Is going to Angkor Wat for me?
July 14, 2011 9:55 AM Subscribe
Everyone keeps telling me to go to Angkor Wat, but it just doesn't seem that interesting to me. Is it really as life changing and amazing as everyone makes it out to be?
I will have a few free days to go somewhere in SE Asia, and have been asking friends where I should go. Everyone says GO TO ANGKOR WAT, and their explanations are always similar - they say it was amazing, mind blowing, etc, but they can't really explain why. When I look up Angkor Wat/Siem Reap online, I have to be honest - it just doesn't look that interesting to me. I am definitely the kind of person who gets temple'd-out easily, and though I think ruins are amazing in the "wow, they are so old" kind of way, I usually think after an hour or two of seeing them that it gets tiring. I also don't want to take those awful malaria pills (which is seems like you really need to do for going there), and I always get mildly uncomfortable in places where there are a lot of scammers/beggars/huge discrepancies between tourists and locals.
Despite all that, is it still so amazing that I must go? Can you explain why?
I will have a few free days to go somewhere in SE Asia, and have been asking friends where I should go. Everyone says GO TO ANGKOR WAT, and their explanations are always similar - they say it was amazing, mind blowing, etc, but they can't really explain why. When I look up Angkor Wat/Siem Reap online, I have to be honest - it just doesn't look that interesting to me. I am definitely the kind of person who gets temple'd-out easily, and though I think ruins are amazing in the "wow, they are so old" kind of way, I usually think after an hour or two of seeing them that it gets tiring. I also don't want to take those awful malaria pills (which is seems like you really need to do for going there), and I always get mildly uncomfortable in places where there are a lot of scammers/beggars/huge discrepancies between tourists and locals.
Despite all that, is it still so amazing that I must go? Can you explain why?
On the one hand: if you're not interested in going somewhere, why go?
That said, if you're going to be in the area anyway, then why not? A great many of the MUST SEE OMG CAN'T MISS THAT sites around the world are highly recommended for a reason. I seriously considered not going to the Taj Mahal when I was in India, just because.... OK, a big cool looking empty/ish building that costs $20 to visit up close... ummmmm..... what? But it was amazing and I'm really glad I went.
That said, I would not have traveled to India just to visit the Taj Mahal, and it's unclear whether you are already in the area or not.
posted by Sara C. at 10:20 AM on July 14, 2011
That said, if you're going to be in the area anyway, then why not? A great many of the MUST SEE OMG CAN'T MISS THAT sites around the world are highly recommended for a reason. I seriously considered not going to the Taj Mahal when I was in India, just because.... OK, a big cool looking empty/ish building that costs $20 to visit up close... ummmmm..... what? But it was amazing and I'm really glad I went.
That said, I would not have traveled to India just to visit the Taj Mahal, and it's unclear whether you are already in the area or not.
posted by Sara C. at 10:20 AM on July 14, 2011
If you get uncomfortable in places with "scammers/beggars/huge discrepancies between tourists and locals" then it sounds like SE Asia is not the place for you to be visiting.
If you are already in the area and are looking for cool/fun/interesting things to do in SE Asia for a few days, then sure, why not? But if you are making a special trip down there, I would focus on going somewhere that you specifically are interested in visiting.
posted by ruhroh at 10:23 AM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you are already in the area and are looking for cool/fun/interesting things to do in SE Asia for a few days, then sure, why not? But if you are making a special trip down there, I would focus on going somewhere that you specifically are interested in visiting.
posted by ruhroh at 10:23 AM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
You don't need to take malaria pills. You only need to be aware of the risks and accept them. Plenty of people live in SE Asia and none of them have spent their lives taking malaria pills everyday. If you're looking to get away from scammers, beggars, and discrepancy between tourists and locals, you need to be willing to go off the beaten tourist paths and reduce yourself to the level of the locals. This means you'll need to travel independently and seek appreciation for the local people and culture, rather than hop between postcard destinations on tourbuses.
