Khmer:Angkor

Angkor Wat

         Another thing to cross off my bucket list. Finally I was able to set foot in the world's largest religious monument. It took us about 8 1/2 hours to travel from Korat, Thailand to Siem Reap, Cambodia (including immigration) by bus. It was a smooth trip since the road is in good condition. We went there by ourselves (my friend and I). We didn't choose the group travel coz we wanted to manage our own time. All our travels, we did it by ourselves. So from Poipet (border), we took a taxi to SiemReap. The taxi was for USD48 good for 4 pax and you can divide the fare if you are going with other people.

The budget isn't that bad. We spent around THB5000 for everything and we're able to buy stuff. Always remember to BARGAIN! They will tell you the price ( expensive) but if you bargain you can get it for a cheap deal.  BUT you have to be very careful coz people will try to rip you off. Just a friendly reminder, RESEARCH before you travel!  Some sort of people working for travel agencies will approach you upon arrival at the taxi station. If you don't know anything, you might end up losing your money. 

Anyway, the hotel where we stayed for 3D/2N is a new hotel and the room is very spacious. We only paid around THB1,300 for 2N through agoda booking. Our accomodation is close to the market and other establishments. Hotels are everywhere around the area. You can either walk or hire a tuktuk.

 And for the Angkor Wat pass, just pay USD20 and you can have access to all the major temples in one day. You can choose from 1day pass, 3days to 1 week.

 It's easy to move around the city since they're accepting different currencies such as USD, KHR, THB and people can speak English and can communicate very well. Tuktuk transpo are everywhere too. Some people opt to ride a bike and tour around the city but to those who want to enjoy the scenery without getting tired from pedaling (  ) i'd recommend you hire a tuktuk for a day. 

I enjoyed our short visit to the place and the experience is beyond description. I learned about Khmer history and culture and many other interesting things.

1st day...

At Poipet Border Cambodia

This is how export and import business is being done in the border of Cambodia and Thailand.

Finally, I am able to witness the magnificent Angkor Wat. With my two eyes, I saw the beauty of this famous temple. 

And I was lucky to watch the moon at its full bloom inside the Angkor temple. The calmness of the place and bright moon made the experience more memorable. The most beautiful i've ever seen.

Captured by canon's telephoto lens. Awesome view I had!

 After our afternoon tour at the temple we went to this popular dining and shopping area that only opens at night. Most tourists would dine and shop here after a day's touring.



Ate at this Khmer restaurant that offers variety of dishes. 

Typical Khmer restaurant at Night Market.

2nd day...

Experienced sunrise at the Wat. A fresh new day at the Khmer land. How wonderful it is to witness the new morning in a foreign land. 

Hundreds of people flock to watch the sunrise.  A must-see in SiemReap.

The walkway out of the temple.

With Mr. Lam. He was the one sent by his company to drive us around SiemReap. He's very patient and friendly. God bless his humble heart. 

On our way to Bayon Temple. Such a beautiful scenery with a very cool weather. 

 Monkeys are everywhere in Bayon area.

The Bayon temple. This is where you can see different carvings in the temple. 

The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and massive stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak (wikipedia).

Another temple near the area of Bayon is Baphuon. It's beautiful and it has a big pond outside where the Khmer kids love to swim.

Kids are begging for money. Some people are giving them school things, candies, money, and other things.

While their parents are busy pruning grasses, these kids are also doing their own way to  make money by asking from the tourists visiting the area. 

Brunch time at Bayon area. Food is quite expensive since it's in a touristy site.

 The huge trees at Prasat Ta Prohm. It's serene and peaceful in this area.

The large roots of this Banyan Tree are just awesome. The tree grew on top of the roof and remained untouched. This is where the famous TOMB RAIDER movie was shot. 

Inside Prasat Ta Prohm

They are carving the water buffalo skin. It takes a lot of hard work and patience.

The Banteay Srei temple.

Intricate carving at the Banteay Srei temple.

And for our last stop to see the sunset, we went to Pre Rup. To see and appreciate it's beauty, you must climb on top. We failed to see the sun set since it was cloudy. But the experience itself was so memorable.

3rd day....

It was our last day in Cambodia. We had an early breakfast at the hotel and we left at 8:30 to go back to Thailand. 

It was a pleasant stay at this hotel. It's new and spacious and accessible. The owner is very friendly as well. 

And back to the border....

 Tourists waiting for the free shuttle bus to Poi Pet International Bus Terminal

One of the hotel casinos in Poi Pet Border

 This is how the departure area looks like in a small border like Poi Pet. 

And so we arrived in Korat safely at 5:00pm after taking the 12:00pm bus in AranyaPrathet.  :)