The largest temple in Cambodia. Excursion to the temple complex of Angkor Wat: feel like the king of Cambodia! Lesser known temples in Cambodia

Our reader Igor M. continues the story of his trip to Cambodia. Today we will talk about the main attraction of this country, the great and mysterious temple complex Angkor Wat.

Continuation. Read the beginning of the story about the trip to Cambodia here:

So Angkor. Angkor is the capital city of the Khmer Empire. It was there that the most grandiose and famous monuments- Angkor Wat, Bayon and Angkor Thom. Angkor Wat is the pride of Cambodia, a huge temple complex or temple city. They have it depicted on all coats of arms, flags and emblems. This complex is considered the largest religious building in the world.

Angkor was built from the 11th to the 13th century (each ruler built something and tried to surpass the rest). It was built of stone, although in those days only places of worship were built from it. Poor Khmer peasants lived in huts, rulers in wooden palaces(naturally, such buildings have not been preserved), but stone structures stand to this day.

In the morning I woke up in a four-star hotel, we were fed and taken on an excursion to this very Angkor. A ticket is required to visit Angkor. To do this, each tourist is photographed and after a couple of seconds they return an individual ticket with a photo - it is on a ribbon and is worn around the neck. But now all the formalities have been completed and we arrive at Angkor Wat!

The temple complex of Angkor Wat was actively restored during our visit. It can be seen that some parts are covered with a green veil.

Angkor Wat temple complex: a great city lost in the jungle

The spectacle is very interesting. The temple complex of Angkor Wat is very well preserved. The fact is that the temple is surrounded by a square moat-reservoir, only a narrow strip of land is a passage to the territory of the complex. That's why the jungle could not swallow Angkor Wat, although this grand structure was forgotten for hundreds of years! It has not been used since the 15th century, all this time there were some legends that there was a temple city in the jungle, but they were not particularly believed in. And only in 1861, the French naturalist Henri Muo heard from a Catholic missionary that in the depths of the jungle is lost city. He became very interested (according to the missionary, the structure was huge) and went into the jungle in search of it. As a result, Muo rediscovered Angkor after four centuries of neglect. Many of Muo's contemporaries could not believe that somewhere such a grandiose structure as Angkor Wat could be lost and forgotten.

It should be noted that regardless of the religion professed (Hinduism or Buddhism), all the ancient rulers of Cambodia wanted to be revered as living gods and planted the cult of Devaraja - the god-king. And in order to strengthen this cult, all forces were thrown into the construction of temples, monuments and other structures designed to glorify these kings. This is what explains this great amount temple complexes.

In the photo - one of the towers of the temple of Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat is the most famous of these complexes. It began to be built by King Suryavarman II, who was a Hindu and considered himself the incarnation of the god Vishnu (although the next ruler, like the rest of the generations of Cambodians, was already a Buddhist). The then population of Angkor was one million - perhaps in those days it was the most Big city in our galaxy. Almost all residents participated in the construction of the temple complex. In many ways, this is why Angkor Wat turned out to be really grandiose. Moreover, it was not at all intended for the assembly of believers - the building served as the abode of the gods, and the king and the top of the political and religious elite had access there. Later, according to the orientation of the entrance to the temple, scientists found that it was originally intended for the future burial of the ruler. It turns out that Suryavarman II, during his thirty-year reign, built a temple-tomb for himself, and by the time of his death in 1150 it was 99% ready.

During his lifetime, the courtiers in every way extolled Suryavarman II and called him the "Sun King". According to legend, he, like the Sun, could make lotus buds bloom and make everything around prosperous. In fact, he left behind a country that was actually devastated by such a grandiose construction. But at the same time he went down in history as the "Michelangelo of the East" and the creator of the great Angkor Wat.

Stairway to the center of the universe

A few architectural details. As I said, the temple complex of Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat, and you can enter it through a narrow isthmus. The whole complex is surrounded by a rectangular wall, inside it there is a huge territory, and in the center there is a stone platform on which Angkor Wat is built.

So, we are approaching the most important thing! At first, buildings flanked the road, which (according to our guide) were called libraries. As far as I understood, these were not libraries at all in our understanding - the king and the nobility did not register there, did not go there with their subscriptions and did not receive any scrolls with manuscripts there, and strict librarian monks did not go to debtors who did not return the manuscript to the proper time. They were just some ritual buildings.

Library at the entrance to the temple complex of Angkor Wat.

Having passed along the road along various buildings inland, we came to the main part of the complex - the temple. The stone temple of Angkor Wat is simply grandiose!

Angkor Wat, the outer wall of the building stands on a stone platform.

All walls are decorated with engravings - scenes of battles are carved in stone.

Another wall with battle scenes.

Many battle scenes were taken from the legends of Hindu mythology. In particular, the battle of Vishnu with the heavenly devil Banna was depicted. Each engraved wall is approximately 800 meters. Moreover, as experts note, the further, the more the technique of the masters improved and the better the drawings were. Although some of the engravings may have depicted the usual battles of those times - then many peoples fought to gain control over the fertile territory of the Mekong River.

Behind the battle walls is the central part of the temple:

On the right is the outer wall of the temple, and on the left begins Angkor Wat itself.

In those days, everything was built without cement - they brought from afar stone blocks, stones finely customized. As I have already said, the Angkor Wat temple complex was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, so its design reflects Hindu ideas about the structure of the world. Then it was believed that in the center of the universe is Mount Kailash (it is located in the middle of an endless ocean) - gods and goddesses live there. Kailash is surrounded by four smaller mountains. The temple complex of Angkor Wat was built in accordance with these ideas: in the central part in the middle there is a huge tower, and around it there are four smaller towers.

The temple occupies several floors (the staircase to the upper floor is visible on the left), and only the king and members of his family could enter the uppermost floor. As it turned out, I could too 🙂 These levels also correspond to the then people's ideas about the structure of the world and symbolize the lower world, the world of people and the heavenly world.

Heavenly Apsara dancers on the walls of Angkor Wat. Cute, right?

And on this wall are depicted apsaras - mythical celestial dancers. By the way, in the temple of Angkor Wat there were also real dancers depicting apsaras who entertained the king. And on the left we see windows - there was no glass then, so the windows were stone - such carved mini-columns, sunlight passed through the cutouts.

According to ancient images of apsara dancers on the walls of the temple, 36 different styles of hairstyles were counted. So there were women of fashion in those ancient times, and even what!

Tourists climb the central tower, that is, in the very center of the world. Previously, no one would let ordinary mortal people go there 🙂

Here is a view of the entrance to Angkor Wat from one of the towers.

Unraveling the mystery of ancient dance

After climbing the main tower (that is, to the very center of the universe), we were given a lot of time to walk around and see everything ourselves. I went and suddenly saw… Apsara. They stood and were bored. Eh, Apsaras, should we be sad?

Apsaras stand and get bored.

Well, what kind of business is this - bored. Gotta dance! Well, let's all get together!

Quite another matter! True, all of them have fingers folded in some bizarre way and symbolize something, but my fingers do not bend like that in principle and can only symbolize complete ignorance in ancient dances. But I decided for myself that participation is the main thing in Khmer dance 🙂 Therefore, nothing spoiled my good mood.

As I wrote in a previous article, for an ordinary European, these dances look rather strange - the movements are very smooth, the posture hardly changes, and only the hands do such pirouettes, as if they were exposed to forty degrees of frost. In our bus, everyone began to discuss this important topic and together they found a simple explanation for this - they dance sober! Apparently, in those days they didn’t bring alcohol to the ancient Khmers 🙂 Not like in our discos!

