Angkor Wat & Ta Prohm

Angkor Wat was one of the only Cambodian things I was familiar with before this visit. It's iconic. This is the 800 year old capital of the Khmer Empire.

We arrived in darkness, slowly watching the sky lighten against these ancient buildings, creating beautiful silhouettes. Our guide took us to a quieter vantage point, where we could also see the hundreds of people gathered to watch the sunrise.

Stretching around the central temple is an 80m-long series of bas-reliefs. Ancient Hindu stories like the Ramayana are told in these carvings, through beautiful detail.

Some of the reliefs are shiny from the fingers of people looking for good luck by rubbing the motifs.

We learned that "Angkor Wat is, figuratively, heaven on earth. It is the earthly representation of Mt Meru, the Mt Olympus of the Hindu faith and the abode of ancient gods."

Angkor Wat is a national symbol, the epicentre of Khmer civilisation and a source of fierce national pride. It has been in virtually continuous use since it was built. Because it is fully Khmer, the Khmer Rouge didn't destroy this beautiful place during its purge of most intellectual achievements during its bloody reign.Read more