THE EXOTIC OF CAMBODIA

“Travel brings power and love back into your life.” 

― Jalaluddin Rumi

All Photo by @jihanphotography

     Continue my journey to Cambodia, the land of the Khmer by land. I started from Mui Ne then back to Ho Chi Minh, the capital city of Vietnam. You can read my previous journey here and the itinerary here. Because we planned to save more money rather than to rent a room in only one night, so we prefer using sleeper bus from Vietnam to Cambodia. It was little bit difficult to find night bus, but you can try to buy the ticket along the Pham Ngu Lao. I got the ticket from one of travel tour here (sorry I forgot the travel name). The ticket was about 12 US$. The sleeper bus will arrive around 12 am at Ho Chi Minh, then it will take about 4-5 hours to get the country border.

     On Vietnam - Cambodia border, the driver will ask you to collect your passport and you have to get off from the bus to enter the immigration office. Honestly, the Vietnam immigration office was beyond my expectation, the place near the border was look like warehouse and less maintained. The good news is the immigration checking was not as scary as I though, your name will be called by the staff, you just need to walk and show your face, then taraaaa...your passport had been stamped. The bus will wait you on the exit door of Vietnam immigration, then you will be delivered to Cambodia immigration office. This was my first time to stand on 2 countries border line. I felt so excited, but also nervous. The Cambodia immigration was not far from Vietnam, but the building was more beautiful and modern, its appearance was very different with Vietnam's immigration. When entered the Cambodia immigration, the staff will do finger scanning and take some pictures of you. As always, the bus will wait you and other passengers at the exit street. The bus will continue the journey about 4-5 hours more to get Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia.

     The land was so dry and hot. Yes, this was my first impression when I saw Phnom Penh from my bus window. The city is not as modern as other big city, but the street was not so crowded. I and my friends didn't stay in Phnom Penh, because we had run out of time, so we directly went to Siem Reap by mini-van. Need about 4 hours more to get Siem Reap. After long journey passing the weeds, Cambodian traditional village, and the dry land, finally we arrived at Siem Reap. We stayed at Pub Hostel, at Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia. The district is tourist area, so you can find many attractions here, start from club, cafe, night market, until food stalls. You also able to find extreme food here, such as cockroaches, caterpillar, and scorpion.

     We had visited not many places in Siem Reap, because we did't have much time, we still have to continue our journey to Thailand by land...lol...so tiring but also full of fun, seeing more place, custom, and meeting a lot of new friends....hahaa...

     So, the main attraction place is Angkor Wat, you will need a day or more to visit some famous temples in Angkor Wat area. We rent tuk-tuk , the traditional three-cycle bike for a day trip to Angkor Wat, the fare is about 30 USD per tuk-tuk (year 2017), you have to bargain because they will offer high price for tourist. Because we want to see the magical sunrise in Angkor Wat, we decided to go in early morning (about 5 to 5.30 am). The tuk-tuk driver will pick you up at the hotel and bring you to the main gate of Angkor Wat area, the entry ticket was expensive this year the price increased about 37US$ per person for one day trip.

      Photo : @jihanphotography

During the one day trip in Angkor Wat area, we did small circuit temple which consist of 2 big temples and 5 small temples.

Big Temple
1. Angkor Wat

 Photo : @jihanphotography

    The temple is one of the biggest temple on this archaeological site. It is located about six kilometers north of Siem Reap, south of Angkor Thom. This place is crowded by tourist in early morning who want to see the magical sunrise. Angkor Wat was built in the first half of 12th century, which estimated construction time is about 30 years by King Suryavarman II, dedicated to Vishnu (Hindu).

 Photo : @jihanphotography

2. Angkor Thom

        Angkor Thom, the last capital of Khmer Empire, was a fortress that protect the residence of priest, officials of the palace and military, as well as buildings for administering the kingdom.

 Photo : @jihanphotography

Small Temple
1. Bayon

     Bayon temple is part of Angkot Thom temple, built in the late 12th or early 13th century as the official staet temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stand at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom. Following Jayavarman's death, it was modified and augmented by later Hindu and Theravada Buddhist kings in accordance with their own religious preferences.

 Photo : @jihanphotography

2. Ta Phrom

     Anybody know this temple? Have you ever heard about 'Tomb Raider Temple'? Yes, the famous name of Ta Phrom is 'Tom Raider Temple' as it became a movie scene for beautiful actress Angelina Jolie. Ta Phrom was a Buddhist temple dedicated to the mother of King Jayavarman VI. Ta Phrom has its magical, a abandon kingdom which is covered by deeply shadow, its crumbling towers and walls locked by the very long roots system.

Photo : @jihanphotography

3. Ta Som

     The area of temple was very quite and shady, because many big trees here. Yes, Ta Som area is better to call it in center of forest. The temple is located at the eastern end of the Northern Baray at Angkor, was built at the end of 12th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII.The temple is surrounded by laterite walls, with roots system in several place.

Photo : @jihanphotography

4. Ta Keo

     Ta Keo temple marked by many stairs that arranged very high to the top of temple. Ta Keo had to be the state temple of Jayavarman V. It has five sanctuary towers, built on the uppermost level of five-tier pyramid consisting of overlapping terraces.

Photo : @jihanphotography

5. Neak Poan

Photo : @jihanphotography

     Neak Poan temple is an artificial island with Buddhist temple on a circular island in Jayatataka Baray, which was built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. Tourist need to walk across the wide lake using a long wooden bridge to get the temple. The temple is not big, mostly covered by water, but it has many small garden.