So they, the poor fellows, could only chew betel. And even now it is chewed in those parts - it is believed that a tenth of humanity regularly consumes it. Palm seeds and slaked lime are wrapped in a betel leaf (a local plant from the genus of peppers) and chewed, resulting in a certain feeling of euphoria. And at the same time, addiction, similar to tobacco or drugs. True, saliva from this becomes red, and teeth become black, and it is difficult to clean them from blackness, therefore lovers of chewing betel go with black teeth. Now, having adopted the European fashion for white teeth, people in the cities do not use it. But in the poor provinces, many still chew - they sit, eat, spit red saliva through black teeth and they don’t need anything else (like “our” alcoholics).

Exit from the temple complex.

In the southeastern part of Asia is located unusually beautiful country with a great history - Cambodia. For a long time this kingdom was closed from tourists, but today it has become very popular. tourist destination. This exotic country attracts travelers with its mild climate, warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand, white sandy beaches, and, of course, majestic temple structures.

People come from all over the world to see the mysterious shrines with their own eyes - ancient temples of cambodia built over a thousand years ago.

How and when were temples built?

The construction of the sanctuaries was carried out by the ancestors of the current Cambodians - the Khmers, who from time immemorial inhabited the territory of the kingdom. This people originated, according to legend, from the connection between the daughter of the king of snake-like creatures - the Nagas, and an Indian hermit.

Grandiose construction began in the 9th century, when numerous Khmer principalities under the leadership of Emperor Jayavarman II united into a great state - the Khmer Empire with its capital in the city of Angkor. In it, the founder of the dynasty built the first temple complex, and his successors subsequently continued this work. Today all the surviving temples ancient capital form the main attraction of the country - the temple complex of Angkor. Its size is astounding temples of angkor in cambodia spread over an area of over 200,000 sq. km.

The construction of religious buildings in the capital continued until the 12th century - it was during this period that the most famous temples Cambodia. By that time, a huge city had already been built around them, which was inhabited by more than a million inhabitants. In the X-XIII centuries. the great Khmer Empire became the most developed state in the whole South-East Asia militarily and economically.

However, already in the second half of the 15th century, after a long siege by the Siamese, its capital fell and was destroyed.

Residents were forced to flee and abandon the city. Over the years, Angkor was swallowed up by the jungle, the humid climate did not spare many living quarters and soon there was nothing left of them, but the temple structures managed to survive. For 400 years, people forgot about ancient Angkor, until in 1860 the French traveler and naturalist Henri Muo came across it in impenetrable thickets.

angkor wat

The largest temple on the entire globe is the Cambodian Angkor Wat, towering a few kilometers from the city of Siemreal. This shrine was erected in the first half of the XII century in honor of the supreme god in Hinduism - Vishnu. King Suryavarman II ruled the empire in those days.

According to scientists, the construction of this structure required 5 million tons of stones - the same amount as was spent on the construction of the second largest Egyptian pyramid Khafra (Chephren).

The ancient builders put in a lot of effort to create an amazing architectural creation - all the blocks of stone from which this sacred building is built are artistically processed - plots from the history of the Khmers, Hindu mythology and ancient Indian epics are carved on all surfaces.

But the most surprising thing is that the Khmers did not use any solutions to fix the blocks together - the stones are hewn and fitted to each other so that sometimes it is simply impossible to find the joints between them.

Main cult complex Cambodia angkor wat temple consists of 3 buildings, inside - 5 lotus-shaped towers, the height of the central one reaches 65 meters. The complex is surrounded by a moat 190 meters wide, which is always filled with water due to heavy rains. According to the plan of the builders, this grandiose project symbolizes the abode of Brahma - the sacred mountain Meru: the central tower is the peak, the walls are rocks, and the huge moat is the world ocean, washing the Universe from all sides.

Undoubtedly this temple in Cambodia - 8th wonder of the world , after all that's what historians around the world call it.

bayon

Not far from Angkor Wat is the second largest ancient religious building. This is the Bayon temple, rebuilt in the XII century under the ruler Jayavarman VII.

Bayon Temple in Cambodia has 54 towers, and not by chance - each of them was a symbol of the province, which was under the rule of the ruler. 4 faces are carved on each tower - one from each side of the world.

The ancient builders managed to do the impossible - the expressions of all these faces change depending on the lighting and time of day.

They can be kind, smile, be sad, and sometimes with their eyes they completely inspire chilling horror. It is noteworthy that in whatever part of the temple a person is, he will always be under the gaze of stone eyes. It is believed that the carved faces are the face of the deity of compassion Avalokiteshvara. The prototype of his appearance was King Jayavarman VII.

Initially, the central tower of the temple had a gold coating, but it was torn off by the Siamese who captured the city. A four-meter figure of Buddha was located on it, but it was also destroyed. The walls of the temple are covered with beautiful bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the life of Cambodians - military campaigns, bloody battles, worship of gods, circus performances, feasts and much more.

Ta Prom

Ta Prohm Temple (Ta Prohm, Ta Prum) is another Buddhist religious building that is part of the structure of the city of Angkor. This temple-monastery was built at the end of the 12th century in honor of the mother of King Jayavarman VII. That is why, according to scientists, Apsaras, demigoddesses of Hindu mythology, spirits of water and clouds, predominate in its design in bas-reliefs and sculptures.

Great popularity Ta Prohm temple in Cambodia acquired in 2001 after the release of the film "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" - it was on this abandoned structure that Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie wandered.

At present, the complex is an amazing spectacle in the best traditions of surrealism - all buildings from the base to the roof are entangled in bizarre dense vegetation. Here the roots and trunks of trees have climbed walls for centuries, framed doors and windows, broken stone roofs, making their way to freedom.

It seems that in this territory there was once a merciless battle between the gods and nature, and the latter won, making the unique structure part of the earth. Now Ta Prohm and the jungle are an indivisible whole.

Bapuon

In the very center holy city Angkor Thom is another amazing temple with a height of 49 meters - Bapuon. It appeared in the 11th century during the reign of Udayadityavarman II. This building is shaped like a five-stage pyramid, consisting of three tiers.

Special bas-reliefs distinguish Bapuon from other shrines - they are made in the form of small squares in which scenes from the everyday life of the Khmers are carved. In its young years, the temple struck with splendor.

Back in the 13th century, the Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan admired him, calling him "a truly amazing sight." Bapuon has reached our days in a very deplorable state, and the reason for this is the sandy foundation on which it was built. It turned out to be unstable, and the grandiose building began to rapidly collapse.

Lesser known temples in Cambodia

In Cambodia, there are several hundred ancient places of worship that fascinate with their beauty and original architecture. The Koh Ker temple complex, located 90 km from Angkor, is considered very interesting. Tourists rarely visit this place, because it is not easy to get there. The temple-mountain Prasat Prang, 32 meters high, attracts the most attention in this complex.

This temple in Cambodia also called the "pyramid of death" due to the fact that at its top there is a deep well. According to legend, after sacrifices to demons, lifeless bodies were thrown into it. It was believed that this well leads to the underworld.

Another amazingly beautiful temple is Preah Vihea, or, as it is also called, the “Temple in Heaven”. It was erected on a mountain, at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level. It is considered a very significant building for the ancient Khmers, since it was built for a very long time - the construction stretched out during the reign of seven kings.

The Buddhist temple of Neakpean, built in the 12th century, is distinguished by its originality. It is located in Angkor, near the city of Da Nang, on a small artificially created island in the middle of a reservoir. According to an ancient legend, the water in these places is endowed with healing properties. Actually, this prompted King Javayarman VII to build a temple here.

