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Visit to Angkor Wat Recharges the Spirit
Waking up before dawn in Saigon, Vietnam, today I would venture into Cambodia. Cambodia was a land I had heard so much about and had only dreamed of ever getting to visit.
Crossing into Cambodia was like entering a different world, though. Immediately things were not like in Vietnam. The bus ventured on for another seven hours to Siem Riep, the small but charming town that accommodates visitors to the magnificent and awe-inspiring Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat
I had heard so much about Angkor Wat over the years of my life that is seemed more like a place in myth rather than in reality. I wanted to see it for myself to determine whether all the things I had heard about its magnificence were indeed true.
Angkor Wat temple
Angkor was actually more than just temples. As in any other city, there were houses, shops, medical facilities, and government offices. But only temples were considered important enough to be made of stone. All the other structures were made of wood and have long since ceased to exist. Only the temples, and a library building, remain today.
The spiritual feeling that the visitor to the temple gets is indescribable. I am not a religious person, but I cannot deny that I felt such an intense measure of peace and well being there that I sensed some kind of divine presence. It was so strong that I did not want to leave the temple. It really does capture your spirit and takes your breath away.
There is something magical about some places on earth, and Angkor Wat is certainly one of them.
My words are futile, worthless really. For what words can give life to such a powerful creation, something that is really larger than life itself, and certainly beyond words?
After such a great, uplifting experience exploring Angkor Wat and the other temples, the tour group decided they wanted to explore a floating village on a small river flowing from the gigantic Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake.
A floating village on the Tonle Sap River
It was yet another interesting adventure in this exotic land. None of the structures that comprise the village – houses, shops, schools, and even a library – was built on land. Every facility was actually a boat that constantly floated on the river. The fluidity and detachment of this village stood in marked contrast to the seeming permanence of the temples of Angkor.
Source: hubpages.com
Wandering around it makes you feel a little like Indiana Jones. 
If you are the type that enjoys the uncommon vacation and exploring areas of the world that most do not, I have some ideas for you in travelling to Vietnam and Cambodia.
How about flying into Bangkok, Thailand and exploring this fascinating Asian city before moving on to Angkor Wat in northern Cambodia followed by a visit to Vietnam.
Fly on to Siem Reap in Cambodia from Bangkok. Here is the mystical temple complex of Angkor. You will have the opportunity to visit the new Angkor National Museum, which showcases the Golden Age of the Khmer Era.
A guide will walk you through the temple complex which is vast and set in the outskirts of jungle. Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom are former temples with carved smiling faces and detailed bas-reliefs depicting scenes of everyday life in the 12th century.
Angkor Thom, Cambodia
There will also be the opportunity to visit Ta Prohm, a haunting, jungle-bound temple. Angkor Thom was hidden from the outside world until the earlier part of the 20th century until French explorers found the area and put together a work force to clear the jungle overgrowth. Later other countries sent people to assist in the work. It is now open to visit for your exploration.
Angkor Wat was constructed between the 9th and 13th century. It is revered as one of the world’s most impressive temple sites.
I have had the pleasure to visit Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom twice in my lifetime and for me it is second only to the antiquities in Egypt.
On the outskirts of Angkor Wat is Angteay Srei temple, a true jewel of Khmer art. Its red sandstone walls, decorated with elaborate carvings, are amazingly preserved.
You will also have the opportunity to see Preah Khan, originally a Buddist monastery, now a temple showcasing elaborate carvings.
You can even set sail on Tonie Sap, the great lake of Angkor Wat. There are communities that live and work on the lake and you can see the population in their daily lives.
Next, I suggest your flying on to Hanoi in Vietnam. Here, you will also need to be part of an organized tour unless you choose to hire a private guide and automobile.
A guide will inform you about Vietnam’s economy, which has come up since the war. I just purchased a pair of shoes and I looked inside to see where they were made — Vietnam!
While there, step inside the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. At One Pillar Pagoda is seen Vietnamese history spanning a thousand years.
In Hanoi, explore the old quarter, revered as a jewel of Hanoi because of its idyllic setting around pristine Hoan Kiem Lake and the nearby labyrinthine streets dedicated to regional merchandise.
One night, book a seat at the famous Vietnam Water Puppet Theatre.
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Kayaking tour in Halong Bay, Vietnam
With so much to take in, travellers arriving in Vietnam will want to arrange their transport as early as possible. Trains are perhaps the most comfortable way of travelling around the country, although there is only one major line; that linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, a journey that takes around 30 hours to complete.
Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Buses are a cheaper option, with intercity services tending to depart at the crack of dawn in order to beat the morning rush. Services take a while, however, so be prepared to give up a day or two here and there for travelling. Once you've arrived at your chosen destination, you will certainly want to get out and explore your surroundings; in which case, car rental might be an option worth considering.
While hiring your own car is only possible in Vietnam's main cities, you can hire a vehicle with a driver elsewhere. So, not only will you avoid having to negotiate the country's often hectic road network, you will be able to take advantage of local knowledge, possibly discovering places a little off the beaten track and learning a bit of Vietnamese along the way.
