Angkor Wat. Magnificent. Mysterious. Awe-inspiring.

Simply put, Angkor Wat is just incredible. Hidden in the Cambodian jungle for centuries and only discovered only in 1861. This world heritage site brings in the temple-loving tourists. I was in Siem Reap, Cambodia, being driven to Angkor Wat by our trusted driver who we had paid $15 for a whole day’s service.

When we arrived at Angkor Wat we found out the entrance fee was $20. We didn’t have $20 between the three of us because we were so use to the local prices. We had strongly adapted to the Cambodian currency. We got our driver to take us to the nearest cashpoint before returning to the site. I was sporting a silly Mohawk haircut at the time and it was drawing a lot of unwanted attention from the locals, many pointing and saying ‘first one!’

This sprawling land of sacred ruins and temples is just massive, many people ride bikes around the grounds, think about biking in scorching head. No thanks. Get a tuk tuk driver for the day and they can talk you around the temples. You can buy passes for one, three or seven days ($20, $40 or $60), we went for the one-day pass but I could have easily done another day.

– Most drivers charge $10 to drive you around the temples for the day.

Get there early doors, you’ll be hot and bothered by 9am, plus you’re likely to get a temple to yourself, so you can really enjoy and appreciate the history. I couldn’t walk for a minute without stopping and taking a break, it was the hottest day I’d ever experienced in my life. I bought an ice cream but a monkey knocked it out my hands and stole it before I got to enjoy the second bite.

With so much architectural greatness, the ancient ruins, beautiful forest and criminal primates will leave you enchanted. After seeing as much as we could fit in we took a long walk to another nearby ancient temple that’s known to be a great place to watch the sunset.

There were many backpackers climbing up the steep steps and finding a place to sit and view the beautiful sunset. We climbed up and found a spot and settled. Majestic.

To this day it’s still one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen and one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. Cambodia is my favourite country.

Tips

– Dress modestly (it’s a temple) but dress for the incredibly hot weather (good luck).

– Choose a ticket that’s right for you. If you’re a temple enthusiast then you can get ‘templed out’ with a seven-day pass.

– Take a big bottle of water with you and protect your ice cream.

Must see temples

– Angkor Wat – Probably the most famous temple in the world, or one of.

– Bayon – This temple is best known for the stone smiling faces that look out in all four directions.

– Ta Prohm – This is the temple used in the movie Tomb Raider.

– Preah Khan – Vastly unrestored. Blocks of stone lie in piles, vegetation grows over the ruins and fewer crowds.

– Banteay Srei – Made of red sandstone with intricate bas-relief carvings. Architecturally speaking, it is one of the most beautiful temples to see.