Seven Sultry Days In Siem Reap
It’s already getting warm long before first light as we head back towards Angkor Wat, the clock ticking towards 4.45am and the darkness heavy with sultry heat even before the birds are singing. Michaela’s trusty weather app says today will be 39C but will “feel like” 45C and it’s clear that the mercury’s journey up the thermometer has already started. We’re up at this hour for the classic sight of the sun rising behind the temple’s five towers, a must-do experience for all visitors to Siem Reap. As we leave the tuk-tuk and start the long walk through the grounds, a silent pilgrimage of other early risers makes its way towards the well known photo vantage points.
Standing at the water’s edge is fascinating in a number of ways, whether one is studying the people or eyeing the world of nature, each of which is eagerly anticipating what daylight is to bring. Bleary eyed faces of multiple nationalities chat excitedly but in hushed tones, as if the early hour commands respect: a loud voice just isn’t right before dawn. Numbers steadily increase as the outline of trees becomes more defined, the majestic towers of Angkor Wat slowly taking form against the lightening sky.
Damsel flies and dragon flies wake up and start to circle, gnats and midges irritate bare legs and sweaty heads, swallows and swifts begin to swoop and dart, taking out large numbers of those insects as the food cycle begins its daily churn. The dawn chorus of birdsong rises in direct relation to the increasing light, the mechanical grating of the cicadas rasps more loudly, the water begins to plop and ripple as fish leap up to devour unsuspecting flies. Another day is dawning for Mother Nature.
While the natural world commences its daily business, the humans are here to see the sunrise, and pretty special it is, too, when it comes: the blazing orange ball rising right behind the towers, peeping around and above and casting both shadows and reflections on to the lake. No wonder this is a must-do: it’s a spectacular and beautiful sight well worth venturing out in the early hours for. Great experience, and all before breakfast.
We learn that Angkor Wat is one of those rare places where the barren time of COVID was put to good use. During the two dead years the authorities bulldozed all the restaurants, dug up the car park, cleared the entire area and planted a forest of new trees. New restaurants, souvenir shops and a replacement car park were then created several hundred yards further away from the temple, giving visitors a much longer walk but sensibly protecting the environment and all the history which exists here.
The sunrise is fabulous, the dawn fascinating, but Siem Reap holds an interest at the other end of the day too. Whilst the temples deliver their morning spectacular, the town itself delivers something worth seeing at sundown: not the sunset itself, but the sight of the colony of giant fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, leaving their daytime haunts in the trees near the Royal Palace to feed on the wing as darkness falls. There’s something undeniably sinister about these shadowy, oversized creatures, both in open winged flight and when sleeping upside down.
Everything we read tells us how it would be possible to spend a week exploring the temples of Angkor and still not see everything, and as we spend more sultry hours wandering around different parts of the site, it’s hard to argue. Just one of the temples, Angkor Thom, is a perfect square with four 3km long sides – big enough in its own right – but it’s really as you explore the other less visited temples nearby that you really get to comprehend the sheer scale of everything.
Angkor Wat is the most spectacular and the most recognisable, Angkor Thom is the largest by area, Ta Phrom is impressively grand, but Preah Khan reaches out an astonishing distance in all of four different directions. Here, in relative peace with the crowds thronging the two main sites, ancient trees again choke the stonework, stupas and linga punctuate the corridors and carvings tell of battles between good and evil, right and wrong.
Often leaving the main routes, we discover relic after amazing relic, structure after amazing structure. Michaela muses at one stage that we’ve now seen an awful lot – in fact she says we’ve seen Angkor Thom, Cobbley, and all. She can be very witty sometimes. Thunder rumbles menacingly around the mountains as if something has disturbed the ancient Gods. Michaela’s irreverent humour, probably. Sarim says no, there is no storm coming and it won’t rain today – the rains are another month away yet.
The Phare Circus in Siem Reap is a highly commendable concept: a school of the arts giving opportunities to large numbers of underprivileged Cambodian youngsters. Originally the brainchild of a group of young adults returning home from refugee camps, the project has been an enormous success, growing to provide career opportunities for hundreds of otherwise deprived youngsters throughout the Siem Reap and Battambang areas. The show we witness is truly superb, an hour’s worth of acrobatics, dance moves, traditional music and choreography, with humour ever present. These kids are good.
Phare’s full name is Phare Ponleu Selpak, which translates as “The Brightness Of The Arts”, and the joy on the faces of the performers is a brightness in itself. It’s very satisfying to know that our ticket fee is contributing to this wonderful concept, but, in any event, the show is so very entertaining that it would be money well spent even without the altruism. The hour in the big top passes extremely quickly.
