Banteay Srei; another is Prasat Kravan), Phnom Krom (one of the earliest, along with other temples on top of mountains, e.g. Preah Vihear temple, Phnom Bakheng, Phnom Chisor, Vat Phou) and its misleading marker, and Wat Athvea and its adjoining active monastery.

Kelseyyurek

5.00 USA - 01-Jan-23 -

One of my favorite WHS! I think everyone should try to visit Cambodia and Angkor Wat during their lifetime. I think the country has done a beautiful job preserving this site, and I love that the guides are so accessible. You don't have to plan anything before arriving in Siem Reap. You can show up, find a guide, and learn about this area. Put this at the top of your bucket list!

GygerTraveler

4.50 US - 28-Oct-22 -

Absolutley loved this site! Gorgeous architecture and preservation, particularly at Angkor Wat. There are still places that you can see the paint, including in spaces where there are no carvings to retain the paint. Down side of this site is that when visiting, there are very few maps, so you will need to either get a tour guide or keep your google maps handy.

Jakob Frenzel

5.00 Germany - 28-May-20 -

July 2016 - What an adventure that we planned. My sister came back from a one year work-and travel in NZ and Australia with a prolonged stopover option in Bangkok. Good opportunity for us to finally visit Thailand. Coincidentally my best friend from school was also around and joined our travels for a bit. After arriving in Asia and having a relaxed day on the Chao Praya, we took the train to the Cambodian border the next day. The train ride was an awesome experience already. A tuktuk took us to the border (beware of fake visa offices) and it cost us maybe half an hour and some shine dollar bills at the customs, to get our Visa and resume travel.The 2 hour busride to Siem Riep was in a comfortable Vantaxi with 10 other tourists, including 2 potential rip-off stopovers on the way. Surprise: the bus station was a few km outside Siem and overpriced tuktuks offered us a ride to the centre. We didn't have too much luggage so started walking, the tuktuks passing us a few times and offering cheape fares with every step we walked. Finally a nice Cambodian guy took us to the next hostel and offered us a guided visit in Angkor next day.

8 a.m. next morning "King Kong" was really standing in front of our hostel and took us to Angkor Vats entry. We payed the approx. 30$ and arranged to see at least 5 different temples that day. "King Kong" was waiting in his hammock, while we were visiting and provided us with water and snacks for the rides. It was a really nice experience to learn, that the guys behind the tourist ripp-off mafia, are actually really nice, friendly totally trustworthy and ambassadors for their people.

First in the morning we visited Angkor Wat. Not too many tourist yet but monkeys who were jumping around and picking Mangos from the trees. First time for me to see monkeys in "real" nature. But opposite to Thailand, they were not fed by tourists and eating rubbish, but played around the temples for their joy. We enjoyed our time here and spend at least 1,5 hours. Our next stop was Angkor Thom with the beatiful Bayon and the terraces of lepra, enough details to discover and keep you here for another hour. Preah Khan was our next stopver, a rather remote and quite temple which we had for our own.  Really liked it here, jungle remoteness was perfect here.

Last visit was at Ta Prohm. The famous Tomb Raider temple covered with Mangroves. It started raining heavily which increased the mystical atmosphere and made place for some nice pictures.Totally soaked from the Monsoon, we came back to Siem Reap and still enjoyed a big portion of tasty Amokh. We will come back sometime because this place is defnitely worth its status of one of the 7 new world wonders. Another 12 days of Thailand followed after this amazing side trip.

Randi Thomsen

5.00 Norway - 02-Jan-20 -

Angkor is truly an amazing place!