Another miracle of Khmer architecture is the Banteay Srei Temple, located in the province of Siemreal. It was built in honor of the god Shiva in the X century. The temple became famous for its decoration - all its walls are covered with jewelry carvings, which were practically untouched by time. Another feature of this building is that it houses ancient pink statues of guardian monkeys.

English researchers G. Hancock and D. Grisby conducted large-scale computer research, and came to a very curious conclusion: the main religious buildings of Cambodia are associated with a map of the starry sky of 10500 BC. e. In their opinion, the Angkorian temples of Cambodia on the map, if connected by one line, recreate the outlines of the Draco constellation.
The temples of Cambodia were not meant to be visited by believers. These religious buildings were considered the abode of the gods; only priests and monks could enter them. In some temples, tombs were erected for the rulers, whom they considered the incarnation of God on earth.
Each Khmer king followed the tradition - having ascended the throne, he began the construction of two temples - for himself and his ancestors. If he was dying, and the structures had not yet been completed, they were left unfinished, and immediately began a new construction site.
An image is carved on the wall of the Ta Prohm temple, which to this day haunts scientists around the world. And a herbivorous dinosaur is captured there, or rather, a stegosaurus that lived on the planet more than 150 million years ago. How the ancient Khmers learned about this animal is still a mystery.
On the territory of Cambodia there are several temples in the form of a pyramid. As you know, such grandiose structures were found only in Peru, Egypt and Cambodia. An old legend explains this fact - they were all built by the same people who roamed these countries.
Many Cambodian temples are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

A detailed historical excursion that will tell you about Angkor Wat - the legendary temple complex in Cambodia. Get ready, it will be interesting!

The religious building of Angkor Wat is the largest Hindu temple in the world. It is considered one of the most magnificent "pearls" of Angkor - the ancient capital of the powerful Khmer Empire. While on vacation in Cambodia, independent traveler You should definitely visit this mysterious and beautiful place.

Angkor Wat: history

More than ten centuries ago, the Khmer Empire (Kambujadesh) existed on the territory of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Its founder was King Jayavarman II (802-850), who united these lands through bloody wars.

The empire reaches its heyday a little later, during the reign of Suryavarman II (1113-1150). The king worshiped the Hindu god Vishnu, and Angkor Wat was erected in honor of him. The construction of the religious building lasted more than 30 years. Not only local craftsmen worked on its creation. By order of the ruler, the masters were searched all over Asia.

Sandstone was used as the main material, which was brought from a quarry located 40 km away. from the construction site. The stones were polished and stacked on top of each other. When laying no solution was used.

In those distant times, rulers were considered messengers of the gods. After the death of Suryavarman II, the temple became his tomb. Since then, the history of Angkor and its main religious monument have been inextricably linked.

The construction of the temple complex undermined the country's economy. In addition, the capital was overpopulated, at that time more than 1 million people lived in it. Water was sorely lacking, and fertile lands were depleted. During the reign of Jayavarman VII (1181-1218) there were several uprisings, as a result of which Angkor was partially destroyed.

Later, the capital was repeatedly invaded by Siamese troops. After the last invasion in 1431, Angkor finally fell into disrepair. People have left the city forever. Only the monks remained in the temples. The capital of the empire was moved to Phnom Penh. The territory of Angkor was swallowed up by tropical forests, and the buildings became home to thousands of animals. But the city did not disappear forever.

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At the beginning of the 17th century, Portuguese and Spanish travelers accidentally stumbled upon mysterious stone structures in the jungle. But for some reason, the Europeans did not attach importance to the unusual find and soon forgot about it. By his second birth (late 19th century) ancient angkor owes the French traveler Henri Muo. He described the ancient city in detail and with admiration in his manuscripts. Crowds of researchers, scientists, historians, pilgrims and merchants rushed to Angkor.

Photo 45 years after opening: 1906
Unfortunately, not a trace remains of the former splendor of the capital. The sandstone from which the buildings were built was destroyed over time by the influence of wind, sun and water. Most of the wooden buildings were burned down by vandals during periods of hostilities. Roots and branches of trees sprouted through the walls of buildings in many places.

Thanks to the efforts of thousands of people, by the middle of the 20th century, many buildings of the city, including Angkor Wat, were restored. After graduation civil war, the restoration of the temple complex was carried out mainly by Indian specialists. Since 1992, the unique creation of Khmer masters has been under the protection of UNESCO.

Photo 45 years after opening: 1906
The device and architecture of Angkor Wat

The temple is located in the very center of the ancient city. Angkor Wat is 1.3 km long from north to south and 1.5 km from west to east. Religious building of rectangular shape. It consists of three levels (tiers), which increase in height towards the center. In appearance, it is somewhat reminiscent of a pyramid. The levels represent the three elements: air, earth and water. The territory of the complex is surrounded by lush greenery and is reliably protected from all sides by a moat with water. The width of the moat is more than 100 m. A stone bridge is laid across it, connecting the rectangular “island” with the land. Further the road leads to the main entrance. The central gate and the front side of the structure are oriented to the west. There is also a road to the east side of Angkor Wat, but it is less visible and can be found using the services of a guide.

The entire territory of the temple has to be walked around, transport is prohibited here.

Angkor Wat is located in such a way that when looking at it from any side, only three of the five towers are always visible. This proves the skill of the architects of that time. The towers and tiers are interconnected by stairs, intersecting galleries, and covered walkways. The interior space thus formed is divided into numerous, square-shaped courtyards.

The walls of galleries and corridors, columns and stairs are covered with bas-reliefs, carvings and paintings. Ceilings are decorated with lotus images and intricate patterns. On the territory of the complex, many statues of outlandish animals, mythical heroes and real historical characters have been preserved.

The first tier is the largest, consists of several galleries and passages. The walls are decorated with numerous images. There are 8 panels here, the total length of which is more than 800 m. The main “plots” are the battles of the gods, the period of the reign of the great Suryavarman II and numerous battles for the power of the empire. Several panels are dedicated to scenes from the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. The outer wall is made in the form of a double row of columns.

There are corner pavilions at the end of each gallery. Two pavilions are connected to the main galleries. Two more end in shallow niches in the wall. Once these recesses were also decorated with bas-reliefs, but over time they have worn out and are barely noticeable.

The gate towers of the main entrance are connected to the towers of the second tier with the help of passages. Between them are four courtyards, which fill with water during the rainy season and serve as pools. The inner walls of the galleries are made in the form of columns through which courtyards-pools are visible. On the opposite walls, between the windows with figuratively carved columns, figures of thousands of celestial dancers (apsaras) are carved. There are many statues in the long corridors.

At the intersection of the galleries (from north to south) there are corner columns with inscriptions in an unknown language. Libraries are located on both sides on the second tier, each of which has four entrances.

Angkor Wat- the greatest temple complex in Cambodia with an area of \u200b\u200babout 200 hectares and a height of 65 meters, built by the ancient Khmers in the 12th century. The temple of Angkor Wat is one of the most recognizable monuments of Hindu architecture in the world, which attracts millions of tourists every year. I have wanted to see it with my own eyes ever since I heard about Angkor in Cambodia from an experienced travel friend. Located near the city of Siem Reap in Cambodia, it is the country's most significant landmark, and a schematic representation of the turrets of the main temple adorns any emblem in Cambodia, including the national flag. And the Khmer temple of Angkor Wat itself is recognized as one of the new wonders of the world.