If that sounds like your cup of tea, you might consider bicycle touring through northern Laos. You'll never forget those mountain roads and running kids.
posted by BeaverTerror at 10:24 AM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
If that sounds like your cup of tea, you might consider bicycle touring through northern Laos. You'll never forget those mountain roads and running kids.
posted by BeaverTerror at 10:24 AM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Just to clarify, I will be in the area anyway and it will be relatively easy/cheap for me to get to Cambodia or anywhere else in SE Asia for that matter.
posted by emily37 at 10:24 AM on July 14, 2011
posted by emily37 at 10:24 AM on July 14, 2011
If you get templed out then it may not be for you. I love temples and made full use of my 3-day pass, but of the people at the hotel I was staying at, most of them were done with it after their first day. I'd love to go back but I doubt my wife would want to spend that much time at the temples (and there isn't a whole lot else in Siem Reap that would appeal to her either).
That being said, there is a very strong Indiana Jones vibe about the whole place and if you go around by bicycle you can see some really cool things without any people around you. When I went it was also pretty easy to climb around and go wherever you wanted - which again added to the whole Indiana Jones thing.
As far as beggars are concerned, I was more annoyed by the Tuk Tuk and boat drivers in Thailand than the kids and amputees in Cambodia.
I didn't take any malaria pills when I went (2003) but that may have been down to poor planning on my part (although I did get my Hep A vaccine done).
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 10:26 AM on July 14, 2011
That being said, there is a very strong Indiana Jones vibe about the whole place and if you go around by bicycle you can see some really cool things without any people around you. When I went it was also pretty easy to climb around and go wherever you wanted - which again added to the whole Indiana Jones thing.
As far as beggars are concerned, I was more annoyed by the Tuk Tuk and boat drivers in Thailand than the kids and amputees in Cambodia.
I didn't take any malaria pills when I went (2003) but that may have been down to poor planning on my part (although I did get my Hep A vaccine done).
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 10:26 AM on July 14, 2011
Nothing is universally amazing. The desperation and aggressiveness of the local beggars around Angkor is the worst I've seen anywhere, and that includes India.
Take a few days in Bangkok or go to one of the islands.
posted by MillMan at 10:27 AM on July 14, 2011
Take a few days in Bangkok or go to one of the islands.
posted by MillMan at 10:27 AM on July 14, 2011
For us, it's one of those things that wasn't always pleasant at the time but I'm glad we went. It was so bad, at one point we seriously considered cancelling our plans to go on to Borneo and just hanging out on a beach in Thailand for a week instead (thank goodness we didn't do that!), and I'd still tell a friend to visit if they were in the area.
We went out of obligation, since we had expat friends and they were all recommending it, and I learned a lot that I wouldn't have learned otherwise. I wouldn't call it mind blowing or life changing (and I don't feel that way about Machu Picchu, either, even after visiting it twice), but there's a reason people go out of their way and put up with the harassment to see it.
Angkor Wat is impressive. It deserves its world heritage status. Get a good guide (Two Dragons guesthouse is a decent fair place to stay and can get you a good guide) and it'll make a difference. Also, if you can figure out what it means to "churn the sea of milk" before you get there, that'd probably help. And then, what's wrong with just going for one day if you're going to be there anyway? If I'm remembering right, we got a three-day pass and decided we were done after two, and I don't regret that.
I quit taking my malaria pills five days into a month long trip. I did use bug spray and appropriate clothing. Didn't get malaria, despite being fairly deep in the jungle at points. The word on the street is that you don't need to be on malaria pills in the more in-the-way places. You're going to want to be wearing long sleeves anyway because of the sun.
Would you regret not going if you skipped it?
What would you rather do?
posted by arabelladragon at 10:44 AM on July 14, 2011
We went out of obligation, since we had expat friends and they were all recommending it, and I learned a lot that I wouldn't have learned otherwise. I wouldn't call it mind blowing or life changing (and I don't feel that way about Machu Picchu, either, even after visiting it twice), but there's a reason people go out of their way and put up with the harassment to see it.
Angkor Wat is impressive. It deserves its world heritage status. Get a good guide (Two Dragons guesthouse is a decent fair place to stay and can get you a good guide) and it'll make a difference. Also, if you can figure out what it means to "churn the sea of milk" before you get there, that'd probably help. And then, what's wrong with just going for one day if you're going to be there anyway? If I'm remembering right, we got a three-day pass and decided we were done after two, and I don't regret that.
