From Phuket, we flew to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Our principal attraction was Angkor Wat. One can buy a 3 day pass for $62, which covers a number of attractions around Siem Reap.
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world, built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple and later transformed into a Buddhist site. Angkor Wat was constructed between 1113 and 1150 CE, taking about three decades to build. It was originally built as a grand Hindu state temple dedicated to Vishnu and intended as a funerary mausoleum for the king. From the late 13th century onward, the complex gradually transitioned into a Buddhist site as Khmer rulers embraced Buddhism.
After Angkor Wat, our next visit was to Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom (meaning “Great City”) in Cambodia was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer Empire. King Jayavarman VII built the city in the late 12th century (around 1181–1200 AD) after reclaiming the capital from Cham invaders.
After visiting Angkor Thom Temple, we visited the Bayon temple, The terrace of Elephants, The Preah Khan Temple, and lastly the Ta Prohm Temple.
On our second day, we did a tour outside of Siem Reap. We visited the Banteay Srei, Shiva Parvati temple, the Kulen Waterfalls, the 1000 lingas in the river, the sleeping Buddha temple and lastly Prasat Beng Mealea temple (which is in total ruins).
Overall we really enjoyed our trip to Siem Reap, especially going through the history of the various temples.
