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There’s no point of coming to Cambodia without visiting this marvel. The Archeological complex is located 5,5 Km north of Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. The temple complex was made by King Suryavarman II, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and served as both capital city and royal temple; this explains the temples name (Angkor means city, and Wat or Vat means temple in Khmer).

At the decline of the Great Khmer Kingdom following the death of King Suryavarman II, Angkor was sacked and pillaged by the kingdom of Champa.

When emperor Srindravarman, a prince and ordained monk, ascended to throne, he converted Angkor Wat into a Theravada Buddhist temple.

The Angkor Wat is an archeological complex with outer walls shelter the 820,000 square metres complex. The temples represent Mount Meru, the heaven of devas (Hindu gods), and is a grand example of ancient Khmer architecture.  There are three kinds of non-transferable tourist passes: a day pass (US$ 20), 3-day pass valid for a week (US$ 40), and 7-day pass valid for one month (US$ 60).  Remember to always have your entry pass with you because the complex guardians or Apsara Authorities occasionally check admittance tickets.

Avoid frustration and disorientation by hiring an official guide. For US$ 20 a day, they will help you find the somewhat hard to find temples and explain its historical values.

There are four main temple groups in Angkor complex: Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (the mother temple and the ancient capital), the Little Circuit at the east of the ancient capital, the Big Circuit at north and further east areas, Outlying temples at about 20 Km away from Angkor Wat, Roluos ruins of the ancient capital of Hariharalaya which located 15 Km away from Siem Reap.

When you’re on the circuits, beware of police officers who offer you some “quick tours” and ask a small amount of “donations” for the monks and incense, just politely say “no thanks”, smile and walk away. Scams and rip offs are fairly common in the complex. Refusing peddlers, though it could be difficult at times, is necessary to make your Angkor visit worthwhile.

The Angkor and Angkor Thom is the prettiest at sunrise and at sunset, so make sure you wake up bright and early ahead of tourist bus rush.

Preah Vihear Temple or Prasat Preah Vihear in Khmer is located at 1,722 feet (525 meter) above sea level, is one of the most breath taking temple complex in Cambodia. However, being located close to Thai border, the temple and area surround are constantly disputed by the two kingdoms and become a sensitive bilateral issue.

Historical background of the ruins

The establishment of the temple complex dated back to the 9^th century, and many scholars believed that series of modifications took place throughout the Khmer Empire’s golden era, which explains why there are different architectural styles. Prasat Preah Vihear was built 100 years before the Great Angkor Wat and thanks to its remote location the temple is still well preserved.

The Preah Vihear made special by the form of its construction. Unlike most Cambodian rectangular temples, the complex runs a long north-south axis construction and being located high above sea levels, experts believe that the temple represents the Mount Meru, the Hindu deities’ Olympus.

Territorial and Ownership Dispute

Cambodia has been invaded by all of its neighboring countries and their colonists. The Prasat Preah Vihear was once included within Thai border, but was granted by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1962 to the people of Cambodia.

Prasat Preah Vihear was listed as World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 2008, alarming the Thai kingdom once again.  The stand off between Thai and Cambodian soldiers turned violent in 2008 and again in 2009, leaving some part of the temple damaged after shootings made by the Thai military. Some countries have issued travel warnings for their citizens worrying fresh outburst could start anytime.

How to Get There

Accesses to the temple complex are available both from Thai and Cambodian territory, however due to the volatile bilateral relationship the access from Thai border is often made impossible. Khmer Rouge has left a lot of mark around the complex (ammunitions and cluster bombs), so for your own safety, please be cautious during your visit and don’t walk away from existing paths.

Prasat Preah Vihear is accessible from the Cambodian territory by Motodop (motor taxi) from Kampong Thom, a Chinese Khmer area, the birth place of Saloth Sar, later on known as Pol Pot.

Apsara dancers move gracefully gesturing Kbach (meaning style) with their body and hands. After few decades of political turbulence, the Khmer is now continuing their ancestral traditions. Khmer classical dance is similar to a silent opera; instead of having Sopranos at the center stage, they have dancers representing the Apsaras, or woodland spirits which are the core figures in many Khmer folklores, miming the expressions of the spirits and posing hand and body gestures to represents various things that can be found in the nature like seeds, fruit, leaves, flowers, and many more.

Back in the golden days of the Great Angkor Kingdom, Apsara Dances are highly revered and performed only for the king and his court. Back then, the dances were the king’s concubines, princesses, and royal courtiers.

Those who have been travelling extensively throughout Southeast Asia, and had the occasion to visit the island of Java might find similarities between Apsara Dance and the Javanese dance Serimpi, in fact both dances are living memories of powerful Mahayana Buddhist kingdoms.

The Apsara Dance didn’t bare a strong Khmer influence before the 13^th century, however at the height of its popularity in the 15^th century, the dance tradition has to experienced a major setback when the neighbor kingdom of Siam (ancient Thailand), raided the Angkor Kingdom and kidnapped a troupe of Apsara dancers.

Under Khmer Rouge regime many people considered as “the enemy of the people”, including Buddhist monks, western educated Cambodians, people in contact with the west (including with the neighboring Vietnam), ethnic minorities, and artists that linked to aristocratic institutions were annihilated. Nearly all of the Cambodian classical dancers lost their lives. Those who survived started to revive the ancient tradition after the fall of Pol Pot.

The Cambodian Royals were also played a huge role in preserving the traditional dance heritage. In the 1940s the Queen Mother Sisowath Kosamak Naryrath re-create the classical Apasara Dance and train her granddaughter Princess Norodom Bopha Devi (elder sister of the current king) to become the prima ballerina of the Classical Khmer Dance. The Apsara Dance is often compared to the western ballet since the dancers are subjected to a strict dancing regime for many years prior being a career dancer.

In 2003, UNESCO named the Apsara dance a “Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Culture”.

In villages around Siem Reap (as well as other villages in Cambodia), the Apsara Dance is performed spontaneously, just follow the sound of the Pinpeat, traditional Cambodian musical ensemble, and sit with the natives. Since most of the Apsara Dance has no dialogue and communication between characters are made through gestures, language barrier will not be a problem.

The local call it Boeng Tonle Sap, it is considered the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia with unique ecosystem and rich biodiversity. Tonle Sap which means the Great Lake in Khmer is considered by Cambodians as source of income and food. The lake stretches 160 kilometers long, and during the rainy season, its water floods the surrounding forests and rice fields.

There are many tourist attractions in Tonle Sap Lake, such as Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary (biosphere of threatened water birds), Chong Khneas floating village, the Khmer village of Kampong Phluk, and Kampong Khleang (the largest fishing community in Tonle Sap and the less visited by tourists compare to Chong Khneas).