For me this is a childhood dream come through. As a little girl, I was fascinated about these temples in the jungle. We wanted to do a proper visit and bought a three day pass. As recommended from others, we started out with the greater circle and the smaller temples. A great start with some really nice temples. I specially liked Pre Rup (one of the early temples), Neak Pean (a cute little water temple), Preah Khan (big, interesting and less crowded) and the interesting South gate. We ended the day with sunset at Phnom Bakheng. Only 300 persons are allowed up there at a time, so you need to be there early, at least an hour before sunset. It was ok, but not spectacular.
The next day we started early with sunrise at Angkor Wat. Lots of people, but not great sunrise really. Maybe better another time of the year? Anyway, nice to get an early start. Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Phrom is a must. The reliefs at Angkor Wat is wonderful, the faces at Bayon interesting and Ta Phrom- setting in the jungle is a great place for Kodak moments. We ended the day by visiting of the outermost temples Banteay Samre, nice and quiet, and Banteay Srei, a small jewel. We also stopped at several smaller sites on the way.  By the second day we have covered the site more or less. The last remaining Rolous group we visited in a few hours on the third day. They were actually built before the Angkor Thom and Wat and was a little bit different, and was the in the first Khmer capital. Interesting but not a must. In retrospective Preah Ko had some similarities to Samar prei Kuk I think. We also did a revisit to Angkor Wat in the afternoon, different lightning and an opportunity to study the reliefs more closely. They are really magnificent!  Definitely a great place to spend my #500 WHS anniversary!

### Randi and Svein

Nan

5.00 Germany - 31-Dec-18 -

What makes a truly great site? To me a truly great site is one where you could remove the best parts of the site and still have a great site. E.g. Rome is great even if you were to ignore the Colosseum and the Pantheon. You still have the Forum Romanum, the Roman Walls, the Circus Maximus, ... The same applies to Angkor. Angkor is not just about Angkor Wat or Bayon. Its a huge area with a host of great temples, some smaller, some bigger, but all unique and incredible.

In total I spend 3 nights in Siem Reap and two days visiting the sites of nearby Angkor. I did not have the time to venture further outside to Banteay Srei as recommended by others. My personal highlights were Angkor Wat, South Gate of Angkor Thom plus bridge, Bayon (amazing stonework), Preah Khan and Ta Prohm (the Tomb Raider temple). Most scenic is Neak Pean, tugged away on a small island in a huge artificial lake.

Admittedly, I got into a bit of fatigue each day. Literally, as the temperature and humidity in combination made visiting Angkor quite tiring. And more generally as there is just so much to take in. Personally, I would recommend having a few days and starting with the lesser sites first before making your way to the big ones. The lesser sites also tend to be less frequented by tour busses and less crowded as a consequence.

Getting There & Around

Siem Reap has a small international airport. If you are arriving in Phnom Penh you can take a bus or minibus to Siem Reap. The minibus option comes recommended.

To get from Siem Reap to Angkor you can hire a driver. Most hotels will offer to arrange this at a minor surcharge. I think I paid around 15-20 USD for my Tuk Tuk each day. You can also go by car (more expensive), but I love riding in Tuk Tuks, so this was not an option.

The first stop you will make is at the huge ticket facility. They now have multiple queues for the different types of passes you want to buy: 1 day (37 USD), 3 day (62 USD) and week (72 USD). Prices went up significantly in 2017 and I feel fairly confident that this will continue. At least, you can nowadays pay with credit card. And the ticket is a nice souvenir as it comes with your own picture. Mainly, though, this is intended to prevent sharing/reselling of tickets.

The Tuk Tuks do two circuits (= 2 days):

• Inner Circle (the highlights): Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Thommanon, ... and ending at Ta Prohm.
• Outer Circle: Preah Khan, Neak Pean, ... Pre Rup, ... and ending at Banteay Kdei

I think you could do this in a very long day if you wanted to. I preferred sticking to half day trips.

In general I would have enjoyed just hiking around Angkor for a day. But again thanks to heat and humidity, this was not an option.

While You Are There

I would recommend visiting both Preah Vihear and Sambor Prei Kuk. Both can be done as day trips from Siem Reap. There are also three tentative sites nearby.

Siem Reap itself is very touristy with ever more hotels being added. The city itself offers plenty of amusement options (Pub Street), but very little to actually go and see.

