A Day at the Enigmatic Angkor Wat
- Anju Chandna
- Jun 24
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 3
A visit to the famous Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world, has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember!
I finally got to visit this UNESCO World Heritage site in April 2025. Time stood still as I first set my eyes upon the hauntingly beautiful ruins of Angkor Wat and its distinctive five tall spires jutting into the sky against the early morning sun.
About Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is sheer poetry set in stone; the endlessly long corridors, ornate balustrades and stone galleries that wind their way around the temple narrate the tales of this glorious Khmer monument.
This priceless architectural gem of Cambodia was built by Khmer King Suryavarman II in the 12th century, as a state temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the preserver in the Hindu trinity of Gods. By the late 12th century, the temple was declared a Buddhist temple by King Jayavarman VII.
Since the origins of the temple are based on Hindu cosmology, the entire temple has an amalgamation of Hindu and Buddhist sculptures and bas-reliefs, depicting tales from the Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
The complex is surrounded by a massive moat in all directions, measuring 200 meters wide and 4 meters deep, symbolising the Sheersagar, or the Cosmic Milk Ocean, where Lord Vishnu resides.
A wide causeway will lead you to the Western entrance of the temple over the moat. You will see a stone rim running along the temple wall, symbolic of Sheshnag, the serpent demi-god on whose head Lord Vishnu rests. At the entrance is the head of the Sheshnag, holding guard with its huge seven-headed serpent head.
This grand causeway is aligned perfectly with the entrance in the centre of the temple, which was used by the king to enter. The two adjacent entrances were used by ministers, and the two in the far corner were used for elephants, aptly called Elephant Gates.
From here, you can see the tall spires of the temple representing the mythical Mount Meru, considered to be the axis of the universe in Hindu cosmology.
Angkor Wat has an intriguing system of stairways. There are 12 staircases with 41 steps each, connecting the different levels of this multi-tiered temple. We were told by our guide that 41 is considered to be an auspicious number by the Khmer people.
This system of stairways is also symbolic of the basic ethos of both Hinduism and Buddhism, that humans must strive hard to achieve higher levels of existence.
As you walk towards the central tower, you will see an almost vertical stairway leading to the top of the tower, aptly called 'Staircase to Heaven' as it leads to the top of the tower and offers beautiful vistas of the temple grounds.
Some basic facts about Angkor Wat and some Do's and Don'ts for your visit
Angkor Wat Temple is located in the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, spread over an area of 400 square kilometres, in Siem Reap.
Angkor Thom is another name that you'll often hear while at the park. Angkor Thom is an ancient walled city within Angkor Archaeological Park. The park has 72 major temples and over 1000 small temples within its purview, including Angkor Wat.
You can enter Angkor Wat from two gates, the East and West Gates. The East gate is less touristy and serene. You will get a beautiful view of the entire temple complex, but the main temple will be on the opposite side. This is the entrance we used.
If you enter from the West gate, it's closer to the parking and the main temple. You get impressive views of the temple from the causeway over the moat.
Before you visit the park, it's a good idea to shortlist the temples you wish to see. One can plan to see 4 or at most 5 temples on a day pass. The most popular temples apart from Angkor Wat are Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm Temple, Pre Rup Temple and Banteay Srei Temple.
Bayon Temple, with its striking stone faces carved on the 54 towers, is a must-see attraction.
Ta Prohm is popular for its giant trees that have intertwined with the stones over centuries, giving the temple a very otherworldly feel. It was also the site for the shooting of the Hollywood film 'Tomb Raider', earning it the nickname Tomb Raider Temple.
Pre Rup Temple is dedicated to the Hindu God, Shiva. The temple, though small in size compared to the mighty Angkor Wat, has beautiful red brick pyramids, giving it a pinkish hue. It falls on the Grand Circuit en route to Banteay Srei. The climb to the top is quite steep but if you can do it, then the views from the top are breathtaking, especially during sunset.
Banteay Srei is rightfully called the Jewel in the crown of Angkorian architecture. It's 31 kilometres away from Angkor Archaeological Park. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu Gods Shiva and his consort Parvati. The intricate stone carvings on its pinkish stone walls will blow your mind away.
Angkor Archaeological Park is FREE to visit every day of the week after 5:00 p.m. You will not need any tickets to enter the park.
A lot of people use this opportunity to see the sunset at the park for free on their day of arrival into Siem Reap and then buy a pass for the next day.
We did not know about this when we visited Angkor Wat, but there is a practical reason for doing this. After spending an entire day of exploration of the temples, believe me, you will be too exhausted to go back to Angkor Wat to see the sunset. We had to skip the sunset for the very same reason.
Start early. Angkor Wat attracts over 2.5 million visitors annually, so you can imagine the crowds you could encounter. Also, since most of the sightseeing has to be done in the open, it's better to do it before it gets too hot under the scorching afternoon sun.
If you wish to see the sunrise, try reaching Angkor Wat by 5:00 am. Remember, you will have to go back again to see the temple later since it opens at 7:30 am.
A day pass, costing USD 37.00, will grant you access to the entire Angkor Archaeological Park. There are passes available for 2 and 3 days, too.
In my opinion, unless you're a historian or an archaeologist, or a tourist who wants to do an in-depth study of the area, a day pass is more than enough to see all the temples.
A lot of travel is involved in going from one temple to another within the Angkor Archaeological Park. It's a good idea to hire a cab since cabs are not very expensive in this part of the world. You can hire a tuk-tuk too, but temples like Banteay Srei are quite a long way off, so decide accordingly.
Hire a guide. There's a lot to see and comprehend at the temples of Angkor Archaeological Park. An English-speaking guide will enhance your Angkor experience. Here I would like to mention that ensure the guide you hire speaks proper English. Our guide, though knowledgeable, had a very distinct accent that made it very difficult for us to comprehend his words.
Dress appropriately. All places of worship in Cambodia, temples, pagodas and even palaces expect tourists to dress modestly, especially female tourists. Ensure that your knees and shoulders are properly covered.
A lot of uneven stone steps and steep stairways are involved in visiting most of these temples.
Wear very comfortable footwear. Most of these temples do not require you to take off your shoes, except at the Vishnu Temple in Angkor Wat, so sneakers are the ideal choice.
There are a lot of snacking and dining options in the Angkor Archaeological Park. After seeing Angkor Wat, one can take a short break at any of these local restaurants and try the Khmer cuisine. I don't remember seeing any international food chains here, just local restaurants serving excellent food at very reasonable prices.
So, this is the 900-year-old Angkor Wat Temple for you, defying the travails of time and looking every bit glorious as ever!
Watch my YouTube video about Angkor Wat by clicking on the link below
After Angkor Wat, we explored the rest of the Angkor Archaeological Park, starting with Bayon Temple.
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