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Idea Description
General Information
Description
Angkor Wat is a temple complex built in Angkor (meaning "city" in Sanskrit; Angkor Wat means "City Temple") area of the powerful and rich Khmer Empire. In the 9th - 13th centuries the empire spread across many thousand miles and at its pick included territories of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Malaysia. On today's geographic map Angkor is located in Cambodia about four miles (6 km) from the town of Siem Reap.
Angkor Wat was built by king Suryavarman II at the beginning of the 12th century as his state temple. It was dedicated to the Hindu deity Vishnu (Lord Sri Maha Vishnu). After the Temple was built it became Hindu religious center which is reflected in spectacular architecture, amazing statues and bas-reliefs (Hinduism was one of religions practiced within Khmer Empire; other two were Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism).
The main part of the complex was built as the Temple Mountain - a representation of Mount Meru, the home of the Gods (according to Hindu believes) - the standard design for the empire state temples of India. Concentric galleries were added to the building following the gallery temple style of South Indian Hindu architecture. Five central towers of Angkor Wat symbolize the five peaks of the Mount Meru. The walls surrounding the Temple represent the mountain ridges and the moat around walls - the ocean.
The 13th century was the turning point for the Khmer Empire. Numerous wars, formation of new kingdoms on the territory of Khmer Empire and the rise of Theravada Buddhism as the main religion resulted in the decline of the Empire. Big cities seize to exist. Angkor Wat was abandoned and disappeared together with Angkor and the Khmer Empire to oblivion.
Angkor Wat was rediscovered to the world in 1860 when French explorer Henri Mahout came across a beautiful temple in the jungle.
For more details on temples in the Angkor Wat complex visit Angkor Wat and Temples page on Siem Reap Holiday Garden & Tours Web site. The site provides other useful information for those who want to visit Angkor Wat.
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What Makes It Special
The city-temple Angkor Wat is considered to be the largest religious building in the world, a wonder of disappeared Khmer Empire and a pride of Cambodia where it is located nowadays. Comparing the sizes of ruins of ancient towns, the scientists came to the conclusion that Angkor was the largest preindustrial urban city in the world. There are more than one thousand temples on the different stages of decay in Angkor Archeological Park area. Some just look like a pile of stones devoured by the jungle. Others stayed preserved through the centuries to become a symbol of Cambodia. The imprint of Angkor Wat is carried on the national flag of Cambodia.
Of all religious structures, Angkor Wat is the only temple in the area to remain a significant religious center since its foundation. It is also the best-preserved temple at the Angkor Archeological Park site. The lost city of Angkor Wat reveals to the world the amazing beauty of Khmer architecture and craftsmanship. Henri Mahout, a French naturalist and explorer of the mid-19th century who discovered Angkor Wat, wrote that the temple complex was a rival to the Solomon Temple, and should take an honorable place among the world's most beautiful buildings left to us by ancient cultures including Greece and Rome.
Angkor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Directions To Destination
The most convenient way to get to Siem Reap, the closest town to Angkor Wat, is by air. Siem Reap - Angkor International Airport is about 4.5 miles (7 km) from the town. The airport has direct flights from Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Seoul-Incheon, Pusan, Kunming, Kaohsiung and Taipei. If you are coming from Europe or the United States you need one or two connections to reach Siem Reap.
Angkor Wat is only about 3.7 miles (6 km) from Siem Reap. It takes about twenty minutes by bus or taxi from Siem Reap - Angkor International Airport to Angkor Wat.
If Angkor Wat is just one of the places in your itinerary in Cambodia, you may choose to fly to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and then travel to Angkor Wat. You can reach it from Phnom Penh:
- By plain: there are five domestic flights Phnom Penh - Siem Reap starting at 6:45 AM with an interval of about three hours between the flights. Angkor airways and Siemreap airways are the carriers. Ticket prices are about $75 one way ($130 round trip) and $80 ($140 round trip) respectively.
- By boat: you can use a ferry boat to get to Siem Reap. Departure dock is in Phnom Penh near Street 104. The ferries depart daily at 7:30 AM. The boat will take you along the Boeung Tonle Lake (Cambodia Great Lake) to Sap Chong Khneas - the floating village built on the lake. It is about 7.5 miles (12 km) from Siem Reap. The voyage of 156 miles (251 km) long is taking about six hours (five hours by speed boat) and will cost you around $25 - $35 per person. Boat service is usually not operational in dry season.
