CEBU, Philippines - Siem Reap's easy and laidback pace simply means one thing: the place is meant to be savored – not rushed. Once the seat of power in the Khmer Empire, Siem Reap's bustle has significantly slowed down. Its ability to charm and enchant its visitors however, has not. For the most part, it has retained the undercurrents of the glorious days of Angkor when the surrounding nations would bow and yield at the power of the Angkor king.
Located south of Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap sits only an inch away from Thailand. While Lake Tonle Sap, the biggest fresh water lake in the world may have drawn its share of tourists the world over, Siem Reap's claim to fame is its vast archaeological park which has become the home to a temple complex that held the marvel of many in its time.
Thank Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider instalment for catapulting it to fame but even without the popular video game-turned-movie, the ancient temple complex will remain to be a wonder of the ancient world for millennia to come. Although Angkor Wat is the biggest and the most popular among the other temples within the vicinity, other, smaller temples hold their share of stories and struggles – something that can easily be felt the moment you roam through the halls of weathered brick, singed sandstone, and laterite that has stood the test of the elements. Suddenly, 802 AD – when King Jayavarman II proclaimed himself chakravartin or sovereign ruler of the entire Khmer Empire – feels as if it was only a breath away.
Beyond the temples, Siem Reap's town proper still carries the remnants of French influence with charming Frensh shop-houses and boulevards fringed with trees creating a unique twist to its Khmer base.
Pedal through Siem Reap on a vintage bike and savor the Khmer breeze as you take a brisk run-through almost a thousand years of history in an empire that was once Siam's and Burma's staunchest rival.
Travel guides may urge you to explore each of Angkor's hundred or so temples but truth be told, if you've seen the greatest ones, you don't need to explore every nook and cranny. Savor each milestone of Angkor's zenith through five of its greatest architectural and religious legacies:
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat literally means Temple City and is perhaps the grandest remnant of Khmer architecture there is. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was once a sacred Hindu temple before it was converted into a Buddhist one. Built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat isn't only the world's largest religious complex. It has become the symbol of an entire country with Cambodia's flag bearing its image. Angkor Wat is a breakthrough for two reasons: it was the first temple dedicated to Vishnu, hence breaking the tradition of Suryavarman's predecessors to dedicate their temples to Shiva, and second, Angkor Wat was the largest architectural rendition of an entire myth with its lotus-shaped towers representing Mount Meru, the home of the devas in Hindu mythology. Explore Angkor Wat's labyrinth of galleries and corridors all replete with bass reliefs and epics etched on sandstone walls for at least an hour and lose yourself in the greatest story book ever built.
Phnom Bakheng
While the sunrise at Angkor Wat is glorious, sunsets at Phnom Bakheng are simply majestic. Phnom Bakheng is older than Angkor Wat by at least two centuries and yes, this too used to be the symbolic representation of Mount Meru, the sacred mountain in Hindu mythology. Phnom Bakheng was the crown jewel of the new capital that King Yasovarman built as time teetered towards the end of the 9th century. Phnom Bakheng is equally rich in symbolism as was Angkor Wat. Like Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakheng is crowned by five towers with the four strategically positioned such that only 33 smaller towers could be seen from various side surrounding the principal tower. In Hindu mythology, 33 is the number of gods who dwelt in Mount Meru. The central tower does not only represent Mount Meru but it also symbolizes the axis of the world while the remaining 108 minor towers represent the four phases of the moon divided into 27 days each. Suffice to say, Phnom Bakheng is a larger- than-life astronomical calendar.
Ta Prohm
Iconic for its connection with the swashbuckling adventures of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, Ta Prohm is a Bayon-style temple on the southern edge of East Baray. Ta Prohm was built by King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university making it a place of learning and not only worship. Ta Prohm is a temple growing out of the Cambodian jungle that is a constant struggle to keep the foliage and trees from completely swallowing it up. Since the time it was found, Ta Prohm has been locked in a constant embrace with the imposing roots of spung trees that run across its towers and galleries creating the illusion that the temple is an extension of the jungle.
Baphoun Temple
It was the Baphoun Temple in Angkor Thom that marked a shift in the architectural style of Angkor. This architectural style was of course named after its archetype, the Baphoun Temple. Although dedicated to Shiva upon its completion, Baphoun Temple was converted into a Buddhist temple at the turn of the 15th century. Without its towers, Baphoun Temple stands at a 100 meters from its base. This three-tiered mountain temple is a classic example of an ancient sky-scraper that astonished many including Temur Khan's envoy, Chou Ta Kuan who dubbed Baphoun Temple the “Tower of Bronzeâ€.
Bayon Temple
Bayon Temple is a personal favorite. Not too vast, not too small, it's an easy one-hour tour if you wish to savor its chambers. Although not as vast or as huge as Baphuon, Bayon became the official state temple and the center of Angkor Thom during King Jayavarman VII's time. Bayon's signature feature are the massive stone carvings of serene faces on its many towers, particularly the ones surrounding its central peak. Bayon is an architectural story book with its chambers covered with bas reliefs spanning both history and myth hence making it one of the most striking pieces of Khmer baroque-style architecture of its time.