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Exploring Temples in Angkor – Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cambodia Temples

The main reason we wanted to visit Cambodia was to see the renowned Angkor Wat and many of its other temples. We definitely saw Angkor Wat, so check that off the bucket list, but there are literally thousands of temples to check out in Angkor, Siem Reap. Thankfully, many temples are in close proximity to each other and we had a wonderful and knowledgeable guide that took us around. So even when we were there for only a weekend, we still saw several other amazing structures. Here are the temples and sites we explored during our visit.

Angkor Wat

There’s no doubt that Angkor Wat is the biggest attraction, literally and figuratively, out of all the temples in Cambodia. It’s actually the largest religious monument in the world! The temple is enclosed by a wall measuring 2.2 miles long and surrounded by a moat.

Inside the wall is a long path that goes straight to the temple. Off the path, on each side are lily ponds for the famous picturesque reflection of Angkor Wat. We went early at 5 am to catch the sunrise and it was absolutely breathtaking! There were also loads of tourists also trying to take the same shot (something to expect during your visit), but after an hour the crowds mostly emptied and left us to explore the temple mostly to ourselves.

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Bayon Temple

Known simply as “The Bayon,” this temple is well-recognized for having massive carved, smiling faces on top of its towers. There are stairs within the temple that will take you to the top level and let you come face-to-face with these giant stone faces. You can also climb one of the outer towers to really get a great semi-aerial view of the temple and its surroundings.

East Mebon

This temple used to be entirely surrounded by water and could only be accessible by boat. It stands on top of an island in what was once a baray (artificial body of water) that was used for irrigation. You can find many well-preserved, fine-detailed sculptures of elephants, lions, and mythical creatures and figures. The top also provides a great vantage point to see the temple layout and a perfect view to watch the sunset.

Ta Nei

Off the beaten path, Ta Nai is a semi-ruined temple hidden in the tall trees of the jungles. Because of its isolated nature, very few tourists are seen venturing here, so it’s very peaceful and you can explore without being interrupted. The inner part of the temple has largely collapsed with some parts being supported by wood planks. Still, there are still plenty of carvings with intricate details to see and is worth the visit, especially if you want to get away from the crowds.

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm is distinctly recognized for its large trees and roots growing within the temple. You can see the long thick roots slowly morphing and engulfing parts of the temple over hundreds of years of growth. The temple is also famous for being the location for the film “Lana Croft: Tomb Raider,” but despite its Hollywood exposure, it still feels very hidden and secluded with the trees covering the ruins.

Angkor Thom South Gate

There are five gates that gave access to Angkor Thom (which means “The Great City”). The south gate is distinguishable from the others for having stone statues on both sides of the road leading up to the gate.

Angkor Thom East (Death) Gate

You can climb up from the side to get a closer look at the gate and walk along the wall that surrounds the city.

There are also other smaller or lesser known temples and structures all over Angkor. Many of them are in ruins but can still be explored at your own leisure.

If you need some tips for getting around, you can read our article for different methods to see the temples and check out our video below. Let us know what your favorite temples were and where else you would recommend.

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Volunteering in Cambodia, Part 1: The Process and Introduction

There are many enthusiastic and kind-hearted people who to make a difference in this world. They want to contribute their time, effort and money to support a worthy cause. A popular way people like to contribute their resources is volunteering, where they can help on the frontlines, gain firsthand experience, and see directly their hard work help their cause.

This was our mindset when we decided to volunteer abroad in Cambodia in a childcare program. We didn’t exactly know what to expect but we wanted to try it out and give our full effort to help the program in any way possible. This post is the first of a three-part entry, focusing on our volunteer experience and observations during our time there.

Getting Started

There were various programs locally and internationally, and we chose to volunteer internationally so we could also do some traveling on the side. After some research, we chose to go to Cambodia since we were wanting to see some of its famous temples like Angkor Wat.

We went through a recommended organization, International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), to help arrange the logistics of our placement. It’s a pretty reputable organization with over 60,000 volunteers since 2007 and with programs in over 30 countries. Their placement fees are also reasonable and they are transparent with where that money goes. When we applied for the childcare program, they required us to produce a resume, criminal background check, getting mandatory travel insurance and completing a training module. (It’s important for every organization to be asking these questions in order to ensure the safety of the subjects within the programs.) We were approved for a two-week program in Pursat, Cambodia that started in June.

First Arrival

The first part of our program was in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia and where we would receive orientation. Just letting you know that in June, Holy smokes, Cambodia is REALLY REALLY HOT! Temperatures were reaching 40 °C (104 °F) and adding humidity on top of that made it feel hotter. I wouldn’t say we were surprised, given that we had just come from Taiwan which was pretty hot in its own right, but it did feel more stifling in Cambodia. We were a bit surprised that Phnom Penh, despite being the capital city, didn’t really have a proper infrastructure. There were no street lights, stop signs (or any signs for that matter), sidewalks, many roads were unpaved, and tons of tangled power lines. Still, the pace of the city is chaotically fast and it oddly seemed to work for the people there.