Riccardo Quaranta

5.00 Italy - 05-Nov-18 -

Between the 9th and the 15th century, in the region that is now Cambodia, near the modern-day city of Siem Reap, Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire, flourished.

During those centuries, Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Kingdom and it grew to such a size that it is now considered the largest pre-industrial city in the world.

The ruins of Angkor are included in the Angkor Archaeological Park, which extends for about 400 km square kilometres (although the urban area of Angkor might have been over 1000 square kilometres), and it’s one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. The ruins include over a thousand temples, among which the most important are the incredible Angkor Wat, the Ta Prohm, the ancient city of Angkor Thom and its centrepiece, the Bayon, the less popular but still breathtaking Banteay Srei, Preah Khan, Prasat Bakong and a multitude of smaller temples of which many are now just a pile of bricks.

The best way to visit Angkor is by staying in Siem Reap and arrange transportation to the Archaeological Park from the city. Considering that over two million people visit the place annually, it’s definitely not a problem to find the type of organized or individual tour that meets anyone expectations.

I visited Angkor back in 2011 with four friends. We hired a local guide, who helped us to visit the most interesting sections of this huge complex, and we hire a tuk-tuk driver that took us around the site for the entire time we were there. The first suggestion the guide gave us was to keep the Angkor Wat for the end of the tour to avoid spoiling all the rest. That was indeed a great tip!

There are several other ways to visit the site: organised tours, bicycles, buses, elephants (Please don’t!) etc.. The tuk-tuk gave us the freedom to move at our own pace and the independence that we wanted, and at the same time it made the exploration enjoyable. In my opinion, another good option could be to explore the site by bicycle, but it is really too big if short on time and Cambodia is very hot all year round.

I’m not going to describe all the temples that we saw, they were too many, but the experience was unforgettable. I usually tend to avoid going back to a place I had already been. Not with Angkor. Angkor is one of the few places where I would like to go again. I feel there’s so much more to explore than what I know about it.

Coming from Siem Reap in the south, the first temple on the road is the Angkor Wat that, as I said earlier, we left for last. We headed for the huge walled city of Angkor Thom and entered it from the South Gate.

Angkor Thom, as all the main temples in Angkor, was a walled city with a square shape, whose sides are perfectly oriented north-south and east-west, surrounded by a moat. Another feature of Angkor was in fact its incredible waterworks. Angkor Thom is by far the largest walled city. Its sides are over 3.5 km long and it encompasses countless ruins.

The most popular among all the temples within Angkor Thom is the Bayon. The Bayon is known for the hundreds of gigantic stone smiling faces and its sets of bas-reliefs.

Another temple inside Angkor Thom that I really enjoyed is the Baphuon, located just north of the Bayon. What I liked about this temple is that is was converted from a Hindu temple to a Buddhist temple and they used the construction materials of the tower (typical in hindu temples) to start building a reclining Buddha that was never completed.

After going around Angkor Thom, with hundreds of ruins surrounding us, we decided to leave the walled city and headed east for another important temple,  made famous by the movie Tomb Raider that was filmed there: the Ta Prohm.

I have no words to describe this temple. It felt like being in an Indiana Jones (or Tomb Raider) movie. The main feature of Ta Prohm is the gigantic trees that started to grow on the walls of the temple since it was abandoned in the 15th century, following the fall of the Khmer Empire. It’s simply breathtaking.

A few kilometers away from the main Angkor area is another temple that is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: Banteay Srei. The peculiarity of Banteay Srei is the fact that it’s built of red sandstone, so finely carved that the decorations are still incredibly beautiful today, and its buildings are a scaled miniature version of the usual structures of Khmer temples.

No visit of the Archaeological Park should end without going to the masterpiece: the majestic Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world, built at the end of the 12th century, it’s now the symbol of Cambodia. Like the other main temples in the area, it is surrounded by a square moat and a wall but it’s the only one facing west instead of east.