I quit taking my malaria pills five days into a month long trip. I did use bug spray and appropriate clothing. Didn't get malaria, despite being fairly deep in the jungle at points. The word on the street is that you don't need to be on malaria pills in the more in-the-way places. You're going to want to be wearing long sleeves anyway because of the sun.
Would you regret not going if you skipped it?
What would you rather do?
posted by arabelladragon at 10:44 AM on July 14, 2011
I was just reading that it is swamped with tourists, and that the high traffic may be hurting the site. FYI
posted by evening at 10:46 AM on July 14, 2011
posted by evening at 10:46 AM on July 14, 2011
If it's not your thing, don't go. There's a lot to do and see in SE Asia, so try thinking of what it is that you want to do, not what others think you should do.
As for malaria pills, I've never taken them on trips to SE Asia and I've been fine. However, if you're set on taking them make sure to fork out a bit more for Malarone - the good stuff. No psychotic nightmares.
posted by fso at 11:22 AM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
As for malaria pills, I've never taken them on trips to SE Asia and I've been fine. However, if you're set on taking them make sure to fork out a bit more for Malarone - the good stuff. No psychotic nightmares.
posted by fso at 11:22 AM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
What kind of trip are you up for? Do you want something more urban? With more shopping? More outdoorsy? More recent in historicity?
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 12:11 PM on July 14, 2011
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 12:11 PM on July 14, 2011
On one hand, it's pretty cool. But on the other, it's a load of big temples in a hot and steamy jungle site. I went after several months in SE Asia when I was pretty tired of temples. Good news - it was the best temple I've been to (although Indonesia's Borobodur is also very nice). Also if you get the boat up from Phnom Penh, that's a cool trip. But it's still a temple. So why not go elsewhere?
As for Malaria pills, I didn't take them - and I normally don't. But it's your choice and malaria does suck.
Why not travel down the Vietnamese coast for a few days - or go to a Thai or Malaysian island instead?
posted by rhymer at 12:23 PM on July 14, 2011
As for Malaria pills, I didn't take them - and I normally don't. But it's your choice and malaria does suck.
Why not travel down the Vietnamese coast for a few days - or go to a Thai or Malaysian island instead?
posted by rhymer at 12:23 PM on July 14, 2011
I went a couple years ago and I'd recommend it. I didn't see it as an amazing life changing experience, but I'm not really the kind of person who has those very much either. It was, however, a pretty neat wonder to explore. My trip there was tacked onto the end of a three-week trip to Vietnam, and we went to Angkor Wat on the basis that it would be a shame to go all the way to Southeast Asia and not see it. I do get tired of "wow that's so old" stuff, but the sense of wonder didn't really go away for me there, at least not in a short visit.
An elephant ride into the park is fun, and brings out some of the wonder of the place too. (yes, elephants in captivity, I know, I know...)
There are a lot of beggars, and yes, it is uncomfortable. On the other hand, the tourist industry there is basically the only thing driving the local economy at this point, and it's the only real incentive everyone has to preserve the temples for the future. Most people advise not handing out cash to the beggars and bringing small useful items instead. We were told to pack pencils to give to the kids, which seemed strange to me but was apparently appreciated, and collected hotel toiletries to distribute. The Land Mine Museum (see below) and the local children's hospital also take donations, which go to de-mining efforts and much-needed medical care respectively. I'm sure you could also arrange to bring supplies to local schools or help in other ways too.
While you're there, I highly recommend a trip out to the Land Mine Museum, which is both horrific and amazing. It is run by a man named Aki Ra, a former child soldier for the Khmer Rouge, who now makes a hobby out of clearing mines because it's the right thing to do (previously on MeFi).
As far as the malaria issue, last I heard the temple complex itself is considered by the CDC to be malaria-free, but Siem Reap is not. I believe many tourists staying overnight in Siem Reap don't take anything, but it's usually recommended if you're doing a couple days. I took Malarone, which is comparatively more expensive (though I don't believe it's really all that much by US standards), but doesn't have the crazy side effects of Lariam. I had no difficulty with them whatsoever.
