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AngkorDec 6, 2004
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The pedestrian motorway to the top
Pedestrian signs ....or a sign for the elephant ?
No chance of getting the place to yourself but a worthwhile climb...
| (Updated by: Giles) This place is done on a LARGE scale ! It it hard to believe it was constructed 1000 years ago (- it is all definitely worth the journey there !). Angkor was the heart of the Angkor empire which reached into Vietnam in the east and Thailand in the west. The temples were constructed between the 9th and 14th century and reflect a mix of Hindu and Buddhist worship. Angkor Wat is probably the most famous site here, a huge Hindu orientated temple bordered by a 300ft+ moat around it's 0.6 mile square site. Angkor Thom is the walled city and is surrounded by a 6m high wall along each four of it's 2mile-long sides. Within Angkor Thom are more temples and palaces and to the east of Angkor Thom are even more temples including Ta Phrom which is still over-run by trees. Although we only got a 1-day pass (which also allowed for sunset visit the day before), you can also buy 3-day and 6-day passes which you could easily use up based on the number of temples and structures in the miles around the main Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat. All the temples have hundreds of steps, all at relatively dangerous inclines requiring modern handrails to assist on the way down, although the sight of more than 20 middle-aged Japanese tourists attempting to scale the steepest section of Angkor Wat impressed us, if nothing for their determination. Siem Reap, the adjacent town, is obviously massively affected by the number of tourists coming through with all their dollars to spend, but it was still a nice place to relax, shop (the old market) and eat (particularly a Belgian-owned place a called the Red Piano -we'd recommend it !) |
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