| Day 2 |
Siem Reap
Sightseeing in Angkor
Visit Angkor Wat
ANGKOR WAT: a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu by King
Suryavarman II, who reigned between 1131 and 1150. It was constructed
over a period of 30 years and is world famous for its beauty and
splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the
world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories
from Hindu mythology. In 1992 the UNESCO declared the monument and the
whole city of Angkor a World Heritage Site.
Visit Angkor Thom
ANGKOR THOM: a fortified Royal City (10 square kilometers)
built by King Jayavarman VII, who ruled from 1181 to 1201. The city
has five monumental gates and is encircled by a moat 100 meters wide.
In the center of the walled city are the city’s most important
monuments including Bayon, Baphuon, the Terrace of Elephants, the
Terrace of the Leper King and Phimeanakas with Royal Enclosure.
BAYON: Jayavarman VII's temple mountain that stands at the
center of Angkor Thom. It is one of the most popular of Angkor's
monuments and a place of narrow corridors, steep flights of stairs and
an amazing collection of towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces.
BAPHUON: the pyramid shape represents the mythical Mount Meru
and marks the center of the city that was here before Angkor Thom.
PHIMEANAKAS: near the center of what was once the royal palace
within Angkor Thom. Phimeanakas means ‘Celestial Palace’, though today
there is not much left to indicate its former splendour.
FORMER ROYAL PALACE: nothing remains today except two pools that were
used by royalty for washing.
TERRACE OF ELEPHANTS: this terrace was used for viewing public
ceremonies and was a base for the King’s grand audience hall. The
famous lines of elephants are at either end of the retaining walls.
TERRACE OF THE LEPER KING: North of the Terrace of Elephants is a
platform named ‘Terrace of the Leper King’. On the platform is a nude
statue – one of Angkor’s mysteries.
Visit temple for sunset
Watch the sun set over the Cambodian countryside from the upper
terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple.
Overnight in Siem Reap. |