It's an amazing place, but if it's not your cup of tea? Then skip it: it's your trip, not theirs. (Everybody tells me Paris is the place to go --- no thanks: I'd rather see Antarctica.....)
I've been to Paris briefly and the Antarctic Peninsula for about a week. In my opinion, you're right on the money. Besides, the penguins are a lot less snobbish than most Parisians.
posted by zachlipton at 12:36 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
An elephant ride into the park is fun, and brings out some of the wonder of the place too. (yes, elephants in captivity, I know, I know...)
There are a lot of beggars, and yes, it is uncomfortable. On the other hand, the tourist industry there is basically the only thing driving the local economy at this point, and it's the only real incentive everyone has to preserve the temples for the future. Most people advise not handing out cash to the beggars and bringing small useful items instead. We were told to pack pencils to give to the kids, which seemed strange to me but was apparently appreciated, and collected hotel toiletries to distribute. The Land Mine Museum (see below) and the local children's hospital also take donations, which go to de-mining efforts and much-needed medical care respectively. I'm sure you could also arrange to bring supplies to local schools or help in other ways too.
While you're there, I highly recommend a trip out to the Land Mine Museum, which is both horrific and amazing. It is run by a man named Aki Ra, a former child soldier for the Khmer Rouge, who now makes a hobby out of clearing mines because it's the right thing to do (previously on MeFi).
As far as the malaria issue, last I heard the temple complex itself is considered by the CDC to be malaria-free, but Siem Reap is not. I believe many tourists staying overnight in Siem Reap don't take anything, but it's usually recommended if you're doing a couple days. I took Malarone, which is comparatively more expensive (though I don't believe it's really all that much by US standards), but doesn't have the crazy side effects of Lariam. I had no difficulty with them whatsoever.
It's an amazing place, but if it's not your cup of tea? Then skip it: it's your trip, not theirs. (Everybody tells me Paris is the place to go --- no thanks: I'd rather see Antarctica.....)
I've been to Paris briefly and the Antarctic Peninsula for about a week. In my opinion, you're right on the money. Besides, the penguins are a lot less snobbish than most Parisians.
posted by zachlipton at 12:36 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
I would say, if you're ambivalent about it, then if you go, go big; buy an archaeological guidebook just for AW and spend several days immersing yourself in the place. That's what we did, and we loved it surprisingly, geekily much. We actually hired a tuk-tuk driver for 2 or three days to shuttle us around, and even did some long runs through the site, which was a really perspective-shifting way to look at it (if you do this, try to finish near where someone is roasting banana and sticky rice in banana leaves over a fire..).
If you're not big on temples/ruins, a quick visit might seem underwhelming, but I think it's worth considering really getting into it, especially with a nerdy friend.
posted by Mngo at 1:13 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you're not big on temples/ruins, a quick visit might seem underwhelming, but I think it's worth considering really getting into it, especially with a nerdy friend.
posted by Mngo at 1:13 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you are going to be in Southeast Asia anyway, and you have a few days free, then yes, you should go. For the same reason that if you are in Northern Arizona and you have a few days free, you should go to the Grand Canyon.
The drawbacks that you list apply to large swathes of Southeast Asia, Angkor Wat/Siem Reap certainly do not have a monopoly on beggars or a large discrepancy between the haves and the have nots.
Re: malaria. My husband contracted malaria on our visit to Angkor Wat. Most likely at Beng Mealea. The local parasites have developed resistance to Lariam (we learned this the hard way.) If you really don't want to deal with malaria prophylaxis, be super diligent with mosquito repellent and stick to the beaten path. (Which is a bummer; Beng Mealea is fantastic and otherwise well worth the effort.) I cannot overemphasize how much malaria sucks. It is not to be trifled with.
posted by ambrosia at 3:06 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
The drawbacks that you list apply to large swathes of Southeast Asia, Angkor Wat/Siem Reap certainly do not have a monopoly on beggars or a large discrepancy between the haves and the have nots.
