Arrive on an early
morning flight today so that you can pack as much into the day as possible.
After a stop at your hotel, you and your guide enter the Angkor complex
through the south gate of Angkor Thom, the city-fortress that
contains the temple of Angor Wat. At the time of its construction, this was
the world's largest human settlement with as many as one million
inhabitants. Among the places you will visit today are the Bayon,
with its towering stone faces. Nearby are the Terrace of the Leper King
and the Terrace of the Elephants, with its gigantic friezes that
depict the importance of these beasts in daily Khmer life. Most of the day
is devoted to the temple that has come to be known as Angkor Wat, the
spiritual nucleus of an empire that once across Southeast Asia. Centered
within a mile-square moat, it is the largest religious monument ever built.
If you like, climb the steep steps to the very zenith of the temple for a
glorious view. But do not overlook the portico that surrounds the temple and
its mile of stone reliefs depicting the Ramayana epic and the military
conquests of the god-kings who built Angkor.
Continue your adventure early to take advantage of the cool morning.
Wander through the ficus root-engulfed temple of Ta Phrom, built to
house the divine image of the Queen Mother, then visit Ta Keo, where five
towers rest atop a five-tiered temple, Srah Srang, a ritual bath
large enough for a thousand women, and the Eastern Mebon, which was
once an island in a man-made lake larger than all of ancient Rome.
Today we begin to leave the most-visited tourist sites behind us, beginning with
a visit to Banteay Kdei. This is an intimate and seductive temple
dedicated devotees of apsara dancing, and still an active place of worship
for local people. The naga-ringed entry porch is largely complete, as is the
hall of dancers, with pillars graced with exquisitely stylized performers
striking magical poses.
Preah Khan was built in 1191 to honor the father of great King
Jaravayaman VII. It is a huge site, almost as large as Angkor Wat, although it
is still being reclaimed from the engulfing jungle. Gigantic fig trees have
strangled a maze of chambers that once sheltered more than 500
gem-and-gold-encrusted statues of the Buddha, which were eventually removed or
defaced by Hindus.
Diminutive Neak Pean was the Trevi Fountain if its day. Within the
temple stands a large square pool with a central island of entwined nagas that
once supported long-disappeared statues. Water flowed from the island into the
pool, then into smaller pools in pavilions on each of the four sides of the main
pool. It does not take much to imagine how spectacular this place probably was.
After lunch you take a break from toppled stones to enjoy an interesting trip to
nearby Tonle Sap, the giant body of water that connects Siem Reap with
the Mekong Delta. Board a small boat to see what life is like in the floating
villages on this vast inland sea. Later you relax in a floating restaurant,
where you can snack on a platter of shrimp and a frosty Angkor beer, if you
like. You can read more here.
Begin the day with a drive into the lush countryside to the foot of the only
mountain you can probably see in any direction. Along the way you will get a
close-up look at life in the little villages that appear along the road.
A winding mountain road takes you to the top of Phnom Kulen, the mountain
you saw in the distance. This ancient hilltop retreat that is still a mystical
and holy place for the Khmer people, and among the favorite places for people
living in Siem Reap to hang out on their days off. Water played an important
role in the spiritual live of the people of Angkor, and most of it came from
Phnom Kulen. This was the personal spiritual retreat of King Jayavarman II, who
built the Angkor temple. He had almost two kilometers of stone stream bed carved
with more than 1000 lingas (stone phalluses significant as symbols of
fertility) and many other Hindu religious images to bless the water as it
cascaded to the cities below. You can read more about Phnom Kulen
here.
After lunch at a local restaurant you visit Banteay Srei, which has come
to be called the "Temple of Women." Re-discovered in 1914, this distant
jewel-like temple is unique in many respects. While most of Angkor's temples are
of massive proportions, Banteay Srei was built on an intimate, human scale. Its
profuse and gloriously ornate architectural details and mythical beasts with
human heads, are exceptionally well preserved. ItS pink sandstone and elaborate
ornamentation Banteay Srei has even been compared to a wedding cake.
Get an early start this morning for one of the most eventful days of your
adventure at two major city complexes that could be reached only by helicopter
or on foot until recently. We drive deep into the countryside beyond Phnom Kulen
to the ruins of Beng Melea. The sprawling temple/fortress covers over one
square kilometer and is partially eaten by the surrounding forest, which gives
it a Hollywood lost-in-the-jungle feeling. While many of the buildings are in
total ruin, others are almost intact and many who see Beng Melea consider it to
be the most spectacular site the see.
Farther along the same new road is the awesome Koh Ker complex. Nearly
one hundred temples (nobody knows what is still buried and undiscovered) were
constructed within a very small area and some of them are still in remarkable
condition. They are largely untouched, except by teams removing Khmer Rouge land
mines. You will have a chance to visit and explore as many of the smaller
temples as you like. Wear sturdy shoes since this may involve climbing over
large toppled stones.
Koh Ker Temple is the only pyramid-shaped temple yet to be discovered in the
Khmer Empire. Built to worship Treypuvanesvara, the god of happiness, Koh Ker is
simply breathtaking. Its seven tiers are taller than Angkor Wat. There is a
massive garuda carving and many Sanskrit inscriptions near the top. Equally
impressive is a compound of smaller libraries and sanctuaries connected by a
causeway built with immense undulating nagas on either side. Perhaps the best
part is that you may not see any other foreigners here at all.
Your morning is free until your transfer to the airport. If you have seen and
done everything and your flight departs late in the day there is time for a
well-deserved spa treatment, some shopping in the Old Market, or an
unforgettable scenic flight by helicopter.
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Choose form these
gay-friendly
SIEM REAP HOTELS
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Includes: round trip private airport transportation; hotel accommodations, tax, service, and daily breakfast beginning on day 2, sightseeing with personal guide, private car and driver, three-day admission pass to Angkor sites. Extra night option includes guide, car and driver but may require additional Angkor admission cost. Not included: air tickets, other meals and drinks, other admissions, gratuities, features not specifically mentioned in the itinerary, or items of a purely personal nature.
Club Sanook Member bonuses:
Club Sanook Members get a free balloon ride over Angkor Wat
Club Sanook Members can get an instant discount when you combine Essential Angkor and our
Phnom Penh package.
See details on the Club Sanook website
You must indicate you are a Member when you reserve. You can join today free! Just click "Join the Club."
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