Known as one of the most significant archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, it’s no wonder that Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom proved to be my favorite destination in Cambodia. It was easy to see that the ruins had a rich history and you’re able to gain a sense of peace while walking through the different temples. What made this trip even better was that it was fairly affordable.
Right before he left he said for $15 he would come to our guesthouse the next day, drive us to Angkor Wat, wait until we were done, and drive us back to the hotel. Well the next day came and he must have forgotten about us because he never showed up (jerk). It would have been really easy to get another tuk-tuk, but we contemplated on just renting $2/day bikes from our guest house. We decided the latter since 1) we were broke volunteer English teachers and 2) we could enjoy the scenery while getting a workout in (but mostly it had to do with being broke).
After a long 20-minute bike ride, we finally rode up to the gate and purchased our passes. I suggest getting the three-day package for $40/per person. There’s no way to physically see everything in one day. After purchasing our passes, it took about another 15-minute bike ride to arrive at temples of Angkor Wat. For an additional 15-20 minutes, ride down to Angkor Thom the next day, which for some reason I actually liked better. In addition to all the beauty Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom had to offer, you’ll see a crazy load of monkeys walking around. Just stay away from them (the little thieves).
Tourist Tip: You’ll get bombarded with people trying to sell you stuff, even children will sell you stuff, in the most annoying and nagging voices you’ve ever heard. The conversations between a Cambodian salesperson and myself could go on for hours since they’re relentless and don’t take no for an answer. On the other hand, they were selling some beautiful scarfs, so if you do in fact decide to purchase something, haggle yourself down to a price that works for everyone. If they give you a price, just walk away and say no. They’ll try to win your business and could bring prices down to nearly half.
To view the rest of my photos from Cambodia, please visit my Flickr photostream by clicking here.