British historian Dan Cruickshank in 2005 went on a 5-month expedition in 40 countries and 6 continents to explore 80 of the world's greatest treasures both man-made and natural. Many of those are undisputed Wonders of the World. This inspired me to travel and explore the places that I had been dreaming to see long time ago.
In 2012, I set a 5-day expedition in a country called the Kingdom of Wonders - Cambodia to explore ancient temples and to see the Cambonian way of living. In particular, the Angkor Wat, one of the world's greatest heritage and a treasure is a-must see.
Based on a simple research, I found 26 temples in Siem Reap alone that are worth exploring:
Angkor Wat | Bayon | Ta Prohm | Prasat Kravan | Banteay Kdei | Baksei Chamkrong | Kleang | Baphuon | Phimeanakas | Ta Keo | Ta Nei | Elephant Terrace | Thommanon | Chau Say Tevoda | Phnom Bakheng | Preah Khan | Bat Chum | Mebon | Tasom | Neak Pean | Baray | Bakong | Preah Ko | Banteay Srei | Pre Rup | Banteay Samre
I arrived at the Siem Reap International airport on the 17th of May 2012 late at night from Manila. It was my first time to be at Cambodia and I'm not familiar with the place yet. Because I wanted to explore as many temples as I can fit into my travel period, I intentionally did not hire a guided tour.
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| Angkor Wat - A UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Outside the airport terminal, there were several TUK-TUK's waiting. I considered myself lucky at that time to meet a Khmer Tuk-Tuk driver "Wonder" who seemed to be very friendly and can easily express himself in the English language.
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| Tuk-Tuk |
I checked in at a nice, peaceful and spacious backpackers inn near the market. There were many other backpackers at that time.
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Day 01: 18 May 2012
Siem Reap. The Angkor Wat.
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| Angkor Wat Temple |
My friend Khmer "Wonder" his English name, told me that atleast 1 million Khmer and several thousands of Elephants were used during the construction of the magnificent temple of Angkor Wat.
I started my tour as a back packer at the West Gate of Angkor Wat. The West gate is the main gate/entrance. Upon entering the gate, I was amazed by the large moat surrounding the temple complex. After entering the main gate, one can already see the pineapple like shape of Angkor Wat towers at the central chamber.
Upon entering the temple gate, I couldn't help myself but to be completely blown-away by the design and the details of the stone carvings on the wall, on the stone columns and on every door frame.
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| The Moat Surrounding Angkor Wat |
I could not just imagine how magnificent the temple was 900 years ago. I spent a lot of time enjoying the view of the corridors and chambers inside the temple.
Going up the central chamber of the temple, one has to climb atleast 50 steps up.
After spending 2 hours inside the chambers taking shots at different angles, I made my exit at the East Gate. After going around the backyard of Angkor Wat, I entered at the North Gate and then finally exited at the South Gate.
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| Main Entrance to Angkor Wat Temple |
The Khmer engineers who built the temples of Cambodia 900 years ago should really be very good. I could not imagine how could they cut the stones into blocks that perfectly fit each other interlocking and bring the stones down from the mountain to the construction site of the temples. In addition, 900 years ago, there were no high tech equipment yet existing that they can use to build the temples that lasted for such a very long time.
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| Stairs of Angkor Wat |
Being amazed by the design and details of stone carvings inside the temple with its huge size, 900 years ago, this temple really is a home fit for the gods.
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| Stone Panel |
I was so happy to have finally seen these temples. It was a dream come true for me to be able to get inside them, take photo and touch them with my bare hands.
I will definitely come back and see these temples again in future.
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| Apsaras |
Wikipedia: Angkor Wat (Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត) is the largest Hindu temple complex in the world, situated at Angkor, Cambodia, built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers.
Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls. The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple"; Angkor is a vernacular form of the word nokor (នគរ), which comes from the Sanskrit word nagar (नगर). Wat is the Khmer form of the Pali word "vatthu", meaning "temple grounds". Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok (Vara Vishnuloka in Sanskrit), after the posthumous title of its founder.
