Anyway, there are lots of way on how to get to the Angkor Wat. You have an option to rent a car, tuk-tuk, and bicycle OR you may join the large group tours who traveled by bus. For this trip, our family rented a van and paid our driver US$35 for the whole day tour around Siem Reap. Before actually getting to the vicinity of the temple, you need to pay an entrance fee of US$20 per person. Our first stop was the Angkor Wat Temple.
No, I'm not in planet Mars. Angkor soil has a rich/deep reddish-brown color.. I've read in other websites that it's advisable to wear comfortable footwear while on tour. Thank goodness I brought my chucks with me. They're right! If I had worn flipflops that day, I'm pretty sure I'll come home to our hotel room with dirty feet and blisters too!
Upon arrival they'll need to check your Angkor Wat passes. After that, visitors need to walk the sandstone causeway which is approximately a kilometer or two to reach the temple. We didn't had a tour guide with us so it kinda sucks to explore the place by ourselves with no infos whatsoever. Hiring a tour guide could cost you around US$20-35 per day.
Obligatory family tourist shot! Meet my parents Raul and Edna! :) Of course you guys already know Isha from my previous HK posts. ;) This photo was taken around 10:00am and it was SOOOO HOT I thought I was gonna melt and die. O_o Travel Junkies! Do not.. and I mean DO NOT forget to bring extra cold H2O!
Horses are for rent for some good old horseback riding/tour along the grounds of Angkor Wat.
That's me trying to keep myself cool even if I was already sweating like a pig during the first 30 mins. of our tour. We aren't even inside the temple yet! Hot hot hot!
So near, yet so far. And sooo hot too!
I used my old school Canon EOS 40D with 50mm lens to take this photo. Very nice! ;)
Finally, we're here! Wooot!
I'm in awe by the beauty of the temple. Check out the details on the wall. How on earth were they able to do that centuries ago?! My father kept on making funny side comments like "Aliens did this or that.." etc. Lol. Whatever. Still amazing! ;)
Personally, the temple feels like a huge playground. Wouldn't it be fun to play hide and seek here? Lol.
Here's one of the entrances to get to the top of the temple. They're off limits probably because the stairs were sooo steep, like they're angled at 70 degrees.. I may have to release my inner spider man to climb it.
I had no idea Isha took this back photo of me. Lol. This was on our way out of the temple. We didn't dared to stay long as it was almost 12 in the afternoon and we could definitely feel the temperature rising even more. We needed to go or else we'll die of heat stroke. Haha.
Before leaving, check out the stores located on the right side of the temple selling souvenirs and what not. I would advise to not buy anything here 'coz pricing is definitely higher compared to the ones sold at the Old Angkor Market.
There are food stalls too in case you get hungry or thirsty.
Hi! Browsed through your Cambodia posts. :) Do you mind answering some questions? Would just like to ask someone who's visited the place recently.
ReplyDelete- If from the Philippines, we don't need a tourist visa for Cambodia, right? So all you had with you when you visited were your passport and valid ID/s? Did you need additional spare passport photos to process any travel docs when you got there? :)
- And re: dress code in temples. Are other temples as strict as in Angkor Wat? Or is it okay to just be in shorts/tank tops when not visiting Angkor Wat?
Thank you! Hoping you'll reply asap. :)
Hi Karla! :)
ReplyDeleteTourists with Philippine passports need not to apply for visa. :) As far as I'm concerned, they didn't asked for docs while we're in immigration. Just make sure you have all travel docs in hands such as airline ticket/hotel reservation 'coz that's the usual thing they ask for.
About the dress codes, you can go inside the temples in shorts and tanktop BUT there are some areas that require you to be in pants. So to be sure, wear comfy clothing like leggings. ;)