Showing posts with label Siem Reap Tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Siem Reap Tour. Show all posts

Cambodian Cultural Village

Cambodian Cultural Village is a distinctive attraction in Siem Reap, where travelling families can find out about the nation’s ancient lifestyle, beliefs, and customs, as well as practices of assorted ethnic teams. Settled on National Road, Cambodia Cultural Village is accessible within a five-minute taxi ride from downtown Siem Reap. Tickets are priced at US$15 while a guided tour of the traditional villages is available for an extra US$5.



Spanning over 210,000 square meters, one of its standout attractions is the historical museum, which houses a total of thirty full life wax statues of kings, queens, monks, ethnic minorities, movie stars, and Apsara dancers in traditional costumes. Various miniature models of Cambodia’s picture structures are displayed at the museum, including its former capital Ou Dong, National museum, Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, and Siem Reap’s reclining Buddha.



Cambodian Cultural Village features 13 ancient villages that are modelled based on the culture and characteristic of nineteen Cambodian races. A must-visit is the millionaire House, a colossal wooden stilt residence of Phnom Penh’s affluent families throughout the Oudong era (1603 - 1859). You’ll also watch re-enactments of a traditional Khmer wedding ceremony at 11:00 and 16:00 in millionaire House.



A wide range of live performances like acrobatics, ancient Khmer wedding ceremonies, Apsara dances, and fishing performances are held between 14:00 and 15:15 at the most amphitheater. After exploring Cambodia Cultural Village, guests can sample authentic Khmer, Asian, and European culinary art as well as relish pampering foot and body massages.

Opening Hours: Daily 09:00 A.M - 9:00 P.M.
Address: National Road #6, Krours Village, Siem Reap
Tel: +855 63 963 836
Price Range: US$15

Bayon Temple

Bayon temple is in the center of the town. It options several sophisticated and exquisite bas-reliefs with scenes depicting land and naval warfare, market scenes et al. depicting the development of the temple itself. This is one of most popular locations in Siem Reap and is rich in historical pickings. It’s also quite strenuous because the tour involves several narrow corridors , and we cannot help thinking of Lara croft in “Tomb Raider” but there is no large 6-armed Brahman guardian sculpture to repel.

The two must see ancient Angkorian temples are Angkor Wat and Bayon. The large enigmatic stone faces of Bayon became some of the most iconic and recognizable features related to the traditional Khmer Kingdom and its architecture. The Bayon Temple is at the middle of the great walled city of Angkor Thom, which is at the heart of the Angkor archaeological Park.



Bayon has some fifty towers, with four immense carved faces on most of them. Each of faces are 4 meters high and oriented toward the 4 points of the compass. All of the faces have the same smile and closed eyes, making a mysterious and serene countenance, representing an omniscient state of inner peace.

There is discussion on who the faces really represent, and a few theories put forward say that they're the face of a bodhisattva, or a mix of Buddha and Jayavarman VII. Bayon was constructed as Jayavarman VII's state-temple and represents the peak of his massive architectural program.



Bayon is the bas-reliefs on the exterior walls of the lower level and on the upper level are outstanding. On the southern-wall are of scenes from an ocean battle between the Khmer and the Cham. However, it's not known if they represent the Cham battles in 1177 AD, or a later victory for the Khmer. There are fascinating and extensive carvings of scenes from daily life, including market scenes, religious rituals, cockfighting, chess games and childbearing.



Subsequently, Bayon suffered several additions and changes during reign of later kings, and on the inner walls were built at a later date under the Hindu king Jayavarman VIII. The east of the temple, the libraries, the sq. corners of the inner gallery, and parts of the upper terrace seem to be additions that weren't part of the initial structure.



Since the Bayon Temple was created in stages over years, it seems to be somewhat of a junk. But if seen from a distance, initially it can appear as if a rather formless jumble of stone, but on the inside, there's a maze of galleries. The best time for photos is at sunrise and sunset.