Angkor Wat is an outstanding example of Khmer architecture, the so-called Angkor Wat style, for obvious reasons. It was originally built as an Hindu temple to be later slowly converted into a Buddhist temple. It is simply breathtaking, one of the most impressive monuments I’ve ever seen. That is why it is better to visit it at the end of the tour, its majesty shadows everything else.

Read more from Riccardo Quaranta here.

Michael Turtle

Australia - 09-Dec-15 -

An incredible site - one of the best in the world. To really appreciate it, you need several days. If you go flat out for one day then you'll be able to see all the 'highlights' but they're generally quite crowded. It's only by day two or day three that you start to see some of the more special ones and start to notice the details in them. It's not just about the huge buildings - as impressive as they are. It's also about the carvings and the way things have been designed for very specific purposes.

Read more from Michael Turtle here.

Olesya Rodina

Ukraine - 28-Nov-12 -

I was lucky to travel through all Cambodia in February 2007.

I spent 2 weeks there, crossing all the country from North to South.

This country has left a deep trace in my heart and I dream about another two weeks there!

My trip to Siem Reap from Aranyaprathet , a white old taxi in clouds of red dust, my fears about what was waiting for me in Siem Reap… I will never forget this!

What impressed me much then - smiling people and white shirts of school children inside of that poverty and dust…

I visited almost all the temples of Angkor Archeological park. Everything there was special!!!

I am Russian, so khmer culture was something absolutely miraculous for me!

Mostly I liked Angkor Thom with plenty of apsaras. Each of them had an enigma oh her face.

Bayon is spectacular! You feel yourself there in another dimension, absolutely out of time!

Temples and Trees of Ta Phrom will impress ANY person!

And, unbelievable, proud Angkor Wat – is something so breath-taking, that does not have analogues in all the world!

I will always keep Cambodia in my heart as a large flower of never-dying lotus with all legends and dreams of the gorgeous khmer civilization.

Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero

5.00 The Philippines - 05-Oct-12 -

For some reasons, I appreciated Angkor Wat better in the afternoon - at sunset - than during the popular and obligatory sunrise visit where all tourists to Angkor are expected start their journeys with. In either case, it was such a delight to see that Angkor still receives a lot of visitors even during off peak seasons!

Of all the many temples and ensembles I have seen, I really cherished my experience at Bayon, the 'almost secret' ground alleys of the Terrace of the Leper King, and Prasat Kravan - the last two only receiving a handful of tourists. Prasat Kravan (which has a twin temple as well in Takeo province - the Prasat Neang Khmau) is probably one of the under-appreciated temples in Angkor, but I personally think that it is one of the most unique - the murals of the central tower was indeed a find, and it has a history much older than most.

Unfortunately, I never got to feel the amazement that people usually claim to have experienced at Sras Srang (the royal bath) as it was under renovation when I last visited. Aside from the enigmatic temples in the area, I find the water system - barays and the canals - to be just as interesting and intriguing.

I could only agree that Angkor is indeed one of the best cultural wonders (if not the best) and an incredible engineering feat the world has to offer. It's definitely a topnotcher.

TIP 1: I always find that watching a performance of the Royal Cambodian Ballet (Apsara Dance and Cultural Shows) complements well one's visit to Angkor.

TIP 2: If I were to recommend, be sure to see and at least spend some time exploring Bayon, the terraces, Ta Prohm, Pre Rup, Banteay Srei, Sras Srang (after the repairs!), Prasat Kravan, Neak Pean, and Angkor Wat.

Clyde

5.00 Malta - 07-Sep-12 -

I visited this amazing WHS in February 2011. Angkor Wat is actually a temple complex of around 400km2 (bigger than my home country). There are outstanding sunrise and sunset moments to enjoy and it is very easy to get "templed out" after 2-3 days of intense exploration through jungle temples, major temples, minor temples, etc. The relationship between nature and the temple of Ta Phrom can be clearly seen as you try to understand whether the jungle trees or the temples came first. Some trees can still be seen growing on the temples or indeed through the temples with roots coming out of everywhere. You will surely feel observed while walking through the Bayon Temple, with the hundreds of sculpted faces smiling at you. Another one of my favourite WHS, no doubt about that.

