Angkor Wat and Siem Reap Travel Guide

Hi there, my name's Mark Beaulieu and I'm in one of my favourite places in all of South East Asia, sitting amidst the ruins of the temples of Angkor. In this Rusty Compass Insights video, we're going to give you some ideas to help you make the most of a visit to Angkor. Stay with us. One of the most memorable things about a visit to Angkor is quiet time spent in places like this, amidst the crumbling ruins and towering trees, away from the crowds. So make sure you allow yourself enough time. The magic of Angkor will easily pass you by if you rush. We suggest a minimum of three nights here, but it's easy to stay longer. And make sure you leave time for some of the less visited but no less beautiful temples. The real miracle of Angkor is how much has survived war, the Khmer Rouge and the continuing menace of looters. Built between the 9th and 15th centuries, the temples of Angkor are spread over hundreds of kilometres. They mark the capital of a once mighty kingdom that reached east into Vietnam and west across Thailand and into Burma. This temple, Angkor Wat, may be the largest and most famous, but for sheer beauty and atmosphere, it has plenty of rivals nearby. And most are easily accessed from Siem Reap. The most prolific builder of the Angkor period, King Jayavarman VII, can't claim credit for Angkor Wat, but most of the other celebrated temples of the period were constructed under his watch in and around his sprawling city of Angkor Thom. These beguiling faces at the south gate to Angkor Thom city are a distinctive feature of Jayavarman VII's work. This is the Bayon, where more than 200 of those faces were carved in a monumental temple mountain that was at the centre of the ancient city. Nearby, Ta Prohm temple, dedicated to Jayavarman VII's mother, has been left largely as it was found, immersed in jungle. These ruins were off limits to all but the most adventurous travellers just 15 years ago. But they're very much on the map today. And yes, that means large noisy tour groups. But because there are so many temples, and they're often so vast in size, use your imagination and you can usually stay clear of the hordes, who tend to beat a predictable path. We suggest very early starts each morning, with a break in the heat of the day, before heading back out for the late afternoon. You'll get the best light on the temples, the coolest time of the hot Angkor day, and you'll usually avoid the worst of the crowds as well. A three or four hour break in the middle of the day will keep you fresh and free of temple fatigue. Getting around the ruins is a lot of fun as well. Most of the big name temples are easily accessed by bicycle from Simrid. But if you're feeling lazy, tuk-tuks are cheap and fun too. A visit to Tonle Sap Lake, the amazing food and water supply that made the Angkor Kingdom viable, is an easy trip from Simrid. Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake is as vital to the food and water supply of modern day Cambodians as it was to their Angkorian forebears. These stilt villages survive on the lake's generous fish catch, and live through an annual cycle that sees wet season water levels rise five meters, and the lake surface area expand by five times. Simrid town is a perfect base for your exploration of the ruins at Angkor. It's small, quaint, with some great restaurants in lovely French-era shop houses, and it's also home to a blossoming boutique hotel scene, with some very tasteful comfortable places to stay from US$40 a night. At the other extreme, the Amensara and the Raffles offer history and total indulgence at rates close on the annual income of most Cambodians. In between, there are loads of fantastic choices. For more information on travel to Angkor, check out RustyCompass.com