Dreamy Jungle Ruins of Beng Mealea

Huy and Thom, my young guides, showed me the hidden treasures

Beng Mealea is the Angkor people dream of. Unlike the central temples that are disappointingly crawling with tourists, these mysterious 12th century temple ruins, located less than two hours away from Siem Reap, remain wild, uncrowded and explorable - the way they were first discovered.

This temple was opened to visitors only five years ago, when the area was completely demined. Beng Mealea has a similar plan to Angkor Wat, and believed to have been built during the same period. For the most part not much is known about its history, even which Khmer royalty had it built. So there's a wealth of things yet to be uncovered by archaeologists and visitors alike.

Moreover, it's also an easy escape from touristy Siem Reap to see the laid-back Cambodian countryside, passing by broad stretches of farmland, rolling ox carts and waving villagers. On our way back, the incredible sunset was a perfectly shaped disc that lit up the countryside, rivaling the one we witnessed on the hilltop temple of Bakheng the day before.

My friends and I, being photography enthusiasts, each enjoyed exploring the crumbling complex on our own and capturing its disheveled beauty. While wooden walkways and some viewing platforms have been built to conveniently explore a portion of the ruins, visitors are free to climb and ramble around it, over fallen masonry and through pillared walls, something discouraged at the other central temples. In some areas, one had to squeeze through the wooden braces that support unstable sections of the ruins. These temple ruins are definitely for adventure-seekers.

Strangled by the jungle and dappled in golden light, Beng Mealea is the Angkor we dream of.

Two young boys from the village named Huy and Thom offered to show me the hidden treasures of the site. The causeway leading to the central galleries are guarded by beautiful sculptures of five and seven-headed nagas (mythological serpents), symbols of water, fertility and creation. Strewn amidst the rubble under the dappled light from the tree canopy, one can discover fallen lintels with bas-reliefs of scenes from Hindu mythology, decorative friezes, false doors, balustered windows, broken sarcophagi and unusual carvings of sultry apsaras (celestial dancers) cupping their breasts.

A tree frog rests on the balustrade of the wooden walkway

Unlike the trimmed down - almost landscaped - vegetation of Ta Prohm, made famous by the Angelina Jolie action flick, Tomb Raider, nature runs riot in these temples ruins. And this includes some wildlife. I spotted a tree frog resting on a balustrade, while my companion spotted a snake. I couldn't agree more, as my travel companion later on mused, "This is the Angkor we came for."

Wooden walkways and platforms take visitors through some sections of the ruins

Fallen masonry

HOW TO GET THERE: Located some 40 km from central Angkor, Beng Mealea is 1.5 to 2 hours away from Siem Reap town. We haggled for a tuk-tuk to take us there and back for USD 24 (i.e. USD 8 per head). 

You don't need the pricey tourist pass to visit Beng Mealea. Pay the separate entrance fee of only USD 5 at the entrance. To help you find your way through the ruins and spot the hidden attractions, I highly recommend hiring a local villager to show you around for USD 1.

WHERE TO STAY: Lots of budget options in Siem Reap town. See my previous post on the central temples of Angkor.

From Dawn to Dusk, We Angkor Away!

Angkor Wat - the world's largest single religious monument

Angkor - no other word conjures the power of our imaginations as the name of Cambodia's expansive temple complex, built by generations of Khmer royalty across centuries, an enigmatic landmark that draws travelers far and wide to its captivating epicenter - the Angkor Wat - most especially when its spired silhouette is graced by the velvety halo of dawn or dusk. So from sunrise to sunset, our tuk-tuk toured us around the highlights of Central and Eastern Angkor, so we can maximize our one-day tourist pass to the temples. We only had two full days to explore the temples of Angkor. To make the most of our time and money, we decided to explore the central temples first, then go to an awesome but distant temple (with a separate entrance fee) on the second day.

Battle scene depicted on a bas-relief mural at Angkor Wat

Smaller temples like Chao Say Tevoda 
offered moments of peace and isolation

Covering an area of over 400 sq km, the temple complex is believed by some archaeologists to be the largest preindustrial city in the world. There are over a thousand temple ruins from between the 9th and 15th centuries within the park, from nondescript piles of rubble to well-restored ones like the Angkor Wat, considered to be the world's largest single religious monument. These magnificent edifices were built by Khmer kings as testaments of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. In terms of grandeur and number, the only other temple complex that rivals Angkor would be the over 4,400 temples of Bagan in northern Myanmar (Burma), which I got to visit last year. 

Angkor's superlatives, however, are stifled by its sheer popularity. Last year, 2.5 million tourists visited the temples, that's four times the number only five years back! Consequently, absorbing the tranquil beauty of the temples may prove challenging with a babel of tour groups shuffling through the corridors and walkways. Angkor Thom - in particular, the smiling face-towered temple of Bayon - also draws hundreds of people daily. And, in Eastern Angkor, Ta Prohm - the temple made famous by the Angelina Jolie action flick, Tomb Raider - is strangled more by snap-happy tourists rather than picturesque tree roots!

Seeking for a breather from the crowds, I really appreciated the smaller temples we visited in between the major sites. The minor temples in Eastern Angkor, such as Thommanon, Chao Say Tevoda and Banteay Kdei offered moments of peace and isolation that's near impossible to enjoy amidst the hordes of tourist who gravitate to the most popular sites. Some temples in Angkor Thom like Baphuon and Phimeanakas were more enjoyable to explore as well.