Ian Cade

5.00 UK - 16-Nov-10 -

Astounding!

I can imagine a few sites being the equal of Angkor, but surely there is nothing that can better it. The sheer amount of temples would be impressive, but each one seems to be some form of new masterpiece. I spent 3 days travelling around the temples and didn’t get bored; each new one was a delight. My personal favourites were the Bayon, Preah Khan and Pre Rup (all on the Grand Circuit).

I almost missed my highlight, which was an early morning where I had Bantaey Srei all to myself. The temple was magnificent, and displayed a different batch of imagery to that which is frequently used in the central Angkorian complexes. I almost didn’t make the trip out there and it was only because I decided to go to Kbal Spean and had to be back for an early afternoon bus that I was there by myself. However it was certainly worth the trip.

I can’t really add anything more to what people have already stated here. It is well worth as much time as you can spend on it. I would recommend travelling around the sites by TukTuk as it is very affordable and gives you a better view of the sites and environment.

Outstanding, the best World Heritage Site I have visited.

[Site 10: Experience 9]

Jeff Ditmire

United States of America - 21-Apr-10 -

(April 2010). I visited Angkor in November 2009, and am still amazed by what I saw. The remains are beautiful and inspiring. The sheer size is mind-boggling. I took two days to tour Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, Elephant Platform and surrounding temples..and did not even scratch the surface. The details on the reliefs draw you close to admire their craftsmanship. The emmense size of the walled cities are breath-taking. Enjoy these treasures while they last. The city of Siem Reap is a typical third world tourist city, but offers some incredible dining and shopping opportunities. I'd suggest renting a bicycle as well as riding an elephant while in Angkor.

Dina Keut

Mexico - 23-Apr-09 -

Suppose one day you woke up from a dream of wanting to visit one of the most magnificent temples in the world. The Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia would come close to satisfying that dream.

There are few places anywhere on earth to match the splendour of Angkor Wat. The temple is one of the largest monuments to religion ever built and is truly one the wonders of the world.

I've been there 2 times already. But I always wish to go there (Angkor Wat) again. Because at there (Cambodia) have a lot of ruins to see. I luv Angkor.

Frederik Dawson

5.00 Netherlands - 31-Mar-09 -

When I see Angkor Wat, one word came into my mind “Angkor Sans Encore”; there is no need to repeat any word of Angkor’s beauty, grand and the overwhelm feeling that happen to almost everyone who see it for the first time as you can read from other posters. Two years ago, I joined the trip to Southern Laos and Northeastern Thailand with an excursion to Preah Vihear of Cambodia to see many amazing ancient Khmer temples in that region. I was really impressed with their beauty and hoped one day I will have a chance to see Khmer cultural apex at Angkor, and finally on March 2009, I had opportunity to go to Cambodia and my first priority was seeing Angkor.

To be honest, all Khmer temples I saw in 2007 cannot be compared with the ruins of Angkor as the art of Angkor is much more superior and offer more styles with many unique structures. Angkor does not mean only Angkor Wat but including many ruins in the vicinity areas such as Bayon, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, Pre Rup, and with specific mention in the UNESCO document, Banteay Srei and Rolous complex. My review will focus on Banteay Srei and Bakong, the main temple of Rolous complex. Both temples were constructed before Angkor Wat, but their beauty of both places, in my opinion, maybe far better.

