Has Anyone Been To Angkor Wat

[Jai Dee]

A trip to Angkor Wat is on my agenda... a place that I've heard a lot about but have never had the chance to visit.

Ideally, I would like to drive there in my own car, but I'm not sure of the legality of driving a Thai registered vehicle in Cambodia.

Also, I have some concern over the condition of the roads between the Thai border and Siem Reap.

Has anyone done it and can offer some advice?

[BambinA]

A trip to Angkor Wat is on my agenda... a place that I've heard a lot about but have never had the chance to visit.

Ideally, I would like to drive there in my own car, but I'm not sure of the legality of driving a Thai registered vehicle in Cambodia.

Also, I have some concern over the condition of the roads between the Thai border and Siem Reap.

Has anyone done it and can offer some advice?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i went there last year ..my route , i went to Trat >Snookyvile>PP>Siem Reap>Arunyapratet

the Road from SR to ARYP is bloody Bad(and small)..and if it has rain it will be worst

Bambi

suay mai? i took this pic around 6-6.30 pm there

[BambinA]

these are 2 site that very helpful i learn from it last time

Tale of Asia

Canbypublication

(when you go to Cambodia, you will get Travel Guidebook from Canby in Hotel)

Bambi

Edited September 9, 2005 by BambinA

[Jai Dee]

Thanks Bambi.

It looks great... did you enjoy it?

Did you travel in a Thai registered vehicle?

I'm thinking of travelling by sedan... what do you think?

[BambinA]

Thanks Bambi.

It looks great... did you enjoy it?

Did you travel in a Thai registered vehicle?

I'm thinking of travelling by sedan... what do you think?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Road !!

well i had a great time there .. from SR to TH i used bus... not so good JD to drive there... song-sarn your car...

i went to Angkor and rode the bicycle (huge round nearly 40 km) i was not supposed that was tooo huge .. make me had a prob with Bun

my route

Trat > (boat) Snookyvile> (bus) PP> (boat) Siem Reap> (bus) Arunyapratet

Edited September 9, 2005 by BambinA

[Jai Dee]

Call that a road?

You mean it's not sealed with bitumen or concrete?

I guess driving is out of the question...

What about flying? Do you know if it's possible to say fly from Surin or Ubon Ratchathani to SR and maybe get a tour minibus or something to take us around?

Any recommended accomodation?

Any and all suggestions would be gratefully received.

/Edit - I hope your bun is OK now...

Edited September 9, 2005 by Jai Dee

[tuky]

I have a feeling your Lada sedan will have trouble through there JD

[Jai Dee]

I have a feeling your Lada sedan will have trouble through there JD

D@mn... I forgot to wash the hurl stains off the door before you took that photo...

[chico]

A trip to Angkor Wat is on my agenda... a place that I've heard a lot about but have never had the chance to visit.

Ideally, I would like to drive there in my own car, but I'm not sure of the legality of driving a Thai registered vehicle in Cambodia.

Also, I have some concern over the condition of the roads between the Thai border and Siem Reap.

Has anyone done it and can offer some advice?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

one sister in law did it with her farang husband : bus from Aranyaprathet to Siam Reap and back, rentin bycs in Siam Reap : she got pushed over with the bike and her purse stolen, as people probablyhave seen her coming out from a bank before.

Have been in Angkor Wat twice, once 5 years ago : flight from Pnomh Penh, on a one-day guided tour - shit! far too short.

would suggest to book direct flight BKK - Siam Reap, take a taxi and ask him to bring you to a hotel at your specifications (rates), basically from US 40/room/day up to??? then hire him for the (min) 3, better four days you're staying, should be about 15 US/day.

the area is very big, some temples about 25/30km to drive, not so good with the bike, and if you find a nice driver, he will bring you around, even bring you to a local dance show in the evening, as well as to the lake a must!!

of course, he get a percentage when he brings you to a boat, but as my wife speaks kamen, she found out very quick that he is honest, looking for a cheap boat and not trying to cheat - maybe because we tipped him US 5/day? as the rent does not go to him, but mostly to his employer!

had a wonderful time there, but you need min three days!

any more questions, pm me, happy to give you more info.

[BambinA]

Call that a road? 

You mean it's not sealed with bitumen or concrete? 

it dont know how to call it in eng (but not sealed)

I guess driving is out of the question... 

good decision

What about flying?  Do you know if it's possible to say fly from Surin or Ubon Ratchathani to SR and maybe get a tour minibus or something to take us around?

Bangkok Airway From BKK that i know

Any recommended accomodation?

last time i stayed here IVY good

Any and all suggestions would be gratefully received. 

surprise... there people use USD $ heheh

/Edit - I hope your bun is OK now... 

hehehe ... nahh..but that time i could not sit and hate bicycle already

Bambi

Edited September 9, 2005 by BambinA

[Jai Dee]

The Ivy looks nice Bambi.

