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Photo: Angkor Wat, the greatest of the temples
in the Angkor
Complex
Siem Reap is a
province located 314 kilometers northwest from Phnom Penh, capital city of
Cambodia, on the shores of Tonle Sap. It is the place where over one hundred
Angkor temples have been discovered within an area of
approximately 600 square kilometers and these
spectacular structures make up most of the
famous tourist attractions in Siem Reap. Siem Reap is nestled
between rice paddies and lies along the Siem
Reap River.
It is here, in the
north-western part of Siem Reap, that the world
famous temples of Angkor are situated including
the largest religious building ever constructed, the
Angkor Wat. It was built on the orders of King
Suryavarman II in the 12th century.
Siem Reap is getting more popular and busier as
the day goes by as indicated by the new
guesthouses and restaurants mushrooming across
the town due to tourism since most of the places
of interest in Siem Reap is always filled with
foreign travelers. Town centre is located at Psar
Chaa along the western bank of the river.
The temples were all
built before 13th century and the
existing temples you see today constitute the
once religious and administrative centre of the
Khmer Empire. The building of pyramids by the
Pharaohs in Egypt is similar to the buildings
of temples undertaken by the successive Khmer
kings whereby large force of slaves were used.
Due to the large number of temples found, we can
conclude that this place must be one of the
biggest cities existed at that point of time.
Portuguese travelers
are believed to have been the first Westerners
to set their eyes upon the temples of Angkor
during the 16th century. However credit was
given to French botanist Henri Mouhot for the
discovery of Angkor temples whereby his visit to
Angkor in 1860 was posthumously documented in
Paris in 1868. During the end of the 19th
century and into the 20th century, several
French expeditions visited the temples and
started clearing out the jungles which has
totally covered the temples.
Siem Reap has
managed to retain much of its timeless charm,
with leafy boulevards and a provincial pace
despite having become a boom town with new
hotels and bars being
built continuously. The name Siem Reap means
'Siamese defeated' which just goes to show that
the Khmers have never forgotten that they once
had the upper hand against their neighborhood
rivals although it might not be a suitable name
for a town so close to Thailand and traveling in
Siem Reap is easy since National Highway 6 (NH6)
runs east to west right through the middle of
town.
It is not just the
temples that make this town popular but other
famous tourist attractions here include the Tonle Sap Lake with its floating villages
whereby you can explore the traditional Khmer
way of life, the Preak Tuoal National Park and a
one-day trip to Phnom Kulen is highly
recommended in order for you to witness the
hundreds of Khmers pilgrim to the temple located
on the mountain top. While you are at the
capital city, also known as Siem Reap, you can
enjoy the Apsara dance cultural performances, visit
handicraft shops or take a tour along the scenic
paddy fields.
Siem Reap can be
reached all year round by direct flights from
many major cities in the region such as Bangkok,
Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Guangzhou and
Yangon. Siem Reap can also be reached by
domestic flights from Phnom Penh, a journey
lasting about 40 minutes. Siem Reap province can
also be reached by boat along Tonle Sap and lake
from Phnom Penh capital and Battambang province.
Popular routes used by tourists to get to Siem
Reap province is by the national road from Phnom
Penh capital and from the Poipet Border
Checkpoint.
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