Cambodia Trip: Grandeur of 12th Century

Siam Reap

After travelling for nearly 800 km, finally I came to the last pit stop of this Khmer adventure. Booked bus ticket through Mekong Express for 5 dollars, the pick up point was just few shops away from the hostel I was staying. Arriving at Siem Reap around lunch hour, I checked in at Oasis Capsules Hotel. 18 dollars for 4 nights, the hostel is strategically located near to the famous pub street for food and drinks. Convenience stores, street markets and shops were just within walking distance. The hostel is run by friendly Indian couple in which the husband used to be working in oil and gas industry. It's rare to come across someone who knows about my hometown when I'm travelling where people usually knows no more than Kuala Lumpur when talking about Malaysia.

I have been eating local food for my daily meals for the past days in Cambodia and I decided to go for fast food for my first lunch in the city as I spotted Burger King was just right opposite of my hostel.

First meal in Siem Reap

I paid 18 dollars for floating village of Kampong Plouk and Tonle Sap tour, which inclusive of transport and entrance fee for the afternoon. Along the way, tour guide who hailed from the village in which we were heading to explained the livelihood there. The village was about one hour away from the city. Due to the dry season, the village wasn't really floating as the stilts supporting the houses up high above the ground were very visible. The boatman took additional precaution to navigate our boat along the shallow muddy river.

I didn't know the word "kampong" also applies in Cambodia

The boats by the river. The tour mentioned to us that it will be more crowded during rainy season, when the water level is higher

The local municipal office and school in sight

This scenery reminds me lots of my own village by the river

The villagers who just came back from fishing. Noticed their catch on the boat

The villagers work on their boats (and the lady may notice my lens was aiming at them)

Our tour guide brought us to his house to have a lookout. The scenes at the place reminded me a lot of my own longhouse experience. We were told that there were around 800 families living at the village with population of 4000, where majority are Buddhists with small groups of Christians.

During rainy season, this road will turn into a river and the stalls will be converted to floating market. Most of these houses are rebuilt due to fire some years ago. The houses were marked with blue colour to signify their gratitude to their King on his contribution

In case anyone would like to experience floating village experience, you can contact the person on this banner (this is the house of my tour guide)

There was a class on going during my visit there

The original house of the floating village which survived the fire, which is mostly made up of bamboos

Can you guess the use of these barrels?

After strolling around the village, we got back to the boat and headed towards the middle of Tonle Sap for sunset. There was no floating village for my visit but at least there is floating restaurant. The fishes in this lake are diminishing due to extensive fishing activities over the years. There were few other boats slowly joining in.

Another cloudy day in Cambodia for sunset 

By the time I got back to the hostel it was already dinner time. I went to the nearby night market and settled my dinner with another round of Tom Yum. The crowd in Siem Reap was so much bigger than the last four places I visited.  Called it a day earlier as I signed up for sunrise tour for 13 dollars on the next day.

Dinner at the night market. This tom yum tasted... different

Woke up as early as 4 am, I refreshed myself and picked up by the tour bus around 5am. After fetching remaining tourists from other hostels, we were brought to the ticketing counter, which is a standalone building outside Angkor Archaeological Park. I decided to go for 3 days pass which cost me 62 dollars. The bus dropped us at the first site and this first stop didn't need further introduction. As we walked across the lake through the temporary floatables that linked the main road to the site as the main bridge is under maintenance, the outline of the grand structure slowly came to site and there it was, stood mightily right in front of eyes. The place was already crowded with tourists.

Angkor Wat

The wonder of the world is beyond this gate

Sunrise at Angkor Wat (emoji with two hearts on both eyes).
It was a challenge to minimize tourists to be in this shot

Couldn't help to take photos of the structure continuously as I was always in awe even after looking it for second, forth, eighth time, you do the math. As the sun finally got beyond the horizon and above the small tower on the side, we started to walk towards the temple and explore around.

Entering the wonder

The structure that survived through the test of time that still holds the whole place together since 12th Century

These are the stairs that once were used to get to the top which is now restricted. Alternatively, another stairs are built for the visitors in which one should queue to get up there as they limit the number of visitors at one time

The view of the tower from the side

View of main entrance from the top

The carvings on the wall

A shot with the wat without any tourist in it!

