Angkor Wat - Temple of Doom?!

Harajuku · Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 1

Anyone been to Angkor Wat recently? Just read this article which makes it sound like a bit of a tourist hell-hole:

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=2&subID=529

Any tips on avoiding the overcrowding - when is a good time to go? And can anyone recommend a nice place in Siem Reap?

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

That's just pretty much hype! Sure, wherever you go in Southeast Asia you're going to see women selling their bodies, conclaves of seedy bars where party-minded foreigners hang out and the occasional guy selling drugs. So what? If you avoid those distractions, you can absorb a great deal of culture and history in a fascinating setting. If you're one who's paranoid about having to encounter/deal with these types, then you can always opt to stay home.

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

I was in Siem Reap last September, and it was great. Of course, I'm not the kind of party person who wanders the streets in search of cheap drinks and bar girls. Still, I went out to eat at night at several places in town, and never felt unsafe. When you go out at night, wear bug repellent because there are little fleas and gnats that will eat your ankles off while you sit in a nice cool outdoor cafe having drinks or dinner!

Anyway, there are some tricks to avoiding crowds at Angkor Wat. One is to go during the rainy season when there are fewer people. The temples are very mysterious and atmospheric then, too. I saw an exhibit of some amazing rainy season photgraphs of the temples that was just incredible.

Another idea is to pick your main temple to go to each day, the one that is most important to you, and head there first as early as you can in the morning. Rent motorcycles or hire a tuk-tuk and driver or a car. That way you'll be there before the organized tours get going, and can move at your own pace.

As far as place to stay, there are so many in so many price ranges that it's difficult to go wrong. Cocodrilo probably knows a few guest houses that are great. The times I've gone, someone else has paid for it, so I ended up staying at high-end hotels. They are about as safe (and boring) as you can get.

Really, about the only thing I didn't like about Siem Reap was that it was so darn hot and humid the two times I was there (once in September, and once in December) that my sunscreen just melted off! And it was supposed to be sweat-proof! Maybe in North America, but not when faced with SE Asian weather!

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

Last December when I was there it was quite cool in the morning and at night(so cool in fact that I had to wear my fleece jacket every night when going out!). I also traveled around on the back of a moto and the wind-chill factor added to that. The breeze was fabulous mid-day though, when the day got pretty warm! (not half as hot as a summer in Japan, BTW, but I was only there for 4 days) You can avoid the throngs of Asian thourists by getting up at the crack of dawn and being AT the temple you wish to explore in solitude AT 8:00am! The drivers know the preferred tourist routes, so they can divert you to places to avoid them. I saw no groups at all (one noisy group of nouveau-riche Koreans came in as I was leaving the Bayon, thank gawd) with the exception of Angkor Wat, but that place is always bustling with visitors. If you climb to the top, (watch those steep steps, woo-hoo!) you can have some solitude, and catch great views from the top. I recommend bug repellent containing DEET plus mosquito coils for your room or when hanging out at cafes drinking Angkor (or Anchor!) Beer. Siem Reap is not short of good, clean guesthouses ranging from $10-$20 a night with breakfast.