The Far East is a long way to travel, so there's no reason to limit your trip to a single country. Neighbouring Cambodia is another nation that has fully embraced tourism. Fortunately, then, there are a number of Vietnam and Cambodia tours for travellers to take advantage of.
Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia
Angkor Wat is arguably the jewel in Cambodia's crown. The huge temple complex, one of the finest examples of classical Khmer architecture, has become the nation's symbol. Dating back to the 12th century, Angkor Wat is the World's largest religious building and has pride of place on Cambodia's flag.
While Cambodia is awash with culture and historical artefacts, travellers will inevitably want some downtime during their Far Eastern adventure. Sihanoukville, known among tourists as Snookyville, is a popular seaside town and home to the country's best beaches. Seemingly becoming more popular as each year passes, Sihanoukville was recently referred to by the New York Times as "Asia's next trendsetting beach".
Seemingly a million miles away, Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, is referred to as one of the Far East's remaining undiscovered destinations. Despite being deeply affected by war and revolution, Phnom Penh is a city of optimism and colour; a place of Buddhists, spice markets and a burgeoning economy. It's likely you'll visit the city during your Cambodian adventure, and while the inevitable assault on the senses may exhaust you, it's certainly worth spending a day or two here.
No visit to the eastern corner of Asia can be complete without seeing some of the region's wildlife, so a visit to the 1,581 sq km Bokor National Park comes highly recommended. Home to green peafowl, chestnut-headed partridge and even tigers, the park is well worth a visit, even if it's just to see the deserted French hill station, Bokor, that it contains.
Vietnam and Cambodia are two nations opening their arms to tourism. Why not discover each country next year before everyone else does?
The ruin in the deep jungle, Cambodia
In the ruin of a 1000-year old temple hidden in deep jungle of Phnom Kuleane Mountain, 70 km from Siem Reap, Cambodia, a British journalist is captured and tortured badly by some Khmer rouge soldiers. The journalist has a mission of searching for a treasure that is believed to keep a great power which can open the door to future and could change the future of the world. The journalist has the coordinates where the treasure is hidden and he was kidnapped when he arrived in Siem Reap. The Khmer rouge soldiers base in the jungle of Phnom Kuleane and is also looking for the treasure in order to get back their power. They are informed about the journalist’s journey by their secret agent. And that happen… a team of commandos is sent to the Phnom Kuleane to free the journalist and help him to complete his mission. The commandos fly in on helicopter and land 9 km from the ruin, they walk through jungle, crossing stream, abseiling big rock to reach the ruin. They camp 1 km near the ruin under a big tree and sleep in hammocks. After settling and eating the commandos quietly approach the ruin, they used night vision to locate all the positions and plan for the attack the next day.
The commandos are ready for the rescue
The hammock which they slept
A hostage is captured
And the guns in the battle
Refer to Telegraph, travelers wanting to head to this part of the world should not be deterred: the region’s newer, less well explored destinations – Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos – have an immense amount to offer – including breathtaking landscapes, timeless rivers (not least the Mekong), world-class ruins – and diverse minority tribes.
Why go Cambodia
This is a country proud of its ancient beginnings but recovering from a dark, more recent past.
Around two million people a year come to visit the great Khmer temple complex at Angkor and the tourism industry has mushroomed to accommodate them. Hidden in the jungle are the majestic corncob towers and lily-pond moat of Angkor Wat, hundreds of smiling stone faces at Bayon, and romantic Ta Prohm, left as it was discovered, with moss-covered reliefs buckling under the stranglehold of overgrown trees.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Phnom Penh is a city that is fast rejuvenating, with boutique shops and new bars springing up along the riverside. Sights include the Royal Palace, whose gilded pagodas are similar to those in Bangkok. For those wanting to understand the horrors endured under Pol Pot’s regime, the Tuol Sleng Museum and collection of bones at the Killing Fields offer a sobering lesson.
The Cambodian coastline hugs the wild Cardamom Mountains in the west and curls past down-at-heel Sihanoukville to the more appealing resort of Kep, close to the Vietnamese border. Both are jumping-off points for trips to unspoilt islands ringed with golden sand. Kep was once a wealthy retreat, and some of its villas have reopened as chic hotels. Foodies should try local seafood and Kampot pepper crab at the crab market – a row of shacks on the water’s edge.
Tip: Experience rural life on a slow boat across the Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in south-east Asia, passing bird-filled wetlands, rickety fishing boats and villagers waving excitedly from the shore.
Active Travel Cambodia (see above) offers a “Cambodia highlight” tour flying into Siem Reap from Singapore or Vietnam, taking in Angkor, Phnom Penh and Kep. 6 days from £515, depending on hotels, not including international flights.
For further information contact the Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism (www.mot.gov.kh).
Viajes Camboya and travel guide with tips, advice and useful information on travel activities on tours provided direct from Cambodia tour operators. This guide helps traveler find out what to see and do and plan the travel itinerary.
Angkor Temples, Cambodia
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