Tomb Raiding at Angkor Wat and Beyond

The iconic statues, architecture and carvings of Angkor Wat are surely amongst the most recognised ruins on the planet. Countless millions of photographs must have been taken since the immense complex of multiple tombs and temples were 'rediscovered' and opened to the public. Every tourism advert for Cambodia features a stone face, a tree growing through a temple wall or an intricate carving of a dancing female. Certainly, no-one would come to Cambodia and not plan to visit. Following Angelina Jolie's depiction of Lara Croft in the movie version of Tomb Raider, attendance figures have increased dramatically.

              

                                 An excuse to include a picture of Angelina Jolie - oh my!

    

                                    I didn't take these pictures - but we all recognise them

Ida, Oliver and I decided we wanted to arrive at Angkor Wat before dawn and were confident that a 5.00am pickup from our hotel would get us there well before the tourist hordes descended. We were wrong! Arriving in the dark, we could make out hundreds of tuk-tuks, taxis and minibuses spilling their passengers at the ticket office - we joined the queue.

Tickets in hand we set off along the main temple pathway, following the flow of people and trying to see by the faint glow from our phones. In the darkness we could make out what looked like a temple or gatehouse to the side of the path and we decided to use it as a vantage point from which to watch the spectacular sunrise illuminate Angkor Wat. Sadly for us, it simply grew lighter - no golden orb to flood the scene before us. We looked for golden reflections and silhouettes in the moat to capture our own magical images, but the moats were mostly dry and unable to deliver at this time of the year.

    

Then again, how can one of the most photographed and eagerly anticipated places live up to our expectations? 

Fortunately, the three of us were still able to admire and marvel at what lay before us and we spent the next 11 hours wandering from temple to temple. Admittedly, we spent less and less time at each new location, partly because it was increasingly hot (as the temperature passed 34 degrees centigrade) and partly because we were overdosing on the cultural sights before us.

We took hundreds of photographs, but to get ones without other tourists in them, was a challenge. We then became slightly hysterical - a mixture of the heat, the number of people and the repetition of what we were seeing. We started to take creative selfies and shots of us copying carvings, jumping from diferent levels, climbing pillars and steps.

           

    

                  

It was fabulous. If you ever you get the opportunity to visit Cambodia, go to Siem Reap (a lovely city in its own right) and visit the numerous temples, but follow my advice:-

1)  When you set off before dawn, wrap up warm - it' bloody freezing at 5.00am!

2)  Bring a torch with you

3)  Don't start at Angkor Wat for a sunrise that won't impress you surrounded by thousands of people - start at Bayon or Ta Prohm, which will be deserted

4)  Be patient at key locations and wait for gaps in the crowds and you will get some stunning pictures

5)  Don't be too ambitious. We went to seven temples in 11 hours when really the three mentioned in point 3 above will more than suffice. If you want to see more - consider going again on another day.

              

Ida, Oliver and I were blessed with an excellent tuk-tuk driver. He drove carefully, provided an ice filled cooler box loaded with bottles of water (at one point I grabbed a handful of the ice and put it inside my hat and even contemplated dunking my entire head in it!) he never lost us and he waited with amazing patience whilst we went tomb raiding.

                                          

                                                                    Our driver - Tip

We were all glad we went, but be warned - so ingrained and familiar are the iconic images we have all seen, that the sense of awe and wonder of what you are witnessing is ever so slightly diminished.

   

     

            

Angkor Wat Factoids:-

The name Angkor Wat is actually very misleading. The area around the city of Siem Reap is dotted with hundreds of temples, tombs and ruins - each one unique and distinctive. Together they form a mesmerising architectural complex. Angkor Wat itself was built in the early 12th century AD by Emperor Suryavarman II, as a Hindu temple, but over the centuries it has changed religious persuasions depending on the beliefs of the Khmer ruler at the time.

Spread across 401 acres and towering at a maximum height of almost 700 feet, Angkor Wat holds the Guinness Record for being the “Largest Religious Structure in the World”. It's beauty and cultural impact earned it the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. 

Interesting Facts about Angkor Wat:-

#  Angkor Wat is located about four miles from Siem Reap

#  It is made up of domed towers, chambers, galleries, aisles and courtyards, with multiple stairways at various levels

#  One of the most prominent features of Angkor Wat are it's carvings of feminine figures. Each of these female sculptures have intricately and uniquely carved jewellery, dress and hair style

#  Angkor Wat is not just a temple, it is also a mausoleum for King Suryavarman II

#  The wider area is known as the Angkor Archaeological Park

#  Angkor Wat is actually one of hundreds of religious structures within a 300 sq km part of northern Cambodia built between the 7th to 13th centuries AD

#  The most notable temples include:- Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm Temple and Bakong Temple.