Ancient temples at Angkor Wat
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Published: August 10th 2014
My guide took me to the fabulous Angkor Wat Temple complex. I remember reading about this when I was quite young, back them it seemed like an enchanted place that you’d only find in movies I never thought I’d actually get here. It’s also where parts the film Tomb Raider were filmed. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Cambodia, attracting about 4 million tourists each year. The temples were built about 900 years ago. There are about 100 temples in the complex. Each king would build one, after he died the next king would build another that was slightly bigger. They really should have invented recycling about 800 years earlier. Sadly many of the temples were badly destroyed in the civil war, there are ongoing an international efforts to restore them. Even New Zealand is helping! The biggest temple is the largest religious site anywhere in the world. As well as being visually stunning the temples are an engineering marvel, having to withstand monsoon downpoors and harsh droughts.
If you want to know more here’s a good documentary.
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When I replanned my tour (after cancelling Israel) I did it in a hurry and didn’t research Cambodia
properly so I was a bit concerned when I found it that it as the rainy season, so far the last two days have been fantastic with no sign of rain. I'd have been really disappointed if it rained heavily.
I started off my day at the, Bayon Temple where I did an elephant ride. That was great fun and I was really happy to have done that. Elephants are quite comfortable although they can rock a bit from side to side. In all my travels around the world this was the only place I can think of where I had the opportunity to do an elephant ride. It was like stepping back in time to a magical world, it really looks like something Indian Jones would visit. We climbed up some of the narrow stone steps of the temple, this one is still stable enough for you to climb quite high up. There is an international effort to try and restore the temples, one of the biggest problems is the trees growing through them, as they are destroying the temples with their roots. During the civil war many of the temples were attacked by soldiers. Despite all this
the temples are truly a sight to behold.
Following this we went to Ta Prohm, which is where parts of Tomb Raider were filmed; since the movie the site has seen a large increase in the number of tourists. This was my favourite Temple because it has trees and vines growing throw the stones, It was so surreal being there.
After this we went to the largest Temple; Angkor Wat. This temple is so big its impossible to get a full picture of just how big it is. The temple is surrounded by a dense jungle then an massive manmade moat. Inside there are some very impressive and well preserved Hindu carvings.
Overall it was a magical day and it would be worth coming to Cambodia just to see this.
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