Tonle Sap Floating Villages

Located in Cambodia, Tonlé Sap Lake is the biggest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. The lake drains into the Tonle Sap River which flows into the Mekong River throughout the dry season. But from June to October, the rainy season, the Tonlé Sap River reverse its flow due to the huge amount of water in the Mekong River.

The water flowing into the lake and the backup of the Tonle Sap River increase the lake to 5-times its size in the dry season. This huge increase floods the surrounding floodplain and forests making an implausibly various and rich eco-system.


Tonle Sap Floating Villages

There are actually many so-called floating villages set on, and around the Tonle Sap Lake and they are all somewhat completely different. The Tonle Sap Lake is the largest feature of the map of Cambodia, and is an important natural resources in terms of fishing and wetlands.

In the rainy season, the Mekong River backs up into the lake, and it swells to over five times its size in the dry season, flooding the surrounding forests and plains. Of course the best time to visit ‘floating villages’ is throughout the wet season when the water is high. You can try a ‘do-it-yourself’ tour, but it can be a trouble, and there are stories of individuals having problems trying to do it themselves. The four main floating villages are:

Chong Khneas

The floating village nearest to Siem Reap, it's the one most visited by tourists. During the rainy season, it becomes a floating village with houses, hospitals, gas stations, schools, etc. all bobbing on the water. Despite the fact that it is somewhat ‘touristy’, it is still fascinating and worth seeing. Stops typically include a souvenir and snack shop, and the gecko surroundings Center.



Kampong Phluk

This is not actually a floating village as the homes are designed on tall stilts. In the dry season, the village is high and dry, with the tall stilted houses along the road. At the high level of water the homes seem to “float”. You can take boat rides through the water-logged forest. It’s visited by relatively few tourists. However, home-stay is also accessible.

Kampong Khleang

Being far from Siem Reap and takes around 2 hours by boat from the boat landing at Phnom Krom, there’s an outer floating village, and an inner tall affected village. This village is the biggest population of all the villages on the lake.


Prek Taol

This is smaller floating village and also the starting point for bird looking tours to the Prek Taol core area of the Tonle Sap biosphere Reserve. This is a significant environment for many vulnerable bird species. There’s a, water hyacinth weaving center and a biosphere info center. Overnight stay is possible, but isn't well organized, and may not be appropriate for all visitors.


Tonle Sap Lake


When the water level is high is the best time to visit floating villages, and trips to the flooded forest and wildlife reserves are fascinating. December to April are the best for bird sanctuaries. In the dry season, the lake becomes very shallow, and enormous boats sit on the bottom of the lake. The villages are left dry, and floating villages move onto the lake. Also, forests are dried up, and some bird sanctuaries cannot be reached.

Angkor Wat Empire Rising



The adoption of Indian principles of deva-raja

The ancient Khmer kings adopted a booming monarchy system of Indian civilization. Being admired as the deva-raja or god-king, the kings were able to rule over the empire with absolute power and godly kingship. This enhanced the kings to mobilize manpower to serve in its military unit to defend the state as well as to invade the neighbors. Additionally, the kings could sustain their extensive irrigation system that was the factor of its successful economy with their Khmer laborers and foreign slaves.
Moreover, the kings surrounded themselves with wise men or Khmer Brahmins as their counselors. The Brahmins acquired vast knowledge which were taught only within the family. These Brahmins help made an efficient administration of the country and so resulted in stronger territory.

Strategic Site

The best strategic location of the Angkor by King Jayavarman II troubled the attack by enemies that enable its existence for over six centuries. The Angkor was settled in the North of Tonle Sap Lake, and the only one way for invaders to fight against the Angkor is by sailing up-stream from the Mekong River. Geographically, the Angkor was sheltered by forests of all sides. The land access with large armed force could become a tragedy. The weapons and troops had to be delivered in a long line that couldn't support each other in case of outbreak. When the enemies wanted to invade the Angkor, they have to sail up from the river only to meet with the robust naval force of Angkor upstream. The enemy's battle ships moved slower thus became easier to be attacked. Angkor lose only one major battle on Tonle Sap to Champa in 1171 throughout the history of over 600 years. 

