Siem Reap in Two Days

This past spring we had the amazing opportunity to visit Siem Reap, which is just over two hours by flight from Singapore. Siem Reap is world famous for its Ankor Wat complex, which was built during the time of the Khmer empire at the end of the 12th century and absolutely does not disappoint! Although I had dreamed of visiting Angkor Wat one day, I never in my wildest dreams imagined it would be so beautiful and unlike what I have ever seen. 

Angkor Wat is the perfect place to explore for hours at a time, with lots of nooks and crannies, sprawling jungle and ancient structures that remind you of how insignificant you are in a humbling way. Meandering through these awesome ruins is a reminder that even the greatest of civilizations follow a cyclical path. What goes up must come down. What I delightfully discovered is that the complex is filled with hundreds of smaller temples, each unique and memorable. It is absolutely worth visiting as many temples as possible aside from the main one and when I look back on our trip, I have particularly lovely memories of “discovering” various ruins like an archaeologist! Especially with the smaller temples you will find yourself often times completely alone. 

From Singapore, Angkor Wat is an easy weekend trip. We decided to travel right at the beginning of their rainy season. I highly suggest this because the weather is much cooler and there are less tourists. Many people I spoke to who have been to Angkor Wat warned me of the crowds – but we really lucked out because of our decision.

Navutu Dreams Hotel

Apparently, according to my husband, I have a knack for choosing great hotels including where we stayed in Siem Reap, Navutu Dreams Resort and Wellness! The resort has a rambling garden, two beautiful infinity pools, as well as cheerful rooms with round windows and a luxe bath tub. Although Navutu is a five star hotel, like many resorts in South East Asia, it was absolutely affordable at $148 per night. We even got upgraded upon check-in to the Grand Double Room, which is spacious (huge bathroom, sitting area, patio, and beautiful bathtub overlooking an interior, private garden).

The breakfasts were delicious – for mains you can choose either Western or Cambodian (definitely recommend this)! They also serve breakfast pastries, fresh fruits and juices along with every meal.  After each day it was also so nice to be able to take a dip in the pool to relax. Whatever you do, make sure your resort has a chill area and a pool because you end up walking a LOT in the heat! 

Main Complex

On our first day we hired a guide and driver to take us around from temple to temple. This is essential because the entire complex is so huge. The main complex is what you usually see in pictures but in reality it is only one of many. We took a tuk tuk rather than a car, which I also advise! It’s really fun to ride al fresco especially when it is hot out. To view the entire complex you need to purchase an all-access ticket. They offer day or multi-day options. Since we were going to be there for two whole days we purchased the 3-day at $62. Oddly enough, they don’t offer 2-day tickets (probably not a coincidence…) so we had to pay more than we should have! If it rains and your paper ticket gets wet and illegible, you will need to purchase a new one. So make sure your backpack is at least semi-waterproof and keep the ticket safe. Note: every temple complex you go to the guards will be checking your pass!

I absolutely suggest you begin with the main complex in the morning. Lots of people like to view the sunrise from here but it was overcast the whole time we were there and honestly, it’s probably beautiful but not a must do. I hear in may cases it is also overcrowded.

Highly suggest you bring the following items for your day of exploration:

Sunglasses

Hat or umbrella (parasol)

Semi-waterproof backpack

Water bottle(s)

A snack

Sunscreen (make sure you reapply!)

Comfortable sneakers

Smaller Complexes

After viewing the main complex, we proceeded to visit some smaller ones. I personally enjoyed the side-trips to smaller temples as they were each so unique and memorable. The second day we continued to view these smaller temples. Here are my top three favorite:

Bayon

This temple is particularly noteworthy for its “faces” carved into the top “spires” of the complex. There are multiple faces that can be viewed from different angles as you explore the inner sanctum, which makes it fascinating. I couldn’t enough of some of the carvings, which remain in impeccable condition with so much detail. Bayon has a labyrinth-like feel to it, particularly the further you go in. From the outside it all looks very impressive. However ancient Angkor Wat is, you can see that these temples continue to be worshipped by the local people even today, which is truly special. When we visited there were incense and various offerings laid outside and within the temple.

Preah Khan

This temple complex is best known for the incredible trees that have sprouted and sprawled themselves atop the buildings over time! What a powerful metaphor for nature’s power and a salient reminder that we are all inevitably a part of nature. There is one specific tree, growing on the roof of a temple ruin that is especially famous (top left photo). But I found that there are plenty of other parts of Preah Khan that are just as (if not more) incredible and without crowds. As I was walking through Preah Khan, what I realized was although these ruins are indisputably ancient, the jungles surrounding them are much older. Isn’t that a marvelous thought?

Pre Rup

The very last temple complex we visited was also quite unique and built by Khmer king Rajendravarman in 961 or 962. What makes Pre Rup stand out is its glorious, reddish color. Mind you, the main stairway is quite steep and has no handrails. Although i’ve watched various monks and locals climbing upright (the normal way) I ended up climbing up (embarrassingly) on all fours. Although the climb is a bit unnerving the view is really something (check out photo at the top of this post). FYI once you get to the top you will notice there are no railings at all – be careful. The lion statues perched on all four corners are quite beautiful. After viewing Pre Rup we were quite exhausted and headed back to our resort. A dip in the pool was in order and was a perfectly wonderful way to end the day. That and some cool coconut water! 

Have you been to Siem Reap before? Which temples were your favorites? How many smaller temple complexes did you manage to hit?