Amazing Experience to Siem Reap-Gateway to the Temple of Angkor

The small provincial capital of Siem Reap town serves as the gateway to the millenium old temple ruins of the Khmer Empire.  Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Angkor Archaeological Park encompasses dozens of temple ruins including Bayon, Banteay Srey and the legendary Angkor Wat whose artistic and archaeological significance and visual impact put it in a class with the Pyramids, Machu Pichu and the Taj Mahal. Unlike many other world class monuments, the ruins of Angkor are as yet unspoiled by over development. This will not be true in a couple of years. Though the major temples are relatively well touristed these days it is still possible get away from the crowds, to explore the area and discover Angkor.

Siem Reap town is where you will be staying during your visit to Angkor.  The area has been receiving foreign visitors to the temples over 100 years.  The town is actually a cluster of old villages, which originally developed around individual pagodas and later overlaid with a French colonial era center. Note the colonial and chinese style architecture in the town center and around the old market. From my observation, Siem Reap offers a wide range of hotels, restaurants, pubs and shops including several upscale hotels and dozens of budget guesthouses.  Often missed are the many opportunities to experience tradional Cambodia ie the Apsara dance performance, craft shops, silk farms, road tours through rice paddy countryside (which i like the most) boat trips on the great Tonle Sap Lake to fishing villages and bird sanctuary and so much more.

Here are some memorable moments captured in the kingdom of Angkor...

at bayon temple

make sure you are fit enough when touring Angkor cos it's a huge area, here we are kind of exhausted yet we're still in level 1 haha

this is in the highest level of Angkor Wat...quite an amazing sight over here...

the best time to tour Angkor Wat is in the afternoon which you can capture an amazing picture of Angkor like this one...credit to our tour guide Mr.Rye for his recommendation......

..beautiful

entrance to Angkor Wat

and again..its the magestic angkor wat

bayon temple...one of the ruins

observing sunset

here we can see the majestic angkor..kind of aerial view hehe

with our tour guide Mr. Rye...can speak french oh ....by the way a smart guy with great humor...

lepak at 'the Piano', Pub Streets..the famous night spot in Siem Reap..seen here us with our 1st day tour guide Mr.Kheleur..

i'm amazed with this wall scripture..each with its own story to tell...

 

Mr.Kheleur..patiently accompanied us to Pub Street though everybody was tired but this place is a must go when u are in Siem Reap

and again...im speechless

look at the surrounding area...this is part of the ruins

 

courtesy to Mr.Ry...well captured!

this picture is not free we have to pay USD1 for a click..

again credit to Mr.Ry...tis is awesome

how about this one?? nice isnt't it

 

the 3 stooges...enjoying thier time touring Angkor

massive restoration

this small pond is where all the concubine take bath...not seen here on the right is where the King bath with his legal wife haha...he can always peep to his concubine funny.

sanskrit written on the wall

 

entrance to bayon temple