Visiting Angkor Wat has been on my top 100 list since I made it. And, to be honest, when I made that list, I didn’t know where it was, I just knew that I had to see it.
Today was that day. And it was Easter Sunday. Happy Easter!
We were going on a night of no sleep, after the bad bus ride. But, we still made a day of it.
We hired a tuk-tuk and private driver for the day ($13) to see the “small tour” of the temples of Angkor Wat.
I had thought that Angkor Wat was a single temple, but it is really the heart of a very large civilization. There are many many temples in the area, and most of them are ready for explorers.
At Angkor, we did hire a guide for $10.
It was nice having a guide to explain the temple, its purpose and significance, and point out the intricacies that we wouldn’t have noticed on our own.
He also knew of all the best spots to take pictures.
Our guide told us at the start of the tour, that it would take about 90 minutes. At exactly 60 minutes into the tour, he said it was over, and asked for payment.
We paid him $12 (an extra $2 for a tip). He complained and said that it was $10 per person. We refused to pay the extra money, because the price was clearly agreed on at the start of the tour and it was 30 minutes shorter than it should have been.
It’s too bad that he chose this as the way to end the tour. Until then, we really liked him, and would have recommended him to other people. But, now all I can recommend is that if you do get a guide at Angkor Wat – be sure to agree on a total price before the tour, and stick to it.
Back to the talk of the temple. It was beautiful. The walls are all intricately carved and stunning. I can only imagine what it would have looked at its peak.
The tourists aren’t the only ones who have taken a liking to the temple. The bees seem to like it too. Check it out.
On to the next temples…
Those bees are incredible. I love the orange they get to wear! Can you imagine getting to wear that color everyday?! I think it would just brighten my day every time I put it on! I also love the contrast of the green grass against the building, good picture!
Thanks for the compliments on the photo. The beehive was probably 5 feet tall by 7 feet wide. It was massive.
Orange… I would like to see you wear an orange Buddhist robe every day. That would be awesome!
I love that saffron / orange color too! But I think I would get tired of it if that’s the only color I wore for the rest of my life. Thanks for visiting the site Jessie!