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Angkor Wat Trip report #171294
09/23/2018 08:00 AM
09/23/2018 08:00 AM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 116
Florida, USA
AnnTS Offline OP
Traveler
AnnTS  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 116
Florida, USA
Hi there.....well, I did a "short" day today doing Angkor Wat at sunrise, Angkor Thom at mid-morning, and later Ta-Prohm starting at 4 a.m. and joining the masses for a sunrise viewing over the spires (which was less than spectacular due to morning clouds in the east).

Overall, I rate it an A+ day. My hotel packed a breakfast box which I enjoyed while the 1,000 's of earlybirds flocked to the temple and I took a seat on the wall leading to the temple.

As iI approached the Angkor Wat temple, I was amazed at the incredible detail and statuary. Once inside however, my amazement grew with the scope and magnitude of the architecture and attention to details. I noted that several of the access points to the spire-towers had long lines already but what stopped me what the absolute steepness of the steps in many areas and they reminded me of the Mayan and Aztecs temples.

I walked the perimeter, took photos of course and returned the way I came near the entrance to meet up with my driver after 4 hours.

Entry fee for one day is US $37 and 3 days is US$62. Everyone has to go to the central ticket office outside the actual sites and a photo of every guest is taken and is transferred to each individual's ticket for comparison when actually entering the sites

I then saw several other smaller temples during the drive to Angkor Thom several kilometers away. Once there, I noted immediately how much the temple was deteriorated compared to Angkor Wat. I also walked about half of the site in about 3 hours. Thom is massive in land mass size compared to a relatively compact but still HUGE temple area and grounds.

Finally, after a WC (toilet/water closet) stop---and note, I never saw a single toilet on or near the Angkor Wat or even Angkor Thom temple sites but there was one nice WC o the way to Ta-Prohm temple which was made famous by Angelina Jolie's original Tomb Raider movie. Note, your Angkor Wat ticket allows you to use the toilet for no cost

And all three sites had vendors selling the normal things outside the walled temple perimeters.

Ta-Prohm was the biggest surprise as I thought I had seen the big tree (from the movie) whose roots grew so big they destroyed a stone wall. (true) and the tree grew on and around the wall. I got turned around at one point and an unaccompanied tour guide saw me and assisted me with the rest of the temple going to places the public appeared not to know about and I saw so much more in 45 minutes---I was thrilled. I have him 20,000 Khymer Rial (Cambodian) which is about US$6.

Anyway, I did much more than I intended and now am taking time tomorrow to visit the Angkor Wat Museum in Siem Reap.

I know I missed other points but I'm so tired right now

Ann

Last edited by Carol_Hill; 09/23/2018 09:28 AM.

"Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere!" and "Hedo for me-no problem mon!" :-)
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Re: Angkor Wat Trip report [Re: AnnTS] #171298
09/23/2018 09:31 AM
09/23/2018 09:31 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,474
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,474
Central Florida!
Hi. Thanks for the report! I made this a separate note, so it would be more properly identified as a trip report. Thanks again.


Carol Hill
Re: Angkor Wat Trip report [Re: AnnTS] #171300
09/23/2018 09:56 AM
09/23/2018 09:56 AM
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 19
London
Fiendish Astronaut Offline
Traveler
Fiendish Astronaut  Offline
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 19
London
Nice!

There was a land mine museum and school I visited near there too which might really be worth a visit - very close to the temples on/near the road up from Siem Reap. It's run by volunteers and the exhibits are not stuck behind glass. However I've just looked it up and there was a fire there very recently :-(

http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org/

If it's back up and running might be worth a visit - it's really interesting!

Re: Angkor Wat Trip report [Re: Fiendish Astronaut] #171315
09/23/2018 12:51 PM
09/23/2018 12:51 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 116
Florida, USA
AnnTS Offline OP
Traveler
AnnTS  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 116
Florida, USA
Thanks....I saw that museum advertized and I am not sure now if I will have time but I did donatedtoday to the musicians at Angkor Tom who were all landmine victim survivors.


"Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere!" and "Hedo for me-no problem mon!" :-)
Re: Angkor Wat Trip report [Re: AnnTS] #171362
09/24/2018 02:28 PM
09/24/2018 02:28 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 507
Florida
RobT Offline
Traveler
RobT  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 507
Florida
Wow. You did a lot in one day. When I was there in 2003, there were no wooden steps. It was really exciting coming down. Your tip to the guide was about right. I only paid in US dollars.

I recommend an elephant ride in Angkor Thom. The Hindu temples (Rolus group I think) are nice, but farther away. Just walking around Angkor Wat on your own is good as well.

Wish I were there.


Beach Hunter
Re: Angkor Wat Trip report [Re: RobT] #171381
09/24/2018 10:30 PM
09/24/2018 10:30 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 116
Florida, USA
AnnTS Offline OP
Traveler
AnnTS  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 116
Florida, USA
Originally Posted by RobT
Wow. You did a lot in one day. When I was there in 2003, there were no wooden steps. It was really exciting coming down. Your tip to the guide was about right. I only paid in US dollars.

I recommend an elephant ride in Angkor Thom. The Hindu temples (Rolus group I think) are nice, but farther away. Just walking around Angkor Wat on your own is good as well.

Wish I were there.


Looking back now it was almost magical despite the large numbers of people and you are right about the one guide I hired. I did elephant rides years ago in Thailand and once is enough. I'm not sure if it is even PC anymore

The museum in town is pretty cool too. I am thinking of returning as there are so many sights and things to do. Yesterday I did Tonie Sap lake on a boat I chartered from a local and I got the full experience of the floating village, floating market and going thru the mangroves on a rowboat and ended at a crocodile farm.


"Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere!" and "Hedo for me-no problem mon!" :-)

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