Banteay Srei, the beautiful small pink sandstone temple, is unbelievable for its high quality of rock carving, so delicate and unique with shining pink and red. This temple is also the only temple that could be considered as completed as other temples even Angkor Wat had been left unfinished, small but truly a top sight for my trip. Bakong, a pyramid shape temple, has unique look and many similarities with Balinese temple style and is considered to be the first masterpiece on this area that believed to be the capital city of ancient Khmer Empire prior to Angkor. Visit Bakong is not easy as it is quite far from Angkor complex and not included in the typical tourist routes. This temple is not fascinating liked Angkor or Banteay Srei, but for art development, Bakong is the place where you can see the transformation of brick temple to stone temple, so I highly recommended visiting this place.

In my opinion, Khmer art is developed almost in the same style with minor change of decoration, the only thing that change is the size of temple. From small Vat Phou, Bakong, Pre Rup and Banteay Srei, Khmer expanded their temple bigger and bigger until it reached zenith of scale at Angkor Wat follow by little bit smaller but unique Bayon. As I mentioned other Khmer temples in the World heritage list, Vat Phou and Preah Vihear or even Phanomroong in the tentative list of Thailand are very inferior when compared with Angkor, if you see Angkor before you may have negative view on those sites, as I had one with Vat Phou after I saw Preah Vihear, so to avoid the problem and be more appreciated in Khmer art development, try to keep Angkor at the end of your trip, a highly recommendation.

As Khmer civilization is currently underrepresented in world heritage list, Cambodia and its neighbor country, Thailand is starting to propose more sites, and most of their proposal is pre-Angkor temple complexes. So maybe we are going to see many forgotten Khmer ruins be put into the list in the nearby future. A good way to protect their heritage or this is just another way to increase tourists in the lesser-known attractions areas by using UNESCO label.

Lormout L. Khmao

U.S.A - 14-Feb-09 -

I am khmer I have been living in united state 25years I have never been to angkor not event one time. Every time I visited khmer coutry somthing always happened. My grandparent, used to tell me that if I want to visit angkor don't plant ahead because in legend believe that khmer today are built the encient city in the past life that cause a lot of life khmer, and hard labors, so that they wishes that next life they don't want to see angkor againt. I think that may be that is the thruth evry times want to visit angkor thing always happened to me for example I got fever sick, my car broke down on the way ....

anyway I always wanted to visit angkor event though I am 40s' old I never had seen angkor only heard and read about it, But never be at the place.

Elisabeth Fransisca Situmorang

Indonesia - 29-Jan-09 -

I have to admit that this is one of the greatest world heritage sites!

The area spanding of hundreds of kilometres square, and could only be embraced by having an at least 3 days tour.

It is recommended to go during the dry season, although it will be dusty. But it means you could enjoy your tour without having to stop just because of the rain.

Early morning and late afternoon is the best time to take pictures there... and my personal favourite sites: Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Phrom and Phnom Bakheng (for sunset)

Khem

UK - 11-Jul-08 -

Angkor Wat is the only on of wonderful temple and this is the first time in my life that I see the very very good temple like that. Everything in Angkor is very well especially the Apsara that always smile to me whenever I looked. I introduced all my friend to visit Angkor in Cambodia. Moreover Cambodia people are very friendly. That's why, I never forget the day that I've been Cambodia

I do love Cambodia.

Sen

US - 04-Jul-08 -

I was there for the first time in late 1960s as a child.

I never forget the feeling when I was inside Angkor Wat. I felt like I was stepping back in time. It was so surreal, and of course there were a lot more statues in there back then.

We reached Phnom Kulen in the late evening. After we ate my father stepped away a little bit from us. The next thing we saw was he was running toward us saying that he can hear the tiger near by. Needless to say, we all got inside the car and left.

Els Slots

5.00 The Netherlands - 16-Jan-07 -

Angkor possibly is one of the WHS that attracts the most visitors. The nearby town of Siem Reap is packed with hotels and other amenities for every budget. And still, it's not enough, cause a lot of construction is going on to create even more of this. I stayed there for 5 days and made 4 separate visits to Angkor. I had bought a 3-day pass (for 40 US dollars), but I easily could have stayed longer cause there's so much to see. In all, I took over 300 pictures, a personal record of one site. The good thing about Angkor is that it's very diverse. So the 7th temple still is interesting.

