More to Siem Reap than Angkor Wat

A trip to the gateway town in the Angkor region of Cambodia opens Nova Renata’s eyes to its other touristy offerings

SIEM Reap has always been one of the must-see places of Southeast Asia. Nonetheless, I seldom hear about anything other than mesmerising Angkor Wat and its other centuries-old temples.

Unlike fellow Indochina cities such as Hanoi and Bangkok, I have heard almost nothing about Siem Reap’s market scene or street food scene. Keen to explore its hidden offerings, I embark on a solo trip with an open mind and zero expectations.

TEMPLING OUT AND ABOUT

Since almost everyone I know seems to have visited Angkor Wat during their trip to Siem Reap, I tried not to be the typical tourist and, initially, had planned to skip the temple tours altogether.

However, as I learnt more about Siem Reap and the ancient Angkor history (via Lonely Planet, no less), I realised that the temples of Angkor are more than just iconic tourist destinations — they are also monuments that stand as important milestones in human civilisation.

These temples serve as reminders of past engineering and architectural feats. Reminders of what were and what is still attainable. And they are majestic.

First-time visitors who are keen to visit the temples in the Angkor Archeological Park will have to obtain a temple pass prior to their visit. You can choose between the three types of temple passes — the one-day pass, three-day pass or seven-day pass. I choose the three-day pass which gives me enough time to cover all the important temples.

As most of the temples open at 7.30am and close at 5.30pm (except Angkor Wat, which opens at 5am), it’s best to start your tour in the afternoon between 4pm and 5.30pm when the sun is not very strong. This way, you won’t be too tired to catch the sunset at Pre Rup or Phnom Bakheng.

If you hire a tuk tuk for a day to take you temple-hopping, you can expect to pay somewhere between US$18 (RM77) and US$30. For the best experience, hire a tuk tuk driver who doubles up as a tour guide as most are multilingual. Nothing beats exploring a new place whilst listening to its story.

MUST-SEE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR

Although all temples are unique and worth a visit, if you’re really short on time and

The Angkor Wat sunrise is worth waking up to at 4.30am.

PICTURES BY NOVA RENATA CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Banteay Srei — the citadel of women; Some of the older trees seem to have grown on top of the temple; The majestic Tonle Sap lake that runs through the ancient city of Angkor Thom; Buddhist monks making their way through Angkor...