We were housed at a homestay with around 30 other volunteers. On orientation day, we spent a few hours briefing over the history and culture of the country and the policies during volunteering. We also had a tour through the city, including an eye-opening visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and then to the Central Market. We didn’t really get to do much more and by the next day, we were on our way to our placement.

Transferring to Pursat 

Previously, we were assigned in the city of Siem Reap, which is where Angkor Wat and most other temples were located. However, we were notified that we had been switched to Pursat. It was a city we weren’t familiar with but we were teamed up with another volunteer, Lydia, and were willing to help with whatever was needed.

Geographically, Pursat was right in the middle of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. In reality, you might’ve thought it was practically in the middle of nowhere. During the four-hour van ride to Pursat, as we drove past mostly the countryside and rural areas, I knew that this place would be a very different compared to most places I’ve been accustomed to.

Our first stop in Pursat was our homestay provided by the Leng family. The family ran a clinic at the house [which was great since we all got sick at one point and they took care of us] and also had a business making Buddhist Monks’ robes. Mr. and Mrs. Leng were very welcoming to us and prepared a home-cooked lunch for us [and would do so for every meal every day]. Their house was nice and comfortable, though the night heat always made it a challenge to sleep despite having multiple fans. We occasionally paid for the use of air conditioning at $10 USD a night when night temperatures were as high as 85°F. But it was a great place to stay and we’re thankful to the Lengs for accommodating us.

After lunch, we were given a tour of the main part of the city. Practically opposite of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Pursat is a much smaller city, was much less chaotic, had far fewer people, and was more rural than its larger counterparts. The city has no tall buildings and consists mostly of small businesses and shops. There was only one bus stop, two major banks that we saw, a handful of restaurants (but mostly small roadside eateries and shops), a pair of schools, and two or three hotels. There weren’t many cars on the road; you were more likely to be sharing the roads with scooters, cyclists, and even cows! It also has a central market where you can buy various fruits, vegetables, meats/fish, and other foods and goods. You can pretty much bike around the main part of the city in 30 minutes and just outside of the main city is the countryside and residential neighborhoods.

An Introduction to New Hope for Orphans

Our last stop of the day was to be introduced to our placement. Our placement was an orphanage named New Hope for Orphans (NHO), which houses about 40 kids from small children to older teenagers. When we arrived, several small kids came out to greet us and give us hugs. They were giving us big smiles, showing a lot of enthusiasm, and they obviously wanted to play with us.

We were given a walkthrough of the area; the main building was two stories; the first level with a room for the office and library; the second level was where the kids slept, where boys and girls are in separate rooms and everyone sleeps in bunk beds. There were several bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area, a gazebo for teaching, and a playground. A director and his family operated the orphanage and there were multiple caregivers to help with all daily tasks. We stayed for over an hour meeting several kids and playing some games to introduce ourselves. Their favorite game was Duck-Duck-Goose and we also taught them how to play Red-Light-Green-Light, which they seemed to enjoy. We got to briefly meet some of the older kids as they were coming back from school.

After our introduction, we went back to our homestay to rest and prepare for our program. I think we were all generally excited to start working with the kids in the coming weeks and hopefully have a positive influence in their lives.

Check back for part two of this entry and comment on your thoughts of what you’ve read so far.

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Cambodia’s Dark Tourism: Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Glass cabinets and containers displaying rows of human skulls and bones, a haunting visual that serves as a memorial and a reminder of the atrocities that occurred in Cambodia’s darkest era in history and how it affects the country today…

In 1975, the Khmer Rouge took power in Cambodia and led by their leader, Pol Pot, they sought to turn Cambodia into a purely agrarian state (or a country completely self-sufficient in farming and agriculture). Under the regime, two million people, a quarter of the population at the time, were executed or died from starvation or illness. People of intellect and skill such as teachers, doctors, lawyers, scientists, and artists were viewed as threats to the extremist ideology and immediately killed off. This left a major void for Cambodia’s development after the regime fell in 1979, as mostly low-skilled workers were what remained of the population and a contributing factor of the slow rebuild of the country.

We visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh that chronicles the period of the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror. Formerly a high school, it was converted into a prison named “Security Prison 21” (nicknamed S-21). This site was literally a hell on Earth. At least 1000 prisoners would be crammed into the small rooms at one time and chained to the floor. The people could barely eat or drink, had to use the rooms as bathrooms, would be lucky to receive one or two showers a month, and could not speak to each other without risking getting killed. Prisoners were interrogated by the guards through the means of extreme torture including electrocution, whipping, breaking bones, waterboarding, and more. Even if a person had survived the interrogation, they would ultimately be sent to the Killing Fields to be executed.

