Siem Reap and Angkor Temple

 

January 13, 2023 Sunrise at Angkor Wat

We left Kho Chang Island early Tuesday morning via a packed mini-bus and arrived at the Cambodian border around 1pm. There we had our first border crossing experience which was relatively easy and stress-free, however, we learned soon after, that was partly because we paid for it. Turns out, we just could've walked through customs and gotten our own Visa for $30, but instead, we were told to wait at a comfortable restaurant and enjoy lunch while our tour guide took our passports and $42 to get our walk-up Visas. There were a few red flags that started to cue me (like watching a man scoot away with my passport), but ultimately it was legit, we just paid a "convenience fee" of $12 for a local to take care of it for us. The easiest option would have been to get an e-visa in advance, but we've also been cautioned about that route because they are not taken at all border crossings and must be done a certain number of days in advance. Anyways, it's all a learning experience. 

On the other side of the border, we were rounded up into a bigger bus that was much more comfortable and arrived in Siem Reap around 7pm, making it a full 12-hour travel day. We were happy to find that the tuk-tuks (motor taxis), as well as the drinks, are much cheaper in Cambodia . We had traditional Khmer food for $2 and a vodka soda for $1. We got caught in a downpour on our way home from Pub Street and got soaked (RIP Johnny's water-logged flip-flops), but were pleasantly surprised that our "party hostel", The Funky Village, was actually pretty peaceful and we had a private bathroom for the first time this trip. 

The rain was off and on for the next couple of days, but we did manage the National Angkor Museum and explored the city by foot. Somehow, our feet kept taking us back to Pub Street, the tourist street with bars and restaurants, where I indulged in my foot fish massage. On Friday, we finally made it out to the Angkor Archaeological Park to see the famous temple, and the main reason anyone even ends up in Siem Reap. I even convinced Johnny it was worth waking up at 5am to catch the sunrise. We didn't have the most spectacular sunrise, but it ended up being worth getting there early to beat the crowds and the heat. 

For anyone who may want to visit Angkor in the future, I'll break down how we did it, but there are lots of options to consider. (Feel free to skip ahead if you don't need the details). You can sign up for official tours or guides to take you around, or you can find an English-speaking tuk-tuk driver that has knowledge of the sites, but we went for the cheapest and most independent option, which is just a tuk-tuk driver for the day but no guides. Ultimately, we paid $20 for him to take us to the temples we requested, and although we had been quoted $15 by others, we didn't mind paying a bit more for this guy as he really floored it (or whatever the tuk-tuk version of flooring it is) to make sure we made it in time for sunrise. We were running a bit behind schedule with the early start, but thank goodness Johnny found online tickets that allowed us to save a mile or two and potential lines. I definitely recommend online tickets. We opted for the one-day at $37 which was plenty for what we wanted, but there is a 3 or 7-day option as well. I'm not sure how deep your love for temples would have to run in order to need multiple days, but I know it's popular for people who want to do sunrise and sunset without having a super long day. We also found out, after the fact, that if you buy the 1-day pass the day before, you may be able to enter the park the evening before your ticket, but that needs to be confirmed. 

 

Johnny really liked the roots (shrug emoji) . 

There are many temples to choose from for your visit, but Johnny and I knew we'd be "templed-out" pretty quickly so Johnny found 5 temples for our to-do list. If you don't want to do any research, your driver will just take you on the "small-loop" which hits the two largest temples, Angkor Wat and Bayon, as well as a few others. We modified the route slightly to also include Preah Khan, the first temple on the "large-loop", then backtracked back through Angkor Thom to jump back on the small-loop. By the time we hit the famous "Jungle Temple" Ta Prohm (the one from Tomb Raider), we were starting to experience the crowds we had been warned about, but by then we were already near the end, only hitting one more temple, Banteay Kdei.

 

We both agreed that was the right amount of temples for us and we were done and out of the heat around noon. Johnny also wanted to note that his favorite part of the famous, historic temples that people travel from around the world to see was what he called the "ant highways" and the cool tree roots. My personal favorite may have been the jungle temple, although the amount of detail on Angkor Wat was incredible. Literally, every square inch was covered in intricate carvings or designs. I'm sure we would've learned a ton by hiring the guide, but that seemed to be the difference in making the small-loop in half a day versus a full day, which allowed us to get out as the crowds were starting to become annoying. 

After grabbing some Cambodian Curry (naturally gluten-free I should add), Johnny hit the local gym ($1 a day) and we relaxed the afternoon away at the hostel pool. A party ensued in which we took second place in beer pong tourney, thanks to Johnny's 5 years of in depth studying in college, and taught slap cup to a group of Swiss and German travelers. 

Next stop, Battambang.

View from the top of the central temple of Angkor. Note that you can't access this part if you aren't in appropriate temple dress, knees, shoulders, and backs covered.