Cambodia, specifically Siem Reap, is one of the most interesting places you can visit in Asia.
I’ve been to many countries on this side of the world, and let me assure you that
Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Taprohm, are all temples you’ll remember forever, these are the 3 Must-See Temples in Cambodia
The 3 temples I just mentioned are the ones, you cannot miss while being in Siem Reap, there are others.
I’ll give you a more extended list at the end of this post.
But right now let’s dive into these 3 beauties.
Angkor Wat
It’s definitely imposing, one of the first things you’ll say when you reach this temple is WOW!!!.
This is one of the largest religious monuments in the world, and it’s also a UNESCO world heritage site.
It was declared such in 1992. One of the criteria for a site to be included in the world heritage list is
“To represent a masterpiece of human creativity”
This place certainly is a masterpiece.
And to think that they built it during the 12th century, with no modern like tools, and built completely out of gigantic stone bricks is just crazy.
HOW DID THEY DO IT?
The whole site was built using 5 to 10 million stone bricks, each one weighing around 1,500 kilograms.
According to some experts, the stones were carried to the site by means of hundreds of water canals.
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Others say that’s not possible and that there is only one possible answer, ALIENS!!
Whatever the way was, the place is breathtaking and you’ll certainly enjoy walking around these ruins.
Take a look at some pictures.
Bayon Temple
The second one in this list of 3 Must-See Temples in Cambodia
The temple of the many faces. This temple was also built by the Khmer empire by the end of the 12th century.
It was built to worship Buddha, and its most distinctive feature is the many faces. There are a total of 216, and surprisingly the faces don’t represent buddha’s face.
Many scholars actually believe that the faces are supposed to resemble the one of Jayavarman VII, the king who built the temple.
Walking around this site, you’ll see many galleries, scenes of the everyday life of the Khmer people engraved on the stone walls.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any kind of text accompanying the images.
So many things are left to imaginations when trying to figure out what most of the images mean.
Here you can take a look at some pictures.
Ta Prohm Temple
Without a doubt, the most impressive characteristic of this temple is the trees’ huge roots growing all-around what’s left of what once was a Mahayana Buddhist monastery, and also a university.
This temple, just like the other 2 I already mentioned, is a UNESCO heritage site.
And unlike the other 2, Ta Prohm is pretty much in the same conditions as it was found. There is a restoration program already on its way.
Interesting fact, apparently a lot of tourists refer to this temple as “Tomb Raider”, you know because of the movie of Angelina Jolie,
The Tuk Tuk drivers will understand where you wanna go if you say:
Please take me to the Tomb Raider temple, guaranteed!!!
Let me show you some more pictures
So there you have it, the 3 Must See Temples in Cambodia, specifically in Siem Reap.
Other Temples people like to visit are
- Angkor Thom
- Ba Phuon Temple
- Preah Khan
- Terrace of the Elephants
- Phnom Bakheng
- Prasat Bantaey Srei
- Koh Ker
Since I want this post to be more than just the 3 Must See Temples in Cambodia, I’ve added this helpful section,
Some Questions People Have Asked Me
How Do You Move Around?
Angkor city is big, and the most popular way to get around is by Tuk Tuk
As you can see, the place is big, walking from temple to temple is not a smart idea, especially if you’re not in shape.
Riding bikes might be an interesting way to get around, but remember is gonna be hot.
Most likely you’ll be sweating nonstop.
Plus you gotta take care of your bike. Remember that, in some temples, you’ll have the chance to climb on pyramid-like structures.
And I’m not sure if you can just park your bike somewhere, and then expect it to be there when you return.
A Tuk Tuk driver will charge you around USD 15 to drive you around all day long.
They will take you to Temple A, wait for you outside for as long as you wish, and then take you to Temple B and so on until they drop you back at your hotel, hostel or anywhere else.
Also, while you guys are riding from temple to temple, you can ask the tuk tuk driver to stop for a while.
Maybe to take a picture of the city’s gates or just to admire the beauty of the countryside.
How Do You Find a Tuk-Tuk Driver?
You can either ask someone at the front desk of your hotel to get one for you or just go out on the streets and find one.
