Had Greeks and Romans known of this astonishing civilization they would have surely counted as eighth wonder of world or the work of giants. In fact it can not be described. The patience, strength, genius of art and sculpture, multiplicity of structures on lintels, walls standing outside and inside temple can not be penned. I was moving like an ant moves on a football.
Anyway – As per my experience I share here the tips to travel in Cambodia such as cost, visa, period of stay, where to stay, SIM, transport facility and safety et cetera. The details of history and temple are covered by me in A look into Cambodia’s Classic Age which is enough to start your journey to Cambodia. Travelling to Cambodia is not difficult, but you have to plan in advance as it is important to know which temples are ‘not to miss’ else you will repent later. You need to make a tour plan if you are going on your own, better use official website of Tourism department of Cambodia to book hotel or tours. You can also take tuk-tuk after reaching your hotel instead of pre-booking.
Is it worth visiting Cambodia?
Cambodia is a jewel of South East Asia and its Angkor Wat temple holds the place in Guinness World Records as the largest religious structure in the world. One of the first Western visitors to the temple was Antonio da Madalena, a Portuguese who visited in 1586 and said that it “is of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decoration and all the refinements which the human genius can conceive of.“
How much time is needed to see Cambodia?
Most of UNESCO World Heritage temples are in Siem Reap town. So you can directly land in Siem Reap airport. You need about 3-4 days to visit major temples. Add one day extra if you want to visit Phnom Penh museum. I have mentioned few temples in Seim Reap and away in my article A look into Cambodia’s Classic Age. You can cover them too.
Day 1: Ta Prohm, Ta nei, Takeo, Preah Khan, Angkor Wat
Day 2: Banteay Kdei, Pre Rup, East Mebon, Banteay Srei, Ta Som, Neak Pean, Angkor Thom
Day 3: Beng Mealea temple, Rolous Group temples
Day 4: Tonle Sap lake, City tour
But we followed below itinerary
Day 1- Apsara dance with local food dinner
Day 2- Angkor wat, Ta Prohm temple, Cambodian Traditional massage
Day 3 &4- Balloon ride, Angkor Thom -Southern gate, Elephant terrace and Lepper king terraces, Bayon complex, Banteay Srei temple, Killing Fields museum, Tonle sap lake and crocodiles, shopping in night market.
What is the layout map of temples in Siem Reap?
Are all temples in Siem Reap only in Cambodia?
Yes, as the capital of Khmer kings was in Siem Reap, almost all major temples are in this region.
Is Cambodia safe for solo travel?
Yes, it seemed safe to me. But avoid undue and unsolicited talks and arguments on way. Keep your belongings, mobile and camera intact with you.
What Visa we need to take?
If you are covering Cambodia along with Vietnam then take multiple entry visa for Vietnam and Single entry for Cambodia. Vietnam Visa is usually of 1 month and Cambodia is given for 10 days.
Where to stay in Cambodia?
UNESCO World Heritage temples are in Siem Reap town only which is about 330 Km from Cambodia capital Phnom Penh. So better stay in this town. We stayed in Somadevi Angkor hotel (www.somadeviangkor.com). Decent continental breakfast was complimentary. Average rents were $50-$70 per day. Indian restaurant is just at walking distance from this hotel.
Do we get Indian vegetarian food in Cambodia?
Yes, there are plenty of Indian restaurants. Just pay $2 and you can reach main market to get many more Indian restaurants.
What transport is available in Cambodia?
You need not worry at all in Cambodia. Lot of transport in form of motor bike driven Tuk-tuk will be available in front of your hotel. You can fix the Tuk Tuk for $45 to $60 for full day for visiting the temples. Make a pre-study of temples you must not miss.
What mobile re-charging to go for while travelling to Indochina?
Actually you need not charge your phone from India. Wifi is available freely in Vietnam and Cambodia and you can use it to make Whatsapp calls without any issue as WiFi network is different from your mobile India subscription charge. Also you can take SIM for $10 for a month. Do not buy from airport. Vietnam SIM will not work in Cambodia and Vice versa.
How much we have to walk on foot in Cambodia ?
Daily average 5-7 KM. Senior citizens can walk as there are no steep points.
What is ideal tour itinerary of Vietnam and Cambodia?
We preferred Vietnam with Cambodia tour.
What indianization are brought to this region?
Khmer adopted cult of God Vishnu and Shiva and some rituals with which kings identify themselves.
Use of some words of Sanskrit in Khmer language, Architectural tradition of Hindu temples of sanctum, galleries, ponds, brick and stone usage, cremation for at least upper stratum of society, rectilinear towns and city plans, Artificial water reservoirs, canals were some other traits adopted by Khmers.
