Angkor Park: Getting Started The Angkor Archaeo-logical Park is home to the magnificent temple ruins of Angkor, including the legendary Angkor Wat, Bayon and dozens of other ancient ruins of the, Angkorian-era Khmer Empire. The Angkor Park is a World Heritage site and encompasses more than 400 square kilometers just outside Siem Reap City in northwestern Cambodia. Siem Reap City is the gateway to the Angkor Archaeological Park. There are no hotels within the Park grounds and most visitors stay in Siem Reap where almost all of the areas hotels and restaurants are located. Siem Reap City is just south of the Angkor Archaeological Park with the Park entrance located only 3km north of town. With the exception of the Roluos Group of temples 13km east of Siem Reap, the most important temple ruin are within 6-25km north of town, the closest major temple being Angkor Wat. To arrange your visit to the Angkor Archaeological Park you will need to decide how long to stay, purchase an admission pass, arrange transportation to the temples, obtain a guidebook or tour guide and plan out your temple itinerary. Angkor Archaeological Park The temples ruins contained within the Park represent the remnants of the millennium-old capitals of the old Khmer Empire. The Khmer people were and are the dominant ethnic group in Cambodia. The name ‘Angkor’ refers both to the Angkorian-era Khmer Empire that stretched across much of mainland Southeast Asia between the 9th and 15th centuries A.D., and also refers to the capital city of the empire that was centered north of Siem Reap Cambodia. Most of the temples within the Park were constructed between the 9th and 12th century A.D. and represent the pinnacle of ancient Khmer architecture, art and civilization. At its height, the Age of Angkor was a time wealth and power for the Khmer Empire. The capital city at Angkor was populated by more than a million people, Khmer kings constructed vast waterworks and grand temples and the Empires military, economic and cultural dominance held sway over the area of modern Cambodia, as well as much of Thailand, southern Vietnam and Laos. There are dozens of ruins within the Angkor Archaeological Park, others further afield. The temples vary in importance, interest and condition and are spread over a large area, often kilometers apart. In order to get the most of your visit, it is best to prepare a preliminary itinerary. Your itinerary should depend largely on the length of your visit and your level of interest, though some ruins are must-sees. Any itinerary should include the legendary Angkor Wat and Bayon. These two temples offer the most spectacular and unique examples of Angkorian art and architecture. On the road trip to Bayon, you will also see the South Gate and other minor ruins. As it is within walking distance of Bayon, even the briefest visit can usually include central Angkor Thom with its artistically interesting terraces and massive ‘temple-mountains,’ Baphuon and Phimeanakas. As time and interest allows, build the rest of your itinerary around visiting each type of major ruin – temple mountains such as Pre Rup, Ta Keo, Bakong and West Mebon; flat, sprawling monastic complexes such as Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and Banteay Kdei; and unique monuments such as Neak Pean and Srah Srang. The Roluos Group, which is comprised the monuments of an early Khmer capital, lies about 13 km west of Siem Reap. It is a bit out of the way, but offers some fine examples of early Angkorian art and should be included in two or three day itineraries. Of special note is the artistically exquisite but more even distant temple, Banteay Srey. If there is any way of squeezing it into your itinerary, it is well worth it. Admission and How Long to Stay (Back to top) You must possess an admission pass (an Angkor Pass) to visit the temples and sites in the Angkor Archaeological Park. Passes may be purchased at the main entrance on the road to Angkor Wat. One-day tickets only can be purchased at the secondary tollgate on airport road entrance near Angkor Wat and at Banteay Srey. Passes are sold in one-day ($20), three-day ($40) and seven-day ($60) blocks. The three day pass is valid for one week, i.e. 3 days to be used within the week, not necessarily consecutively. The seven day pass is valid for one month, i.e. 7 days to be used within the month, not necessarily consecutively. A one-day visit allows you to see the highlights of the most famous temples but very little more. Three days is sufficient to visit all of the major temples once, a few of the minor ones and have a little extra time at your favorites. Seven days is enough time to really explore some of your favorite ruins and visit many of the minor structures as well. One passport-sized photo is require at time of purchase of three and seven day passes. If you do not have a photo, free photos are provided at the main entrance, though this can be a time consuming process at peak entrance hours. Visiting hours are 5:00AM - 6:00PM. Angkor Wat closes at 6:00PM, Banteay Srey closes at 5:00PM and Kbal Spean at 3:00PM. Always carry your ticket. It will be checked upon each park entry and at major temples. There is a significant fine for not possessing a valid ticket inside the park. A regular admission ticket is not required to visit Phnom Kulen, Koh Ker or Beng Melea, but there is a separate entrance fee of $20, $10 and $5, respectively. Temple Itineraries (Back to top) There are dozens of temple ruins in the Angkor Archaeological Park spread across more than 400 square km. all in different states of ruin and displaying a range of artistic and architectural styles. To get the most from your limited time at the Park you will need to plan a temple itinerary. Your personal temple itinerary depends largely on how much time you have and your level of interest, though some temples are ‘must sees.’ See the suggested itineraries page for much more. What to Bring (Back to top) Wear light, airy, covering clothing to protect yourself from the sun and mosquitoes. The sun can be intense so bring a hat, sunglasses and perhaps sunscreen. Consider buying a traditional Khmer scarf (krama) to keep the sun off your neck. Carry a raincoat during the wet season, though you will probably only need it in the afternoon. You should have mosquito repellent for sunrise and sunset hours. Wear practical shoes for climbing narrow steps and walking on uneven surfaces. For serious temple explorers, a flashlight, notebook and compass can come in handy. Books, refreshments, trinkets, postcards and film are available from small vendors throughout the temple complex. Transportation to and around the Temples (Back to top) The temples are too far apart to make foot travel practical (though some hearty visitors are hiking it anyway). Transportation options include: two-person tuk-tuks (moto-romauk) average $10-$15/day; car taxis $20-$30/day; motorcycle taxi (motodup) for $8-$10/day; bicycles for $2-$3/day. To avoid misunderstandings, negotiate the details of the driver’s services carefully - exact price, what time you expect the day to begin and end, availability during lunch and evening hours, limitations on your itinerary, different prices for small/large circuits, etc. There are always additional fees for transport to distant temples off the main circuits (e.g. Banteay Srey, Phnom Kulen, Kbal Spean, Koh Ker) Negotiate the fare with your driver. Bicycling around the temples has become quite popular. If you have the time to spare, the roads are good, the terrain is flat and the distances are about right.. Moto-remorques (tuk-tuks) Moto-romorques (a.k.a. tuk-tuk) are the most common and popular form of transportation in town - the semi-enclosed trailer offering a comparatively pleasant ride. Tuk-tuks are omnipresent in Siem Reap. Just step to the curb and they will find you. For short trips around town, foreigners are expected to pay 3000R-US$3. Bargain! Full day rates for transportation to the temples: $10-$15/day. Additional charge for transport to distant temple . Car Taxis Private car taxis offer a comfortably air-conditioned way to tour the temples, though they are the most expensive option. Rates: $20-$30 per day plus additional charges for transportation to distant temples off the main circuits. Taxis from the airport to town also offer taxi/tour services to the temples.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 05:08:37 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015