CAMBODIA

SIEM REAP

March 19 – 22, 2012

This was a fascinating place to visit! This archaeoligical ruin was at the center of the Kymer Empire in Indochina that flourished between the 9^th and 13^th century. Today it is a magnificent archaeoligical park.

To get to Siem Reap from Chiang Mai we took a 1 hour flight to Bangkok, waited in the Bangkok Air lounge and took another 1 hour flight to Siem Reap. On all the Bangkok Air 1hr flights we were served a lunch. Going through Immigration and getting our Visa was a breeze. Our picture was taken by the first official and our passport was passed to about 10 other officials and by the time we could walk to the end of the row our passport with picture and visa was waiting for us. Unbelievably easy!

Bangkok Airport

Airport lounges for transiting passengers

Seim Reap Airport

 

The driver from the Siddarta Boutique Hotel picked us up and whisked us to our hotel where we met his son who will be our personal tuk-tuk driver for the time we are there. He will be available to drive us where we would like to go from 6am to 10pm. We registered and off we went to the obtain our 3 day pass and to enter the park. The pass was also made with speed and efficiency.

Our Driver and tuk-tuk

We were off to visit our first ruin – Bayon and back to Angkor Wat for the sunset that never really happened (too much cloud cover).

Pass made in a few minutes

 

Bayon

Angkor Wat

The next 2 1/2 days we will spend the morning touring the sites and then when it becomes very hot in the afternoon we are back at the hotel for relaxation. In the evening we would go and have dinner in the town itself and enjoy the sights. It is quite a lively place as this World Heritage Site is becoming more popular. Hotels are quickly being built.

Angkor Wat

Elephants at Bayon

Ruins at Ta Prohm

Vendor at Ta Prohm - we bought 2 scarves

Bantrey Srei

The Band playing traditional music.  Victims of land mines

Gas station for the motorcycles

One of the many restaurants downtown on Pub Street

  

Motorcycles parked outside of the local market

Feet cleaning by fish

The ruins are very wide spread and you absolutely need transportation to get to them. The roads to the major ruins are in very good shape but some of the lesser roads have potholes. We had a very good driver and he did not take chances as there were pedestrians, bicycles, buses, lots of tuk-tuks, an elephant and motorcyles on these roads. We went through small villages and tourist stands where people were stopped. We were up at 6am, had a very good breakfast at the hotel (it was included) and off to the Park. Our driver was always there waiting for us.

The following are just a sample of the ruins that we saw.

Bantrey Srei

Bantrey Srei

The Hidden Wall

Preah Khan

Hidden Wall dancers

Vendor at Preah Khan

Our flight back to Bangkok on Air Bangkok