Cambodia - some questions about Angkor Wat
 

How many days should I spend in Angkor Wat to see the main sights. Is there alot of walking/climbing to get to the sights? Thanks for any advise.

My wife and I were at the temples two full days, going early in the morning and returning to our hotel when the sun was just too hot, and returning to the temples for sunset. There isn't a lot of climbing. There are some steps within the temples, but the land all around them is quite flat. On the third day we went to see the floating villages on the Tonle Sap, the huge lake formed by backwaters of the Mekong River. We were based in Siem Reap. Thank our lucky stars -- the hotel was marvelously air-conditioned, the rooms were spotless, and the food was quite good. The ruins, if I recall correctly, are about three miles from the center of Siem Reap. Tonle Sap, on the other hand, must be 10 or 12 miles away. In any case, take along plenty of bottled water at the temples to ward off heatstroke. We went in February -- and we were told it gets even hotter at some other times of the year. Be sure to wear a hat, maybe take along a parasol, use sunscreen, and rub on insect repellent with DEET. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is growing in popularity each year.

Let me begin by recommending Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor. This will give you an excellent introduction to many of the various temples. She also gives suggested itineraries for different lengths of stay. Generally, three days is considered the minimum to see all of the major temples. Six days will give you enough time to explore many of of so-called minor temples as well. The right amount of time for you depends on your interests. I spent a week there and loved every minute of it. There are a couple of people who post on this board who were left cold by the ruins (so to speak) and were fine with the glimpse that a day gave them. There is a lot of walking. Many of the temples do require some climbing of steep stone stairs. There are dozens of temples in the Angkor complex, some an hour's drive away. You may be interested in looking at my traveling companion's website for photos of Angkor and some of our commentary at www.marlandc.com

kathie is right on...there are a number of areas where you have to climb...the steps are irregular and uneven...if you go slow you will be fine...you can always skip those spots you find to be uncomfortable...
3 days would be quite perfect for the main sites...more days are needed to go far afield...like the lake...lake also depends on time of year..

i find it necessary to have a car and driver/guide...the car is $20/day and the guide the same---2 years ago...your hotel will arrange it...

a/c is a neccessity and having the car allows for quick refreshing interludes between temples to allow you to regroup and relax...water of course is a must...

we started about 9 and quit about 12 and resummed about 3 for a couple of hours...we never did a sunset...

we flew there one afternoon...hung around town and hotel to get adjusted...had the next 2 full days and then 2/3rds of the final day and departed on the 7PM flight that nite...i call it 2.5 days...i could have used another day...going is very slow unless you don't mind the heat and sun, which is almost impossible...

Bayan Temple has lots of stairs, even a ladder at one spot. Angkor Wat itself is a long walk from the main road, and also three levels with very shallow steps. Ta Phrom Temple has many many uneven grounds and those tree roots.

Throughout it is hot and very humid. One must have water, a hat or umbrella for walking under the beating down sun. Use repellent from dusk to dawn when the mossies are biting and don't forget your malaria meds (Malarone or doxycycline - but do discuss with your physician before taking anything). Air conditioning is a must for hotel and car. Guide and driver can be arranged thru your hotel. At minimum you should allow 3-days.