From 1975 to 1979, an estimated 17,000 people went through Tuol Sleng. Only 7 of them survived.

From the outside, beyond the barbed wires, Tuol Sleng looks like an ordinary school. On the inside was a more solemn scene, as former classrooms were converted into prison cells and interrogation rooms, and graphic images or photos depicting the torture or death. Rooms contained thousands of photos of prisoners (dead and alive) that were photographed during processing and serve as the lasting memories of the people that were lost. Many of the victims were children and teenagers.

Throughout the entire visit, I felt overwhelmed with sadness, confusion, and anger. I questioned why and how this could have happened, why humanity allowed this to happen. Even after learning the history, it’s still difficult to grasp.

Of the 7 that survived Tuol Sleng, only 3 remain alive today. We met two of them, Chum Mey and Bou Meng. They were able to survive since they had skills valuable to the regime, but both tragically lost their families. Today they tell their heroic stories of survival and continue to seek justice against those who participated in the genocide. We bought and read their books, which were chilling yet remarkable tales of survival.

Reading the books showed how horrible the regime was. I had thought the people that conducted the interrogations at Tuol Sleng were just terrible people. However, many of the guards were only following orders to get confessions from the prisoners for their superiors. Some of them were just teenagers not really knowing why or what they were doing. If they didn’t get a confession, they themselves could also be executed. It just shows what the power of fear can do to any individual.

It’s been 37 years since Cambodia was freed from the Khmer Rouge, yet its devastation is still seen throughout the country. The effects are long-lasting as the country continues to rebuild. It’s unfathomable that events like this in human history have occurred, but even today these things are still happening. We can only continue to learn from history and hope for a better future.

You can see all of the images below.

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Our Visit to Otres Beach, Sihanoukville & Koh Rong Island

On the last leg of our Cambodia visit, we ventured to the beaches to seek some relaxation. We spent three days between Otres Beach, Sihanoukville and Koh Rong Island. We didn’t go to downtown Sihanoukville and stayed near our hotel.

Otres Beach, Sihanoukville

At Otres Beach, we stayed at Tamu Hotel, which you can read our review here. The hotel was a great experience and one of the best attractions here. Our room was comfortable and the staff was very friendly to us. It also sits right on the beach, where there were plenty of day beds, a ready staff to bring anything you need and masseuses who provide one-hour full body massage for $8. The beach was overall very nice, from its pristine turquoise waters and fine white sand. Tamu Hotel’s stretch of beach was very well maintained, as its staff would comb the beaches and pick up trash every morning.

There were some parts of our experience that could be improved. While the hotel’s stretch of beach was very clean, other stretches were littered with trash and pollution. On the most southern part of Otres beach in particular was almost completely covered with trash and even dead animals. There were even some glass shards in the sand so I advise wearing shoes or sandals when walking up and down the beach.

There are locals that offer long-boat rides to nearby islands for snorkeling and fishing for around $10-12 per person. However, based on our experience, I would probably avoid this activity and look for other things to do in the area. Our boat was very late and disorganized, and when we did get picked up, our boat did not look like it was maintained and much of the snorkeling gear was broken. We were hoping that the island’s reefs would be fun to explore, but instead we saw most of the coral reef was bleached white, signaling that they were dying or had died, and there wasn’t much other marine life. It was a very unfortunate sight to see. We did manage to see a beautiful sunset on our way back, but it was still a disappointing experience.

Koh Rong Island

Next, we set off to Koh Rong Island for a short stay at Sok San Beach Resort. It took a boat ride and a truck ride through the island’s jungles to get to the resort. The hotel is right on the beach and we were able to get a room with a nice ocean view. The resort was almost completely empty, as it was the rainy season and very few people stay there. During the peak seasons, this resort can be very busy. Sure enough, it was scattered thunderstorms passed by the island dropping heavy amounts of rain.

The beaches here were very clean and pristine. The waters were nice, warm and very calm. It was also very shallow, so shallow that you could go at least 25 feet into the water without being waist deep. We wanted to go kayaking and snorkeling, but there were somehow not enough kayaks, despite being very few people on the island. So we spent much of our time just swimming and relaxing in the water, walking up and down the beach, and catching crabs. We wanted to lounge in the day beds, but sand flies ruthlessly attacked us despite putting on bug spray. At night, we met some locals who were fishing for squid for a night time treat.

Obviously, three days is not enough time to explore and give a comprehensive description on these location. There are many parts we did not explore and many activities we didn’t do, but it’s a glimpse what these places have to offer. Hopefully, we’ll be back to explore these areas a bit more and give an update in the future.

 

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