In my first round I did it on a bicycle. I followed what is called the Mini Tour (or Small Circuit). This mainly focuses on Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, the two sites closest to Siem Reap and possibly the most impressive. Angkor Wat is the famous building that's on Cambodia's national flag. One of the temples in Angkor Thom is the Bayon, the one with the large smiling Bodhissatva faces.

The next day I went to Banteay Srei, one of the more remote temples. It stands out because red sandstone was used and the carvings here are very delicate. It's a smaller temple than most, but extremely pretty and in very good condition.

On the 3rd day, I decided to check out the famous sunrise at Angkor Wat. So I jumped on the backseat of a motorbike at the center of Siem Reap at 5.30 in the morning, and off we went. The now-familiar road to Angkor was buzzing with all kinds of transport, hundreds of people on their way to see the sunrise. The spectacle itself I found a bit disappointing, but it's great to be out there among the monuments so early in the morning.

In the afternoon I did my final round, the Grand Circuit. This takes you along some smaller temples. One of these is Neak Pean, a circular temple in an artificial lake.

Pao Kruy Lim

Cambodia - 16-Dec-05 -

Hi everyone!!! I am one of Cambodia citizenship. Right now, I am living in the United States. I love My country so much, becuase there are a lot of special things which no any countries in Asia have. Angkor wat is in number 7 of the world heritages. I love Cambodia, and I have been to Angkor Wat 7 times already. It was fun, and it is the place which everyone should discover. One more special about Angkor Wat is that, Hollywood company is aim to produce many new films in this place. Since the year 2000 many hollywood films had been produced in Angkor. For example, " Tom Raider", " The ghost City", and many more. "Angkor wat is the soul of Cambodia" Pao Kruy Lim

TAN TIANG SOON

SINGAPORE - 13-Dec-05 -

Angkor Wat - The Ancient Architectural & Historical Wonder in the World & UNESCO World Heritage Site.

When I stepped into the Angkor Complex on my 1st day of visit, I was truly stunned and amazed.

Awesome ! Amazing !

My wish has come true !

Ha..ha..ha.....

These are my remarks, the words that I shouted and laughed with joy & satifaction when I saw Angkor Wat standing in front of me.....

Angkor Thom, The Bayon, Ta Prom....

all are truly magnificent sites!

Magul

USA - 19-Aug-05 -

Not only is angkor breathtaking, but stand at a spot of your choosing, and imagine yourself surrounded by the times before its ruins. Monks walking by, soldiers guarding the royal walkways, boats and canoes align along the waterfronts. Lovers enjoying picking, champa flowers (lilies), and people of all sorts walk the busy street of this once powerful city.

Sim Moneek

Canada - 01-May-05 -

To whom it may concern:

It has been three times now that I have visited the great temple of Cambodia. It's amazing everytime I looked at all those stone carvings on the stone wall, they looked so real. The Apsaras smile is fantastic, it looks so real.

I love all the temple in Cambodia. My favorite is the

Ta Prom temple. There is a tiny temple in the center of

Ta Prom where you can pound your chest and you can hear your chest sounds like a thunder, it's fantastic!

There are so many Apsaras statues needed to be renovated, also there are so many stones that have fallen on the ground and almost disappeared into the ground.

I'll be the guide to my Canadian and German friends who will visiting Cambodian temples in November this year 2005. I hope to see other temples renovated by the time we visit.

Thank you.

Sincerely Yours,

Sim Moneek

sie@kayjon.com

Matthew Musich

USA - 01-May-05 -

I would say that Angkor is the single most enthralling historical site I have ever seen. The range of levels of preservation is unique among such culturally important "must see" temples. You can not only see some temples in relatively very good repair, but you can also see temples that have been intentionally left as is. You get a chance to discover these temples as they were when they were first "re-discovered" nearly 150 years ago.