But they did not follow Indian traits such as minting and coinage. They followed only barter system till French arrived. They also did not follow India’s rigid cast system, no purity or impurity concept.
What ethnic groups live in Cambodia?
About 90-95 percent of the people are Khmer ethnic. The remaining 5-10 percent include Chinese-Khmers, Khmer Islam or Chams, ethnic hill-tribe people, known as the Khmer Loeu and Vietnames.
The Vietnamese community is scattered throughout southeastern and central Cambodia. They were concentrated in Phnom Penh, and in Kandal, Prey Veng, and Kampong Cham provinces. No close cultural or religious ties exist between Cambodia and Vietnam.
The Vietnamese are closer to Chinese culture but Thai and Khmer are nearer to Indian culture. The Vietnamese differ from the Khmer in mode of dress, in kinship organization, and in many other ways- for example the Vietnamese are Mahayama Buddhists (like China) while most of the Cambodians and Thai are Theravada Buddhists. Although Vietnamese lived in urban centers such as Phnom Penh, a substantial number lived along the lower Mekong and Bassac rivers as well as on the shores of the Tonle Sap, where they engaged in fishing.
Chinese in Cambodia are mostly engaged in commerce. They are money lenders in rural Cambodia.
The Cham people in Cambodia descend from refugees of the Kingdom of Champ of central Vietnam. They live along riverside and engage in fishing.
So let us start.
As an ordinary tourist, first when I saw the temple of great Angkor Wat, I felt it is ancient of Deluge of Noah’s time but I think I was not very correct. Further going deep into the temple I feel it is the cosmic thought of Hinduism in foundation of these mammoth and gargantuan creation by human beings. It was impossible to believe for me how the temples can be made so big by people who lived 1000 years back? I have not seen or heard such cosmic walloping structures in my life so far. Before I fall down on this soil and get lost in describing these infinite temples built by Angkor kings of Cambodia, let me come on my feet. But really speaking I am lost and not in senses at all to see such immeasurable creation.
These structures are gotten old and old day by day, lot of countries are contributing to save these-but these temples are so huge and scattered that millions and millions of dollar are not enough. I still do not understand how Angkor kings constructed the main Angkor Wat in 37 years?
To understand these temples it is better to know past of Cambodia. We need to know the names of kings and what motivated them to build these great structures and then convert these to Buddhist temple and then again back to Hindu. What could be life of people those days? How these angelic and stunning temples were erected? The tour guide of course had not so much time to explain us, I am penning here my feelings as a lay tourist and adding some knowledge from book -Angkor And The Khmer Civilization by Michael D. Coe.
The specialty of Angkor wat is its immeasurable area, galleries, huge water barayas, multiple tower structure, the exotic and fine carvings (bas-relief) and drawings of life of kings, mythological Hindu epic stories, apsaras, semi God like India, Sun and so on so forth. Antonio da Madalena said correctly – “is of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen“
Day 1 – Landed in Siem Reap from Hanoi by Vietnam Airlines. The seats were neat spacious and hosted us adequately. Siem Reap is a small airport but maintained very nicely, looks like a resort in hill.
We had to walk from plane to immigration point. The immigration que was well managed (Unlike mismanaged Hanoi immigration) and just took few minutes. The bus was waiting for us to take us for Indian lunch. From restaurant we moved and checked in in Somadevi Angkor hotel. In evening we reached to restaurant Tonle Sap for local cuisine dinner with local Cambodian folk Apsara dance. Only few restaurants run the apsara show dance.
There were hundreds of local dishes, fruits, juices -veg and non veg. We managed vegetarian food out of these hundreds of items and enjoyed Apsara dance, the great and world UNESCO heritage of Cambodia. The basic themes of Apsara dance is blessing by Apsara on tourists for their well being and welcome. Some more Apsara dance was performed and belongs to ballet of Cambodia. Also there were folk cultural dances. In this they shower with flowers, second just Apsara dance.
Without seeing these folk dances we can not understand Cambodia.
Apsara female dancers actually represent the motifs carved in Angkor Wat temple walls. This dance was first performed by daughter of King of Cambodia in 1967 and thence it became practice. She died recently in 2019.
Day 2 – Visit to Angkor Wat, Tonle Sap lake
Today our plan was to visit Angkor wat and Tonle Sap lake both UNESCO World Heritage. It was my hellacious desire and blistering curiosity to see Angkor Wat. It took about 30 mins by bus from our hotel Somadevi Angkor to parking point of Angkor Wat complex.