Long before my first trip to Cambodia, I studied in detail the history of the construction of Angkor Wat, and then, of course, my husband and I went to the Khmer country and saw it in all its glory. We did not book a tour, we just bought plane tickets and flew in on our own. And we liked it there so much that we returned more than once to discover new and interesting details on the territory of the main temple complex of Angkor every time. And now I will tell you in detail about visiting the main shrine of the Khmers, about the construction of Angkor Wat and the details that you need to pay attention to during the visit.

And I'll start by defining what Angkor Wat is.

What is Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is a 12th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, the main attraction of Cambodia and one of the world's listed archaeological masterpieces. world heritage UNESCO. It is located 6 kilometers north of the city of Siem Reap on the territory of the Angkor temple complex. Its name literally means "temple city", because the word "angkor" from the Khmer language is translated as "city".

According to Hindu cosmogony, Angkor Wat symbolizes the sacred Mount Meru - the place where the gods live - surrounded by mountains and the ocean. The architectural plan of the city combines elements that depict a heavenly city, as if transferred to earth. In this, the main Khmer temple of Angkor Wat is similar to the temple.

Basic information:

Name	Angkor Wat
Where is	6 km from the city of Siem Reap in Cambodia on the territory of the Angkor temple complex
GPS coordinates	13° 24′ 45″ N, 103° 52′ 0″ E 13.4125, 103.866667
What is	Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, built during the heyday of the Khmer empire. It is the largest religious building in the world, protected by UNESCO.
How to get there	Arrive in the city of Siem Reap in Cambodia, and then go on an excursion to Angkor on your own or by hiring transport with a personal driver in the city. You can also buy a place on an organized tour to Angkor Wat with a tour guide
Working hours	From 5:00 to 18:00
Cost of visiting	Ticket price for 1 day - $ 37 per person. A ticket for three days costs 62 USD, and for a week - 72 dollars.
When and by whom it was built	XII century. The construction of Angkor Wat was started by Suryavarman II and completed by Jayavarman VII.
Architectural style	Khmer
Area	200 ha
Height of central prasat	65 meters
Wall dimensions	1.5 x 1.3 km (rectangular)
The width of the moat around	190 meters
Best time to visit	November to February (during the dry season)
Attendance (number of tourists)	Over 2.5 million people per year
Page on the UNESCO website	http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668

Interesting fact: Angkor Wat is a symbol of Khmer national pride and has been featured on the Cambodian flag since 1863.

View of Angkor Wat from above. Photo by Cambodian photographer Sok Sothy (A Sok Sothy picture)

I will especially note that Siem Reap is very conveniently located for visiting the Angkor Wat temple complex and it has all the conditions for the convenience of tourists coming from all over the world.

The history of Angkor Wat is closely linked to the rise of the Khmer kingdom in the 12th century. I have read several books on the history and architecture of the Khmers, and now I will briefly tell you about the most important thing - the construction of the brilliant temple complex of Angkor Wat.

The boom in the construction of temples in Cambodia occurred due to the combination of Indian traditions nurtured on Cambodian soil mixed with Javanese. This effect immediately singled out the Khmers among their neighbors. They began to build temples of two types:

Temple Mount in the form of a stepped pyramid, dedicated to Shiva;
Temple at ground level to honor ancestors.

By honing their architectural skills and sometimes combining the incompatible or creating something unique, the inhabitants of the Angkor Empire came to the conclusion that the temple-mountain in form and content became irrelevant, and they focused on creating temples at ground level.

Who built Angkor Wat - historical background

Vishnu statue at Angkor Wat

To figure out who built Angkor Wat, let's first look at history. At the beginning of the 11th century, grandiose changes reigned in the Khmer political arena. Suryavarman I was more inclined towards Buddhism - whether for personal preference or for political reasons - but he began to introduce Buddhist elements into the construction of temples. Thus, the power of the Brahmins was balanced, who by this time felt their power so that they built their own temple -.

Suryavarman conquered Dvaravati, a Buddhist state in central Thailand, and his successors seemed to no longer live in Angkor, because for a long time no new Khmer temples appeared. But Phimai was erected (on the territory of modern eastern Thailand), as if the center of power had temporarily shifted there.

So when Suryavarman II reigned on the Khmer throne, it was necessary to take decisive measures and return the center to where it belonged, as it was conceived at the dawn of the formation of the empire. The king fought and built. The Khmer Empire occupied a huge size, and Angkor Wat began to take on its usual shape.

All in history Khmer Empire talks about progressive development, about the method of trial and error. Maybe this is what makes it different from many other ancient civilizations, where construction technology appeared immediately, and then deteriorated over time, until it was completely lost. In Egypt, there were no centuries of teaching, there were no courses for pyramid builders. In Peru and Bolivia, the most impressive achievements are the most ancient, such as or. Then comes the era of imitators. But in Cambodia, the process of consistent development and honing of architectural skills is clearly visible.

angkor wat

So, in the courtyard of the middle of the XII century - the heyday of the Khmer empire, and in Cambodia is being built angkor wat temple. Dedicated to Vishnu, it eventually became a Buddhist temple-monastery. First the sanctuary of the god and the palace of the king, then the tomb of its creator.

Combining all the advanced building techniques and architectural craftsmanship, Angkor Wat has become a unique combination - a temple-mountain at ground level. What did not work out in Jayavarman IV at Koh Ker, Suryavarman II was able to achieve. He built built an earthly version of the heavenly city. The result was a huge temple complex, which raised it up to the gods - a three-stage pyramid and the highest tower rise to 60 meters! The Khmers even have a legend about this, which says that Indra gave Angkor Wat to his human son so that he would not miss the heavenly city.

Schematic of the Angkor Wat temple. Photo from the book “Angkor. The Greatness of the Khmer Civilization" by Marilia Albanese

Interestingly, all Khmer temples usually face east, while the facade of Angkor Wat faces west. The western direction can be explained by various reasons: the west is the direction of Vishnu and a favorable location in relation to the previous capital. They began to look at each other. If the Khmers built the temple of Angkor Wat with a facade to the east, then it would stand, as if turning away from the past. And the Khmer believe in karma. Maybe that's why Angkor Wat survived the entire history of Cambodia - the change of religion, power and God knows what else. One way or another, he was reborn and became the face of the country.

From Angkor, roads stretched to all other temples in the form of an endless serpent. The tradition of the Nagas, which came from India, was entrenched, the Khmer snakes became a symbol of the rainbow, the connection of earth and sky. Therefore, it was the rainbow that connected the cities with the heavenly Angkor. We saw nagas back in Bagkong, but now they have become much more refined.

Cities of Angkor on the map and ancient Khmer roads to them

Naga snakes meet at the eastern entrance to Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat - photos and details

And now I will tell you about the main thing - how best to see Angkor Wat.

The first time we visited Angkor Wat, we came to the western entrance. It seems to me that it is best to do just that - after all, then the turrets of the main prasat will gradually appear before your eyes as you walk along the stone road through the canal.
Then there will be galleries, so long that you want to walk there for a long time. But they divert attention. After the first galleries, a huge temple area appears. Along the way, we entered lonely standing libraries on the right and left.
And only at the end does Angkor Wat itself appear. How long one would not want to stand and admire it, but one must go inside, because the details of the Hindu temple are as curious as its appearance.

All roads and architectural elements in the Angkor Wat complex lead to the central prasat of the temple, which rises above everything and is the home of Vishnu. The temple was built with visual perception in mind. And when you examine it correctly, you understand the architects' idea.

Some unresolved technical problems in the construction of Angkor Wat still remain, for example, with stepped vaults. However, we can safely say that the Khmer Empire created a masterpiece of architecture, raising architectural excellence to an unattainable level.

Let's wander through this unusual place and admire the most important monument of Hindu architecture Angkor Wat in the photo.

