It’s 4:00 am and even before the dawn breaks, hundreds of tourists have already gathered at the famous Angkor Wat site in Siem Reap. Sitting peacefully on the ground, we sip hot coffee. It’s too dark to even observe the shape of the buildings around us. Patiently, we wait, holding on to our spot as more tourists arrive and the site becomes almost full.
As the sun slowly rises, the magic begins and the sky begins to change colours rapidly, from red to pink to orange, gold and blue. Soon, the sunlight falls on the ground revealing a large lake in front of a temple. With the sunrise, pink lotuses spread here and there, blooming beautifully and sounds of exotic birds reach us. It feels as if we have just woken up from a beautiful dream.
The area is definitely crowded with tourists, but an ambience of peace prevails as one stands in front of one of the greatest examples of spiritual architectures in Asia, a testimony to the Khmer style. Angkor Wat was built as a Hindu shrine dedicated to Vishnu in the 12th century, and in the late 13th century, with the advent of Buddhist rule, it was converted to a Theravada Buddhist temple. Today, it’s an important symbol of Cambodian culture, and even figures on its national flag!
Situated in the Northwestern province of Cambodia, Siem Reap is often visited by tourists for a day or two mainly to cover Angkor Wat, sometimes the short visit also includes the other temples of the complex including the Bayon temple also known as the temple with smiling faces and the Ta Prohm temple ruins with overgrown trees made famous by the Hollywood epic Tomb Raider which was shot here.
But beyond the famous temple complex that can be covered in a day, (two or three more for those who love art!), you need at least a week to discover all the surprises that the province offers. Starting with the city: when you reach Siem Reap you don’t feel like you have reached a busy city. Situated in the middle of paddy fields, it is easily walkable and it has something for every type of traveller. From the Apsara dance show (traditional Cambodian dance) that can be enjoyed with a traditional meal to street shopping at the old market, nightlife and beautiful boutique hotels with great spas.
If you have an adventurous heart, move out of the city to explore nature and observe the rural life. An hour from the city centre is the Phnom Kulen National Park, a mountainous area where you can trek through the thick jungle and discover hidden ruins, temples and waterfalls. The waterfall isn’t deep at all and one can take a dip to refresh from the trek.
About 179,000 families reside in the province and a bit like Agra with the Taj Mahal, despite the millions of dollars flowing thanks to Angkor Wat, Siem Reap remains one of the poorer provinces of Cambodia.
You can also observe the daily life of the local population at the Tonle Sap Biosphere reserve that is home to several floating villages and is a great place to observe bird species, reptiles and other endangered species. Reach the Tonle Sap Lake for the sunset, another magical moment not to miss. The lake is best visited between November and February.
The monsoons change the landscape dramatically and Tonle Sap becomes the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, like many other sites, with climate change, the levels of the lake have been extremely low in recent years impacting the local population that mainly lives off fishing.