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| Corridor |
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After exploring the Angkor Wat temple, I had a quick lunch at a nearby restaurant. I enjoyed having Khmer fried rice and a Passion fruit shake. My next temple destinations: Prasat Kravan, Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm. Of these three temples, I enjoyed so much Ta Prohm. It reminded me of the movie "Tomb Raider" looking at the huge Spong tree atop one of the Ta Prohm temples with its huge roots crawling at the roof and on the side of the temple.The gigantic size of the Spong tree is a testament of how old the temples are already.I ended my tour at around 6PM (Cambodia time) when it started to rain.It was a very exciting and fulfilling day at Cambodia!
Exploring Prasat Kravan
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| Prasat Kravan Temple |
Wikipedia: Prasat Kravan (Khmer: ប្រាសាទក្រវ៉ាន់) is a small 10th century temple consisting of five reddish brick towers on a common terrace, located at Angkor, Cambodia south of the artificial lake or baray called Srah Srang. Its original Sanskrit name is unknown. The modern name in Khmer, "Prasat Kravan", means cardamom temple. The temple was dedicated to Vishnu in 921 CE, according to inscription on door jambs. The site was cleaned from vegetation in the Thirties by Henri Marchal and Georges Trouvè. Afterwards the towers were restored on Bernard Philippe Groslier's initiative from 1962 to 1966, adding some new bricks which are marked with a "CA" (meaning "Conservation Angkor"). The temple is oriented to the East and surrounded by a small moat. Its exterior is striking for its classical lines and symmetry, the central and the south tower have superstructures which take advantage of false prospective by simple means of diminishing tiers. The sanctuaries interiors are remarkable for the large bas relief depictions of Vishnu and Lakshmi that have been carved into the walls of reddish brick, connected by a vegetable compound. This type of sculptured artwork rather common in Cham temples, but almost unique in known Khmer monuments.
Exploring Banteay Kdei
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| Banteay Kdei |
Wikipedia: Banteay Kdei (Khmer: ប្រាសាទបន្ទាយក្តី, Prasat Banteay Kdei) meaning "A Citadel of Chambers", according to Wikipedia, also known as "Citadel of Monks' cells", is a Buddhist temple in Angkor, Cambodia. It is located southeast of Ta Prohm and east of Angkor Thom. Built in the mid 12th to early 13th centuries AD during the reign of Jayavarman VII (who was posthumously given the title "Maha paramasangata pada"), it is in the Bayon architectural style, similar in plan to Ta Prohm and Preah Khan, but less complex and smaller. Its structures are contained within two successive enclosure walls, and consist of two concentric galleries from which emerge towers, preceded to the east by a cloister. This Buddhist monastic complex is currently dilapidated due to faulty construction and poor quality of sandstone used in its buildings, and is now undergoing renovation. Banteay Kdei had been occupied by monks at various intervals over the centuries till 1960s.
Exploring Ta Prohm
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| Ta Prohm Temple |
Wikipedia: Ta Prohm (Khmer: ប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម ) is the modern name of a temple at Angkor, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara (in Khmer: រាជវិហារ). Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray, it was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors.
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Day 02: 19 May 2012
The Bayon Complex and surrounding Temples.
On the second day at Siem Reap, still onboard "Tuk-Tuk", my friend Khmer drove me around 10 temples within the Bayon complex and nearby places. The most amazing part of this tour was the Bayon temple. The Bayon temple complex has 4 gates. Each gate was built with stones and the 4 faces of Bayon on its tower. On both sides of the road leading to each entrance gate is fenced with atleast 30 Bayon statues lined-up and holding on a serpent (snake) with one body and 7 heads.These Bayon statues were very amazing.
Exploring Ta Nei
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| Ta Nei Temple |
Wikipedia: Ta Nei (Khmer: ប្រាសាទតានៃ) is a late 12th Century stone temple located in Angkor, Cambodia. Built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, it is located near the northwest corner of the East Baray, a large holy reservoir. It was dedicated to the Buddha.
Exploring Baksei Chamkrong
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| Baksei Chamkrong Temple |
Wikipedia: Baksei Chamkrong (Khmer: ប្រាសាទបក្សីចាំក្រុង) is a small Hindu temple located in the Angkor complex (Siem Reap, Cambodia). It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and used to hold a golden image of him. The temple can be seen on the left side when entering Angkor Thom at the southern gate. It was dedicated to Yasovarman by his son, King Harshavarman I. The temple was completed by Rajendravarman II (944-968).
