After long I have decided to go on a short holiday. Asia having many travel choices I finally chose Siem Reap which is in close proximity to Angkor Wat. Silk air offered a promotional price for S$238 (excluding 25USD airport charge on return) and booked mid range Angkor Star hotel for 35USD/night. I had to transit through Danang (Vietnam) for the onward trip. Finally after four and half hours I reached SiemReap, With swine flu scare all passengers had to pass through thermal scanners and I could see myself green faced in the monitor. I opted for visa on arrival and ten officers in arc shaped seating were to process the visa for 20USD. Having completed a load of documentation in the flight itself the visa and immigration was quick enough. I was surprised to see three guys from hotel waiting to pick me up with my long named banner. One was the driver and others were trying to sell their services for touring Angkor Wat during the seven kilometer ride to the hotel. The hotel was decent enough except for a hard bed and murky water. After a quick shower at the hotel I headed to pub street which is ten minutes away. Pub street is where the bars and restaurants with tourists and local touts all around. I was amazed to see few joints offering a mug of beer for 50 cents and a jug for 2USD. Though Cambodia has its own currency called Riel, US dollars is mostly preferred. After chat over drinks with fellow tourists and drunksting (new word coined by me for texting in drunken stupor) at Ankor what? bar and red piano bar, I finished indian dinner at Kamasutra restaurant and headed back to hotel. It was raining and rode back to hotel in a tuk-tuk (Mode of transport with a buggy tied to motorcycle in Cambodia, different from thai tuk-tuk) with friendly driver Soren who accompanied me on certain parts of my tour later.
Tour Day-1 Most tourists tour ankor wat temples in tuk-tuk or some opt for bicycles, unaware of the terrain a tuk-tuk ride seemed a bad option and have asked the hotel to provide for an a/c car, The hotel charged 30USD for a entire day ride. Tickets to Angkor temples can be obtained for 20USD(for a day) with a mugshot printed on it. Most people take atleast three days to visit the temples, I just spent half a day visiting the major ones cutting short an eight hour trip to five, climbing steep and narrow steps was tiresome. So if someone plans to visit I would suggest do it when you are fit enough. But nevertheless a breathtaking view of these thousand years old monuments are worth the pain. After visiting Angkor wat, Angkor thom, Temple of Ta Prohm (also called tomb rider temple as the movie was shot here) came back to hotel for a nap.
Check the below slide show for Angkor temples. Place the cursor on the slide to read the description.
Tour Day-2 Soren picked me up in the morning and we headed to a Tonle Sap lake, that consists of a water dwelling also called as floating village. The tuk-tuk took an hour to reach the lake and we hired a boat for an hour to visit the floating village. The village raises in height when water level increases and moves a distance in either direction based on water flow. As we sailed through I saw shops in boats with children selling food and other junk stuff, floating hair cutting saloon, school, mosque, souvenir shops etc.
Khmer Food Apart from usual liquid diet and mostly eating Indian food, I did try some Khmer food aswell. Had a tasty Khmer amok, made from chicken, egg, Khmer spices, cabbage leaves and jasmine fried rice. The restaurant charged $3.50USD and offered a complimentary mug of Angkor beer or coconut water.