Thanks for your tips too chico...

If travelling as a group, of mixed Thais and farang, do you think we would be relatively safe from would-be pick-pocketers and thieves?

I've heard it can be a pretty dodgy place... especially at night...

[BambinA]

Getting to SR (Flight /Car/Ferry)

Bambi

[BambinA]

If travelling as a group, of mixed Thais and farang, do you think we would be relatively safe from would-be pick-pocketers and thieves?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well ..too much beggars and scams there ... around 8.30 pm there all are dark .. so better saft yourself dont stay to late night there ..but i did not get any pickpocket (i walked to eat out when I was in Phnom Penh 8.30pm (from Hotel to Riverside ~ 2-3Km))

Ohh you can find "Happy Pizza" there too

Bambi

[udon]

If you contact or stay at Gordon Sharpless's new guesthouse, he's the best guy in town to help you with info.

That site of his is kept up to date..... Tales of Asia.

Take a camera.

Two Dragons Guesthouse

Note to bambina, all those photos are subject to copyright....... a mention where you nicked them from would be appreciated by the owner of the copyright.

Edited September 9, 2005 by udon

[chico]

The Ivy looks nice Bambi.

Thanks for your tips too chico...

If travelling as a group, of mixed Thais and farang, do you think we would be relatively safe from would-be pick-pocketers and thieves?

I've heard it can be a pretty dodgy place... especially at night... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

last time we were there almost two years ago, didn't feel unsafe at any time, but then, at night we went only by taxi!

pick-pockets are everywhere in the world, you never keep too much cash or valuables with you in tourist places, but nowadays it's not too safe in Pattaya anymore either!

less beggars than in Thailand, people speak better english than in Thailand, you can haggle about the prices, if you have or can get'em, bring lots of greenbacks,

that's a good argument to lower the price, don't forget pasport fotos, you need them for the visa at entering, and for the visitorpass for Angkor Wat, although you can make them there too.

if you are a stamp collector, can buy them in the local post office, but they don't have older series which are quite beautiful and interesting.

have enough films or backup memory for digital, this is expensive, and get solid shoes for "climbing" as some of the temples are really steep!

worse than "Chichen Itza" in Mexico! and I thought this is the worst!

have a good time!

[samee]

OT.

That text on a rear bumber, means thunder

And i´ve been to to Angkor Wat from thailand too, with minibus and taxi.

Trat-Sihanoukville-Pnom Penh-Siem Reap-Poi Pet-BKK

Very nice place and worth to visit.

Angor

Edited September 9, 2005 by samee

[BambinA]

Ohhh nearly forget to tell you, if you wanna take a nice foto of Ta Prom (Tomb Raider was filmed) .. try to arrange your time and go there noon time (11 am tourists start to leave for lunch) ... i went there at noon by accident (yes i rode bicycle ...so there were less tourist that time)

and you will meet this man

I took his foto as snap shot too hhehe (he did not know so he would not charge me )

Bambi

[BambinA]

Paparazzi Bambi

[Jai Dee]

It sounds great... thanks for all the good feedback everybody.

Now when would be the best time of day to visit? Early morning (sunrise) or late afternoon (sunset)? Or maybe spread over 2-3 days?

/Edit - for photographic purposes of course.

Edited September 9, 2005 by Jai Dee

[BambinA]

It sounds great... thanks for all the good feedback everybody.

Now when would be the best time of day to visit?  Early morning (sunrise) or late afternoon (sunset)?  Or maybe spread over 2-3 days?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

it depend on you ..seem the ANGKOR passport has 1 /3/5 days

last time i spent only 1 day around Angkor and yes people start 6-7 am start with Angkor >Bayon ..etc..etc and finish @ Angkor for see Sunset

actaully 1 day maybe less for see all temples (but its ok for me )

(see this map , and plan your trip..you will see it has Huge round (Red+Green) and small round( Red) )

/edit red+green = the round i went ( bicycle )

Edited September 9, 2005 by BambinA

[chico]

It sounds great... thanks for all the good feedback everybody.

Now when would be the best time of day to visit?  Early morning (sunrise) or late afternoon (sunset)?  Or maybe spread over 2-3 days?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You will need about half day for "Bayon" and "Angkor Wat", or more, depending on how interested you are : but with a good guide, who explaines the sculptures in Angkor, this takes time, but it is a very interesting part of indian history.

"Ta Prohm" (with the big , 500 to 600 years old trees) can be visited morning or afternoon, if you want to take shots of temple and trees, and high noon, if you are more interested in taking pics of details or inside.

