Watching the sun rise above Siem Reap’s remarkable Angkor Wat in Cambodia pulls you into a trance… a photo happy trance.
The sun is just coming out from the clouds – better take a photo.
Wow! The sky looks pretty at the moment – another photo.
Let’s try a different angle.
That shimmer of orange is spectacular, I must capture that!
Simply mesmerising is a great way to describe Angkor Wat at sunrise; absolutely worth the early start. And yes, you’ll be pleased that you took so many photos too.
Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious monument and a UNESCO world heritage site. It also Cambodia’s biggest tourist attraction.
With alarms set for 5.00am, our group of five met in our hotel’s lobby at 5:15am, bleary-eyed and ready to see the iconic Angkor Wat at sunrise. Taking a tuk-tuk is the best option for getting out to Angkor Wat. Transport is readily available and for US$6, our driver waited for us, and then returned us back to our hotel when we had finished. Hint: be sure to ask the concierge about sunrise times.
What to expect
When you get there, be aware that there will be a lot of people with the same idea – by the time we got there, the crowd was already in its hundreds.
Prime spot is where the pool of water is – the building reflects on the water and will produce stunning photos. It is also where the crowds are. Photos in magazines never show the crowds, so this was a surprise. Hint: you’ll never be the first to get there, so don’t even try! But the consolation prize is that once the sun begins to shine over Angkor Wat, the crowds dissolves very quickly, so you’ll still get into that prime position and get the perfect shot without having to get in far too early just to get the front position.
I noticed that people were reluctant to walk around, but I recommend doing just that – walk around and get photos from different angles. Hint: remember to enjoy the view as well and not get caught too much up with the photos, which is easy to do.
And as with every other tourist attraction in Siem Reap, little kids come up to you selling trinkets for ‘one dollaaaa’. There are also plenty of little restaurants serving breakfast – with names like James Bond and Angelina Jolie – how could you resist?
Take your pick – sunrise or sunset – it’ll be a magical experience regardless.