Angkor Wat Feels

Watching Discovery Channel and National Geographic documentaries with my dad while growing up is what sparked my desire to visit Cambodia. I remember that Ancient Megastructures episode that showcased the construction of Angkor Wat, leaving me in awe at how the rocks from Khulen Mountain were transported by manual labor for almost three decades. Not to mention my fascination with the ancient Cambodian customs and the grandiosity of ancient Cambodia. It was that moment that I promised myself that someday I will come to Cambodia and see the Angkor Wat for myself.

After too much drama and overthinking, the time has finally come to fulfill this nerdy childhood dream.

Joining a tour group is the most convenient and practical way to lessen the expenses. Our tour group was supervised by the awesome Mr. Chenla Mao. We were fetched by the van at 5:00am sharp so that we can get purchase our passes in order for us to watch the sunrise above the Angkor Wat. There are different kinds of passes that are good for one to seven days. I got the one day pass for US $20. When you purchase your pass, your photo will be taken and it's going to be printed on the card. Make sure to keep your pass in a safe place because you wouldn't want to lose it. Some temples require showing the guards your pass before going in.

When I saw the silhouette of the Angkor Wat gate, I had to fight the urge to scream "#%*@&$! ETO NAAAA!!!!" Hahaha. There were already many tourists so I had to look for a suitable spot and outmaneuver them so their heads won't block my view. Chenla couldn't have picked a better spot because this is a sight to behold:

Angkor Wat sunrise y'all!

FYI: I had to crawl at the edge of the muddy/swampy area to get this shot. Look Ma, no tourist heads! Haha.

I would recommend hiring a tour guide for this trip. It is nice to have someone explain something that you're looking at. And besides, the complex is huge so you wouldn't know which one to go to first unless you've extensively read on it and have built your own itinerary.

For the most part, we explored the temples within Angkor Thom City. My personal favorites are Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm, also known as the Tomb Raider Temple. When you look at it, you might say to yourself that "Duh, they all look the same" but it is fascinating to know that each temple within Angkor Thom City has different influences. 

Siem Reap Adventure Begins!

Some insights, tricks and tips from the Siem Reap leg of my short backpacking adventure.

Coming from Bangkok, I left for the Aranyaprathet-Rongklua border at about 5am since it would take us about 3-4 hours to get there. But the mini-van driver who drives really fast did a record of only two hours. Phew! From the drop off point, you have to walk across the border to the immigration counters.

Border crossing!

Getting through immigration is a breeze because Filipinos and other Southeast Asian nationals are not required to have a visa in order to enter the border, which is part of an agreement of the ASEAN. After my passport was stamped and my photo was taken, I am good to go!

However, it is still a four-hour bus ride away from Poipet to Siem Reap. A major portion of the road is newly cemented but the other parts remains to be a dirt road as it awaits to be developed. Make sure to cover your noses when you pass through the dirt road, especially for those who have allergic rhinitis  because the dust can get inside the bus.

The Cambodian countryside is a quiet place with only a few establishments lined up on the street. I checked-in at the Bou Savy Guesthouse, the only budget friendly place that I know so far to have a swimming pool. Actually, I wasn't even aware that they have a pool in the first place. Hrhr. They have a foreign exchange counter with fair rates. 

View from the balcony