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Indomitable: that’s the best adjective that comes to mind to introduce you to this place in the current Kingdom of Cambodia. Here, you will undoubtedly feel like an archaeologist, explorer, a discoverer. The energy, mysteries, and stories that each of its walls transmits and encloses are astonishing.
But let’s start from the beginning: where is it? How do I get there? What language do they speak? Is it safe? Siem Reap is located in Cambodia. The capital of the country is Phnom Penh. The territory is in Southeast Asia, bordering Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. The most well-known cities where most international flights arrive are Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.
I only visited Siem Reap, and it was a wonderful first experience: the kindness of the people surprised me in a way that, at all times, despite being alone, I felt safe and calm. Their language is Cambodian or Khmer, and I didn’t understand anything. Their alphabet is different from any I had seen before. In Siem Reap, many speak English, even the people who drive tuk tuk (the main means of transportation in the city), so it’s super easy to get around. The food is based on vegetables, chicken, fish… very tasty. Note, they use curry in “moderate” amounts, but always indicate if you don’t like this spice mix much.
Now let’s move on to the wonder that Siem Reap itself holds: Angkor Archaeological Park! The complex is only 14 km from the city and extends over more than 380 square kilometers. Throughout that territory, there are temples and more temples. There are, of course, the most famous ones, like Angkor Wat, as well as others that are not so large or not as restored. But I definitely recommend staying at least 3 nights in this wonderful destination. If you have more time, go ahead. It’s such an amazing and otherworldly destination that honestly, whatever time you spend there will seem too little.
The material used to build these temples, between the 9th and 14th centuries, was sandstone. In this area, there were transitions of religions depending on who ruled. For example, if a temple was initially built for Hindu gods, over the years and with another ruler, it could be adapted to worship Buddha. Currently, these temples are of great value to Buddhists, and you can see monks and altars with their incense.
Temples visited and recommended:
- Angkor Wat: the largest religious temple in the world, with an extension of more than 2 square kilometers. Undoubtedly the most famous of all. There are so many sections that one day will not be enough to tour and admire them and feel that peace, always surrounded by forests. I visited this temple for two days, and it was a great decision. It’s so big that you can even sit to think, meditate, listen to music alone without anyone around; feel safe and admire that wonder. And that temple appears on the flag of Cambodia.
- Bayon: one of the most incredible for its famous towers carved with faces that reflect such kind smiles. According to what I was told, they could represent one of the Buddhas as well as Jayavarman VII, monarch who reigned between 1181 and 1220. In total, there are more than 200 carved faces. These giant faces look at you from the 4 cardinal points, always being “painted” by the sun regardless of the time.
- Ta Prohm: the most acclaimed by movie buffs as this temple appeared in the movie “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” with Angelina Jolie. Here we have these incredible tree roots that surround and even pierce the structures of the temple. The best option is to go to this temple when it just opens (7am) as later it’s impossible to take photos due to the number of people in the place. That’s what I did and I was able to walk practically alone through this temple. Magical? Completely!
- Preah Khan: this temple is incredible from wherever you look at it. As you walk, there are tree roots, areas of rubble that you can cross. The magic that exists is amazing in every sense. At times I felt alone in the place, but at the same time accompanied. I crossed through empty and dark corridors and halos of light crossed through some cracks between some broken walls illuminating the path. I’m not exaggerating, the sensation is just as I describe it, just remembering it makes my skin tingle.
Clearly, there are many more temples, and this blog would be very extensive if I intended to mention them all. Also, I want to leave you with a bit of surprise factor. As you go from one temple to another, in the middle of the jungle you can see other vestiges; riding a bicycle you can also discover some more, and walking through the trails you can find more. It’s simply amazing, and what you discover will be wonderful, 100% guaranteed.
And what predominates in these temples? The wonderful apsaras with their mysterious smiles, their dance postures, and their elaborate hairstyles or headdresses.
And who are the apsaras? They are divine nymphs of great beauty who were in charge of entertaining the devas (gods) with their special postures and dances. These dances still predominate in Cambodian dances, a very exquisite and soft style.
They are born from one of the mother myths of Hinduism: The churning of the ocean of milk. In a super summary, the devas (gods) and the asuras (demons) fought for dominion of the world. The god Vishnu proposed to join their forces in order to obtain the nectar of immortality (amrita), but they had to extract it from the ocean of milk. After churning the ocean for thousands and thousands of years, many extraordinary beings came out of the churning, including the beautiful apsaras.
How to visit the archaeological complex? What did I do? One day I dedicated to knowing the largest temples and the history with the help of an excellent guide. The next day was my free day and I hired a tuk-tuk in the morning and went again to the temples I liked the most to simply admire them! Walk, see, take photos, contemplate. Of course, I told my new driver friend to take me to the temples he liked the most, and that’s how I was able to discover other jewels of the complex. Angkor is a place where it’s demonstrated how nature took possession: where there was once jungle… there will be jungle again. It was a fusion between “The Jungle Book” and “Indiana Jones”. The heavy rains (monsoon season) feed the vegetation and lichens year after year, so the work of researchers and restorers each year is very arduous, to be able to maintain this complex suitable for our visit.
Siem Reap is a destination that every traveler should know, make yourself that promise. You will enjoy every second.
A Khmer/Jamer hug!
Mónica Macha
Year of visit : 2019