Eastern entrance to Angkor. From here, despite the fact that this is not the most popular entrance, it is best to start exploring the monument if you are not visiting Angkor for the first time. Come in the morning - at this time the walls of the temple are very well lit.

The charming turrets of the Angkor Wat temple complex look especially stunning in the setting sun.

The charming turrets of Angkor Wat look especially stunning in the sunset.

The connected galleries, which first appeared in, surrounded the main temple of the Khmer Empire from all sides. And Banteay Srei shared rich bas-reliefs. And in the case of Angkor Wat, the scriptural scenes took up a much larger surface. Scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the reign of Suryavarman II and Vishnu - all achievements are embodied in one place. The king is equated with the gods, his deeds are compared with the heroic deeds sung in poems, his wars are compared with great battles. The bas-reliefs end with the story of the last battle, the Battle of Kurukshetra.

Stone drawings on the bas-reliefs make it possible to touch something ancient, and the size of the panel, which stretches over the entire length of the gallery, is truly amazing!

The walls of Angkor Wat are decorated with scenes from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, skillfully carved in stone.

The walls of the temple are also decorated with figures of celestial apsara dancers, which invariably attract the attention of tourists. Apsaras peek out literally from every wall. Some of them are more popular than others - this can be seen from the zeal with which travelers stroke the stone maidens, trying to enlist their support and catch their luck.

There are always a lot of Buddhist monks in Angkor Wat. And tourists are happy to take pictures of them against the backdrop of the walls of an ancient temple.

It's important to know: Do not forget that before you take a photo with a monk, you must always politely ask him about it. Women should not touch the monks in any case!

It is more convenient to leave Angkor Wat through the same western gate in order to once again walk past the galleries and libraries, turn around several times and remember Angkor Wat.

My tips for visiting the Angkor Wat temple complex:

For the first time, it is still better to see Angkor Wat from the western entrance and it is better to do it in the afternoon, otherwise the sun will beat right in your face while you go towards the main prasat.
If you stay in Siem Reap for a couple or more days and Angkor Wat impresses you so much that you want to return, then come here for the second time early in the morning and start exploring from the east side.
And of course, one day it is worth coming here at dawn, to the western entrance.

If you have two or three days to Angkor, then it is best to plan your first day like this. In the morning it is worth meeting the sunrise at Angkor Wat, then have breakfast and go to get acquainted with other temples, and in the late afternoon return to Angkor and wander around it.

How to get thereto Angkor Wat in Cambodia

Getting to Angkor Wat is very easy. The complex is located not very far from the city of Siem Reap in Cambodia. Therefore, you first need to think about exactly how to get to Cambodia.

The simplest way is come by plane. Flights from all Asian countries fly to Siem Reap - from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia. Usually, tourists come from Thailand to see Angkor - on their own or as part of an excursion from Pattaya.
Personally, we went to Angkor Wat several times on our own. on the public transport from Phnom Penh and from Bangkok. Read about all the difficulties of the road. If such difficulties are of no use to you, then it is better to fly.

If you have already arrived in Siem Reap, then there is also several ways to get to Angkor Wat:

First, you can. This is the easiest way, although not very comfortable, but almost all tourists do this. In order not to build a route on your own, you can simply hire a person who will take you to Angkor Wat and other temples of Angkor for a fee throughout the day. It is very easy to do this right on Siem Reap Street, at a travel agency or at your hotel.
Secondly, you can rent a motorbike, bicycle or electric bike - this is a convenient option for independent and experienced travelers, which implies that you need to know where and how the temples are located relative to each other. Many people are afraid to go to see the temples of Angkor on their own, mistakenly thinking that it is impossible to do this or fearing a fine. So, somewhere since 2016, there are no problems to drive yourself to the territory of Angkor on the transport that you rented. There will be no penalties for this. But don't forget to park your bike in a safe place and, just in case, block the wheel with a special lock so that no one leaves on your two-wheeled friend.

So, you have reached Angkor. What's next? As for Angkor Wat, it is the first temple that tourists come across after entering through the main entrance to the territory of the archaeological complex on the way from Siem Reap. By the way, there are two routes for studying the temples of Angkor that have been established over the years -. Angkor Wat falls into both routes.

Ticket prices for Angkor Wat not so high compared to

If you buy a ticket to Angkor for one day and see only Angkor Wat, then its price is $37. Such a ticket is worth buying only if you have arrived only for one day. By the way, with this ticket you can also see all the nearby temples of Angkor and Banteay Srey.
The price of a ticket to Angkor is 3 days higher - $62 per person. It used to be cheaper, but nothing lasts forever, and prices for Cambodia's main attraction have also increased since February 1, 2017. This is the most popular entry ticket option among tourists. If you are planning to watch the temples of Angkor for only two days, it is more profitable to buy a three-day ticket.
There is also a ticket for a week for $ 72, which gives an excellent opportunity to watch Angkor Wat and other temples of Angkor (far and near) for 7 days a month.

Tickets are bought at a special place at the box office in front of the entrance to the Angkor temple complex. The cashier will take a picture of you and immediately print a personalized ticket with your photo. This way, only you will be able to use your ticket to Angkor, and no one will be able to transfer it. Please note that the queues for tickets for one day (which is not photographed) and for three days or a week are different.

Angkor Wat Temple Complex Visiting Hours:

Unlike other temples of Angkor, the temple complex of Angkor Wat opens earlier and closes later than others. Therefore, it is worth starting and ending your visit to Angkor here.

Angkor Wat temple opening hours: daily from 5:00 to 19:00.

Firstly, we must immediately stipulate that we really liked Angkor Wat. That is why we have been here three times already. Every time we visit Cambodia, we definitely visit Angkor Wat.

This was the first Khmer temple we saw since we arrived here right at dawn. A very grandiose sight - the red sun rises over the turrets of Angkor Wat. We immediately advise everyone to meet the dawn at Angkor Wat, despite the fact that it is very crowded, especially in winter and spring, when the tourist season is high and Chinese tourists come here in droves.

You can also try to come at sunset, (especially if you are not for one day), and spend one of the evenings on the territory of the Angkor Wat complex.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat spectators are brought to 6.00. But it's better to be here by 5.30 - and in order to take a place among other photographers, and the first lightnings are also very beautiful. Take a flashlight with you.
Sunset at Angkor Wat arrives around 6:00 pm. But, as with the sunset, it would be wiser to be earlier. In addition, at 16.00 the best light and you can take pictures of the temple itself, and then meet the sunset.

Secondly, Angkor Wat is the most famous temple of the ancient Khmers. An interesting fact is that it was here that the Placebo concert was recorded and some scenes from the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie were filmed here. The American actress also returned to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat to shoot her own film First They Killed My Father based on the autobiography of Ung Luong, a Cambodian woman who survived.

Thirdly, it is the most unique historical monument, the ruins of which can give an idea of bygone centuries. Compared to, which are understandable only in the complex, Angkor Wat can be viewed without getting to know other temples of Angkor, if there is no time. But I would, of course, recommend visiting as many different Angkorian temples as possible while traveling to Cambodia.

Of course, wandering through the stone ruins is quite difficult when you don’t really understand why all these buildings were erected. And the weather in Cambodia is usually either very hot or humid and stuffy. For example, for the first time we did not understand much at all. Upon arrival at Angkor Wat, we all thought that now we would leave the complex, but it turned out to be simply huge. And after a while, all the impressions were mixed up.

But before we returned to Cambodia again, I became so interested in understanding everything that I spent many hours studying materials about each temple of Angkor. And on the second and third visits, we walked around the temple complex of the ancient Khmer already with knowledge of the matter, and even conducted excursions for a friend. Now here I am telling you about Angkor Wat.

