is Angkor Wat at must?
 

We are looking at a trip to Vietnam which does not include Angkor Wat. in Cambodia. Are we missing something that is a must in that part of the world? Another question is should we take a land tour of Vietnam or a Mekong River Cruise.

If you want to see/experience VN, you need to take a land tour. This is very easy to arrange on your own, no need for a group tour. If you want to take a cruise up the Mekong into Cambodia, that's fine. Many people enjoy these cruises. But it is no substitute for time on the ground in either VN or Cambodia. Note that the places you likely want to visit in VN are along the coast, not along the Mekong.

For me, Angkor is a must. It is one of the wonders of the world. To see if it is a must for you, get a copy of Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor: A Guide to Cambodia's Wondrous Temples. You can also take a look at our photos at www.marlandc.com

A "Must See" sight is just that for some people, not others. Hence there really is no universal list. I've spent quite a lot of time in Asia and have never been to Ankor Wat, nor have I been to the Taj Mahal after 3 trips and many months in India. Some would say I've missed the greatest pleasures that exist but if I'm not drawn to them myself then I guess I don't feel I've missed anything.

You see then the issue. I'd say that if you have to ask strangers if you should go then you don't have to go. If it was a "must" for you, you wouldn't be asking, you'd just be going. I'm quite sincere in my belief that there's something for everyone but there are lots of different somethings.

I didn't know if was a must for me. I went on a river cruise that included Angkor Wat and then did two weeks on my own along the coast. In retrospect, it is a must.

Angkor is a special place and it is one of our favorite places in the world. The temples are simply stunning and are unique in Southeast Asia. But I agree with MmePerdu -- not everyone has the same interests. If you enjoy art, architecture, history, and roaming through ancient ruins, then you should definitely consider adding Angkor to your trip. Either way, you'll have a great time.
Enjoy your trip!

Your question seems to me like saying you are planning a trip to the UK which does not include a trip to Paris. Completely different places in terms of culture and religion, although they are geographically adjacent. If you feel you are “missing something” by skipping Ankor Wat, than you may have answered your own question.

Part of this would also depend on how much time you have for the trip overall. If you only have 10 days or so, then trying to add in Ankor Wat may be difficult logistically. But then again, I would skip a city like Ho Chi Minh in favour of Ankor Wat.

I would say Angkor Wat is a must, especially if you're not returning to SE Asia for a while. Because it is getting more and more popular, it is likely that soon you will not have access to the ruins (I witnessed this over the years with the Mayan ruins in Mexico).

We were originally going to visit Bangkok and Northern Thailand without going to Angkor. A friend persuaded us to go and she was right - not only were the ruins mindblowing, but we fell in love with Cambodia, Siem Reap and the people.

In order to answer the question- are you the kind of person that likes to spend hours in museums, cathedrals, temples, palaces, understanding the history, appreciating the architecture etc or... do you like to spend an hour or so and then move on to other things. Depending on which way you lean you now have the answer to your question.

The last post implies of course that it's only people who spend "hours in museums, cathedrals, temples, palaces, understanding the history, appreciating the architecture etc" for whom Angkor Wat is special. We thought the area was very special, even though we are the type to spend "an hour or so and then move on to other things". I call us "temple lite" -- we want the highlights, not the PhD. That doesn't mean we didn't think it was incredible, and we loved Siem Reap and the Cambodian people.

That said, how much time do you have altogether? We spent 12 days on the ground in Vietnam, 4 in Siem Reap (of which we actually only spent two very long days "templing") and 4 in Hong Kong on that trip.

I loved Angkor the first time I visited in 2003 but liked it a lot less when I returned in 2008. Siem Reap had exploded with hotels and the temples were heaving with visitors, far more than they could comfortably accommodate. The place had just become too busy although, it was still possible to find the odd corner of peace and quiet with a good tuk tuk driver. It is undeniably one of the premier sites in Asia but only if you really like that sort of thing. There is so much else to see in Vietnam that I really don't think you would be missing out.

Taking a Mekong cruise would be very nice, but you would be limiting yourself to the delta scenery only which would be a shame as there is a huge amoun to see and do around the country. A land tour or DIY travel would be much more rewarding.

I agree that Angkor Wat is a must if you're coming to Cambodia. I've lived here for three years and always plan visits to Siem Reap for our guests, all of whom without exception have been happy they went (even if they weren't museum or archeology lovers).
It does tend to get busy but that's because it's an amazing destination. I usually suggest visiting around lunchtime even though it's the hottest time of the day, because most people have disappeared for lunch at that point and it will be a little quieter.

Keep in mind that Angkor Wat is a collection of temples, not just one, and that the smaller, more remote ones are usually quieter and less crowded. My favourite is Banteay Srey (temple of the women) which is further out of town (hence an interesting tuktuk ride through the region) and features many examples of beautiful carvings in its mostly ruined structure.

Siem Reap is also a bustling little town with lots to do so you don't have to spend all your time in the temples. Check out the Silk Farm and the Tonle Sap Lake for something that doesn't involve temple rambling.

<<<My favourite is Banteay Srey (temple of the women) which is further out of town (hence an interesting tuktuk ride through the region) and features many examples of beautiful carvings in its mostly ruined structure.>>>

Interesting that you mention that one in the same post as you mentioned going at lunchtime. We did just that to Banteay Srei and we were the only ones there! May not be the best time of day for photography or light, but it's a great time of day to have the place to yourself. (P.S. We got a kick out of the the 2-liter bottle method of filling the tuk-tuk's gas tank with gas).

To me, the real question is how many days do you have for this trip... and how many of those days can you carve out for Cambodia/Siem Reap? Bottom line, I wouldn't take the extra trip unless you're willing to spend at least 3 days/4 sleeps.

Others (esp. Gabi7) have already said the rest of what I was going to post.

I'm not a HUGE temple worshiper but I am so pleased we made the trip to Angkor Wat. It has a atmosphere that is unique and even if you don't want to traipse around all of the temples, just sitting in a quiet corner can be beautiful. Try and get early starts and yes, lunchtime is a good time. We were there last month and it was rainy season so we did temples in the early morning until early afternoon and then took cover! A tuk-tuk ride is also a must, as is a wander around Siem Reap - Khemer Kitchen is a good spot for a local meal.

Another vote here for Khmer Kitchen in Siemens Reap. Tasty food and a great value!

http://www.khmerkitchens.com/our_menu.html

Does it matter which Khmer Kitchen location I visit? Is the food in one location better than the others or are they all the same? Are reservations a must?