Siem Reap & Angkor

Angkor is not a single temple — it is an entire civilization of stone. Between the 9th and 15th centuries, the kings of the Khmer Empire built over 1,000 temples, palaces, reservoirs, and infrastructure here. At the height of its power in the 12th century, Angkor was the largest city of the pre-industrial world — larger than contemporary Paris, London, or Rome.

The temples are scattered over an area of 400 km². Most visitors focus on the "Small Circuit" and the "Grand Circuit," which cover the main temples in 2–3 days. But even a week is not enough to see everything.

The city of Siem Reap (6 km south of the temples) is the tourist base camp: hotels, restaurants, the notorious Pub Street, and the night market. The city itself has charm — French colonial buildings, shady boulevards, and the Siem Reap River running through it.

Angkor Wat — The Largest Religious Structure in the World

Angkor Wat is more than a temple — it is the national symbol of Cambodia (it adorns the flag!) and the largest religious structure ever built by humans. Constructed between 1113 and 1150 under King Suryavarman II, originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, later converted into a Buddhist sanctuary.

The Numbers

• Area: 162.6 hectares (larger than the Vatican)
• Moat: 190 m wide, 5.5 km circumference — with crocodiles!
• Central Tower: 65 m high
• Bas-reliefs: Over 800 meters of gallery walls with reliefs depicting Hindu epics (Mahabharata, Ramayana) and historical battles
• Apsara Dancers: Over 1,800 individually carved figures on the walls — no two are alike
• Construction Time: About 37 years, 300,000 workers, 6,000 elephants for transporting stone

What You Must See

• Sunrise: THE experience. Position yourself to the left of the northern lotus pool (less crowded than the southern one). Be there from 5:00 AM. The silhouette of the five towers, mirrored in the pool, as the sky turns orange and pink — unforgettable.
• Bas-relief Gallery (3rd Level): The southern gallery depicts the Battle of Kurukshetra (Mahabharata), the western one the "Churning of the Ocean of Milk" — a masterpiece where 92 demons and 88 gods pull on the Naga serpent body.
• Bakan (Central Tower): The steep stairs (70° incline!) to the highest level. Max. 100 visitors at a time, waiting times up to 45 min. Worth it for the panoramic view! Shorter wait times in the afternoon.

Angkor Thom — The Great Capital

Angkor Thom ("Great City") was the last and most magnificent capital of the Khmer Empire. Built under King Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181–1218), the city encompasses a square of 3 × 3 km, surrounded by an 8-meter-high wall and a 100-meter-wide moat. Five monumental gates provide access — each adorned with 54 faces and an avenue of 108 stone figures (gods and demons pulling the Naga).

Bayon — The Temple of Faces

At the exact center of Angkor Thom stands the Bayon, one of the most mysterious temples in the world. 216 enigmatic stone faces smile down from 54 towers in all directions. Whose face is depicted is disputed — likely King Jayavarman VII himself, as Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva of Compassion).

The special thing about Bayon: It is chaotic, labyrinthine, and overwhelming. There is no clear tour route — one wanders through dark corridors, climbs stairs, and suddenly stands face to face with a smiling visage from the 12th century. In the morning mist (7:00–8:00 a.m.), the faces seem to emerge from the clouds — breathtaking.

Bas-reliefs at Bayon

The gallery level displays scenes from the everyday life of the Khmer Empire over a length of 1.2 km — battles against the Cham, market scenes, cockfights, fishermen on the Tonle Sap, acrobats. The reliefs are less formal than in Angkor Wat and provide a unique insight into daily life 800 years ago.

Other Highlights in Angkor Thom

• Baphuon: A massive temple pyramid (11th century), reopened in 2011 after 50 years of restoration work. On the back: a 70-meter-long reclining Buddha, formed from the temple's stone blocks.
• Terrace of the Elephants: A 300-meter-long platform with life-sized elephant reliefs. Here, the king received his troops and celebrated victories.
• Terrace of the Leper King: Mysterious statues and double-walled galleries with reliefs of underworld figures, Nagas, and Apsaras.
• Phimeanakas: The "Heavenly Palace" — here, the king is said to have visited a Naga princess every night. Small pyramid with steep stairs.

Ta Prohm — Where the Jungle Swallows the Temples

Ta Prohm is the most photogenic and atmospheric temple of Angkor. Unlike most temples, it was deliberately left largely unrestored after its discovery by the French — as an example of how all the temples looked when Europeans "rediscovered" them in the 19th century.

The result: Huge strangler figs and kapok trees (Tetrameles nudiflora) clasp the stone walls with their massive roots. Galleries have collapsed, towers lean, trees grow through roofs. It is a place where nature has conquered humanity — dramatic, melancholic, and incredibly photogenic.

Famous Photo Spots

• The "Tomb Raider" Tree: The massive strangler fig spanning an entire gallery — "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" was filmed here in 2001 with Angelina Jolie. Recognizable by the huge curtain of roots over the entrance gate.
• The Crocodile Tree: Another massive tree whose roots resemble crocodile jaws. Best photographed in the morning.
• Apsara and Devata Reliefs: Despite the decay, the stone carvings are remarkably well-preserved in many places. Look for the "dancing Devata" in the eastern gallery.

History

Ta Prohm was built in 1186 by Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and university. According to an inscription, 12,640 people lived here, including 18 abbots and 2,740 monks. 79,365 people (including 615 dancers!) supported the temple. 39 towers, 566 stone dwellings, and 260 Buddha statues — the numbers reflect the sheer wealth of the Khmer Empire.

Banteay Srei — The Citadel of Women

Banteay Srei ("Citadel of Women") is located 37 km northeast of Angkor and is the most finely carved temple in the entire Angkor region. While the large temples impress with their mass, Banteay Srei captivates with the sheer perfection of its reliefs.

The temple is built of pink sandstone — a material that can be worked much more finely than the gray sandstone of Angkor Wat. The reliefs are so delicate that they look as if carved in wood, not stone. Scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata adorn the gables in a level of detail that would be difficult to achieve even with modern tools.

Highlights

• The three Prasat (towers): The central tower is dedicated to Shiva, the northern to Vishnu, the southern to Brahma. The gables depict scenes like the battle between Shiva and the demon Kama, the abduction of Sita, and the rain dance of Indra.
• Devata figures: The "beautiful women" — hence the name of the temple — are detailed down to hair, jewelry, and the draping of clothing. Each figure is individual.
• The Libraries: Two symmetrical "library buildings" with the most famous gables: In the east, a gable shows the rain god Indra riding the three-headed elephant Airavata.

The temple was built in the 10th century (967 AD) by a Brahmin (not by the king!) — one of the few temples not commissioned by the royal family. André Malraux, the later French Minister of Culture, attempted to steal some reliefs in 1923 — and was arrested.

Tonle Sap — The Pulsating Lake

The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and a globally unique natural phenomenon. During the rainy season (June–October), the Mekong's water flows with such force that the Tonle Sap River reverses its flow direction — the water flows uphill into the lake! It swells from 2,500 km² to up to 16,000 km² and multiplies its depth from 1–2 m to over 10 m.

Floating Villages

Around 1.2 million people live on and around the lake, many in floating villages. Houses, schools, pagodas, shops, and workshops — everything floats. The inhabitants are fishermen who have adapted their lives to the rhythm of the lake.

Which Village to Visit?

Recommendation: Kampong Phluk is the best compromise between accessibility and authenticity. In the rainy season, you travel by boat between 10 m high stilt houses and through a flooded mangrove forest. In the dry season, the houses stand high above the dry ground — bizarre but impressive.