Re: malaria. My husband contracted malaria on our visit to Angkor Wat. Most likely at Beng Mealea. The local parasites have developed resistance to Lariam (we learned this the hard way.) If you really don't want to deal with malaria prophylaxis, be super diligent with mosquito repellent and stick to the beaten path. (Which is a bummer; Beng Mealea is fantastic and otherwise well worth the effort.) I cannot overemphasize how much malaria sucks. It is not to be trifled with.
posted by ambrosia at 3:06 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Was there about 18 months ago, and it was completely awe-inspiring. People built this massive artifact by hand. You can see the holes they drilled in to these huge slabs of rock, so they could stick some bamboo through the hole and carry them. To me, that was astounding. Also the intricacy and beauty of the stone carving impressed the hell out of me. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone, a few hours is a great amount of time. Watching the sunset from Bayon was incredible. Yes, there's gonna be a ton of tourists, and I was there in January and it was hot as hell.
Cambodia is both incredible and incredibly depressing at the same time. The history and turmoil that the country suffered under the Khmer Rouge is still pretty fresh in the minds of the locals, and it's more than a bit fucked that there just aren't a lot of people between the ages of say 35-45. Visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh was life altering, to say the least. However I did get panhandled more there than anywhere except San Francisco.
Oh, and I don't think I took any malaria pills, I got a flu shot, and took two pills for Typhoid, I think.
posted by Sphinx at 4:23 PM on July 14, 2011
Cambodia is both incredible and incredibly depressing at the same time. The history and turmoil that the country suffered under the Khmer Rouge is still pretty fresh in the minds of the locals, and it's more than a bit fucked that there just aren't a lot of people between the ages of say 35-45. Visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh was life altering, to say the least. However I did get panhandled more there than anywhere except San Francisco.
Oh, and I don't think I took any malaria pills, I got a flu shot, and took two pills for Typhoid, I think.
posted by Sphinx at 4:23 PM on July 14, 2011
The best argument for going to Angkor Wat is that the level of access you currently enjoy will definitely not last forever. See it sooner rather than later, as Cambodia develops big dumb tourists, (like say, ME) won't be allowed to climb all over priceless temples, using the nose of a thousand year old carving as a hand hold. It's quite remarkable. We were there three months ago and didn't bother with anti-malarial medications.
It's definitely one tourist site that in my opinion lives up to expectations. Life changing? No. Well worth three days of your life, regardless of your feelings of seeing yet another temple? Yes. And the farther away you get from Angkor Wat, into the other temples, the better it is.
posted by Keith Talent at 6:42 PM on July 14, 2011
It's definitely one tourist site that in my opinion lives up to expectations. Life changing? No. Well worth three days of your life, regardless of your feelings of seeing yet another temple? Yes. And the farther away you get from Angkor Wat, into the other temples, the better it is.
posted by Keith Talent at 6:42 PM on July 14, 2011
I'm not typically super into ruins or history or anything but I thought it was great. But if you don't want to do it, don't worry about it and do something you want to do.
posted by saul wright at 7:47 PM on July 14, 2011
posted by saul wright at 7:47 PM on July 14, 2011
Life-changing? Go to Phnom Penh and tour S-21. the genocide museum. The Khmer Rouge photographed all their victims. There's a photo of a 3-year-old that I've give almost anything not to have burned into my brain. Angkor? It's a pretty pile of stones.
Sorry, that's probably not what you were looking for. If you want a good time, and some temples, and much less hassle, I'd say Luang Prabang in Laos.
Also, orphanage tourism is CREATING "orphans" in Cambodia. Please do not visit orphanages unless you're willing to spend a lot of time educating yourself beforehand.
posted by cyndigo at 8:21 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Sorry, that's probably not what you were looking for. If you want a good time, and some temples, and much less hassle, I'd say Luang Prabang in Laos.
Also, orphanage tourism is CREATING "orphans" in Cambodia. Please do not visit orphanages unless you're willing to spend a lot of time educating yourself beforehand.
posted by cyndigo at 8:21 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
I loved Angkor Wat, it was the highlight of my tour of SE Asia a few years ago. When I'm feeling in a bad mood, I picture myself sitting by a lake at one of the temples at dusk, away from all the tourists, just appreciating the antiquity of the place and the distance in time between its creators and now.
