Gates to Banteay Kdei and other Angkor Wat, Cambodia Things to Do Tips

Banteay Kdei is the 1st temple I went to on my 1st day in Angkor Park. (Apart from the sunset in Bakheng the day before, but that doesn't really count because it's not the 1st day on my pass yet). Banteay Kdei is just right across Sras Srang, a great place for sunrise. I dunno what's wrong on that day, the sunrise is less than spectacular. Though I've seen pictures taken by my friends, which is simply amazing.
I got up early in the morning, at about 4:45am. About 30 minutes on tuk tuk later. We got to Sras Srang. It's actually a platform with nagas looking out to a lake. When I'm done with the sunrise, crossed the street to Kdei. The temple is not in a really good shape. If time is not on your side, I would say you can go to the next temple.

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Sras Srang is a great place to watch sun rise, well apart from Angkor of course. My 1st day started out being picked up by our tuk-tuk driver at my guest house at 5am. It was pitch black still and the road leading to Sras Srang was also desserted.
Sras Srang, which also means Pool of Ablutions, measuring by 800m by 400m, has a small island in the middle, of which once stood a wooden temple. Now only the stone base remains.
I've seen better pictures of sunrise at Sras Srang. Mine is not as good as those taken by my other friends, but still the stone carvings on the platform provide good subjects to shoot at the sunrise.
Beware of sales-kids too. Again, they provide good photo opportunities.

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Directions: East of Banteay Kdei

Angkor Thom, the ancient city of the Khmer, is surrounded by moats and walls on all sides. The fortified city has 5 gates, standing at 20m in height. One in northen, western, southern and 2 in the eastern wall. The road in front of each gate is flanked by statues of 54 gods and 54 demons, a motif taken from the story of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, as illustraed in the bas-relief in Angkor Wat. Bayon is located right in the center of Angkor Thom.
Along the road that runs through the south gate, you will pass by Baksei Chamkrong and Phnom Bakheng before you get to Angkor Wat.

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This how the moat surrounding Angkor Thom looks like, it is 100m wide. Most of the ruins in Siem Reap has moats around them. The one in Angkor Thom is said to be inhibited by crocodiles .

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One of my favorite temples in Siem Reap, the other being Angkor Wat. Angkor is good to look at from afar, once you're inside, apart from the brilliant Bas relief that spans almost 800m in length, there is nothing much to look at (The uppermost level is a good place to read in the morning, as I did on my intro page).
Bayon is totally different. You can't tell much when you are approaching Bayon from the road. In fact, it is almost like a pile of rubble. But once inside, you will be awed by the faces all over the temples. It's this surreal feeling, walking around and everywhere you turn, these faces looking at you, smilling gracefully.
I stopped by Bayon twice on different day but due to bad time management almost the same time in 2 days. I should have go to Bayon in the morning and see the sun lighting up the faces one by one as it moves higher up in the horizon.

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I told you Bayon look like a pile of rubble from afar, didn't I? Look closely and you can see the smilling faces. Look really, really close.

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Bayon has great Bas-reliefs. There are 2 galleries, the inner gallery and outter gallery. I missed the inner gallery on my 1st visit, went back there the following day for it. Reading Lonely Planet staring at the Bas-reliefs could take a good hour at the minimum. Plan your time wisely.
The outter wall depict scenes of everyday life in ancient Khmer.

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Directions: Right in the middle of Angkor Thom

Bakheng is really, really crowded during sunset. Perhaps luck wasn't on my side. The sunset that day from Bakheng is merely "so-so". But you can get to see Angkor Wat from Bakheng, a very remarkable view of Angkor from afar indeed.
I missed it on my 1st visit to Bakheng. I went back there on the final day of my pass at noon to get this picture. To my surprise, apart from the ticket guards, there is not a single tourist soul on Bakheng at that time. Bakheng is like a haunted temple, it's only me, the ticket guards way far at the entrance and some stray dogs. If I see a black cat there, I swear to god I would have get outta there like bats from hell.

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Angkor Wat has so much to offer. You can practically spend your entire day around the temple area. The pond to the left of Angkor is great for sunrise/sunset, Angkor looks diffrent throughout the day. (Click here to see what I mean.) Sunrise is kewl but I prefer sunset. You wouldn't want to miss it. Angkor is an interesting and a fun place to be in the rain too. See my General Tips for pictures and stories.

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Angkor is like Angelina Jolie, she looks good anytime of the day and she makes any guy on the street taking pictures with her as if he is Brad Pitt. *LOL*

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