Admiring the wat for very last time before leaving for next stop

It took around 2 hours to cover Angkor Wat. The temple is not as big as I thought it would be, however I wasn't less disappointed. The thought that the people could build the grand stone structure back in the 12th century keeping me mesmerised. The next site for this small circuit is Ta Phrom which is famous for the setting of Jolie's Tomb Raider movie. The scale was much smaller but there were more ruins due to mother nature taking its course slowly engulfing the site.

Ta Phrom

Didn't realise there is another visitor in the photo

The beauty of imperfetion

There are lots of big trees growing through the walls at this site

The ruins at Ta Phrom

You need to queue for this shot

Bayon Temple

Our last stop is the Bayon Temple which was then built as Buddhist Temples before being converted to Hindus Temples. Known as Temples of Many Faces, the smiling stone faces remind me of the face from the reality show I watched when I was a kid, Legend of Hidden Temples.

Nose to nose with one of the faces

Last shot of the day

As it was around noon as the tour ended, the heat started to get to me and I rested when reaching the hostel. Only to wake up for dinner and chilling at the lounge of the hostel.

Another fast food for dinner

As I had the 3-day pass, I went for grand circuit tour for next day via "tuk tuk" to explore the temples that are located further from the major ones. Started with Banteay Srei and ended at Pre Rup for the sunset. The tour cost 25 dollars though the driver was no more than just driver to bring me from one temple to another.

Banteay Srei
Unlike other temples in the park, this site was built of red sandstone and rather smaller in scale. The carvings were so exquisite and intricate which were believed to be work of woman and hence the name translated to be "Citadel of the Women".

Entranee to the temple. Yes, this place was crowded albeit the distance as it was around 20km away from the small circuit

Carving of mystical creature, Kala

Peeking at this deity guarding the building

Preah Khan
I underestimated the size of this one as it seemed to be the upscale of Ta Phrom. Land area wise is also larger than that of Angkor Wat though the design was simplistic with the rectangular architecture.

The heads seem to be chopped off

A phoenix head?

Reminded me of Greek structure from this view

All these trees definitely make themselves comfortable around these places

One of the stupa

Neak Pean
A floating Buddhist temple on a lake

The walkway towards the temple

Though I wonder how did monk get to the centre of this temple

Ta Som
I would call this as mini Ta Phrom.

Saw these cats sleeping so soundly outside the temple

East Mebon

Elephants statue are located at each four corner at this temple

Banteay Samre

Does this remind you of anything?

Pre-Rup
Concluded my grand tour with Pre-Rup for sunset view. I would say I was officially temple fatigue at the end of  the day. With the 3-day pass, I could return to the park for one last time though I decided to skip and spend more time in the city. Unless you have more days to spare in Siem Reap, I would suggest small circuit is adequate to cover the must sees in Angkor Archaeological Park with one-day pass.

Last glimpse of sunset from Pre Rup to end another day in Cambodia

This Cambodian soup was yummy to end my day

Spending my last day in Cambodia buying last minute souvenirs and to have last glimpse of Khmer urban civilisation before ending the 12-day adventure.

Kicked off with this hearty breakfast with pork noodle soup

A must visit for every country that I travelled to

Marinated pork ribs for lunch

The illuminated Pub Street at night. The street is short stretched with plentiful of eateries and pubs/clubs.

Angkor beer for my last night in Cambodia

Had steamboat all by myself. They include snake and crocodile meat in the menu in which I excluded from my order

Open air band performance at the end of Pub Street

I just need to take photo of this bar from the outside

After passing by the ice cream stalls for days, I decided to give in for the last night

I can now officially tick "Angkor Wat" off in my bucket list that became the ultimate driver of this whole trip. This visit has indirectly expanded my knowledge on Cambodian history especially on the Khmer Rouge. Regardless of the cruel regime, Khmer people remain friendly and generous with their smiles which made my trip memorable. Though I have to admit I am not really a big fan of their food, this is compensated by the wonders left by their ancestors in which I don't mind to revisit one day.

Choum reap lear, Cambodia!

Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville - Koh Rong Island - Battambang - Siem Reap

Now I'm signing up for another getaway. Till then, see ya.