And it's mind-blowing because it the temple complexes are ancient, huge, incredibly well-built, historically fascinating and the sight of such remarkable buildings rising from the jungle is something you will witness in very few places in the world. The skill, the craftsmanship, what the kings did to ensure they were built, how the temples functioned, the continuous history of worship in this area, the links with India, the way the Hindu temples also came to house Buddhist icons, it's all just fascinating.
Yes there are A LOT of tourists there but many of them are bussed in and out on daytrips so they go to the major temples - you can get away from them quite easily if you're prepared to visit some of the more far-flung attractions.
It is hot and exhausting all year round, but worse in the wet season. Anti-malarial pills really aren't necessary if you take other anti-mosquito precautions.
And I got very bad gastro in Cambodia so you do need to be careful about the food and water.
Siem Reap is quite an interesting and surprisingly laid-back town but again, it's really there for the temples.
The beggars are bad but Cambodia a very poor country and when you understand the history of the country it's easy to see why so many people beg, and to have a bit of patience. My husband would get very annoyed and try to reason why people why he wasn't buying something but I'd just smile and shake my head (guess which of us had the easier time?).
And, frankly, SE Asia is not a place to go if you can't develop coping mechanisms for being harassed by street vendors or beggars.
What I didn't like about Cambodia - the poverty, the corruption, the reminders that the head honchos from Pol Pot's time are still essentially in charge. The recent history is deeply, deeply upsetting if you've got an ounce of humanity. You know, as a tourist, most of your money does little good for the locals but it's better than nothing.
Seeing people with missing limbs and horrible scars from landmines is a constant reminder that all this happened less than 20 years ago. This is a nation still in deep, deep shock and mourning from one of the most awful atrocities ever committed.
But ultimately, it comes down to you - if you're not really into ancient temples, you probably won't enjoy it.
(What is your idea of a good holiday? What do you actually want to do? Do those things instead. I love old shit and history so for me Angkor Wat was a must, but if you like beaches, parties and food, then give it a miss and do those things.)
posted by jasperella at 9:15 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
And it's mind-blowing because it the temple complexes are ancient, huge, incredibly well-built, historically fascinating and the sight of such remarkable buildings rising from the jungle is something you will witness in very few places in the world. The skill, the craftsmanship, what the kings did to ensure they were built, how the temples functioned, the continuous history of worship in this area, the links with India, the way the Hindu temples also came to house Buddhist icons, it's all just fascinating.
Yes there are A LOT of tourists there but many of them are bussed in and out on daytrips so they go to the major temples - you can get away from them quite easily if you're prepared to visit some of the more far-flung attractions.
It is hot and exhausting all year round, but worse in the wet season. Anti-malarial pills really aren't necessary if you take other anti-mosquito precautions.
And I got very bad gastro in Cambodia so you do need to be careful about the food and water.
Siem Reap is quite an interesting and surprisingly laid-back town but again, it's really there for the temples.
The beggars are bad but Cambodia a very poor country and when you understand the history of the country it's easy to see why so many people beg, and to have a bit of patience. My husband would get very annoyed and try to reason why people why he wasn't buying something but I'd just smile and shake my head (guess which of us had the easier time?).
And, frankly, SE Asia is not a place to go if you can't develop coping mechanisms for being harassed by street vendors or beggars.
What I didn't like about Cambodia - the poverty, the corruption, the reminders that the head honchos from Pol Pot's time are still essentially in charge. The recent history is deeply, deeply upsetting if you've got an ounce of humanity. You know, as a tourist, most of your money does little good for the locals but it's better than nothing.
Seeing people with missing limbs and horrible scars from landmines is a constant reminder that all this happened less than 20 years ago. This is a nation still in deep, deep shock and mourning from one of the most awful atrocities ever committed.
But ultimately, it comes down to you - if you're not really into ancient temples, you probably won't enjoy it.
