Crowded Sunset, Solo Sunrise

---

After my first view of the Angkor temples with hundreds of other people at the most popular place to view the sunset, I had a completely different sunrise experience soaking up the atmosphere entirely by myself. I'd highly recommend it as a very different temple experience from the norm.

My hotel receptionist looked at me very oddly when I told her I wanted to go to the Rulous Group of temples for sunrise ... I knew immediately my plan to follow 'the road less travelled' was likely to come true. Because I have more time here than the average tourist (who seems to typically only spend 2-3 days ), I decided to visit some of the smaller, lesser known temples first. I figured if I saw the big famous ones first, the others would be an anticlimax. A book Mum got from the library for me at home suggested Bakong for sunrise was good, plus I asked my guide to take me to mostly the early temples (from 9th and 10th century) ...introducing myself to the temples in rough chronological order seemed as good a plan as any....

We arrived at Bakong in the dark (and slightly chilly) pre-dawn around 5.15am. Then we had to wait 1/2 hour for the sun to gradually rise ...the sight of the temple silhoetted against the sky was great. And to have the place to myself with the guide was magical, particularly after the sun came up and I walked around and climbed up the temple tower alone (it's quite small). It was hardly peaceful though ... the whole time (well over an hour), the adjacent Buddhist temple was projecting chants over a megaphone at full volume... blaring through the countryside. It was already happening when we got there, so I doubt the local villagers got much sleep that night! Apparently, they do the chanting every morning but only put over the loudspeaker during special ceremonies. It certainly added to the atmosphere. I could hardly be anywhere but Asia!

(For anyone looking to visit Cambodia, I went to Bakong, Lolei and the other one near the village of Rulous whose name I've forgotten, and was back to town for breakfast by 8.00am. Then after 1 1/2 hours break in town (when I visited an orphanage) I went to Prasat Kravan, Banteay Kdei, East Mebon, Pre Rup, and because we still had time, the guide took me to the huge Angkor Thom complex for lunch and a visit to one of the most famous temples - Bayon). By 3.00pm, I was fading from my early start and decided I'd had enough for one day!

It was a relatively expensive way to do things .. $48 US through my hotel to hire a private guide and tuk tuk driver from 4.30am ...but that's about $65 (Aust) to have both of them at my service for about 10 hours! And it was definitely worth it to have a guided introduction to the temples and history.

---