Mastery over Water Management

The geographical location of the Angkor Empire itself faces 2 extreme seasons, i.e. the significant rainfall throughout Monsoon and the dry period throughout the off-Monsoon season. Various large ponds and moats, dikes, reservoirs, helped significantly to prevent floods over the farmland during the rainfall in Monsoon and for use during the dry season. The efficient and in depth irrigation system of the ancient Khmer enabled the empire to cultivate crops 2 to 3 times a year which led to high productivity and powerful economy of the Angkor Empire.

The Falls of Angkor Empire


1. Loss of Water management

Less devotion of the people to the god-king led negative impact to the empire. The Khmer people seem reluctant to work passionately for the king as a holy service as they'd previously did. The previously efficient drainage system became silted up with less water supply and the rice crops, accustomed be cultivated 2 or 3 times a year, were dramatically dropped, so weaken the productivity and the strength of the Angkor Empire.

2. The Presents of Buddhism Theravada 

The Angkor Civilization was supported by the belief of Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism. The monarchs being thought to be the god-king were able to inspire the dedication of their people to serve the throne as a religious ceremony. The empire's extensive irrigation system and military troops required huge laborers and workforce to maintain. The introduction of Theravada Buddhism in 13th century to the Khmers had clad to harm sublimely the basic foundation of the Angkor Empire in the long run. Theravada Buddhism educated the people to abandon worldly things, seek self-enlightenment, and discourage any superstitious notion belief which means directly or indirectly all divinities and all evils. The power of the monarch as a god-king or deva-raja was primarily challenged. 

3. External Threats

As bordering states of the Angkor raised, they became serious threats to the empire, mainly the Ayuthaya, Thai State in the West. In order to shield the empire, the Angkor had to direct portion of its workforce to secure robust soldiers that in turn, run-down itself from maintenance to its irrigation system.

4. Two-edged weapon system of Roads Network

The road network designed by Jayavarman VII had aided the transports of product and trades throughout the empire and also expedited the Khmer troops to quell its neighbors. It had become an ambiguous blade when the Angkor became weak as the invaders could easily trooped through this road, rather than previously sailing up from the Mekong River. This clad to be true when the newly emerged Ayuthaya, a Thai kingdom in the West developed sturdier. They used this road to head from the Chaophaya through Phnomrung (in Burirum of today’s Thailand) then march to Aranyapathet to attack the heart of Angkor and finally seized the empire in 1431. The glory of the Angkor Civilization was terminated since that time. 

Angkor Wat Temple

Angkor Wat Temple is in Cambodia and also the largest religious monument in the world, with the site measuring 162.6 hectares. It was built for the Khmer Empire by King Suryavarman II as his state temple in the early 12th century in the capital of the Khmer Empire and gradually remodeling into a Buddhist temple toward the end of the twelfth century. Angkor is the only one to have stayed a religious center from its foundation. The temple is at the top of the high artistic style of Khmer architecture.



The ruins of Angkor Wat are situated within the Angkor archeological Park, and the entrance to the park is found about 3km north of modern-day Siem Reap. There aren't any hotels inside the park grounds, and most visitors stay in Siem Reap which they make daily visits to the temples.

When one first visits Angkor Wat, the impact is exciting, and simply seeing photos cannot compare to the reality of this majestic structure. Approaching along the causeway, at first the design and description against the sky makes it appear nearly two- dimensional, like a vast, real-life post card. However, as one gets nearer, the detail and involution become more and more apparent.

Best Time to Visit


The wonderful structure as an entire is best viewed in soft light. The best lighting conditions are after 2:00 p.m. and a common location for sunrise viewing is the northern reflective pool. You’ll need to get there early before sunrise starts because that is when the most stunning colors are spread over the temple.
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