Journey Through Timeless Cambodia

We took a direct flight from Luang Prabang, Laos, to Siem Reap with Vietnam Airlines. The flight departed on schedule, and we reached our destination about 90 minutes later. A driver from the hotel met us at the airport, located 25 miles away. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott, an impressive property resembling a Westin or JW Marriott in the US. The staff was highly professional and remembered our names during our entire stay.

We dined in town at Sokkhak River Lounge, a stunning three-story building offering panoramic views of the Siem Reap River. They offer a combination of Khmer and Western cuisine. We shared several dishes, which were delightful.

Siem Reap is the primary city near Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, known for its intricate design, rich history, and stunning architecture. This destination was the highlight of our Asian trip, prompting us to book a guide and a driver for a couple of days. We ultimately made our reservation with Royal Angkor Tours. While Angkor Wat is the primary and most renowned temple, there are numerous other temples to explore, so it's essential to plan your visit ahead of time to see the most significant ones. We bought our tickets online several weeks prior to our trip. It’s not too difficult and it allows you to have your pass available on your phone. They check credentials at each temple.

They picked us up at 4:30 a.m. from our hotel to ensure we reached Angkor Wat before the crowds and tour buses arrived for the sunrise. Initially, the guide suggested we stay on the north side of the Rainbow Bridge and sit for a while, but we opted to move closer and stand next to the Reflecting Pond. This spot is typically the best for capturing sunrise photos, though it was under renovation during our visit. The scene is indescribable, and you truly sense a special moment as the sun rises behind the temple. Despite a bit of haze that day, we managed to take stunning photos. We explored Angkor and its beautiful monuments before heading to our next temple. Our driver was waiting for us right in front, which saved us considerable time at each stop, allowing us to visit most temples before the large crowds arrived.

Our next destination was Phnom Bakheng, a prominent temple from the Khmer Empire, built in the late 9th century. Angkor Thom was also very impressive. It means "Great City" in Khmer.  This city was the center of political and religious life for many years, spanning approximately 3.5 square miles. It is renowned for its gate, the Terrace of the Elephants, and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Next, we headed to the Bayon Temple, of the most iconic in the Angkor Archaeological Park. The most distinctive feature of Bayon is its large stone faces. There are more than 200 faces carved into the temple's 54 towers.

After the visit we enjoyed some refreshment and visited the little market located before the temple entrance. Our journey continued to Baphuon Temple, one of the lesser-known but fascinating temples. The most notable feature of Baphuon is the reclining Buddha, which was revealed during a restoration that began in the 1960s. Our driver made a stop at Ta Keo, a mountain temple constructed in the late 10th century before dropping us in front of Ta Nei (The Hidden Temple), a relatively small temple packed with history and beautiful architectural details.

Our driver dropped us at our hotel in the early afternoon. That was a busy schedule and we walked nearly 20,000 steps.  We had lunch by the pool and relaxed for a few hours before our next adventure. We had dinner reservations at the Park Hyatt Hotel for the Apsara Show. The hotel's interior is eclectic and beautifully decorated. We had a drink at the Living Room, their elegant bar. When it was time for the show, we moved to their outdoor terrace for dinner and the show. Apsara is a classical Cambodian dance form that dates back to the Angkorian period (9th to 15th centuries). We really enjoyed the show and our dinner at the Park Hyatt.

Our driver and guide picked us up from our hotel around 9:00am the following morning. Although our schedule was less packed than the previous day, we still had plenty to explore. We started our visit at Preah Khan, situated at the northern edge of the Angkor Archaeological Park. It is one of the most significant temples built during the Khmer Empire. After a brief stop at the Banteay Samré temple before visiting Ta Prohm, famously known as the "Tomb Raider Temple" or the "Angelina Jolie Temple". The movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed there in 2001. The temple has been undergoing restoration since 1992, when UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List.

Our next destination was Banteay Kdei, also called the "Citadel of Monks' cells," located southeast of Ta Prohm. Our guide suggested we also visited Neak Pean, built on an artificial island. It was a very hot day and the walk to the island was quite long. After seeing so many temples in two days we could have definitely skipped that one. Our last stop was Banteay Srei, about an hour's drive northeast of Siem Reap, known as the "Citadel of the Women" or "Lady Temple" for its intricate carvings. The visit was worth the drive and we also enjoyed stopping in a couple of villages along the way. We went back to the hotel in mid-afternoon and relaxed by the pool for a couple of hours.

It was Valentine’s Day, and we chose to visit the Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor before heading to dinner. This property has a very elegant French Art Deco style. We enjoyed drinks at the renowned Elephant Bar, a place historically frequented by guests arriving on elephants. For dinner we had made reservations a couple of months in advance at Malis Siem Reap Restaurant, which had received positive reviews and has a sister restaurant in Phnom Penh. Unfortunately, our experience was disappointing.  The food was among the worst we encountered on our trip, and the venue seemed primarily focused on catering to tour buses with a set menu. We regretted not staying and dining at the Raffles instead.

It was time to depart from Siem Reap. We had arranged for a driver through the hotel to take us to Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. The journey was a pleasant 5-hour drive on a well-maintained road. We made a couple of stops: the first at Kampong Kdei Bridge, an ancient Angkorian bridge from the 12th century, and the second just before Phnom Penh at Skuon (also known as "Spider Town"), famous for its fried tarantulas and other exotic snacks. Kids put live tarantulas on our shirts, but we did not try the fried version.

We reached Phnom Penh in the mid-afternoon and checked in at the Courtyard Marriott, a lovely 4-star urban hotel offering panoramic city views. We unwound at the rooftop swimming pool. Dinner was near the hotel at Namaste India Restaurant. The food and service were very good. We took a taxi to the restaurant and came back in a tuk-tuk, which is always a lot of fun.

The following morning, we took a taxi to Choeung Ek Genocidal Center (Killing Fields), located about 30 minutes from central Phnom Penh. This site was used as a Killing Field by the Khmer Rouge during the Cambodian genocide from 1975 to 1979. The audio tour offers detailed information about the horrific events that took place there. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, the remains of 8,895 victims were uncovered at this location. It is a deeply sorrowful experience. We then returned to the city and first visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. The site, once a former secondary school, was transformed into Security Prison 21 by the Khmer Rouge from 1975 until their regime ended in 1979. Approximately 20,000 people were detained at Tuol Sleng, one of over a hundred torture and execution centers created by the Khmer Rouge and their secret police. This visit is also profoundly emotional.

We began our afternoon visits with the Royal Palace of Cambodia, the official royal residence. Recognizable by its iconic high yellow walls, the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda are among the city's most popular tourist spots. The Silver Pagoda, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is an impressive structure. The gardens provide a tranquil atmosphere, especially after visiting the sites of the Khmer Rouge atrocities. Afterward, we took a tuk-tuk to the Russian Market, famous for its souvenirs, jewelry, and crafts. We concluded our city tour with a visit to Wat Phnom, a peaceful hilltop temple marking the city’s founding. It features a pagoda, a stupa symbolizing the name of Phnom Penh, and a historical site significant to Khmer national identity. It is located near the U.S. Embassy. We went back to the hotel and relaxed by the pool. Our last dinner in Cambodia was at Il Forno, a nice Italian restaurant with a menu that includes pasta, rice, pizza, and traditional entrees.

On our final day in Phnom Penh, we relaxed since our flight to Singapore was scheduled for late afternoon. The journey to the airport felt endless due to the heavy traffic. It felt like being back in Bangkok.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Cambodia and were pleased with our decision to spend the last part of our trip in Phnom Penh. Angkor Wat is truly as enchanting as people say and should be on everyone's bucket list.