Published: 24.03.2018
Right now we are in Siem Reap, in the north of Cambodia. Compared to Phnom Penh, you can really feel that this is a tourist city. Tourists can be seen everywhere, there are plenty of tourist markets with really beautiful things, and one restaurant follows another. Siem Reap owes its tourist influx to the temple complex of Angkor. A MUST for a trip to Cambodia.
The temple complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is probably one of the greatest structures that have been preserved by humanity. The largest temple complex on the area of more than 200 km² with its over 1000 buildings from the time of the Khmer is Angkor Wat. The dimension and size of this huge temple in the area of Angkor almost overwhelm the visitor. The size of Angkor Wat can only be guessed from the outside. The largest sacred building in the world with its eventful history still serves as a Buddhist temple and is not only a sight, but also a place of pilgrimage for monks.
For the visit of the temple complex, we decided on a sunrise tour. We were picked up by our tuk tuk driver at 4:45 a.m. We saw the sunrise at Angkor Wat and it was simply impressive to see the sun rise behind the temple. Then we went from temple to temple. Normally, you would quickly get enough of temples, as they are often very similar in structure (at least that was the case in Ayutthaya and Sukhothai). However, each temple here has its own peculiarities. For example, one of them has giant stone heads embedded in the towers. So there was always something new to discover.
Despite the steep entrance fee of $37, the temple complex is definitely worth a visit and should be included in a visit to Cambodia.