Briefly summarized as follows: Angor Wat is a must see!

Angkor Wat on the map

Open on a large Google map →

Symbols on the map:

Gray marker on the map— Angkor Wat
Orange- ticket office where they sell tickets to Angkor Wat
Pink- two entrances to the temple complex Angkor Wat (western and eastern)
Yellow- a place where you can fly in a hot air balloon over Angkor Wat
burgundy — international Airport Siem Reap in Cambodia
Blue- Siem Reap city, where all hotels are located

What else is important to know about Angkor Wat and the temples of Angkor

On the pages of our blog we write about the development of Khmer architecture and the honing of architectural skills over time, and century after century we follow what happened in Cambodia and what led to the creation of the masterpieces of Angkor and the construction of Angkor Wat:

air tickets to Siem Reap online Aviasales.

Hotels in Siem Reap

Angkor temple complex - the main attraction of Cambodia. The complex is so huge that it can rightfully be included in the list of the most majestic and grandiose structures South-East Asia. Thousands of people visit the temples of Angkor every year. Angkor Wat is a place worth visiting Cambodia at least once in your life. I don’t even know what impressed us more: or the Angkor temple complex.

Temple complex Angkor Wat

In order to avoid confusion, it is necessary to immediately clarify that the Angkor complex is called all temples, located on a vast territory, in addition, there are Temple Angkor Wat, built by the ruler Suryavarman II, which can be called the pearl of Angkor or the main temple.

Angkor Wat temple - the pearl of the Angkor temple complex

I will not describe the history of the creation of Angkor, talk about the beauty of temples and unusual bas-reliefs, I will only share practical information, which will come in handy when planning a visit to the Angkor complex.

Before the trip, I scrupulously studied the reports of people who visited Angkor, wrote out useful information, thought about the best route, and then tested this route in action. Today I will share this information with you. From this article you will learn:

Where is Angkor Wat and how to get there

The Angkor temple complex is located in Cambodia, near the city of Siem Reap. All useful information about this city can be found in the article:

You can get to Siem Reap by plane, bus and even by water. If you are relaxing in or on, you can buy organized tour in Angkor in one of the travel agencies. But still it is better to visit the temples of Angkor on your own. About how we got to Angkor from Pattaya:

If you are relaxing in Sihanoukvel, then you can get to Siem Reap by bus. If your vacation takes place in Vietnam, for example, in, then it is best to get to Siem Reap by plane from. You can, of course, use the bus, but moving from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap will take quite a long time: 8 hours to and the same amount to Siem Reap.

Where to live in Angkor

Of course, you can’t live in the Angkor temple complex itself 🙂 All tourists stay in the city of Siem Reap, which is closest to Angkor. The question often arises which hotel to choose to be closer to the temples? In fact, the location of the hotel relative to the Angkor complex is not important, in any case, you can’t walk to the temples. To visit Angkor, you will have to hire transport or rent bicycles (but without good physical fitness, I would not advise you to do this).

There are many hotels in the city of Siem Reap for every taste and budget. I can recommend a good inexpensive hotel with a swimming pool, where we spent almost a whole week Bou Savy Guesthouse, I talked about it in detail in the photo and video.

When is the best time to visit Angkor Wat

1. Angkor Wat is better not to visit during major holidays , especially during the Khmer holidays, when the entrance to the complex for local residents make it free.

On weekends and holidays There are a lot of tourists in Angkor Wat.

2. It is not very pleasant to look around the Angkor temple complex and during the hot or rainy season. The hottest month in Cambodia is April, from mid-May the rainy season begins, which lasts until November.

Umbrellas in the summer to protect from the rain, and at other times of the year - from the sun

3. The best time to visit Angkor is autumn-winter. And when you arrive in Siem Reap in November, you will still find bright tropical vegetation around and see temples hidden in the green jungle. We, in February, found the Angkor complex no longer so green and nature resembled our autumn 🙂

Angkor landscape in February. Ta Prohm Temple

In mid-February, it was cloudy in the morning, and the sun appeared closer to dinner. On the one hand, in cloudy weather it is not so hot and comfortable to see the temples, but on the other hand, without the sun, all the photos turned out to be gray and not bright.

Near and far temples of Angkor. Small and large circle of Angkor

The temples that are included in the standard Angkor ticket are called nearby temples, but the temples that are at a decent distance from Siem Reap are called distant temples.

Nearby temples of Angkor

Nearby temples are usually visited along two routes: small circle And great circle of angkor. There are several more temples that are on the offshoot of these two circles - these are the temples of Bantaey Srei and Banteay Samre.

Banteay Samre Temple

What is the small and large circle of Angkor?

Small and large circles of Angkor these are two routes for visiting temples, each for one day. The length of the small circle is approximately 17 km. The length of the great circle is 26 km. The layout of the temples of Angkor, on which the small circle is indicated by a red line, and the large circle by a green line.

Map of the location of Siem Reap and the Anchor temple complex

What temples are included in the small circle of Angkor?

Angkor Wat
Phnom Bakheng
Baksei Chamkrong
Angkor Thom: Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas and east to Victory Gate, Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King
Chau Say Tevoda (Chau Say Tevoda)
Thommanon
Ta Keo (Ta Keo)
Ta Prom (Ta Prohm)
Banteay Kdei
Prasat Kravan
Several small temples

majestic bayon

bayon temple

Ta Keo Temple - now it is undergoing a large-scale restoration, cranes and workers spoil the whole atmosphere

Jungle-covered Ta Prohm

What temples are included in the great circle of Angkor?

big circle it also starts from the Angkor Wat temple and up to the Bayon temple it will coincide with the small one, and then it goes north to the northern gate of Angkor Thom and to the temples:

Preah Khan
Neak Pean
Ta Som
East Mebon
Pre Rup (Pre Rup)

Neak Pean Temple

Elephants at East Mebon Temple

The distant temples of Angkor

The farthest temple from Siem Reap is the temple-pyramid of Koh Ker (Kor Ker). It is located about 120 km from the city, almost near the border with Thailand. Another distant temple - Beng Melea (Beng Melea) is located about 65 km from Siem Reap on the road to Koh Ker.

Also in Angkor you can visit:

Temples of the Roluos Group
Phnom Kulen National Park: sacred mountain with waterfall, 1000 lingam river and Buddhist temple
Tonle Sap lake with floating village

Sunrises and sunsets at Angkor

Sunrise at Angkor everyone meets near the lake in the temple of Angkor Wat. There are a lot of people going to, the earlier you come, the more chances you have to take the best places.

That's how many people want to watch the sunrise on the lake in front of Angkor!

Everyone is waiting for the dawn, but it's still not there :)))

They say that sunrises in Angkor are a gorgeous sight. We did not catch beautiful sunrises, during the days of our visit to Angkor, in February, there were clouds in the sky in the morning, the sun appeared from behind the clouds only at lunchtime. On the one hand, it's good - it's not so hot to climb temples, but on the other hand, it's a pity that we didn't see all the beauty of Angkor Wat in the rays of the rising sun.

That's just such a dawn we managed to see in Angkor

The second place to meet the sun is the former royal bath Spas Srang. We tried to catch the dawn there too, but on that day we were not at all lucky with the sun 🙁

A little more dawn, but it's already around 7 am, the sun is already high

Sunset at Angkor basically everyone meets at Phnom Bakheng. We, having heard about the wild crowds of people there at sunset and about the difficult ascent and descent, decided not to go.

