What to see on a day trip to Angkor, Cambodia
When the temples of Angkor are mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind for most people is Angkor Wat. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Cambodia. Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire, flourishing from about the 9th to the 15th century. Now it lies in beautiful, serene ruins that are scattered throughout the countryside. When visiting Cambodia, this is the main thing you need to see.
The first thing you should know about visiting the temples of Angkor is that these ruins span 154 square miles and consist of approximately 72 major temples or other buildings. Therefore, if you decide to explore the area, you need to set aside more than one day. You will definitely need transport to move from temple to temple, as they are scattered throughout the territory. Also don't forget to buy a ticket. But, if you only have time for a day trip, you should know which temples to visit in such a short time in Angkor.
This temple became the backdrop for the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Here you can see trees growing right out of the ruins. While many of the passageways have remained intact, some are in ruins to show you the degradation that time has had on these fantastic structures. This incredible temple stretches for miles of inner and outer passageways.
Angkor Thom
Angkor Thom is made up of several different temples and sites.
The Bayon is an impressive temple that you can climb up to see the many faces carved into it. It is said that there used to be about 200 faces stationed around the structure, but then time took away many of them.
Bapuon has a bridge that greets people as it rises from the fields surrounding it. This temple seems almost magical. Around it, small yellow butterflies flutter on the ground and in the greenery. It seems that nature has painted it and added beauty to it. There are steep stairs that you can climb to look down at the surrounding rocks and greenery.
Pimeanakas is located very close to the temple, and admires the sculptures of animals that stand here on every corner.
The fact that this structure still stands so tall and proud, with details of the art still carved into it, is amazing. There is also a moat that surrounds this amazing structure. After going deeper through the green grass, one can reach the main temple. It is the largest religious monument in the world.
And you can climb the topmost tower, which offers views of all sides of the amazing architecture. What is most striking is how detailed the carvings on the stones are. Many magical creatures, people and scenes have been carved into the granite and have stood the test of time.