Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat earns every accolade it receives. The millennium old Hindu temple site remains remarkably well preserved and its expansive grounds offer room for quiet discovery despite the large crowds.

We arrived before sunrise as most do. It was a bit cold and damp and the spectacle of seeing the sun rise behind the famous Angkor Wat facade was muted by the overcast conditions. Still, it’s impressive sight and worth the early rise, particularly if the clouds break and the site presents itself against the clear blue Cambodian sky. In the morning, if you wander to the rear of Angkor Wat and put the low-hanging sun behind you, the massive towers, meant to evoke the legendary Mt. Meru, become illuminated and the sandstone, so dark and foreboding before, shines as if gold. It’s from this vantage point that you’ll get that perfect snapshot you desire.

As impressive as the view from afar is, the treasures within are not to be underestimated. Long corridors are decorated with intricate carvings. The various courtyards and ruins of old pools open up to one spectacular temple structure after another. You could spend hours just strolling along its massive outer wall, admiring every detail. There’s really no explaining all there is to see and all the elements to explore at Angkor Wat.

The ancient site may have become a bucket-list destination in the era of Instagram, but it’s not without reason. And if it draws more people to Cambodia and exposes them to its wonderful people and their struggles, it’s worth whatever pretensions inspired the visit in the first place.