Exploring Bayon
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| Bayon Temple |
Wikipedia: The Bayon (Khmer: ប្រាសាទបាយ័ន, Prasat Bayon), according to Wikipedia, is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th century or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom. Following Jayavarman's death, it was modified and augmented by later Hindu and Theravada Buddhist kings in accordance with their own religious preferences.
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| Bayon's Face |
The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and massive stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak. The temple is known also for two impressive sets of bas-reliefs, which present an unusual combination of mythological, historical, and mundane scenes.
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| Bayon Temple Complex Gate |
The current main conservatory body, the Japanese Government team for the Safeguarding of Angkor (the JSA) has described the temple as "the most striking expression of the baroque style" of Khmer architecture, as contrasted with the classical style of Angkor Wat.
Exploring Phimeanakas
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| Phimeanakas Temple |
Wikipedia: Phimeanakas (Khmer: ប្រាសាទភិមានអាកាស, according to wikipedia, Prasat Phimean Akas, 'celestial temple') or Vimeanakas (Khmer: ប្រាសាទវិមានអាកាស, Prasat Vimean Akas) at Angkor, Cambodia, is a Hindu temple in the Khleang style, built at the end of the 10th century, during the reign of Rajendravarman (from 941-968), then rebuilt by Suryavarman II in the shape of a three tier pyramid as a Hindu temple. On top of the pyramid there was a tower. According to legend, the king spent the first watch of every night with a woman thought to represent a Nāga in the tower, during that time, not even the queen was permitted to intrude. Only in the second watch the king returned to his palace with the queen. If the naga who was the supreme land owner of Khmer land did not show up for a night, the king's day would be numbered, if the king did not show up, calamity would strike his land.
Exploring Baphuon
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| Baphuon Temple |
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| Atop Baphuon |
A 9 meter tall by 70 meter long statue of a reclining Buddha was built on the west side's second level, which probably required the demolition of the 8 meter tower above, thus explaining its current absence. The temple was built on land filled with sand, and due to its immense size the site was unstable throughout its history. Large portions had probably already collapsed by the time the Buddha was added. Pen and watercolor reconstruction of what the temple may have looked in the 11th century by Lucien Fournereau in 1889. The unfinished reclining Buddha on the west side of the temple.
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| Stairs of Baphuon |
By the 20th century, much of the temple had largely collapsed, and restoration efforts have since proven problematic: a first effort begun in 1960 was interrupted by the coming to power of the Khmer Rouge, and records of the positions of the stones were lost. A second attempt started in 1995 by a team of French-led archeologists as of 2005 was still ongoing, restricting visitor access. As of November 2010, partial visitor access was once again allowed, though not to the central structure.
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| Baphuon Platform |
In April 2011, after 51 years, the archaeologists finished the restoration of the temple. King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia and Prime Minister Francois Fillon of France were among those who first toured the renovated temple during the inauguration ceremony on July 3, 2011.
Exploring Terrace of the Elephants
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| Elephant Terrace |
The 350m-long Terrace of Elephants was used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the king's grand audience hall. It has five outworks extending towards the Central Square-three in the centre and one at each end. The middle section of the retaining wall is decorated with life size garuda and lions; towards either end are the two parts of the famous parade of elephants complete with their Khmer mahouts.
Exploring Kleang
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| Kleang |
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| Kleang Temple |
Exploring Thommanon
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| Thommanon Temple |
Exploring Chau Say Tevoda
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| Chau Say Tevoda |
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Day 03: 20 May 2012
Temples Outside Angkor
One good thing about Siem Reap is that there is always a temple to explore and be amazed at. On the third day of my visit to Siem Reap, my friend Khmer drove me around many other temples outside Angkor Wat and Bayon complex.
