Angkor Wat 吴哥窟
… more pix & videos on Google Maps, TA
Splendid: day 2 of the 14 day tour is the temple day, that includes Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple & Ta Prohm.
Angkor Wat is the major attraction of Siem Reap. This typical Khmer architecture is the largest religious structure in the world: started out as a Hindu-Buddhist temple on 402 acres in 1150, and gradually became Buddhist temple towards the end of the century. Built by Khmer king Suryavarman II (苏利耶跋摩二世, 1094/8-1150, r 1113-50) which ultimately became his mausoleum. It’s on the Cambodia national flag.
It’s a short hop from our hotel @ Sokha Angkor to Angkor Wat, 3.3 miles / 5.4 km. I see walkers and bikers. We take two mini vans because large buses are not allowed or have no place to park.
- getting ticket to Angkor Wat, the front side facade
- leaving Angkor Wat→Nokor Thum (wiki: Angkor Thom)
- Nokor Thum 2 (moat/bridge)→Bayon
- The buddha→lunch
- Ta Prohm
Getting the ticket is a chore: we need to go in to have our photo taken.
- $37 one day pass
- $62 two day pass
- $72 7 day pass
Photo ID’ed ticket is probably to prevent visitors from buying a seven day pass and being used by multiple people?
After ticket, we’re being driven to the western side of the temple. First, comes Nokor Thum (on my iPhone pix), also known as Angkor Thom, that means Great City, the last capital city of the Khmer Empire. There are ponds and a sign reads Apsara National Authority Dept of Water Management.
… and after the short walk, passing the moat/ponds, it’s the front side of the main complex.
As usual, the site requires women to wear something that covers their knees. I used a scarf, which is acceptable.
There are steep stairs to climb to the upper level.
The blue skies makes the darkened buildings more striking.
We exit from the other side of the temple (Nokor Thum), where many nagas 那伽/娜迦 stand: they’re divines, half human and half cobra that live in the netherworld (Patala).
Six of us got lost from our group; and our walkie talkies are out of range. But there seems only one way to go, so we’re not worried.