It’s no big deal, if you’re gonna be exploring the ruins for more than 1 day, the same Tuk Tuk driver can go and pick you up again on the next day and so on, as long as you pay them they’ll agree.
Do I Have to Pay to Explore the Ruins?
The answer is YES, you have to pay, prices were increased a the beginning of 2017 and this is what they look like now.
- 1-day pass US $37
- 3 days pass US $62
- 7 days pass US $72
If you buy a 3 days or 7 days pass, it doesn’t mean you have to do all your visits one day after the other.
The 3 days pass has a validity of 10 days from the moment of the purchase, and the 7 days pass has a validity of one month, so no need to rush.
Where Do You Get The Pass?
You have to go to the Angkor Wat Ticket Office, they’re open Monday to Sunday from 5 AM to 5:30 PM, and how do you get there?
Don’t worry your Tuk Tuk driver will take you there so you can buy the pass before going to visit the temples, they know the drill.
When you’re applying for your pass, make sure you have your passport with you.
They’ll take a picture of your face and print it on your pass, you’ll have to wear it around your neck every time you visit a temple, make sure you don’t lose it.
Is Siem Reap, Angkor Safe?
Yes, it is, I was there for almost a week, I was spending my days visiting temples and at night visiting the souvenir and local markets plus hitting the bars and clubs.
I didn’t feel threatened at all.
The temples are located in jungle areas, so from time to time, you’ll find yourself walking around trees and bushes and rocks on the sides, as if you’re so far away from civilization, but at no time I felt any kind of threat.
What’s the Nightlife Like?
It’s nice and very affordable, there is no better way to end the day than to go to the Pub Street and have some beer and local food.
The place is packed with different restaurants, bars and shops, you’ll see foreigners everywhere, and you’ll also see buy 1 get 1 free on beers for sure.
You’ll even find restaurants offering entertainment like traditional Khmer dances.
Can I Use US dollars in Cambodia?
Yes, all restaurants, bars, shops, and street vendors accept US dollars.
A lot of street food sells for 1 to 3 dollars, so make sure you carry some 1 dollar bills.
If you try to pay with a bill of 20 or above, they might have trouble finding change.
Can I go from Bangkok to Siem Reap by Bus?
Yes, it’s actually very easy, to get to Siem Reap, I took a bus from Bangkok, Thailand.
The ride was around 10 hours, the bus will take you to the Poipet checking point, where you can pay and process a visa on arrival.
Questions and Answers about Thailand
If you want to know more about cross bordering through South East Asia please click here
Cross Bordering South East Asia
Visas for Cambodia
Fortunately visiting the 3 Must See Temples of Cambodia is fairly easy
You don’t have to worry too much about getting a Visa, most nationalities can apply for a visa on arrival.
This means that when you get to Cambodia by land or air.
You’ll fill out a form, show your passport, passport photos and pay a fee and you’ll be in.
For more details please click here
Cost of Living in Cambodia
The cost of living in Cambodia is cheap in comparison with developed western and Asian nations.
As of January 2019 these are the average costs
- The average daily price for traveling in Siem Reap is 32 USD
- Price for one day of food is 11 USD on average
- The average price for a hotel room for a couple is 24 USD
In the following table, you’ll find more information about the cost of food, water, transportation and more in Siem Reap Cambodia.
Their Smart Children
Now before I finish this post, I wanna talk a little bit about a part of Angkor that many times goes unnoticed.
I’m talking about some of the smartest children you’ll ever meet, and that definitely deserve better in life.
These Children have managed to become multilingual as a way of surviving, it’s just insane.
They approach you just like any other child in South East Asia trying to sell something to you, at first you’ll be surprised by their fairly okay English.
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Then they’ll ask you where you’re from and start speaking your native language.
When I told them I’m from Nicaragua and that my native language is Spanish, they started speaking Spanish, and they told me they could speak many languages.
So I asked them to speak Chinese, and they started speaking mandarin, it was impressive.
The reason why they learn all these languages is so they can sell more souvenirs, which is both amazing and sad at the same time.
I ended up buying many of the magnets and key chains they were selling, Did I do the right thing? Did I just encourage this kind of child labor to continue?
These children definitely deserve better.
There you have it the Must See Temples of Cambodia, plus useful information, do you agree with me?