Angkor Temple Complex

Angkor Temple Complex Review

The Khmer empire reached the zenith of its power, influence, and creativity from the 9th to the 13th century, when Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kings, was one of the largest capitals in Southeast Asia. Starting in the 15th century, the temples of Angkor's heyday were abandoned until their "discovery" in the early 1860s by French naturalist Henri Mouhot (the Cambodians living there sure knew about them). In all there are some 300 monuments reflecting Hindu and Buddhist influence scattered throughout the jungle, but only the largest have been excavated and only a few of those reconstructed. Most of these lie within a few miles of each other and can be seen in one day, though two or three days will allow you to better appreciate them.

Although the centuries have taken their toll on the temples—some of which still hide their beauty beneath a tangle of undergrowth—they miraculously survived the ravages of the Khmer Rouge years. Many of the monks living in the temples at this time were massacred, however. The Khmer Rouge mined the area, but the mines have been removed, and the temples are now perfectly safe to visit.

Most people visit the temples of Bayon and Baphuon, which face east, in the morning—the earlier you arrive, the better the light and the smaller the crowd—and west-facing Angkor Wat in the late afternoon, though this most famous of the temples can also be a stunning sight at sunrise. The woodland-surrounded Ta Prohm can be visited any time, though it is best photographed when cloudy, whereas the distant Banteay Srei is prettiest in the late-afternoon light.