(What is your idea of a good holiday? What do you actually want to do? Do those things instead. I love old shit and history so for me Angkor Wat was a must, but if you like beaches, parties and food, then give it a miss and do those things.)
posted by jasperella at 9:15 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
I did one day there and by the end I was kind of like, "Uh, yeah that's an old temple!". It's neat to wander around and it's very unsupervised (to the detriment of the temples), but after doing all the velvet rope stuff in more developed places it can be refreshing.
It is HUGE, that said unless you have some kind of academic/spiritual interest, you're likely to kind of forget what you see.
I understand there are some less touristy temples a way out in the jungle that are at the least a whole day trip away and require some serious hiking.
If you're not into beggars and stuff, Siem Reap actually isn't a bad place to be. As far as Cambodia goes, it's entire industry is tourism and so the city tends to be free of, uh, "less desirable elements", although the temple has it's share of kids selling coconuts and knick knacks. Nearly every other place I've been in SE Asia has been full of beggars and orphans and whatever else and part of the experience traveling there is kind of learning how to reconcile yourself and your role with what you're seeing.
As far as cities go, Siem Reap is pretty chilled out and everyone is astonishingly nice and if you need a little break between backpacking and busses and the heat it's a great place to find a cheap room and drink cheap beer and watch the day go by.
posted by GilloD at 10:41 PM on July 14, 2011
It is HUGE, that said unless you have some kind of academic/spiritual interest, you're likely to kind of forget what you see.
I understand there are some less touristy temples a way out in the jungle that are at the least a whole day trip away and require some serious hiking.
If you're not into beggars and stuff, Siem Reap actually isn't a bad place to be. As far as Cambodia goes, it's entire industry is tourism and so the city tends to be free of, uh, "less desirable elements", although the temple has it's share of kids selling coconuts and knick knacks. Nearly every other place I've been in SE Asia has been full of beggars and orphans and whatever else and part of the experience traveling there is kind of learning how to reconcile yourself and your role with what you're seeing.
As far as cities go, Siem Reap is pretty chilled out and everyone is astonishingly nice and if you need a little break between backpacking and busses and the heat it's a great place to find a cheap room and drink cheap beer and watch the day go by.
posted by GilloD at 10:41 PM on July 14, 2011
FWIW I don't think you would like Angkor Wat. I was there in 1999 and found it beautiful, but Phnom Penh was much more memorable/moving for me.
Security Prison S-21 is a former high school there where thousands of Cambodians were held before being murdered by the Khmer Rouge in the 1975-79 genocide, and Choeung Ek is a site just south of the city where 9,000 bodies were buried. This is recent history, and in Phnom Penh it is all around you. When I was in Choeung Ek the earth was still giving up scraps of clothing from the people who had been buried there. There were dozens of teeth --- some on the ground, and others that had been picked up by visitors and put on flat rocks and tree stumps. There is a stupa filled with thousands of human skulls, completely exposed: you can touch them. In S-21 there are still mattresses on some of the beds and a jacket hanging on a door. It is all pretty raw, or at least it was in 1999.
When I was in Cambodia there was begging but no scammers. But honestly, if you are really averse to that kind of thing, I don't think you would like anywhere in SE Asia much. Maybe Hong Kong or Singapore?
posted by Susan PG at 10:34 PM on July 15, 2011
Security Prison S-21 is a former high school there where thousands of Cambodians were held before being murdered by the Khmer Rouge in the 1975-79 genocide, and Choeung Ek is a site just south of the city where 9,000 bodies were buried. This is recent history, and in Phnom Penh it is all around you. When I was in Choeung Ek the earth was still giving up scraps of clothing from the people who had been buried there. There were dozens of teeth --- some on the ground, and others that had been picked up by visitors and put on flat rocks and tree stumps. There is a stupa filled with thousands of human skulls, completely exposed: you can touch them. In S-21 there are still mattresses on some of the beds and a jacket hanging on a door. It is all pretty raw, or at least it was in 1999.
When I was in Cambodia there was begging but no scammers. But honestly, if you are really averse to that kind of thing, I don't think you would like anywhere in SE Asia much. Maybe Hong Kong or Singapore?
posted by Susan PG at 10:34 PM on July 15, 2011
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posted by easily confused at 10:16 AM on July 14, 2011