Wake up early this morning to depart before dawn to see the amazing sunrise at Angkor Wat, a must do on any trip to Siem Reap, the pre-dawn view provides a different and tranquil feeling in the cool of the morning. We will return to your hotel in time for Breakfast.
The day is started with a visit to Angkor Thom the ancient royal city of the Khmer Empire with its centre piece; the Bayon temple. Although it may look like a shapeless mass of stone, further scrutiny reveals towers with enigmatic faces of former King Jayavarman VII. Continue to the Terrace of the Elephants, which served as a platform from where the King could welcome back his victorious army and the Terrace of the Leper King, which holds perfect carvings winding along a narrow passage way that leads to the Baphuon complex.
Next head to the picturesque Ta Prohm. This temple is considered to be Angkor’s most beautiful structure and is overgrown with fig trees, giving a haunting yet exotic atmosphere. The magnificent roots of the trees have merged itself over the centuries with the temple’s huge stone blocks, emphasizing a ‘forgotten city’ feeling.
Enjoy Lunch at a local restaurant within the temple compound, adjacent to the ancient royal baths of Srah Srang, before continuing to Angkor Wat.
This afternoon, visit the most famous of all the temples on the Angkor plain: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s five tower symbolize Meru’s five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat symbolizes the ocean beyond.
