Cambodia
My little trip around the world continues...
Siem Reap
Dollars...Dollars everywhere... This country seems to be more expensive than I thought ! Easy to be ripped off if you don't know the basics for Taxi/Tuktuk services or buying food in local outside markets [i.e 1 little bottle water 1 USD; the next day we packed our food and snacks ahead as a pack of chips is 4$!)].
Siem Reap is the access door to Angkor Temples, a gigantic magnificent set regrouping the largest religious buildings in the world, a multitude of temples, a vast fortified city, long time abandoned, being the first metropolis of South East Asia.
The most famous, Angkor Wat, UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the world’s largest religious monument inside the Angkor Temple set.
With a 3 days entry tickets Pass and our super cool tuktuk driver that we paid around 10USD /day with whom we negotiated our selected key areas to visit during our stay there, everything was magic under this humid and hot weather. Angkor was built during the Khmer Empire within 9th -15th centuries, it is huge as 400sq km area consisting of the old walled capital city of Angkor Thom, ancient forest and plenty of temples that in no way we can explore all in 3 days.
Our driver moved us around the different temples seeing stunning structures where we usually walk around and climb in there for over an hour and half. These temples are huge sites, they have marvelous architectures and there are so many temples we focused on the most important having plan for the big and the small loop.
Started with an early 4:30AM trip to have a sunrise view following with other temples around. This place is so crowded you can't imagine. Even for the sunrise trip there was an enormous crowd in the dark.. After 3 days of exhausting walks and climbing cool it down with a visit to Angkor National Museum in Siem Reap. They were many galleries to see for example the 1000 Buddha images, understand history of Khmer's civilization and beliefs, the origin of the Empire, Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom introduction...
-Enchanting landscapes, rich history and culture, art, markets, amazing tasty food and innate hospitality of locals -
On the last day we had a city tour and then went to the Angkor National museum and also the Artisans d’Angkor. Quite tired and headed to a 5* hotel to chill , eat and swim @NavutuDreams and the food was extra delicious although expensive but worth it.
After the temples we had a nice afternoon chilling and eating at the pool, having a well deserved rest.
Gone to see Life on the water ...The floating village at Tonle Sap River.
Accessed by boat from Siem Reap we had a private boat ride to enjoy the visit and stay over the lake on the boat for the sunset.
Seeing locals houses, children waving and smiling, rice loaded onto boats for sell. Another way of life. Those houses mostly made in wood and palm leaf, with tin roofs, some with little gardens and potted plants and are arranged in rows.
A nice moment in silent on the boat listening to the wave watching the sunset and being present. (Although we were missing actually some snacks & drinks if we had known the guide would not say a word for 3 hours and he dare to say "Nothing for me ?" at the end of the trip. My friend and I looked at each other "he must be kidding?", he was not replying to us and just sleeping or on his own. So fine, we enjoyed our trip anyway :)
Food Love in Cambodia
Food was excellent ! We went to eat at hotel skybar pool, Temple Coffee & Bakery where you have a great atmosphere to chill, every one is super friendly and a great variety of choice of food.
Our last days was spent in Phom Pehn. Busy city too and not much to do.
We went to visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in PP.
An important work of remembrance, education from this tragic events. It is not a cool moment and rather painful and emotional visit but incredibly insightful. It's worth getting the knowledge on what happened there... That's also why we travel right? Learn.
It was for me quite shocking to see some vivid scenes of the cruelty, to learn the stories and atrocities that happened and the how and why. The museum is a good place to pay homage and respect to the people who suffered and lost their lives.
(take the audio guide and go there by Tuktuk : easy!)
- Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it again ... -
To travel around and book a taxi it’s very cheap and no headache negotiating, they use Grab app (it's like Uber), you can pay cash.
In the evening we had dinner and drinks at Temple Coffee & Bakery, amazing place! Cosy and nice atmosphere!
Places I Visited
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Angkor Temples (Bayon, Angkor Vat, Ta Prohm Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, Sra Srang, Preah Neak Poan and more!!)
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Siem Reap city day and night
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Floating villages
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Sunrise / Sunset on lake
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Spa relaxing
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Artisans d’Angkor
Places I Visit
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Phnom Pehn city
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Genocide Museum
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Central Market
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Royal Palace
My road trip to Cambodia
My road trip to Cambodia
Temples Angkor🇰🇭
Cambodia SiemReap 🇰🇭