You can also try to watch the sunset from the temples of Pre Rup or Ta Keo, or look for other pyramid temples that you can climb and be higher than the jungle around you 🙂

To meet the sunset, you need to climb somewhere higher. Like Temple Pre Rup

Or Ta Keo

I think that the sunset will be clearly visible from the balloon ( important: for a hot air balloon ride at sunrise or sunset, you must book in advance!).

We tried to watch the sunset near the Angkor Wat temple. That's what came out of it

Sunset near Angkor

Dawn in February was around 6 am and sunset around 6 pm. Due to cloudy weather beautiful sunrises and we did not see sunsets in Angkor. Maybe you'll have more luck.

Cost of visiting Angkor

To accommodate the nearby temples of Angkor, you can buy tickets for 1, 3 and 7 days.

The cost of tickets to nearby temples of Angkor

Ticket price for 1 day - $ 37
Ticket price for 3 days - $ 62 (valid on any 3 days during the week)
The cost of a ticket to Angkor for 7 days is $ 72 (valid for any 7 days within a month)

Three and seven day tickets with photo. Photographed immediately upon purchase of a ticket. Ticket offices for one-day tickets and multi-day tickets are different. There is a queue in the morning (especially for one-day tickets), but it moves quickly.

Checkout line at 5:15 am

Queue for 3 and 7 day tickets

Separately, at other ticket offices, visits to the following places are paid

The cost of visiting the Koh Ker Temple - $ 10
The cost of visiting the temple of Beng Melia - $ 5
Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre with Angkor general tickets
Phnom Kulen - $20
Boat on Lake Tondesap $20 per person
Hot air balloon ride over Angkor - $20

Temple complex opening hours

All temples of Ankor (except Ankor Wat itself) can be visited from 7:30 to 17:30. Ticket offices open at 5:00. In Ankor Wat, to meet the dawn, they begin to let in at 5:30.

The territory of the temples is no longer allowed after 17:00 (except Phnom Bakeng, where they meet the sunset). I read in the reviews that even after 18:00 they are not expelled from the temples. I don’t know, maybe this is the case in small, inconspicuous temples, but they began to kick us out of the Angkor Wat temple almost immediately after 17:30. And by 18:00 they were already kicking out very aggressively. I don’t understand why they are not allowed to stay in the temples until after sunset?

You can climb to the main temple of Angkor Wat (to the top) from 7:40 to 17:00.

Visiting time for all temples except Angkor Wat itself is from 7:30 to 17:30

main tower angkor wat

The cost of renting a car in Angkor

Between the temples of Angkor they move by taxi, tuk-tuk, bicycle or bike. Yes, ride a bike to the area of the nearby temples of Angkor now allowed!

In principle, a small circle with good physical fitness, you can go around on a bicycle. But keep in mind that it is very hot in Angkor from 9 am, so you need to leave before dawn, at 5 am. Bicycles can be rented at any hotel. Cost from $2 per day.

The main transport in Angkor is here and there that fits up to 4 people. On tuk-tuks you can see almost all the temples of the complex, except for the distant temple of Koh Ker and national park Phnom Kulen (there a tuk-tuk just won't go up the hill). It is also better to go to Beng Melia by car, but some people also go by tuk-tuk.

Tuk-tuk can be rented both at your hotel and on the street. Don't worry, there are so many tuk-tuks in Siem Reap that you won't be left without transport for sure 🙂

Our tuk tuk 🙂

Tuk-tuk price in Angkor

Small circle of Angkor - 10-12 dollars
Big circle of Angkor - 15-18 dollars
Sunrise/Sunrise Extra (Early Departure) – $5
Additionally for temples Bantaey Srei and Banteay Samre - 5-10 dollars
Beng Melia - we were told the cost was $ 35, I read on Vinsky that people went there by tuk-tuk for $ 20

For a small circle of Angkor + dawn (departure at 5 am from the hotel and return back to the hotel at 16:00) we paid $15.

For a big circle + Banteay Samre + early departure (we left at 5:30, at 14:30 we were in the center of Siem Reap) we paid $ 20.

For a ride to the balloon, then to the temple of Angkor Wat and then take us to the street of bars (from 15:30 to 19:00), we paid 7 dollars.

The cost of a car with a driver in Angkor

Small circle of Angkor - 25 - 30 dollars
Big circle of Angkor - 25 - 35 dollars
Beng Melia and Co Ker - $80 - $100
Beng Melia - $35-40
Phnom Kulen - $40
Phnom Kulen + Banteay Srei + Banteay Samre – $50

Prices are approximate, every year the cost of tuk-tuks and cars with a driver is growing. But you can bargain, it is often more convenient to take a driver "wholesale" for 3-4 days at once, discuss the route and bargain for the cost.

Another option for moving between temples is to take an organized tour at any of the tour agencies in the city. But even if you came to Siem Rome alone, it is still more profitable to hire a tuk-tuk and explore the temples at your own pace.

For example, a tour of Angkor with a visit to four temples: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Bayon will cost $ 11 per person for half a day and $ 13 for the whole day, an entrance ticket is paid additionally.

But it is more profitable to go with a tour to the distant temples of Koh Ker and Beng Melia if you are traveling alone. The tour will cost $45. The price includes entrance tickets to these two temples. Independent trip there will also cost at least $10 + $5 + $80 = $95.

Prices on organized tours to the temples of Angkor and other nearby attractions

Prices for organized tours to the temples of Angkor and other nearby attractions

Important: when negotiating with tuk-tuk and car drivers clearly state the plan of action: what time do you leave the hotel, what temples do you visit, do you stop by the cafe for lunch, do you return to the hotel after dawn for breakfast, etc. etc. Khmers are mostly lazy people, so if you don’t clearly indicate which temples you want to see, they will take you to 2-3 temples and say that that’s it, it’s time to go home.

But sometimes tuk-tukers come across smart and can tell you in what order it is better to inspect the temples, what you should definitely visit, and what, with limited time, you can skip. It's good when a tuk-tuker drives up to one entrance to the temple, and waits for you from the opposite entrance. This is especially true for long temples, so that after the inspection, in the heat, you would not come back.

Remember what your tuk-tuk looks like, sometimes it's not very easy to find your driver and vehicle in crowd. The right tuk-tuker will look for you and meet you at the exit of their temple, but he will only receive payment for his work after returning you to the hotel 🙂

Guides in Angkor

Do you need a guide in Angkor? If finances allow, then I would advise you to take a guide to Angkor. We examined the complex ourselves, but before that I read a lot on the Internet about temples and we had an audio guide for some temples. But all the same, I think that we have missed a lot and many questions have not been clarified for us.

A good guide will tell you everything, and show you where to take an interesting shot, and take a picture of you against the backdrop of temples

I think that a guide in Angkor is needed (especially if you come on a long-awaited vacation, and not because we are traveling on a budget in Asia). But need a good guide. There will be no bad sense. And here's how to choose good guide I won’t tell you 🙁 Previously, on Vinsky, people shared the coordinates of guides, but the guides became impudent and raised prices, so this shop was closed. The guide Virak was once praised. I don’t know if he works in Angkor now, or maybe he has already enriched himself so much on Russian tourists that he lives somewhere in clover 🙂

I would take a guide to the main temples for one day. And then I would have walked by myself.

Approximate prices for a guide in Angkor

English speaking guides - $25 - $35 per day
Russian-speaking guides - 40-60 dollars per day

You can order a guide or transport in advance, contact us and discuss all your questions.

