If it is in your plans to visit the temples of Angkor in Cambodia you have come to the right place. In this guide I'll tell you which routes to take to visit the temples of Angkor, which are the most beautiful? What are the hours and price to visit the temples of Angkor? Is it better to visit the temples with a guide or on your own?. I will try to answer these questions and tell you much more additional information to visit the temples of Angkor. Let's start!
Considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the world, the Angkor temples are for us far ahead of some of the official seven wonders. These impressive ruins, largely devoured by the jungle, are a unique place that everyone should visit at least once in their life.
The intense blue sky of Angkor, together with the green of its landscapes and the red of its land and its monuments are a true spectacle that will remain engraved on our retinas forever. We tell you how to visit the Temples of Angkor.
History of the Temples of Angkor
Angkor is a region of Cambodia that housed the successive capitals of the Khmer Empire during its heyday, from the 9th century to the 15th century AD. Its temples were declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1992.
At the beginning of the Khmer empire, the animist religion dominated, but due to the large number of traders from India who spent long periods of time in this region, the religion was gradually supplanted by Hinduism until the 12th century.
From the 12th century, Hinduism was replaced by Buddhism and newly built temples became more horizontal. In those that were already built, Buddhist elements were introduced and some Hindu elements were destroyed.
That is why, currently, we see a mixture of religions in several of the Angkor temples. The Angkor temples were hidden under the Cambodian jungle for more than 200 years, as they were abandoned to avoid being invaded by the Thais. Angkor temples Angkor temples Two centuries later they were discovered by chance by a French naturalist who was looking for new species of butterflies.
Several countries around the world participated in its reconstruction, mainly France. Today the Angkor temples are one of the most visited places in the world.
Angkor Temples Tour
The Angkor temples are located in the surroundings of Siem reap, in the middle of the jungle. To get there it is necessary to take some transport, either tuk tuk, car or motorcycle and the journey takes half an hour.
Within the Angkor archaeological complex there are more than a thousand temples, spread throughout the jungle. Unless you stay to live there for a long time, you will not be able to see them all, so you will have to select a few.
To see the most beautiful temples of Angkor you will need at least two days. If you stay longer, we recommend that you visit the temples on alternate days or it will be very heavy for you.
Is it better to visit the Temples of Angkor on your own or with a guide?
To visit the main temples of Angkor, it is best to hire a driver or guide, so they will make a route that includes the most interesting ones and you will not have to worry about anything. Although you can always modify it to your liking. When hiring a tour you can hire only a driver or a driver with a guide. The difference is that the drivers cannot enter the temples with you, so they can only give you a brief explanation.
Instead, the guides will enter with you and give you a very detailed explanation of the history of each temple. Although visiting the Angkor temples for free is possible, I did not see anyone visiting without a guide or driver. You can do it on your own if you rent a motorcycle or a bike, forget about walking from one temple to another because neither the heat nor the distance allow it.
]Which temples should you visit?
BAYON
TA PROHM
BANTEAY SREI
ANGKOR THOM
PREAH KHAN
BANTEAY SAMRE
BANTEAY KDEI
PRE RUP
PHNOM BAKHENG
Tips for visiting the Temples of Angkor
Wear the appropriate clothing, in most temples they will turn a blind eye, but if you wear braces they will not let you enter the most sacred part of Angkor Wat .
Whenever you go, put a raincoat in your backpack, because the climate in the jungle is very variable and you may get caught in a storm in the middle of one of the temples.
Bring water and food . In the Angkor temples, everything is very expensive and there are not many places to choose from.
Do not give alms to children no matter how much pity they give you. If you do, you will help their families earn money with them and not take them to school.
Do not approach the monkeys, they bite and can transmit rabies to you. They also steal things, so take everything safe.
Take good care of your belongings . I didn't have any problems, but the guide told me that there are many thieves there.
Visit the Angkor temples every other day , whenever the weather allows it, because it gets very heavy.
I hope you have enjoyed my post and that you are encouraged to visit the Temples of Angkor, a wonderful corner of the world. If you have any questions or suggestions you can write me in the comments.