Angkor Wat

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Nothing fully prepares you for the temples at Angkor. Especially not the total pants movie Tomb Raider.

But you need to watch this clip, otherwise you’ll get to ‘that spot’ in Ta Promb and wonder why everyone’s taking selfies with a tree trunk.

King Jayavarman VII, by the way, mastered the selfie in the 12th Century. He plastered his image all over his social media estate. The difference was, his face was carved from stone blocks. And his estate was real.

It seems J-man liked to build things - big things. He knocked up Ta Promb to honour Angelina Jolie (OK, maybe his mother, actually) and Preah Kahn to honour his Pops. Then he built the Bayon to honour Buddha, no less. Around that he whipped up Angkor Thom, a city four times the size of Vatican City. For the twelfth century, that's just showing off.

A wry smile?

Only temple buildings survive today, (the rest were of wooden construction), so it’s hard to credit that Big-J actually built one of the world’s first mega-cities. He ‘encouraged’ the population to centralise, built over 100 hospitals and developed what’s now regarded as the world's first welfare state.

Whether J-7 was a genuinely good man or just good at ‘man stuff’, he certainly had a grasp of modern politics. He realised it’s no good just doing good, you need to be seen to be doing good. Hence, his face in everyone’s face, branding his many achievements.

And boy, what a face! Serene, masterful, wise, dignified, determined, human - I’m pretty sure I even clocked a wry smile in one carving. Though you need patience to catch it.

Sadly, most visitors to Angkor don’t venture much further than those temples I’ve name-checked, ushered ‘shrine-blind’ around the Grand Circuit by their babbling guide, pausing only to snap that requisite selfie. But, as with all my recommendations, it’s important you take your time and fully take Angkor in.

The temple complex is, well, ... complex. Extending over almost 400 square miles. Although most is within 20 minutes of Siem Reap. You can’t expect to see it all, but please do allow more than a day.

The coolest way to see Angkor is by bike. (You want air conditioning? Peddle faster!). Having your own two wheels liberates you from the tyranny of the guide and the itinerary. And there’s no more intense way to experience the ambiance than to linger in silence for as long as you fancy.

When I say silence, it’s obviously ‘jungle silence’, so think canopy sounds. But in some of the more remote temples, I painted for twenty minutes without seeing a single other soul.

Revealing glimpse

If you want some less well-trodden ‘must sees’, I’d suggest; Preah Kahn, Ta Som, Ta Nei, the Eastern Baray (lake), and East Gate. You can actually walk atop the walls of Angkor Thom from Victory Gate to East Gate. Both are less busy and more rewarding than South Gate, which gets inundated by coach parties of selfie-snappers.

Guarding the East Gate

Aside from temples and faces, Angkor’s other star attraction is the tree invasion. Roots and trunks snake across, around and through the ruins, hugging, tickling and at times engulfing the ancient structures.

Engulfed gatehouse

Whilst the trees’ pursuit is upwards towards the canopy, the effect reads more like the slow downward dripping of candle wax. The contrast between those soft, meandering organic forms and the austere and weighty, but distinctly wonky, temple structures is curious, quaint and almost comic.

Engulfing is, of course, what visitors most want to see. The audacity and sheer lack of respect shown by the trees is staggering. Once one gets a decent hold, it’s open season for other stranglers to join the fray. At times the underlying structure only just manages a peep through the tangled invasion.

For the temples themselves, this incursion isn’t actually all bad. Many structures are only standing now thanks to the organic scaffolding running through them like a spine. Even where restoration is underway, the trees cannot be removed, and have to be delicately curtailed and preserved.

For us humans, the effect is both humbling and empowering. The trees epitomise our King Canute-like relationship with nature. Civilisations might conquer, create and colonise, but in time, nature will inevitably return and reclaim what is naturally hers. Experiencing a place like Angkor Wat puts us in our place.

At the same time, the trees create a mystical, otherworldly atmosphere that makes every visitor picking their way through the labyrinthine ruins feel a little bit Harrison Ford. It certainly beats feeling like a tourist.

After getting thoroughly hot and jungly, it’s imperative to retire to a cool hotel, with a cool pool and ice-cold beer. Fortunately, Siem Reap is well supplied with all three.

I took up residence at the FCC, the Foreign Correspondents Club. It's now an Avani hotel, clinging to its legacy as the hang-out where journalists typed-up and telex-ed their reports. There’s still a manual typewriter in every room and a faint whiff of intrigue in the lofty dining room.

I’d also recommend the Shinta Mani for its designer flower designs. Oh, and breakfast on a swing.

Nature's incursion

On the subject of dining, Cambodian cuisine is a bit like Thai, but with most of the flavour and spice missing! I discovered several bougie places, with food that looked good on the plate, but on the palate was just a bit meh.

Dawn chorus

But ever resourceful, I persevered and identified three notable exceptions;

At Cuisine Wat Damnak, I savoured possibly the best meal of my life. Certainly top 5. It's Cambodian / French / Michelin fusion with an 8-course tasting menu. After a sublime supper, I lingered to watch the kitchen in action. Picture Gordon Ramsay full-throttle, full-expletive, then imagine the exact opposite. This kitchen is managed and staffed entirely by women. The result is harmonious, balletic and poetic.

If any friend wants to meet me there for dinner, I’ll happily fly the 6,078 air miles to take them up on the offer.

Almost next door, JOMNO is nearly as good, at almost a third the price. The vibe is pure hang-out perfect. The menu is street food elevated way above the street.

Note: When you get to the street in question for both these gems, you'll be thinking 'Where on Earth has Richard sent us?'. It’s distinctly ‘outskirtsy’ (5-10 mins by bike), particularly after dark. Just don't hesitate, but do book.

My third treat is, predictably, the AmanSara. Pricier than Wat Damnak and nearly as good, you get to sample Aman simplicity and perfection, while saving a thousand bucks a room.

In case it's not already evident, irrespective of what Angkor Wat offers, Siem Reap is simply a charming place to hang out. With the distinct exception of Pub Street, which is exactly as the name implies, but far worse.

J-man may not have had social media as we know it, but he and subsequent kings created something shareable; a place of immense mystical beauty that time and the relentless invasion of the jungle have made only more photogenic.

As ever, my attempts to describe and depict, this magical place can only go so far. I urge you to go the 6,000 odd miles to see, hear and experience it for yourself.

The writing's on the door

A Few Links and Practicalities

(Just sharing the love. I absolutely don’t get paid for these.)

The Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC Avani): www.avanihotels.com/en/angkor-siem-reap

Shinta Mani: www.shintamani.com/angkor/

Cuisine Wat Damnak: www.cuisinewatdamnak.com/siem-reap/

They also have their original restaurant in Phnom Pehn

Jomno: https://jomnostreetfood.business.site/

AmanSara: www.aman.com/resorts/amansara/dining

Most good hotels will lend you a bike. Maybe come prepared with some lights for those black runs home, having lingered ‘till dusk at your favourite temple.

If you don’t fancy cycling the temple complex. It'll be fairly easy to get a tuk tuk / driver / guide to take you. Chances are your airport taxi driver will offer. Just make sure you have flexibility on where you choose to go and avoid a ‘group tour’.