We even had a short day hike at Phnom Bakheng mountain to see a temple at the top of the mountain. I enjoyed the trek. The trail is very well managed and wide. I though it was a road instead of a trail. According to the locals, the view of Angkor Wat from the top of Phnom Bakheng mountain is nice, however, when I got to the top, only the towers of Angkor Wat were visible because of the green trees that bloomed around the temple because it is Cambodia's rainy season. Plants and trees are in full bloom.
For the whole day, I enjoyed climbing and exploring the interior and exterior of the following ancient temples: Phnom Bakheng, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, East Mebon and Bat Chum.
Cambodia's weather is generally hot and it usually rains late in the afternoon.
Exploring Phnom Bakheng
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| Phnom Bakheng |
Constructed more than two centuries before Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakheng was in its day the principal temple of the Angkor region, historians believe. It was the architectural centerpiece of a new capital, Yasodharapura, that Yasovarman built when he moved the court from the capital Hariharalaya in the Roluos area located to the southeast.
An inscription dated 1052 AD. and found at the Sdok Kak Thom temple in present-day Thailand states in Sanskrit: "When Sri Yasovardhana became king under the name of Yasovarman, the able Vamasiva continued as his guru. By the king's order, he set up a linga on Sri Yasodharagiri, a mountain equal in beauty to the king of mountains." Scholars believe that this passage refers to the consecration of the Phnom Bakheng temple approximately a century and a half earlier.
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| Phnom Bakheng atop a Hill |
Surrounding the mount and temple, labor teams built an outer moat. Avenues radiated out in the four cardinal directions from the mount. A causeway ran in a northwest-southeast orientation from the old capital area to the east section of the new capital's outer moat and then, turning to an east-west orientation, connected directly to the east entrance of the temple.
Phnom Bakheng is a symbolic representation of Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods, a status emphasized by the temple’s location atop a steep hill. The temple faces east, measures 76 meters square at its base and is built in a pyramid form of six tiers. At the top level, five sandstone sanctuaries, in various states of repair, stand in a quincunx pattern—one in the center and one at each corner of the level’s square. Originally, 108 small towers were arrayed around the temple at ground level and on various of its tiers; most of them have collapsed.
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| Sacred Statue |
Jean Filliozat of the Ecole Francaise, a leading authority on Indian cosmology and astronomy, interpreted the symbolism of the temple. The temple sits on a rectangular base and rises in five levels and is crowned by five main towers. One hundred four smaller towers are distributed over the lower four levels, placed so symmetrically that only 33 can be seen from the center of any side. Thirty-three is the number of gods who dwelt on Mount Meru. Phnom Bakheng's total number of towers is also significant. The center one represents the axis of the world and the 108 smaller ones represent the four lunar phases, each with 27 days. The seven levels of the monument represent the seven heavens and each terrace contains 12 towers which represent the 12-year cycle of Jupiter. According to University of Chicago scholar Paul Wheatley, it is "an astronomical calendar in stone."
Phnom Bakheng is one of three hilltop temples in the Angkor region that are attributed to Yasovarman's reign. The other two are Phnom Krom to the south near the Tonle Sap lake, and Phnom Bok, northeast of the East Baray reservoir.
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| Phnom Bakheng Temples |
Following Angkor's rediscovery by the outside world in the mid-19th century, decades passed before archeologists grasped Phnom Bakheng's historical significance. For many years, scholars' consensus view was that the Bayon, the temple located at the center of Angkor Thom city, was the edifice to which the Sdok Kak Thom inscription referred. Later work identified the Bayon as a Buddhist site, built almost three centuries later than originally thought, in the late 12th century, and Phnom Bakheng as King Yasovarman's state temple.
Exploring Preah Khan
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| Preah Khan Temple |
Exploring Neak Pean
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| Neak Pean |
Exploring Ta Som
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| Ta Som Temple |
Exploring Mebon
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| Mebon Temple |
The East Mebon was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and honors the parents of the king. Its location reflects Khmer architects’ concern with orientation and cardinal directions. The temple was built on a north-south axis with Rajendravarman’s state temple, Pre Rup, located about 1,200 meters to the south just outside the baray. The East Mebon also lies on an east-west axis with the palace temple Phimeanakas, another creation of Rajendravarman’s reign, located about 6,800 meters due west.