Our intended last trip from Siem Reap, to a silk farm, is thwarted when we discover that the farm sadly hasn’t reopened since the pandemic, having had no way of supporting its 1,100 strong staff when income dried up. We guess a silk farm isn’t something you can just simply reopen when it’s been abandoned for two years.
Siem Reap has been a hugely satisfying place, offering more than the magnificent temples which are its obvious claim to fame. It has a pace dictated by the heat and humidity, a conviviality dictated by tourist levels and a vibe dictated by the calm personality of the Khmer people. And the food…oh, the food.
We bid farewell to Sarim, wave goodbye to Siem Reap’s welcoming streets and start preparing for the next stage of this adventure. From here we head somewhere which promises to be a real change…..
23 Comments
Toonsarah
I’m so loving following you on this journey, with memories of our own visit three years ago but also much that we didn’t see, as we weren’t there for nearly so long (three days in Siem Reap, for instance). It’s good to hear that the authorities made such good use of the time of enforced closure. I remember how close the restaurants were to Angor Wat – perhaps not right on top of it, but certainly not very distant either.
Phil & Michaela
Cheers Sarah…we’ve actually heard another side to that story now, will try and include in a later post. Loved Siem Reap, felt very content there.
Monkey's Tale
I’m glad to read the spent the Covid days wisely and took care of the grounds. I still remember breakfast at one of the dingy restaurants after watching the sunrise. The circus would have been great to see. It looks kind of Cirque du Soleil ish. Wondering what’s next…..
Phil & Michaela
We’ve learned a bit more about that redevelopment, will try and include it in a future post.
grandmisadventures
What an incredible moment to watch that progression into a new day as it comes over the top of the temples. Moments like that are like touching the divine briefly. And the circus looks amazing and bright and fun 🙂
Phil & Michaela
Siem Reap was a great few days, loved our time there
wetanddustyroads
Wow … how incredibly beautiful it is! What a privilege to witness such a special sunrise. It really looks like Siem Reap was a good visit – the heat and humidity may have been intense, but I believe it is a visit you will remember for a long time to come.
Phil & Michaela
You’re right, a special day in a special place, I think we’ll always remember Siem Reap
Mike and Kellye Hefner
The sunrise was definitely worth getting up early! I have enjoyed your trek around Siem Reap, and now I’m anxiously awaiting your next stop. I’m sure it will be fabulous as you two adventurers are always full of surprises. Safe travels!
Phil & Michaela
It was great in Siem Reap – and yes, the next location was very different
Lookoom
Angkor also left a strong impression on me, I would have liked to have had more than a week to continue exploring the less frequented places outside the big temples. The sunrise is wonderful, I only remember clouds, day after day.
Phil & Michaela
We got lucky in that sense, for sure – clear skies every day. It as though sensationally hot, we really had to pace ourselves. Gallons of water at the ready.
Alison
Fantastic photos. You certainly did it justice. I love the way Cambodia has all these opportunities for the youngsters like the circus. We went to training restaurants also, great service and food.
Michaela sounds like she keeps you amused 😂
Phil & Michaela
She sure does. We really enjoyed Siem Reap, very happy there
Gilda Baxter
The sunrise truly is magical there. I am glad they have made improvements and ways to protect these incredible temples.
We loved Siem Reap, it is lovely to re-visit it vicariously with you guys.
Phil & Michaela
We loved it too, Gilda, felt very content there even with the extreme heat. Loved it!
leightontravels
Ah, you crossed off some of Siem Reap’s greatest hits. I remember well my own insane early rise in order to see the sun come up at Angkor Wat. Pretty damn special, and one occasion where, as you say, the large crowds don’t spoil things. Hushed tones and all the rest of it. Generally I would have no interest in visiting a “circus” but of course the one in Siem Reap is a whole different experience. And does such admirable work with the local community. The food… the food… the food… I miss it all. Safe travels, looking forward to seeing where you turn up next.
Phil & Michaela
We’re the same, re the circus. We didn’t have the slightest interest until we read the philosophy, then it was a case of “must go”. Well worth it too,
Latitude Adjustment: A Tale of Two Wanderers
Another great post!
Wandering Canadians
These are such beautiful pictures to capture the beauty of Angkor Wat as the sun rises. It all looks spectacular! Glad to hear that they were productive during the pandemic and were able to use that time to make improvements.
Phil & Michaela
Well worth the early start!
rkrontheroad
Glad to see more of Siem Reap through your post. I didn’t have much time there (but did catch that unique sunrise).
Annie Berger
Even Steven who hates getting up early thought the sunrise was well worth missing a few hours of sleep. Thanks for reminding us of the awe-inspiring temples at Angkor Wat.