- By bus: there is a bus connection between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. It takes you along National Route 6 which is well maintained. There are several daily buses in both directions. It takes about 6 hours to make the trip of 195 miles (314 km) long. The ticket price is around $10.
- By car: you can hire a taxi to Siem Reap for about $50 but expect higher price for a better car. The trip takes around five hours. You can also hire a shared taxi - the cost is about $10 per person. The Central Market in Phnom Penh is a usual parking place for this kind of taxi. Expect longer trip times with the shared taxi from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. It may take up to eight hours.
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Best Time To Go
The best time to go is from the end of October through April when the weather is dry and pleasant. In April, temperatures can rise up to 104 °F (40 °C). The rainy season runs from May to October where temperatures drop to 71.6 °F (22 °C). Cambodia is located in Southeast Asia, in the tropical zone and has a monsoon climate.
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Where To Stay
- Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort (Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, Angkor, 0 Siem Reap, Cambodia), five-star hotel. Rates are from about $184 per room/night. (all taxes are not included in price). Located with ten-minute drive to Angkor Wat. There are 238 rooms in the hotel. Hotel Chain: Sofitel.
- Skyway Hotel (0150 Road 6, Banteaychas Village, Slorkram Commune, Central, Siem Reap, Cambodia), three-star hotel. Rates are from $20 per room, per night for single occupancy (all taxes and service charges are included in price). It is 15 minutes drive from Angkor Wat. There are 58 rooms in the hotel.
Research and book hotels in or near Siem Reap, Cambodia
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Activities
Useful Visitor Information and Tips
The temple complex is open the whole year round. Visiting hours are 5:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Admission fees:
- One-day pass: $20 per person
- Three-day pass: $40 per person
- One-week pass: $60 per person
Your photo is required to buy a pass for more than a day. The Web site of APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap - an official Cambodian government organization that manages the Angkor Wat complex) publishes up-to-date visitor information which you can find here.
Pay attention to the gateways of Angkor Wat decorated with three hundred dancing apsaras (Hindu nymphs). Every aspara is unique.
Pay attention to the inner walls of the temple second enclosure bas-reliefs. They contain scenes from Hindu epic Mahabharata and Vishnu lore.
Wear light, cotton clothing with long sleeves and pants to protect yourself from the sun and mosquitoes. It is hot all year round in Cambodia - you need a hat, sunglasses and perhaps sunscreen. You will need a raincoat or other rain gear during the wet season in the afternoons. It is advisable to have mosquito repellent.
Allocate two or three days for a visit (possibly up to a week).
The total area of Angkor Archaeological Park is about 154 sq miles (400 sq km). Angkor Wat covers 60 sq miles (97 sq km) that also includes the surrounding jungles. If you are prepared to walk you need sturdy shoes or sneakers.
You can rent a bicycle for $2 - $3 per day. You can also use motorcycle taxi (motodup) for $6 - $9 per day, motorcycle trailers (moto-romauk), a motorbike with side-by-side sits in two behind the driver, is $10-$13 per day. The motorbike is cheap and the driver can tell you about the temple. Horse carriages, elephants $10 - $15 for a 20 - 30 minute ride; cars with drivers are 20 - $25 per day.
Hot air balloons, or helicopter flights $90 per passenger for an eight-ten minutes flight around Angkor Wat are available to explore the area.
Be aware of possible food poisoning - cooked food and bottled water can reduce possibility of contamination. Drinking plenty of water in a hot and wet climate can help you to prevent dehydration.
According to CDC (US Government Center for Disease Control and Prevention), malaria is present throughout the country, except none at the temple complex at Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh, and around Lake Tonle Sap. Dengue fever is wide spread in Cambodia. Both diseases are contracted through mosquito bites but neither vaccine nor drugs for preventing Dengue infection are available. There is rabies in Cambodia - it is better not to stroke or feed animals like dogs or monkeys. Be ware of poisonous snakes especially in temple ruins covered with the jungle growth. For more health information, vaccinations and tips and the latest information on how to prepare yourself for a trip to Cambodia go to CDC's Health Information for Travelers to Cambodia.
Although individual travel to Cambodia and Angkor Archaeological Park is certainly possible, consider an organized tour and/or a private tour. This way, many problems associated with traveling will be taken care so that you can focus on the main thing - experiencing new places. If you like the approach, one of the best tour operators in the area is the Siem Reap Holiday Garden & Tours (Naviquan.com is not associated in any way with this business). With significant knowledge of the area and experience in organizing budget, luxury, standard and custom tours, this service can make your experience more enjoyable.
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Additional Information
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