Angkor Wat tour, Cambodia travel

Near Siem Reap, the ruins of the ancient city of Angkor, capital of the Khmer kingdom from 802 until 1295, are one of the world's marvels. Angkor Wat is also the symbol of Cambodia. The largest religious monument ever constructed, it is a vast and mysterious complex of hulking laterite and sandstone blocks. Along with Bayon and Baphuon, it is the pinnacle of Khmer architecture. From base to tip of the highest tower, it's 213m of awe-inspiring stone in the definitive, elaborate Khmer style. It was unknown to the world until French naturalist Henri Mouhot literally stumbled onto it in the Cambodia jungle in 1861, the area of Angkor existed for centuries only as a myth.

The temple complex covers some 96.6 sq. km and includes the remains of passageways, moats, temples, and palaces that represent centuries of building in the capital. The temples are served by the nearby town of Siem Reap, which is 6km to the south.

More than a few visitors come away with a newfound love for ancient cultures, Asian religions, and sunsets.

Sights to see:

Angkor Thom, the name of this temple means "the great city" in Khmer and is famed for its fantastic 45m central temple, Bayon. The vast area of Angkor Thom, over a mile on one side, is dotted with many temples and features; don't miss the elaborate reliefs of the Terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of Elephants.

The Bayon is a Buddhist temple built under a later king (Jayavarman VII) around 1190, but the temple nevertheless adhere to Hindu cosmology and can be read as a metaphor for the natural world. It has four huge stone faces, with one facing out and keeping watch at each compass point. The curious smiling image, thought by many to be a depiction of the king himself, is often considered the enigmatic Mona Lisa of Southeast Asia. There are 51 smaller towers surrounding Bayon, each with four faces of its own.

Just north of the Bayon, is the stalwart form of the Baphuon, a temple built in 1066 that is in the process of being put back together in a protractive effort that gives visitors an idea of what original temple construction might have been like.

Ta Prohm, the jungle foliage still has its hold on this dynamic temple. It was the only one that was left in such a ruinous state when early archaeologists freed the rest of the Angkor Wat temples from the jungle. Ta Prohm is a favorite for many, in face, the ruinous roots appeal to most. As large around as some tree trunks, the roots of fig, banyan, and kapok trees, cleave massive stones in two or give way and grow over the top of temple ramparts. It's quite dramatic, and there are a few popular photo spots where the collision of temple and vine are most impressive. Sadly, Ta Prohm was looted quite heavily in recent years, and many of its stone reliquaries have been lost.