I have wanted to see Angkor since a friend visited in 2001 and brought back tales of a country finding a new sense of its self and its history. Despite having traveled nearly half of the world previously, I have to say I was a little nervous venturing into Cambodia. These fears turned out to be completely baseless. The Khmers are among the most friendly and genuinely nice people I have come across. When visiting many of the other must see historical sights around the world, I have been poisoned, extorted, and generally treated like the locals would rather just take my money and be done with me. This was not the feeling I got while in Cambodia.

Angkor has not yet reached the tourism levels of the Great Pyramids or the Taj Mahal and therefore still allows you the chance to occasionally have a moment alone with your awe. I went to Cambodia with the expectation of seeing Angkor Wat temple and nothing else. I was blown away by the vast amount of other temples in the Angkor complex. If you decide to make the trip, you should definitely set aside a minimum of 4-5 days to see the entire complex. Travel into the nearby countryside and check out the Tonle Sap.

Mohan Rao Gunti

India - 01-May-05 -

Angkor Wat - The Soul of Cambodia

Welcome to Cambodia! And discover the splendor of History, Nature, Culture and Heritage of Cambodia.

Cambodia has about everything for everyone. Apart from beautiful heritage places, smiling faces and graces that speak of genuine warmth and charming hospitality, it is rich with distinctive customs and traditions, which are visible in various aspects of architecture, art and craft. The country presents a fascinating history, diverse geography, and rich cultural heritage. Bordered by Thailand in the west, Laos in the north, and Vietnam in the east.

Its intriguing architectural and historical Wonder Angkor Wat, Tha Propham, Bayaon and many others ... Mesmerizing remnants of the past will spellbound you with endless wonders and fascination.

The ancient temple Angkor Wat is one of the greatest wonders of the oriental world. Masterpieces of decorative details as well as of architectural style, its awe-inspiring ruins survive as testament to the spectacular achievements of Southeast Asias greatest civilization. Today, Angkor is attracting world attention as a priceless heritage site and at the same time, Angkor remains an enduring monument to the people of Cambodia, their past glories, their hopes and aspirations. Angkor is a symbol of power, of greatness, of immortality. Angkor Wat and the other stone temples of the ancient capital of the Khmer were built by god-kings to link the human and the divine in life.

Angkor Thom, built in the late 11th century, covers almost four square miles and is enclosed by a 26 foot high wall. The moat surrounding it was once stocked with crocodiles. Its five monumental gates, each more more than 65 feet high, are dominated by four carved faces of the Buddhist Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, facing north, south, east and west. In front of each gate are giant statues of 54 gods on the left, 54 demons on the right.

The Bayon rests in the center of Angkor Thom. It is a massive cluster of towers carved with 172 faces of the Bodhisattva. Its interior walls are covered with bas-reliefs, ceremonial pageants or the everyday life of 12th century Angkor.

We hope that you will take a passage through Angkor, appreciating it in its entirety, not as the scattered remains of the past but as a vital design in the cultural fabric of the Khmer world. Come and Explore Cambodia.. The Angkor experience!

Mohan Rao Gunti, Stationed at Cambodia

Debbie Perry

USA - 01-May-05 -

Just got back from an asian vacation that included Angkor. I have always wanted to see it, and it was spectacular!

It was so huge, and the temples so numerous and massive. The impact of the Khmer Rouge was very apparent; the heads of many statues had been chopped off to be sold on the black market by soldiers, the condition of the ruins in general is perilous. The guides let people touch, walk, and climb all over the temples and its grounds which has also contributed to its condition. It is truly a remarkable sight, and anyone interested in ancient culture and heritage should not miss this.

The town of Siem Reap was small, nice and safe. People were kind and friendly, and hotels were decent.

Robert Frostick

USA - 01-May-05 -

Breath-taking. Unbelievable carvings and buildings and many areas are under reconstruction. There are so many sites, it will take several days to see the major sites. Superior food and accomodations in the area. The landmine museum, a small, local place just outside of town was also interesting.