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| Entrance to the Main Temple |
Built in the general style of Pre Rup, the East Mebon was dedicated in 953 AD. It has two enclosing walls and three tiers. It includes the full array of durable Khmer construction materials: sandstone, brick, laterite and stucco. At the top is a central tower on a square platform, surrounded by four smaller towers at the platform’s corners. The towers are of brick; holes that formerly anchored stucco are visible.
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| Stairway |
The sculpture at the East Mebon is varied and exceptional, including two-meter-high free-standing stone elephants at corners of the first and second tiers. Religious scenes include the god Indra atop his three-headed elephant Airavata, and Shiva on his mount, the sacred bull Nandi. Carving on lintels is particularly elegant.
Visitors looking out from the upper level today are left to imagine the vast expanses of water that formerly surrounded the temple. Four landing stages at the base give reminder that the temple was once reached by boat.
Exploring Bat Chum
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| Bat Chum Temple |
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Day 04: 21 May 2012
Temples Outskirts of Angkor Wat
Exploring temples far from Angkor Wat. These temples are under Rolous group. Riding on Tuk-Tuk and travelling more than 30 kilometers out of Siem Reap to see temples under the Rolous group. While travelling, I enjoyed the scenery which were mainly rice fields. Cambodia provinces after all are very similar to Philippine provinces. There were many vendors along the way selling Cambodian delicacies which are mainly sweets from Palm Tree. After almost an hour of travel, we reached the first temple, Preah Ko. After spending few minutes taking pictures, we proceeded to the two remaining temples, Bakong and Lolei. Never was I disappointed on any temples of Camboadia that I saw and explored. Cambodia's ancient temples are simple amazing and magnificent!!
Exploring Preah Ko
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| Preah Ko Temple |
Exploring Bakong
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| Bakong Temple |
Exploring Baray
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| Baray |
Construction of the baray probably began in the 11th Century during the reign of King Suryavarman I and was finished later under King Udayadityavarman II.
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| Water Basin |
The Angkorian engineers who created the West Baray appear to have in places incorporated earlier construction. The east dike, for instance, appears to be largely a section of a dike that enclosed the capital city of King Yasovarman, which had the Phnom Bakheng temple at its center. In other places, the baray obliterated or submerged earlier human-made sites. The south dike, for instance, partially buried a brick pyramid temple, Ak Yum. And the western floor of the baray appears to have once been inhabited--archeological work has found wall bases, steps, and pottery shards there. An inscription stele discovered in the area, dating from 713 A.D., offers further evidence of earlier settlement, defining rice fields that were offered to a queen Jayadevi.
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| Canal leading to Baray |
Early French experts believed the West Baray to have functioned as a vast holding tank for water that fed irrigation canals in dry times, allowing multiple crops of rice each year. Many later studies, however, theorize that the baray had mainly symbolic functions, serving as a vast earthly depiction of the Hindu Sea of Creation, with the West Mebon temple at its center.
In modern times, an irrigation lock was built in the baray's southern dike, raising the water level and allowing provision of water to fields to the south. Today the baray retains water in its western end year-round. In the rainy season, water advances to the eastern dike.
With clear, still waters, the baray today is a popular place for swimming and boat rides by local residents. It has occasionally served as a landing site for seaplanes.
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Day 05: 22 May 2012
Temples Outskirts of Angkor Wat
On the final day of my Siem Reap tour, we visited the remaining 3 temples outside of the Angkor complex. These temples are: Banteay Srei, Pre Rup and Banteay Samre. All of these temples are equally amazing as any other temples that we visited inside Angkor Wat complex.
Exploring Banteay Srei
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| Banteay Srei Temple |
Exploring Pre Rup
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| Pre Rup Temple |
The temple’s name is a comparatively modern one meaning "turn the body". This reflects the common belief among Cambodians that funerals were conducted at the temple, with the ashes of the body being ritually rotated in different directions as the service progressed.
Exploring Banteay Samré
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| Banteay Samre Temple |
Named after the Samré, an ancient people of Indochina, the temple uses the same materials as the Banteay Srei.
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Night Market, PUB Street & Art Center
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| Night Market |
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| Pub Street at the Night Market |
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| Night Market |
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| Cultural Dance |
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