"Preah Palilay", "Tep Prana" and the "Terrace of the Leper king" are in walking distance and not too big. "Thommanon" and "Chau say Tevoda" (7 head cobra versus the usual 5 heads in thailand) all these are usually part of the "inner tour"

another tour could be : "Preah Khan", "Neak Pean", "Ta Som" could be a day tour, combined with "Ta ProhM"

"Lolei", "Preah Ko", "Bakong" and "Prasat Prei Monti" are one tour into another area, some km out of the main area.

"Bantea Srei" f.e. is about 25 km from the main area as well., as are many others in other directions too.

generali, midday is not to good for taking pics

a "must" is climbing the hill to take pictures of Angkor when the sun goes down

a visit to the lake and a tour on it takes about half day too!

does this helps a bit?

[Jai Dee]

/edit  red+green =  the  round i went ( bicycle )

No wonder you had a sore tush Bambi...

[chico]

A trip to Angkor Wat is on my agenda... a place that I've heard a lot about but have never had the chance to visit.

Ideally, I would like to drive there in my own car, but I'm not sure of the legality of driving a Thai registered vehicle in Cambodia.

Also, I have some concern over the condition of the roads between the Thai border and Siem Reap.

Has anyone done it and can offer some advice?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

sorry, as to driving a thai registered vehicle in Cambodia, my research in Pattaya brought up, that thai insurance does not pay for damages in Cambodia, but as there are now landtours, ther must certainly be a possibility, although by my knowledge (hearsay) I would suggest not to do it.

[Jai Dee]

... but with a good guide, who explaines the sculptures in Angkor, this takes time, but it is a very interesting part of indian history.

That is one of the most importating items on my agenda.

Do the guides speak Thai as well as English?

does this helps a bit?

Fantastic answers everybody.

Thanks heaps.

Any other suggestions?

[BambinA]

... but with a good guide, who explaines the sculptures in Angkor, this takes time, but it is a very interesting part of indian history.

That is one of the most importating items on my agenda.

Do the guides speak Thai as well as English?

Phood Thai dai not noi ... (i ask Cambies who can speak TH and they said they learn from Thai tv )

BTW dont forget to ask your guide to show the sculpture of dinosaur graphic at angkor wat or Ta Prom's wall (i forget) (i took it too.. the foto is at my apartment) ... so it mean in that time had dinosaur walk around there

and at "Ta Prom" has a dome that when we hit our chest it will has amazing resonant sound there!! (Cambies believe that it will make us have good luck when we do it there )

Bambi

[Mr. Farang]

A trip to Angkor Wat is on my agenda... a place that I've heard a lot about but have never had the chance to visit.

Ideally, I would like to drive there in my own car, but I'm not sure of the legality of driving a Thai registered vehicle in Cambodia.

Also, I have some concern over the condition of the roads between the Thai border and Siem Reap.

Has anyone done it and can offer some advice?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been to Ankor Wat (Siem Reap) four times. Each time, I flew from Bangkok. Everyone I know who has made the trip by car or bus (overland) complain how they wiish they had journeyed by plane.

The flight is cheap and, by the time you factor in gasoline and misery, it is much better to fly into Siem Reap from Bangkok.

Do the guides speak Thai as well as English?

There are also Thai speaking guides. Having said that, almost all guide are male (as they sadly dominate the females and actively stop them from working, according to the locals there) and they are not well educated - and simply "make up" stories to entertain tourists. I listened to these "guides" explain things to tourists and most of what they told them was nonsense - making me feel a bit sad for the tourists there.

Based on my four trips to Siem Reap, you are much better off with a good Ankor Wat guidebook. They can easily be purchased before you leave or when you arrive.

[chico]

Do the guides speak Thai as well as English?

I don't kow if they speak thai, but I suppose some do, maybe best to ask at the airport for a thai speaking driver/guide?

anyway, the dialect kamen dialect they speak there is quite different from the one, y wife speaks, although after a while she managed to talk with our driver

and thinking that we live about 100km away! (airline!)

Any other suggestions?

they have some massage parlours (serious ones! not Pattaya style), massage done by blind people - amazingly good and affordable.

nightlife we didn't bother to find out, but is said to be ok.

[BambinA]

(from google) (@Angkor)

Edited September 9, 2005 by BambinA

[Jai Dee]

    (from google)

Is that a dinosaur Bambi?

[BambinA]

    (from google)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is that a dinosaur Bambi?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chai Jai Dee but in the foto i took has 3 dino!! narak mak

An Ancient Stegosaur Depiction At Angkor Wat

Bambi

Edited September 9, 2005 by BambinA