Surviving Angkor

Fact: Two million tourists arrive in Siem Reap every year. A small, quiet township just 20 years ago, the gateway to Angkor has today morphed into a thriving resort with several five-start hotels, restaurants, bars and three golf courses, marking its importance on the world’s tourist map. Thanks to Angkor Wat and other temple complexes, not to mention a wealth cheap alcohol, Siem Reap is ranked at the very top of the world’s best city to travel in by both the TripAdvisor website and Travel+Leisure magazine.

A short flight from Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok or Singapore, visiting the ancient temples and monuments should be a dream cone true, a chance to reflect on the mysteries of ancient rites and find peace among the stones. These days, a visit is more likely to leave you stressed and exhausted.

Just as you’re trying to find the apsara angel from the Churning the Ocean scene in Angkor Wat’s gallery, you are inevitably pushed out off the way by Chinese tourists. You push back and just as you’re about to reclaim your view, you are pushed aside again, this time by Korean tourists.

So how do you survive the thousands of tourists marching through Angkor Wat daily?

To beat the crowds and heat around Angkor Archaeological Park, the smart traveller needs a plan.

The best time to visit the temples of Angkor is from November to January when, just like in Thailand, Cambodia’s Northern Region enjoys cool weather and the rice paddy fields stretch like a golden carpet as far as the eye can see. 

In March and April, the region’s hottest months, it’s best to stay away or at least spend the best part of the day chilling out in the hotel’s air conditioning.

During the summer the smart traveller visits Angkor Wat when it opens, at 5.30am, thus escaping the unbearable heat and the tourists, who won’t leave the hotels before having breakfast. On my latest trip to Siem Reap, I wake up just before 5am and jump into a local auto-trishaw and arrive at Angkor Wat just as the sun rises. The world’s largest religious monument is, of course, brimming with tourists who have also come for the sunrise. However, the number is nothing like as large as it will be a couple of hours later when the tour groups arrive en masse.

If you rise early enough, you might just get one of the temples all to yourself, which makes the whole experience even more magical. Many temples such as Ta Prohm, which I personally find the most atmospheric and photogenic ruin, are deserted. Roam Bayon before 6am and you may well have the place – and its more than 200 massive stone faces of King Jayavarman VII – all to yourself. That makes the whole experience even more magical albeit slightly spooky. 

For adventurous travellers, culture buffs and photographers, this Cambodian city requires much more than a short trip. The Unesco World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat demands repeated returns. I’ve visited Angkor Wat four times so far and have yet to see every stone in the Angkor Archaeological Park.

Most tourists arrive at the historical site in vans and with tourist guides. It’s a good idea to have a local guide to demystify the stories about these ancient temples but you can’t beat a good guidebook and friendly tuk-tuk driver. 

Most tuk-tuk driver charge between US$15 (Bt530) and $20 per day. The driver will drop you off at the entrance and meet you at the opposite end, but you will be wandering around the ruins on your own. Let your driver know what temples you are most interested in seeing, but also ask for suggestions: you might just end up at a hidden gem.

A first timer will find it very difficult to choose one temple over another because every one of them is unique in its own way. However, if your time is limited and you want to make it to the most famed temples, here is our shortlist. 

Angkor Wat is a must, of course, although it’s always jam-packed. You’re advised to go for the sunrise. Once you’re done photographing the sun bobbing over the five iconic spires, visit the complex from the top down, starting from the top tower of Angkor Wat. Most tourists start their trip from lower parts horsing around the bas reliefs and galleries. When they make it to the top tower two hours later, they find the queues too long and weather too hot. 

Thais shouldn’t miss the last scene on the Southeastern Gallery depicting Siamese troops marching with King Suryavarman II in the crusade against Cham warriors. You know they’re Thais because they look totally disorganised. One soldier, for example, appears to be poking fun at another and paying little attention to the war.

Other than the iconic Angkor Wat , you should also visit the Bayon Temple of King Jayavarman VII – the great king who converted the whole empire from Hinduism to Buddhism in the 12th Century. Then, there is Ta Prohm, with its iconic creepy trees, that formed the background to Angelina Jolie in “Tomb Raider”. Banteay Srei, 30 kilometres north of Angkor Wat, is irresistible too. Billed as the “Citadel of the Women”, Banteay Srei is the smallest yet most delicate of the temples, its rose-pink stone covered in beautiful carvings.

If you’re really into the Angkor Wat architecture, reading the Ramayana Epic will help you understand the ancient Khmer kingdom. The stories of Vishnu – and lots of his phallic symbols – can be found everywhere in the stone carvings.

A day pass for entry to Angkor Archaeological Park is $20 (3 days/$40 and 7 days/$60). However, many visitors are not aware that they don’t need a ticket to travel around the historical site without entering it. The forests, huge trees and moats make for a blissful excursion in the early morning, particularly if you are cycling. 

You can also ask a motorcycle taxi to drop you off at the end of Vithei Charles De Gaulle, the street that connects Angkor Wat with Siem Reap town. The temple is about 10 kilometres from the nearest hotel. 

Once you have arrived at the ancient ruins, you will come across local teenagers selling guidebooks for $1 and offering to be your guide for a modest sum, as well as little kids selling postcards. Walk away from them. 

Those kids need to go to school instead of trying to flog trinkets. If you really want to help Cambodian children and take something home, tell your tuk-tuk driver to drop you at Artisans d’Angkor (www.ArtisansDAngkor.com) or Friends ‘N’ Stuff. 

The “teenage guides” are also best avoided. If you decide to take one of them as a guide, chances are you will be abandoned before you can see the most beautiful Apsara. 

Most importantly, don’t let the crowds, the steep steps or the heat put you off seeing these amazing temples of Angkor.