Apsaras at Leper King Terrace

Other memorable spots were the Elephant Terrace and Leper King Terrace at Angkor Thom, a bas-relief labyrinth of elephants, apsaras (celestial dancers), demons, and garudas (mythical birds). These bas-reliefs - including those found within the perimeter corridors of Angkor Wat - are just as incredible as the ones in Borobodur Temple in Java, Indonesia.

All in all, we visited around 13 sites, and were, as warned, templed out by nightfall, after the piece de resistance of ascending the hilltop temple of Bakheng to watch the incredible sunset over Angkor Wat. According to our tuk-tuk driver, no more than 300 visitors are allowed to watch the sunset at Bakheng, so it's advisable to ascend the hill at around 4 PM. 


A temple we regretted not being able to visit was Banteay Srei, an outlying temple with the finest bas-reliefs, that can only be visited if we had an extra day to spend (i.e. paying for the  40-dollar three day pass instead) at the central temples. 

On the other hand, our second day in Angkor brought us to the temple ruins of Beng Mealea, located 1.5 hours away from Siem Reap, which turned out to be the Angkor we were searching for and the temple that deserves a separate blog post altogether.

One of the most photographed sites - the 'Tomb Raider' ruins of Ta Prohm

HOW TO GET THERE: Several airlines fly to Siem Reap. Or one can arrive overland from tourist hubs such as Bangkok or Saigon. There are many buses connecting the town to other destinations in mainland Southeast Asia. Our Virak Buntham bus (13 hours) to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), via Phnom Penh, costs USD 20. It leaves daily at 7:00 PM. Another option is to go by ferryboat... We arrived in Siem Reap from Battambang via a scenic boat ride (USD 20, travel time: 4 to 9 hours, depending on the season) across the Tonlé Sap lake-river system.

Now, how does one get to the temples? The Angkor Archaeological Park is 5.5 km north of Siem Reap, and can be explored by bicycle or tuk-tuk. Entrance: USD 20/40/60 for one/three/seven day passes. They're printed instantaneously with your photo, using a webcam, at the park entrance. Tip: Tickets purchased after 5PM are valid the following day, so one can watch the sunset at the temples for free! To maximize our one-day pass, we opted for a full-day tuk-tuk tour from sunrise to sunset, which we got to haggle down to USD 18 (or USD 6 per head). We decided not to hire a tour guide, and bought an extremely helpful and comprehensive full-color book guide entitled Ancient Angkor by Michael Freeman and Claude Jacques . These are sold by vendors at the temples for USD 15, but can be haggled down to USD 5.

Our tuk-tuk in front of the Leper King Terrace in Angkor Thom

WHERE TO STAY: There are numerous budget options in Siem Reap. We stayed at Palm Garden Lodge at 132 Tepvong St, only 15 minutes walk from Pub Street. Triple fan room at USD 12 only (i.e. only USD 4 per head!), with simple breakfast (egg and toast, or noodle soup) and free pick-up. Some staff can be pushy with their tuk-tuk tour offers though, but we found cheaper options by negotiating with drivers outside ourselves. Email info@palmgardenvilla.com for reservations.

Other cheap accommodations we considered are Bou Savy Guesthouse, with rooms starting at USD 8, and Garden Village Resort, where dorm rooms start at USD 1 and private rooms at USD 3!

Sunset at the hilltop temple of Bakheng, overlooking Angkor Wat

Drama-free Rentals? Choose Roomorama! [SP]

An awesome guesthouse in Phnom Penh we found through Roomorama! Photo by Ryan Dayrit

Red-eye flights, night buses, city runs and hardcore haggling... 

The dramas of shoestring travel can take a toll on your sanity, so savoring an occasional travel indulgence can be such an amazing relief. After zipping to Phnom Penh from Saigon on a six-hour night bus, we crashed into the creature comforts of a sophisticated hole-in-the-wall guesthouse we found through Roomorama, a website where independent travelers can discover quality apartments, inns and other short-term rentals in cities across the world. The website is streamlined, secure and easy to use. While the place we booked in Phnom Penh was $55 a night, accommodations for all budgets may be found.

Perfect breakfast to jumpstart our day!

Conveniently, the guesthouse had a complimentary tuk-tuk pick us up at the bus stop. The place had a small swimming pool, a most inviting amenity after a long bus ride that took us through the border crossing and across the Mekong river on a barge. The staff were accommodating enough to allow us to swim, past the regular pool hours. The following morning, a yummy buffet breakfast of sausages, omelet, French toast and fruit was the perfect way to jump-start our race around Phnom Penh before catching yet another night bus to our next destination.

Hands down, this the nicest place I've stayed in on a backpacking trip. The interior design was thoroughly clean, fresh and minimalist from the common areas to the rooms. The owners, an Australian expat couple, were nice to chat with and were happy to have us. Located near a nice public park by the Independence Monument, the place is privately tucked away within an expat neighborhood in the booming capital, yet still conveniently situated as a jump-off point to the city's popular landmarks. The Independence Monument and Royal Palace were leisurely walks away from the guesthouse. Moreover, the Khmer staff were friendly and helpful, pointing out to us how to get to our destinations for the day, and took care of our luggage when we checked out. The next time I'm looking for a drama-free stay, I'd look no further than Roomorama.

Ah, our cozy triple room! Photo by Ryan Dayrit 

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