Be humbled by
the vastness and grandeur of
Angkor Wat.
Considered by many to
be one of the most inspired and spectacular monuments ever conceived
it was built by Suryavarman II to honour Vishnu and for use as his
funerary temple. The central temple complex consists of three
storeys, each of which encloses a square surrounded by intricately
interlinked galleries. Rising 31m above the third level and 55m
above the ground is the central tower, which gives the whole
ensemble its sublime unity. A vast moat surrounds the temple.
Go armed with
spools of film or a lot of memory in your digital camera when you
visit the
Bayon
Temple.
Dominating the temple is the 45 m tower surrounded by
51 smaller towers, all with eerily smiling Avalokitesvara faces
carved into them. The best time to visit the Bayon is at sunrise or
sunset when the shadows and shafts of light make the faces, more
enigmatic and a photographers dream.
Visit
Choeung Ek,
just 15km south-west of the Phnom Penh. This is where visitors can
see the evidence of the
Killing Fields where some 17,000 people were killed by the
Khmer Rouge. More than 8000 skulls, arranged by sex and age, are
visible behind the glass panel of the Memorial Stupa.
Fly high over the temples and ruins, lakes and
mountains, rivers and streams...Go
Helicopter Sightseeing
Helicopters Cambodia Ltd. provides aerial sightseeing tours over the
main Angkor Temples for a truly breathtaking view of this World
Heritage site. Note:
Departure times subject to a minimum number of passengers and
prevailing weather conditions.
After visiting Choeng Ek the next absolute must do is
to visit the
Killing Fields Museum
(Tuol Sleng)
The site was an ordinary high school until April
1975, when Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge transformed it into one of
the biggest concentration camps in Cambodia. There are many remnants
of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge. There is a display
of human skulls that covers an area in the shape of Cambodia.
A visit to
Mekong Island
is
a worthwhile day trip from the capital. There is a small zoo
and weaving villages to meander through or you can ride elephants
and watch traditional dance performances.
An interesting few hours can be spent at the
National Museum
Situated near the Royal Palace Cambodia's National Museum offers a
charming setting for the display of a collection 5,000 works of
Khmer art, ranging from the 6th to the 13th century. Pieces include
sculptures, 19th century dance costumes, Royal barges and
palanquins.
Go for a
relaxing
Sunset Cruise on the Mekong and Tonle Sap.
A one hour
cruise can take you along the river to watch the daily live of the
people living on and around it. Admire the sunset, that makes the
water glitter like gold under the declining rays of the sun and take
in your surroundings at a leisurely pace.
Support
the
Stone
and Woodcarving School
Treat yourself to a trip to the Stone and woodcarving school of Siem
Reap where reproductions of the ancient Khmer temple carvings are
reproduced for the commercial market along with many other
interesting pieces. Prices here tend to be cheaper than elsewhere in
Siem Reap for carvings, so a trip here, is well worth it, even if
only for the lower prices you'll get.
Another
must do for visitors and photographers alike is
Ta
Prohm
in Siem Reap. Left in its 'natural' state, still
overgrown by jungle, huge tree roots twisted around the temple. It
is one of Angkor Wat's highlights.
Note:
For more information on things to see and do in Cambodia please take
a look at our
Sightseeing pages, our
Sport and Activity pages and our
Children's Activity pages, our Top 10 Things to do pages for
each area you intend visiting
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