Built and added to from between 790 - 1307 AD by a succession of Khmer kings, this temple complex was a series of palaces built to enshrine Hindu gods and later to Mahayana Buddhism (from the 12th century onwards). The palaces/shrines were built by the kings in as opulent a fashion as possible, in the hope that the gods would bestow beneficence and protection to their builders and associates. Each shrine would typically be interconnected by stone doorways and walkways.
The complex is huge and takes about 3 days to cover completely. We bought a 3 day pass which costs USD 40 per person and explored as much as possible in 2 days, hiring a tuk-tuk to take us around which cost around USD 35.
Siem Reap is the main town from which to travel to see the huge and breathtaking temple complex at Angkor. The name actually means 'Siamese defeated' - which displays the centuries old rivalry between the Thais and Cambodians.
My cousin and I got the night bus from Phnom Penh which departed at around 11.30pm and reached Siem Reap about 5am, thereby saving a night's accommodation. You can also go by boat on the 'Tonle' Lake but i was advised the water was very slow in this season and the boats were not running.
Some say that local night buses in Cambodia can be dangerous, but the most dangerous people on our bus were 2 Australian ladies in their 50s who'd managed to finish 2 bottles of wine before boarding the bus :). They were really good company and we had a chat and joke with them before boarding.
The ladies sat directly behind us and a combination of their rythmic snoring and the bus driver stopping 4 times to relieve himself during the journey didn't make for good sleep. We were shattered when we arrived.
After, trying the sister hotel of the one we stayed at in Phnom Penh, which turned out to be expensive, old and had waste problems - (my toilet got blocked and a poor tiny lady had to unblock it with a plunger almost the size of herself...!!), we changed hotel to a nicer one - the 'Angkor Pearl Hotel' for USD 21 (GBP 13) per night... I can't recommend this hotel and its staff more...
I later found out that rooms at the guest houses were the same price, so we didn't do badly. (Accomodation in Siem Reap is quite expensive as it has become a big tourist destination..)
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In the afternoon, we went to see the 'Angkor Wat' which is actually just one temple of many in the complex. The complex is surrounded by a moat.
The entrance to the temple :
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Unfortunately we were to discover that many of the heads of the Buddha statues had been broken off. This was either when the Siamese (Thais) sacked Angkor Wat in the 14th Century or when the Khmer Rouge abolished religion in 1975 and destroyed many of the Buddhist statues....
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In the evening, we went out for a meal. There are lots of eateries and bars around a road called 'Pub Street'. Competition between the restaurants is fierce, and beers are sold for USD 0.5 each to try and lure customers !
There was a full range of dining from expensive restaurants to food stalls :
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