After meeting our tour guide, then we drive to Angkor Thom
that was the masterpiece of King Jayavarman VII. Following the
occupation of Angkor by the Chams from 1177 to 1181, the new
king decided to build an impregnable fortress at the heart of
his empire. The scale is simply staggering and we are
immediately overwhelmed by the audacity of Jayavarman on
arrival at the city’s gates.
We begin to visit Bayon Temple. At the exact center of Angkor
Thom, this is an eccentric expression of the creative genius
and inflated ego of Cambodia’s most celebrated king. Its 54
towers are each topped off with the four faces of
Avalokiteshvara (Buddha of Compassion), which bear more than a
passing resemblance to the king himself. These colossal heads
stare down from every side, exuding power and control with a
hint of compassion, just the mix required to keep a hold on
such a vast empire.
We continue to visit Terrace of the Leper King. This
intricately carved platform was the royal crematorium and the
statue that was originally thought to be the leper king is now
believed to be Yama, the god of death. We continue along the
Terrace of Elephants, originally used as a viewing gallery for
the king to preside over parades, performances and traditional
sports. At the southern end lies the Baphuon, once of the most
beautiful temples at Angkor, dating from the reign of
Uditayavarman 1 in the 11th century. It has undergone a
massive renovation by the French and is now once again open
for viewing.
You'll break for lunch at a local restaurant before the
15-minute drive to Ta Prohm, the monastery-temple of Tomb
Raider fame. Left as it was ‘discovered’ by French explorer
Henri Mouhot in 1860, the tentacle-like tree roots here are
slowly strangling the surviving stones.
We journey out to the Mother of all temples, Angkor Wat.
Believed to be the world's largest religious building, this
temple is the perfect fusion of symbolism and symmetry and a
source of pride and strength to all Khmers. Built in the 12th
century by King Suryavarman II, this is most famous temple at
Angkor. We venture into Angkor Wat to enjoy its magnificence
in peace and quiet. We begin by unraveling the mysteries of
the bas-reliefs that tell of tales from Hindu mythology and of
the glories of the Khmer empire.
Overnight in Siem Reap.
Inclusion:Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast,
lunch and hotel
