Our Itinerary – Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Our Itinerary – Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Angkor Wat, Cambodia

We kept to a leisurely pace during our three days at Angkor Wat. This way we didn’t tire of seeing ruin upon ruin and didn’t get too sunburned from long days hiking around. Many guidebooks suggest other itineraries; this one was presented by Thea, our tuk-tuk driver:

Playing with the Ponies

Day 1: South Gate of Angkor Thom. Central Angkor Thom (including Bayon, Baphoun, Phimeanakas, Terrace of the Leper King and Terrace of the Elephants). Lunch at an eatery near Bayon. Angkor Wat after 3:30 p.m. (when the lighting is better). Sunset at Phnom Bakheng.

Day 2: Sunrise at Angkor Wat. Bantey Kdei. Ta Prohm. Ta Keo. Bantey Srei.

Day 3: Sunrise at Angkor Wat. Pre Rup. Neak Pean. Prah Khan. Repeat visits to any temples of our choice.

Monks at Angkor Wat

Getting an early start for two days helped us hit the most impressive temples early in the morning, when fewer people were around. Keep your eyes peeled for the aspects of Angkor Wat that make a visit there so special. We had fun playing with the ponies (which are usually dressed in traditional costume) that pose for pictures near Angkor Wat’s inner walkway, as well as feeding the wild (and potentially dangerous) monkeys, which then overran our tuk-tuk. Also, the temples are a great place to run into monks. They were incredibly polite and exceedingly willing to pose for photos.