We have to walk about 1 KM to reach from parking point to ticket counter. We purchased a ticket of $62 from ticket counter after photograph formalities. In this $2 goes to a children hospital in Siem Reap and this ticket is valid entry for 7 days to visit any number of temples in Siem Reap.
Angkor is 400 Square KM area and all ancient temples of Khmer kingdom are spread in this area.
Got down from bus, walked about 1.5 KM to reach the huge moat or water baray. Here a temporary plastic causeway is laid by Japanese govt as main causeway is under repair.
The below 350 meter cause way is laid over the water baray to reach the outer wall of 5 towers, a representation of legendary mount Meru, home of Gods and Semi Gods. The moat (baray) is 200 m wide, 4 m deep and covers a perimeter of 5 km. It is lined with massive sandstone blocks. The moat connects to the moat of Angkor Thom in the north and drains in the south connecting eventually, all the way to the Tonle Sap.
As we see the temple from front we see 5 towers as part of outer wall. These represent Mountain Meru, legendarily house of Gods.
In one main tower about 10 feet statue of Lord Vishnu is installed. Each year in month of Jan-Feb on third day of waxing moon hundreds of locals gather here to hold ritual “to reach rising” to pray for happiness. The architecture of temple is galleried.
On entering through the central gate of outermost wall we see a vast compound of the temple with green field of grass on both sides.
In the early 15th century Angkor was abandoned. Still Theravada Buddhist monks maintained Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat was “rediscovered” after the French colonial regime was established in 1863.
After passing through we come to outermost gallery (some call it 3rd gallery) which has thousands of bas-reliefs on wall in all directions of temple.
The whole temple is full of galleries. Here are two fotos of gallery.
Second gallery is almost empty with few broken idols, statues of tortoise etc only
Few bas-relief friezes are
The 1000 Buddha Hall used to have Buddhas brought by Pilgrims and left here in this hall. Now we do not find any of these as taken away by locals later.
Bakan (Central and main sanctum), is the enormous 100 feet high structure with sloping sides featuring narrow stepped staircases (50 steps) at each corner and a central staircase on its western side. Today you can reach the top by a more practical wooden staircase on the northeast corner.
The central sanctum has the big statues of Lord Buddha in different postures like sleeping, standing and sitting. It also has number of huge galleries with high pillars.
It takes about 40 minutes to quickly roam on top floor of this main sanctum.
Apart from these statues of lord Buddha, there is also a sleeping Buddha but the room wa darker so photo was not possible.
There are people in such traditional dresses roam inside and outside temple. They smile and happily get ready for selfie and photo. They do not demand but by courtesy I offered then $5 and happily they accepted. It is better to keep some change $ or local currency with you as sometimes guards also will help you to take great pictures.
After visiting this UNESCO World heritage we had coconut ($1) water outside the temple premises. Surprisingly the water was sweeter than what we get in India. Headed for lunch. After lunch our bus started for Tonle Sap lake. On reaching lake embarkment we boarded a big motor boat. It was a journey of about 1 hour. The boat took us through floating village, shops and tamed crocodile.
Floating villages in Cambodia – Tonle Sap lake South East Asia biggest fresh water lake is 15000 Sq KM. In summer it shrinks to 5000sq KM. It is designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
The lake merges in South China sea. Its water is mainly from rain and about 1/3rd by rivers connecting to it. Here we can find endangered Siamese crocodile also. Today the lake is in danger due to high dams in China and Laos.
Since Buddhism follows no killing, they do not kill the fish with their own hands but wait for the fish to die naturally after they leave the water as the guide told us.
I am seeing lot of floating houses in Tonle Sap. Most of them are Cambodians of Vietnamese origin and live in these floating villages.
They are major suppliers of fish to Cambodia. During Khmer Rouge killing era from 1975 to 1979, they fled to Vietnam but returned after that to live here.
Epilogue
As I said it is not easy to describe temples like Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom as they are spread in vast. It is possible to visualize the size and architecture only by aerial view. There are lot of agencies enganged in restoration and renovation of these gigantic temples but it requires a lot of finances and human expertise. The time has tried to beat it but these are the jewels of past. Unfortunately in the early 15th century Angkor was abandoned. Still Theravada Buddhist monks maintained Angkor Wat, which remained an important pilgrimage site and continued to attract European visitors. Angkor Wat was “rediscovered” after the French colonial regime was established in 1863.
I have described here the parts of temple as I pass like an ant on football. For travel and hotel booking I think best is the official website of department of Tourism of Cambodia.
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