Travel Entry - 36 Hours in Cambodia

The last part of our Golden Week travels took us to Siem Reap, Cambodia. A quick, sixty-minute flight from Bangkok and we were in "the gateway to the ruins of Angkor." We were greeted with a very friendly feel from the moment we stepped off the plane - and casually walked across the runway to a one-room building, which was the airport! 

Siem Reap is definitely a place of extreme contrasts. I'd heard that statement before we went and I definitely agree...even after our short visit. Overall, Cambodia is one of the world's poorest countries and faces numerous challenges - widespread poverty, pervasive corruption, lack of political freedom, low human development, a high rate of hunger...the list goes on and on. In 2016, the GDP per capita PPP income (which adjusts for different prices in different countries) was $4,022 USD per household (the US's average was $59,609 USD - just for comparison). And, this figure comes after a massive increase in tourist trade. The values were $829 USD; $30,047 USD respectively in 1996. 

Like I mentioned, the city of Siem Reap has seen a massive increase in tourist trade over the past 20 years. In fact, in 2016, Cambodia graduated from the status of a "Least Developed Country" to a "Lower Middle Income" Country. It is said that Siem Reap today is barely recognizable from 2000. Hotels line streets filled with tourists...and not just any hotels...extremely fancy, full-scale resorts. If you never left you're hotel, you could easily trick yourself into thinking you were on a luxury vacation in some tropical destination. However, once tourists leave their hotels and begin to wander around the city - reality sets in a bit. Sure, there are some nice restaurants and shops; however, the level of poverty is apparent. We saw children walking around without clothes, landmine victims missing various limbs, and homes which consisted of only tarps and blankets. We also learned that in Siem Reap, children only attend school for four hours per day...and most of them will not attend college. 

As someone who was visiting Siem Reap from halfway across the world, I definitely felt an intense mix of emotions. And, kept telling Kaz that I wanted to do something to help...since supporting the tourist industry by being there didn't quite feel like enough. There were signs posted in many places encouraging tourists not to give money to children because they didn't want their children become beggars. Interestingly, Cambodia's currency is so corrupt that most places actually encourage tourists to pay in US dollars (because it is a much more stable form of currency). The presence of NGOs was very apparent in Siem Reap, as well as the aid from other countries. We ended up buying two art pieces made by local children from a store/art school (that provides after-school and weekend art classes for local children) and enjoying some iced coffee at a cafe run by three local sisters (whose goal is to make sure that clean water becomes universally available). It didn't seem like we did much to help...however, hopefully the little efforts of those who visit can continue to support the bigger efforts being carried out! 

Our trip to Siem Reap was rather "in and out"...only 36 hours. Just enough time to get a beginning feel for the culture and to explore Angkor Wat and *a few* of the surrounding wats. I learned that there are over 3,000 wats in the area...I think we saw less than 10...guess we'll have to go back and explore more!

On our first (and only) evening in Siem Reap, our plan was to try to catch a sunset...as we'd heard that both the sunrises and sunsets in Siem Reap are breathtaking. We soon learned that in order to view the sunset, visitors had to be inside of the temple complexes by 5pm. So we missed our chance! However, we were able to spend some time walking around the town, browsing the markets, and enjoying a dinner of traditional Khmer food. And - we did manage to stumble upon a rooftop bar that allowed us to enjoy the sunset in the distance all to ourselves!!  Then it was off to bed early as our tour guide would be picking us up at 4:30AM the next morning for a full-day of exploring!

Angkor Wat

Dark and early the next morning, our tour guide, Jimmy, picked us up and we were off to get our passes to explore the ruins. Most guest passes allow you to enter the ruins for 24 hours (unless you purchase a multi-day pass). In addition to needing quite a bit of documentation, you also get your picture taken and an ID made. The ID is then checked before you are allowed to enter any of the specific sites. 

One of the most popular things to do in Siem Reap is to watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat. So, we started off our day doing just that...and boy, were we lucky! The sunrise was absolutely stunning! Apparently it had been too cloudy to see the sunrise - just the day before! 

After fully enjoying the sunrise, we spent the next few hours exploring Angkor Wat! As we wandered around, two things immediately struck me. The first was the shear size (and age) of the ruins. Most of these ruins were more than 1,000 years old! And, the second was the intensity of the heat and humidity...even at 6am! I don't think I've ever been so happy for bottled water, damp towels, and intermittent AC breaks in my life!

Angkor Wat is an "Indianized" temple complex (meaning that its architecture suggests the presence of Indian influence) and the largest religious monument in the world. It was built by Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Interestingly, Angkor Wat was dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu, and gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century. Angkor Wat is also said to be the best-preserved temple in the Angkor region. 

Angkor Thom

The next portion of our day was spent exploring Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late twelfth century by King Jayavarman VII and was believed to have sustained a population of 80,000–150,000 people. Angkor Thom contains several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by the King and his successors. After defeat by the Ayutthaya Kingdom, the Khmers were forced to relocate their capital. It is believed that Angkor Thom was abandoned some time prior to 1609, when an early western visitor wrote of an uninhabited city.

As we walked around, it was evident that Angkor Thom had been a flourishing city. The various ruins that we explored were huge in size and intricate in detail! Here are some pictures from just a few of the places we visited. 

Bayon - built in the late 12th/early 13th century; most famous for its faces. Our favorite, by far!!

Baphoun - built in the mid-11th century; a three-tiered temple mountain; originally a state temple.

Phimeanakas - built at the end of the 10th century.

Terrace of the Elephants - a platform from which the King could view his victorious returning army.

Victory Gates - just some of the gates to the ancient city of Angkor Thom.

After Angkor Thom and before lunch, we visited two more sites. First, we stopped at Ta Nei, which involved a drive down a small gravel road surrounded by nothing but trees. Ta Nei is a temple dedicated to the Buddha and was an amazing example of a temple complex just beginning the restoration process. Stone pieces lay everywhere - and as we climbed though parts of the temple - I really felt like I was exploring something that was being seen for the first time. 

Then, we stopped at Banteay Kdei - a Buddhist monastic complex. Interestingly, Banteay Kdei had been occupied by monks at various times until the 1960s; however, it is currently in pieces due to faulty construction and poor quality sandstone used. I read on a sign that universities in both the United States and Japan are working together to renovate this complex. 

After a lunch of Khmer foods (along with a Cambodian Coke and a smoothie), we ended our day visiting Ta Prohm - the temple complex made famous by Laura Croft in Tomb Raider.  Ta Prohm was originally used as a Buddhist monastery and university - and, unlike most of the other temples, it is in much of the same condition as it was found. There are huge trees with the most amazing exposed roots growing out of the ruins; and, when paired with the jungle surroundings, it gives Ta Prohm a really cool atmosphere! 

After a quick shower, a coffee break with our American friends who we met in Japan and who were also in Cambodia (confusing, right?!)...we headed to the airport. Apparently, no taxis were available - so we caught a ride on a tuktuk...suitcase and all! As we zoomed away on the tuktuk, we caught glimpses of another beautiful sunset! What an amazing way to wrap up such an interesting, eye-opening, and memorable trip! Our short time in Siem Reap has definitely left me with the desire to explore Cambodia even more in the future!