Century Khmer Temple Complex

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Angkor Wat travel package is one of the most mysterious temples in the city of Siem Reap, Cambodia. The hidden "village" (it's more like a never-ending maze of wats and cultural confusion) was re-discovered by the French in the 19th century and literally cut out of the jungle. Upon arrival in Siem Reap, you have your pick of motorbike, taxi, or tuk-tuk tour guides to take you through the life of the city, from 3-day tours to 24-hour wat-a-thons. One of the most intriguing aspects of the temples is the mix of Buddhist and Hindu power that was obviously traded over years of rulers. This is a can't-miss for history buffs and anyone out there who likes a good mystery. Between the people, the temples, the nightlife, and the extremely reasonable prices, Siem Reap is a great time.

Henri Mouhot, a French explorer, is noted for making the Temples at Angkor popularized to the western world, during one of his expeditions in the mid 19th century Mouhot came across these ancient Khmer structures which had been taken over by the jungle and shared them in his writing and drawings. Today, the monuments rival the grandest of structures and play a pivotal role in tourism for Cambodia. Millions come each year to see the temples but these Khmer blessings have also become a curse. Throughout the past several decades a lack of governance and sustainable tourism efforts have taken a toll on some of the temples. Crumbling facades, cambodia tours  vandalism and theft all haunt the nearly 800 year old temples. For Angkor to continue bringing in much needed tourism dollars, efforts towards sustainability need to be greater fulfilled. The recent news of lights being added to the compound for night tours have infuriated both local and foreign peoples, leaving the Cambodian Government with many tough decisions to be made in the future.

Ta Prohm

The monastic temple of Ta Prohm is located in Cambodia's Angkor Archeological Park and is best known as the setting for the movie Tomb Raider. Our guide strategically timed our early lunch so that we had the grounds to ourselves while the giant tour bus groups were eating. Unlike most of the other Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left mostly unrestored and engulfed by the jungle. Imposing banyan and strangler fig trees have overtaken the crumbling ruins, harmoniously entwining their tentacle-like roots into the structure. We roamed cambodia tour package   the austere corridors in awe of the site’s haunting beauty.