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JUN 7 2022

A tour of Cambodia's World Heritage site, Angkor Wat, and the surrounding ruins

Located on the northwestern shore of Lake Tonle Sap, the largest lake in Southeast Asia, the Angkor Wat ruins were registered as a World Heritage Site in 1992. This World Heritage Site, where ruins including Angkor Wat await in the vast jungle, has captivated people from all over the world with its overwhelming scale and the beauty of its architecture. In this article, we will introduce the charms of the Angkor ruins and how to enjoy them.

A beautiful cultural heritage site dotted with unique ruins

画像: 個性豊かな遺跡が点在する美しき文化遺産

The World Heritage Site "Angkor Wat" consists of ruins such as temples, fortresses, and bridges left behind by the Angkor Dynasty, which flourished for about 600 years from the 9th to the 15th centuries. It is said that there are more than 1,000 ruins, including small unexcavated ruins.

In particular, the area around the tourist hub of Siem Reap is dotted with unique ruins such as Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm.

How to enjoy the Angkor Wat. Walking through the two symbolic ruins

画像1: アンコール遺跡の楽しみ方。象徴する2大遺跡を歩く

One of the highlights of the Angkor ruins is Angkor Wat, built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II of the Angkor Dynasty. Said to have taken 30 years to build, this huge temple ruin is surrounded by a moat with a circumference of about 5km. Five towers and a triple corridor are arranged around a 65m-tall central shrine, and its well-balanced appearance and magnificent decoration have earned it the nickname "the greatest masterpiece of Khmer architecture."

Particularly impressive are the reliefs that fill the triple corridor and the interior of the hall. The first corridor, which is 800 meters long, is decorated with reliefs based on the ancient Indian epic poem "Ramayana" and the Hindu creation myth "The Churning of the Ocean of Milk," and their intricate beauty is overwhelming.

If you want to see the beauty of the symmetrical architecture, the best position is in front of the pond beside the Western Approach. From there, you can see the ever-changing appearance of Angkor Wat, from early morning when the temple is illuminated by the morning sun to dusk when the sky turns crimson red.

画像2: アンコール遺跡の楽しみ方。象徴する2大遺跡を歩く

Another highlight of the Angkor Wat tour is Angkor Thom, located to the north of Angkor Wat. The ruins of a huge fortress city built by Jayavarman VII in the second half of the 12th century are dotted with many sights.

One of the most iconic structures at Angkor Thom is the Bayon, a Hindu-Buddhist temple located in the center of the ruins. This ruin, with countless towers built around a central shrine, is famous for the "Bayon Four-Faced Statues," which have facial figures carved into the four sides of the towers. These four-faced statues are said to be replicas of the Kannon Bodhisattva, and their gentle smiles are very memorable.

Angkor Thom has a wide variety of ruins, including not only Bayon, but also the Terrace of the Leper King, the Terrace of the Elephants, and a huge city gate. It is about a 10-minute drive from the aforementioned Angkor Wat, so why not experience the profound depths of the World Heritage Site of Angkor by traveling between the two?

Dense jungles, ruins, reliefs... Where can you see these magnificent ruins?

Angkor is a vast area about the size of Tokyo's 23 wards, with countless ruins scattered throughout. To visit the ruins, you must purchase an admission ticket, and three types of tickets are available on-site: a 1-day ticket, a 3-day ticket, and a 7-day ticket.

If you just want to visit Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, a one-day admission ticket will be enough, but there is much more to see at Angkor.

画像: 密林、廃墟、レリーフ……。珠玉の遺跡群を見るには?

For example, the temple architecture "Ta Prohm," said to have been built at the end of the 12th century, is impressive for its giant trees, such as banyan trees, that have grown to engulf the massive stone architecture. Also, "Phnom Bakheng," built in the early 10th century, is a Hindu temple built on a small hill. From this location, overlooking "Angkor Wat," which stands in the jungle, you can see an incredibly romantic sunset.

Also, "Beng Mealea", located about an hour and a half's drive from Siem Reap, is the ruins of a temple built in the late 11th century to the early 12th century. This ruin, quietly spreading out in the jungle, offers a fantastic view of the ruins, interwoven with the crumbling temple ruins and the jungle.

In addition to these, there are many other ruins that adorn Angkor, such as Banteay Srei, which features the relief of the Devada statue, known as the "Mona Lisa of the East," and the huge pyramid-shaped temple ruins of Ta Kaew. If you want to experience the depth of the ruins, we recommend purchasing a 3-day or 7-day ticket and taking your time to explore the ruins.

Angkor Wat

accessApproximately 5.3 km from Siem Reap International Airport (approximately 12 minutes by car)
World Heritage Registration Year1992
Types of World Heritage Sitescultural heritage
Registration Criteria-It is a masterpiece of human creative genius.
- represent a significant exchange of human values in the development of architecture, technology, monuments, urban planning and landscape architecture within a given period or within a given cultural area of the world
- Bearing unique or rare testimony to a cultural tradition or a civilisation, living or extinct
- an outstanding example of an architectural style, or of an architectural or technical ensemble or landscape that illustrates an important stage in human history
Image 2: A tour of Cambodia's World Heritage site, Angkor Wat, and the surrounding ruins

Travel writer/Toru Yoshihara

Angkor is a World Heritage Site visited by many travelers from all over the world. The city of Siem Reap, which serves as a base for tourism, is dotted with a wide variety of hotels, from large resort hotels to secluded villas and small guesthouses, allowing you to find a stay that suits your travel style. In addition, the Old Market in the center of the city is home to a wide variety of shops, from souvenir shops to restaurants. Take your time to enjoy the charms of Angkor travel, which goes beyond just visiting the ruins!

*Some content was updated on June 7, 2022.

The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.

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