The temple complex of Angkor is huge, do not think that you will be able to see all the temples in a few days. Yes, this is not necessary, by the end of the second day all the temples I saw merged into one big stone in my head 🙂

Somewhere in the temples of Angkor. On the second day, all the temples in my head merged into one big stone 🙂

Look at photos of temples before your trip and decide for yourself which ones you definitely want to see. The most popular temples are:

They are always crowded and you have to try hard to walk around these temples without crowds of tourists!

In addition to the main temples, I also really liked:

In small temples, crowds of people appear in influxes: they brought a group organized tourists- noise, hubbub, the inability to take normal photos, and after 10-15 minutes the crowd subsided and you wander alone again. This is the beauty of an individual visit to the Angkor temple complex.

Decide what you want: explore as many temples as possible or just enjoy the walk and the atmosphere of ancient Angkor.

We explored the temples of Angkor without haste: it is better to see less, but enjoy the walk and feel the atmosphere of the ancient city

If you came to Angkor for 3 days and do not want to bother with planning a route, then the easiest way is to follow the standard route.

Itinerary in Angkor for 3 days

1 day. Small circle (+ sunrise or sunset)

Day 2 Large circle + optional Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre

Day 3 The distant temples of Koh Ker and Beng Melia

There are different opinions on how it is better to move in a small and large circle: clockwise or counterclockwise, in order to less intersect with crowds of tourists. We drove clockwise.

Itinerary in Angkor for 2 days

If you have come for only 2 days, then on the first day it is quite possible to see the main temples from small and large circles (it is better, of course, to travel by car: it will be faster and you will have a rest while moving under the air conditioner), and on the second day - distant temples.

If you want to visit Phnom Kulen, then it can be combined with the temples of Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre. When visiting Phnom Kulen, keep in mind that on the way to the mountain reverse movement. Until 13:00, all transport goes up, and after 13:00 - back down. Those. you can’t come to Phnom Kulen after lunch!

When is the best time to visit temples?

I think that to see the temples of Angkor you have to leave the hotel as soon as possible. As much as I like to sleep and get up at 5-6 in the morning, this is a huge stress for me, but I advise you to relocate yourself and leave to explore Angkor as early as possible.

Why? Firstly, in order to have time to see at least one of the main temples, before groups of organized tourists are brought to it, and secondly, after 10 in the morning such heat begins that it becomes very difficult to inspect the temples.

Here is such a crowd in the Bayon temple already at 8 in the morning

How to plan your day in Angkor?

You can plan your day in Angkor in different ways 🙂

Option 1. Having left early in the morning at dawn and having examined several temples, return to the hotel by 9 o'clock, have breakfast, sleep, swim in the pool, and then after lunch go further for inspection.

Option 2. Leave the hotel after an early breakfast at 7-8 in the morning, return to the hotel at 12-13 for lunch and rest, and continue exploring the temples at 15:00.

Option 3. Everything is the same as in option 2, but have lunch somewhere on the territory of the temple complex and get some rest (maybe even sleep in the car or in a tuk-tuk), and not return to the hotel.

Option 4. Leave early in the morning from the hotel, take with you a dry ration for breakfast and a thermos of coffee. Visit several temples, and then at 9 o'clock have breakfast somewhere on the ruins overlooking Angkor. Explore the temples before lunch, and after lunch, return to the hotel to rest. This is exactly what we did 🙂

We ordered breakfast at the hotel with us, brewed coffee in a thermos and had a great breakfast right in ancient temple 🙂

Important: if you plan to return to the hotel for breakfast, for a day trip or to the city for lunch, please coordinate this option with the driver in advance. Most likely, you will have to pay some additional money.

As I mentioned above, the most popular temples are Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm. Angkor Wat, it seems to me, is generally not realistic to see without a crowd of people, but you can come to Bayon and Ta Prohm early in the morning and have time to walk along them almost completely alone.

Angkor Wat temple without a crowd of people will not be able to inspect

So we did this:

1 day:

Sunrise near Angkor Wat
When the whole crowd after dawn ran to inspect Angkor Wat, we went to Bayon
From Bayon we walked to the temples of Bapuon and Pimeanakas, where we had breakfast
We examined the terrace of the Elephants and the Leper King and drove further along the small circle of Angkor
We examined the temples of the small circle (except for Ta Prohm) and returned to Angkor Wat
Two hours walking in the heat in Angkor Wat

In principle, I liked the route, only walking after 11 days was already hard and hot, so the impressions of the Angkor Wat temple remained blurred. Perhaps, before Angkor Wat, it was necessary to return to the hotel for a rest, and by 4 o'clock in the evening move back to inspect it. But I knew that if I returned to the hotel, then I wouldn’t want to go to any temples that day. Still, it’s very hard to see temples out of habit, and even in the heat 🙂 A few photos of the first day:

2 day:

Sunrise near Srah Srang
Handsome Ta Prom
And further in a big circle with a stop in Banteay Samre
Finished the day at Prasat Kravan Hindu Temple

With such a plan, we managed to see Ta Prohm without much crowds, but still it was possible to go immediately to it, and not wait for the dawn near Spas Srang, anyway, that day the sky was in the clouds. Some photos from the second day:

I don't remember where

3 day:

After lunch we went up in a hot air balloon and walked around the temple of Angkor Wat for two hours before sunset. Some photos of the third day:

Balloon over angkor

Bas-reliefs in the temple of Angkor Wat

All the most large and popular temples are in the small circle. Therefore, it is probably worth visiting the temples of the large circle on the first day, and leaving the temples of the small circle on the second day - for a snack 🙂

Despite the fact that the small circle is called small, you will have to walk in it and inspect more than a big circle. In a large circle, it takes more time to travel by transport between the temples, during which you can relax. In general, the small circle of Angkor is more difficult to visit than the big one.

Angkor Wat temple is best viewed in afternoon, before lunch the sun shines directly into the lens.

Ta Prom and Bayon try to visit as much as possible earlier in the morning or in the evening before sunset.

Take water with you. I really want to drink! Our first tuk-tuk driver supplied us with water, but the second tuk-tuk did not. Water and fruits can be bought near the temples, but the price will be too high.

Riding a tuk-tuk in the morning in winter cold you have to wear a blouse. But during the day it is very hot to walk.

Dress up comfortable shoes, especially if you plan to climb up the stairs to the top of the temples. It is better to choose closed shoes, a lot of dust and sand, feet instantly become dirty.

And yes, get ready to climb a lot of stairs. My legs just fell off the next day 🙂

Be careful on the ascents and descents of the stairs of temples. There have been fatal accidents in Angkor. Now, in most temples, the old stairs have been closed and the lifts have been equipped with new stairs with railings. But not everywhere! Be especially careful when climbing Ta Keo!

New staircase at Baphuon Temple

Take wet wipes with you to wipe your hands. On the descents and ascents, you have to hold on to the steps with your hands, and they are all covered in red dust.

It is most convenient to climb the temples in shorts or trousers, although I met many girls in long skirts. In short skirts it will definitely not be comfortable 🙂

Do not wear white and black clothes - you will have to sit on the stones: all the dirt is immediately visible on white, and dust on black.

You can walk around the Angkor temple complex in any clothes, but shorts and a T-shirt are not allowed into the main temple of Angkor Wat! A handkerchief on the shoulders will not save the situation, and there is nowhere to rent clothes there.

If possible, set aside five days for Siem Reap with Angkor to see everything slowly and take breaks between days in the temples. We were in Siem Reap for 6 full days, but only half of them were allocated for temples. If you are not a historian or a super lover of antiquities, then after a while all these temples will simply mix up in your head and you won’t really remember which one you were in and what you saw.

Behave yourself properly. Just like in the photo below - do not do it!

Do not mark on the ancient stones of Angkor!

Rare joint photo

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