In his latest blog post, Dale Dunlop, The Maritime Explorer, concludes his journey through Southeast Asia on a high note with a visit to Angkor Wat - Cambodia's Gift to the World. If you are interested in what Adventures Abroad has to offer, please check out our Small Group Tours to Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia.

Alas, this is my final post from the life-changing 2023 trip to Southeast Asia which started in Bangkok and will now end in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Adventures Abroad has delivered everything Alison and I could want on this odyssey through three completely different countries Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The good news is that they have saved the best for last. Please join us as we explore the fabled temple complex of Angkor Wat and its sister complex, Angkor Thom.

History of Angkor Wat

The name Angkor Wat translates as 'City of the Temple' which alludes to its vast size compared to other wats or temples in the area around Siem Reap. It was the creation of one man, Suryavarman II who ruled the Khmer Empire from 1113 to 1150 and is considered to be the greatest of all Khmer emperors. It is the largest Hindu temple on the planet and according to some the largest temple in the world, with only Karnak in Egypt as a possible contender. Having now been to both, all I can say is that they are both mind-boggling and it doesn't matter which is the largest.

Angkor Wat was originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and his avatar is depicted with the face of Suryavarman II in many statues throughout the temple – no God complex there. With the rise of Buddhism in the Khmer Empire in the 13th century it was converted to a Buddhist temple and remained that way until its gradual abandonment in the 16th century. For three centuries the jungle encroached on the site, completely covering it until Western explorers began clearing it in the 19th century, and shortly after restoration efforts began which continue to this day.

As noted in the previous post, the entire Angkor complex, which is over 400 sq km (155 sq mi), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Angkor Wat as the centrepiece. It has long been considered one of the great wonders of the world and high on most world traveller's bucket list. It certainly is on mine, so let's go see why.

Visiting Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is one of the most visited spots on earth, receiving over 2.6 million visitors a year. While the numbers were way down during Covid, they have now rebounded and in 2023 there were 800,000 international visitors of which our group made up 18 of those. The majority of visitors are native Cambodians who consider a visit to Angkor Wat to be the equivalent of visiting Mecca for a Muslim. As you can see from the photo above there are 48 ticket booths where you buy your ticket which I think beats out even Disneyworld. However, on the morning of our visit, less than half were in operation and it didn't take long to get our photo ID passes processed.

We were entering Angkor Wat at about 8:00 AM which avoided the heat of the afternoon, but also most of the crowds. For some reason, a lot of the people coming to Angkor Wat do so at an ungodly early hour to watch the sunrise. It has become something of a 'thing to do' among young people of which our daughter was one when she visited a few months before we did. Her description of the experience was not overly enthusiastic. The bottom line was that there were far more people leaving the site than were entering at this time of day. To be fair, the sun does rise directly over the central temple on the day of the spring equinox so I can see coming early on that day, but the other 364?

Unlike almost all other Khmer temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west and you can only enter from the western side. The entire complex is surrounded by a 5 km (3 mile) moat which you walk along a far distance before coming to the causeway that leads to the entrance. This is the first view of the famous quincunx with the rising sun directly behind the temples.

As we get closer our group picks up the pace in anticipation of finally seeing Angkor Wat in person. As you can see we are not exactly in the middle of a huge throng; our local guide Jett has timed our visit perfectly.

At the end of the causeway is the western entrance through the 3.6 km (2.2 miles) walls that surround Angkor Wat. Note the bullet holes on both sides of the frame that are a reminder that this was one of the last strongholds of the Khmer Rouge.

The most common statuary theme inside Angkor Wat are apsaras, the celestial singers and dancers popular in both the Hindu and Buddhist religions. A Western equivalent would be the various nymphs of Greek mythology.

Once through the gate, you enter a huge grassy area that represents the third encirclement of the central temple complex.

This is also the domain of a family of long-tailed macaques that are not camera shy, which apparently has led to them being harassed by overly enthusiastic YouTubers with selfie-sticks. Thankfully there were none of those around today and we just took our photos from a safe distance and let them get on with their business.

As we approach the temples we pass by a ceremonial pond and see the reflection of the temples on its surface, which is a reminder that the temples are meant to symbolize Mount Meru, the five peaked holy mountains of Hinduism and Buddhism.

This frontal area also contains two libraries, both much larger than any of the ones we have seen in the other Khmer temples in the Siem Reap area. This is the larger and better preserved of the two.

Looking back from this point you can see one of the stupider ways to spend your money at Angkor Wat. Hyped everywhere in Seam Reap is the Angkor Balloon experience, which if you didn't read the fine print you might think is a hot air balloon ride over Angkor Wat which would be fantastic. Instead, the balloon is tethered and doesn't go anywhere, so you've paid a lot of money to look at Angkor Wat from almost a kilometre away. No thanks.

We now come to the inner wall that surrounds the five temples. By comparing this map with an aerial photo you can get a much better sense of the layout of Angkor Wat.

This is the outer gallery which is a 215 metres (705 feet) by 187 metres (614 feet) rectangle.

It is completely covered in bas-relief carvings that would take one days if not weeks to completely take in.

There are eight completely separate stories told in these bas-reliefs and they are considered to be one of the reasons that Angkor Wat represents the epitome of Khmer artistic attainment.

This is a closeup look at a battle we have been seeing throughout this trip.

These are just a few of the thousands of figures depicted in the Battle of Lanka which is also known as the battle between the monkeys and the demons in which Rama, with the aid of the monkey god Hanuman and his troops defeats the demon Ravana and recovers his kidnapped wife Sita. The sheer size and complexity of these bas-reliefs is mind-boggling and if it were not for the natural desire to get to the temples, would warrant far more time to examine than most tourists, including us, are prepared to spend.

Passing through the outer gallery you enter an area that is known as the Gallery of 1,000 Buddhas which historically were literally found here, but now very few remain, most having been taken to museums in the 1970s to prevent theft and vandalism. What is quite remarkable are the traces of paint on the pillars and lintels which gives just a hint of how spectacular this place would have looked 850 years ago or so. Only when you visit places like Angkor Wat or many Egyptian temples can you really get an idea of the awesome power of these places that just doesn't come through in photographs or even videos.

The porticos in this part of Angkor Wat form a crucifix within a square enclosing what were once four sacred pools, the significance of which is still debated among Khmer scholars.

This is also a good spot for a photo if only to demonstrate that you can go to Angkor Wat at the right time and not be overwhelmed by the number of fellow tourists.

What you might not notice is that Angkor Wat is built in a series of terraces that get progressively higher and as you leave the Hall of 1,000 Buddhas you get to the highest terrace, the Bakan, where the fabled five towers are to be found.

You will definitely want to climb to the top of at least one of the towers. Reports of how steep and scary these stairs are, are complete exaggerations. Maybe they were once, but today they are wide with handrails on each side and shouldn't present a problem for most. Certainly, no one in our group had any trouble.

Once on top, you get a view in all directions. This one is looking west, back over the way we have come, including that stupid tethered balloon.

Back on ground level, you will want to take more photos of the towers, but the reality is that once you are inside the Bakan, you lose that ability to take all of them in at once. That famous image of Angkor Wat that is found on the Cambodian flag and that we all have in our minds, can only be enjoyed from the outside. Once inside, it is almost like the spell is broken and what you are seeing is just another bunch of ruins, fantastic ruins mind you, but ruins nevertheless.

This is the best I could do in taking in more than one tower from the inside of the Bakan. Note that the central staircase is blocked and you access these towers via the modern stairways.

We exit the Bakan on the east side and once again encounter those amazing bas-reliefs. This one depicts the Churning of the Sea of Milk creation myth. It is considered to be one of the finest works of Khmer art ever produced. At almost fifty metres (164 feet) long, it gives a new meaning to the word 'epic'. On one side are 92 asuras or demons and on the other 88 devas or gods. In the middle is the god Vishnu. The two sides engage in a massive tug-of-war with the serpent god Vasuki substituted for rope that results in the ocean being turned into milk which is necessary to sustain human life. This is Vishnu at the centre of the bas-relief.

Back on the grass that surrounds Angkor Wat, you get this look at the east side and the magic immediately returns.

We exit the complex via the east causeway and get one look back that forever will indelibly etch this place in my memory for the rest of my days. It's a pinch-me moment as I can almost not believe that I have finally made it to this magnificent creation of mankind.

However, the adventure is not over as we have one more place to visit, Angkor Thom, the final capital of the Khmer Empire.

Angkor Thom

Less than a few kilometres from Angkor Wat is the site of Angkor Thom or 'The Great City' which was largely constructed after Angkor Wat in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII who was the first Khmer ruler to be a dedicated Buddhist. As such he was a benevolent ruler who essentially created a welfare state where all his subjects were treated fairly and provided with the necessities of life. I was surprised to learn from Jett that Angkor Thom is much larger than Angkor Wat which I thought was supposed to be a contender for the largest temple in the world. Turns out both are true – Angkor Wat is the largest and most famous temple, but Angkor Thom is a larger complex overall with a number of temples. This map of Angkor shows this plainly as well as just how many Khmer temples are to be found near Siem Reap.

What makes Angkor Thom worth visiting is the great temple Bayon which features many images of the Buddha as well as a famous bridge that leads to its entrance.

This is the moat you need to cross over to get to Angkor Thom. There are five causeways and each is adorned with 108 statues, half of which are gods and half of which are demons. Once again the theme of the Churning of the Ocean into Milk is in play. These are a few of the gods, many of whom have replacement parts.

And these are the demons.

The bridge leads to this arch with the giant faces of Buddha. It really is something almost ethereal.

The only thing I could compare this to is the faces of the Pharaohs found in Egypt, particularly at Abu Simbel. The countenances are so serene that just looking at them brings both a sense of awe and inner tranquility.

Passing through the gate you get this view from the inside.

This is Bayon temple, one of a number inside Angkor Thom and considerably smaller and less well preserved than Angkor Wat. Note the many faces of Buddha on the various towers.

Like Angkor Wat, Bayon has a number of outstanding bas-reliefs. This one depicts an actual historical event, a naval battle between the Khmers and the Cham that took place in 1177 on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest in Cambodia. Here's what's weird – the Khmers lost the battle, their king was killed and Angkor was sacked. I've never before seen a monument erected to commemorate a defeat.

There are also scenes from everyday life like this cockfight that give us a good idea of how the ordinary people of Angkor dressed and groomed themselves.

Once inside you see more of the 216 faces of Buddha that are found throughout the Bayon temple.

There is one last thing to see while inside the Angkor Thom complex and that is the 350 metre (1,150 feet) Terrace of the Elephants from which Khmer kings would view their parading armies, much as Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin still do today.

The king would ascend these stairs and sit on a throne immediately behind the two elephants.

Sadly, it's time to say goodbye to Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, and Southeast Asia as we take one last look back at one of those magnificent gateways.

This is a day I will long remember with very vivid and fond memories and even more so the entire trip. Thank you, Claude and all the people at Adventures Abroad for making this possible. Join Alison and me as we explore Chile with Adventures Abroad in one of our next odysseys.