The Lost Kingdom: A Journey Through Angkor Wat & Siem Reap’s Ancient Wonders

The Lost Kingdom—Khmer Empire

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Unveiling Angkor Wat: Siem Reap Travelogue, Heritage Temples & Local Culture

9^th Century AD. Angkor was the largest city in the world. For the next 500 years, it was the capital of the Khmer Empire. The city witnessed the construction of hundreds of world-famous temples built by the Khmer rulers. This sprawling complex of Angkorian ruins lies north of a safe, friendly, and pleasant town of Siem Reap on the shores of Tonle Sap Lake. Siem Reap earned its name after the Khmer Empire defeated and took over the Thai kingdom in the 17^th century. It literally means ‘Siamese defeated’. Because of its proximity to Angkor Archaeological Park, it has become one of the liveliest and most touristy cities in Cambodia over the last decade. We stayed at Hotel Visoth Boutique, which is very conveniently located in Siem Reap. It is truly a boutique hotel. It is homely, with a warm and hospitable staff. 

Dawn at Angkor Wat: A Divine Encounter

We started off for Angkor Wat early in the morning when it was still dark outside. We did not want to miss the sunrise over the thousand-year-old divine wonder. We had to buy passes from the Angkor Conservation Area Ticket Booth located on Charles de Gaulle Road. These passes came with our photographs and cost 40 USD per person; they were valid for 4 days and allowed us to visit any of the temples within the Angkor Archaeological Park.  It was life’s awestruck moment when the silhouette of the magnificent sandstone temple loomed against the dark background. The temple was built by a devout Hindu ruler of the Khmer Empire, King Suryavarman II, during the early 1100s. He venerated Lord Vishnu, so he installed a statue of the Lord in the central tower, which is around 65 m tall. What is highly wondrous about the temple is that almost all the walls, pillars, and the galleries are decorated with reliefs (mostly bas-reliefs) and sculptures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, celebrated scenes from Hindu mythology like the Churning of the Sea of Milk, the life of Krishna, Apsaras & Devatas, the narratives on Battle of Lanka from Ramayana and Battle of Kurukshetra from Mahabharata carved beautifully. There are also statues of the snake Vasuka, Apsaras and Lord Buddha, which came up during the gradual transformation to Buddhism during the 14^th century. Since the temple orientation is to the west, unlike Hindu temples which are oriented to the east, has led many to believe that Suryavarman intended it to serve as a funerary temple. 

The Art and Architecture of the Khmer Empire

The craftsmanship embedded in the sandstone walls is nothing short of extraordinary:

• Mythological Reliefs: Extended bas-relief galleries depict famous scenes from the Ramayana (the Battle of Lanka), the Mahabharata (the Battle of Kurukshetra), and the legendary Churning of the Ocean of Milk.
• Sacred Guardians: Intricate carvings of Apsaras (heavenly nymphs), Devatas, and the multi-headed serpent Vasuki adorn every pillar.
• Buddhist Evolution: As the empire transitioned toward Theravada Buddhism in the 14th century, serene statues of Lord Buddha were added across the sanctuary.

The temple complex is surrounded by a moat measuring about five sq km. The temple stands on the terrace, higher than where the city used to be. The layout resembles Mount Meru, home of the Gods located beyond the Himalayas, believed in Hindu mythology. Since it was built with sandstone, it has withstood the ravages of time, and the huge moat prevented encroachment by jungle. Stones were reserved only for temples, whereas constructions in the city were made with perishable materials like wood etc and, therefore, almost nothing remains today except the road outlines, sets of steps leading down to the city and naga balustrades. The rest seems to have been devoured by dense rain forest. Although major restoration work on the temple was undertaken in the 1960s, it was abandoned during the Khmer Rouge era and again taken up by the Archaeological Survey of India between the late eighties and early nineties. It was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO only over a decade ago. 

Exploring the Temples of the Angkorian Kings

The Khmer were great builders. They built temples, canals, road network during their reign. As early as the 9^th century, the Angkorian kingship under King Yasovarman I saw the inception of massive barays with an island temple set at the centre of each baray. A baray (Khmer) is a water reservoir, and the largest baray constructed in the 11th-century measures about 8 km x 2 km. The last baray was constructed in the late 12^th century when Jayavarman VII was the Angkorian ruler. Although this baray is considered to belong to Preah Khan (a temple dedicated to both Hinduism and Buddhism), it is the temple of Neak Pean that sits at the centre of this baray. Both these temples were constructed during the reign of Jayavarman VII, the most celebrated Khmer king. Most of the temples that have survived the wrath of nature were built during the rule of Jayavarman VII. There were around a thousand temples, but today only a few remain. Most of the temples were consumed by nature. Among the surviving and restored temples we saw were the Bayon, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, Banteay Kdei, Neak Pean (representing the heavens on earth, with ornamental lakes surrounding it), and Phnom Krom (resembling Angkor Wat to some extent but built in the 10^th century, long before Angkor Wat). This overlooks Tonle Sap Lake, and one could watch the sunset from atop the temple. On our way to the Bayon, we had to cross a bridge where most of the statues on either side were headless, apparently the handiwork of robbers over the ages. We came across the Terrace of Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Used as a viewing gallery at royal events, it displays an outstanding depiction of elephants. 

Deep into the Jungle: The Mysterious Beng Mealea

The temple of Beng Mealea, one of the several hundred lost temples, is about a two-hour drive from Siem Reap, bordering Vietnam. This Hindu temple was also built by the same king who built Angkor Wat. The dense forest surrounding the temple seems to run amok over the centuries. The daunting ruins of this gigantic temple bog the senses as to how it looked centuries ago. Experienced a whiff of Indiana Jones as we clambered up and down the sturdy wooden walkways built to go deep into the nooks and corners of the temple. The trees, the huge roots the size of anacondas, and the giant foliage all seem to have entwined and integrated with whatever remained of the huge stone structures. To add to the romantic adventure of exploring a lost temple, a board outside cautioned tourists not to venture too deep into the forest, as there were still possibilities of landmines planted during the Pol regime to ward off Vietnamese infiltration and also to prevent the escape of Cambodians to Vietnam. However, a massive project of freeing the entire area of landmines is already underway. 

The Vibrant Evenings of Siem Reap

The most bewilderingly breathtaking experience was a switchover from the Angkorian era we travelled during the day to modern Cambodia at night. A splash in the beautiful saltwater swimming pool at Visoth Boutique Hotel, cooling down with sips of lemongrass drinks, toning up at a Cambodian massage parlour, a shopping spree at the Old Market, listening to melodious blues on the lawns of a Khmer restaurant over Khmer cuisine such as prawn delicacy and Cambodian beer. Although Siem Reap is a sweet little compact town and our hotel conveniently and centrally located, we preferred to take breezy rides in Remorks (look-alike of tuk-tuk but 4-wheeler pulled by motorbikes—similar to the old concept of Phatphati, which used to ply from Red Fort to Chandni Chowk in Delhi). We preferred these rides more because of the drivers' friendly nature, unlike the auto drivers one encounters in Kolkata.

🍤 Cambodian Prawn Amok (Amok Bongkang)

Origin: Siem Reap, Cambodia

⏱️ Prep time: 15 mins  |  🔥 Cook time: 15 mins  |  🍽️ Serves: 2–3

Profile: A fragrant, aromatic Khmer curry infused with fresh lemongrass (Kroeung paste), coconut cream, and sweet king prawns.

📖 View & Print Full Recipe on Ruby's Kitchen →

We always kept the last lap for Pub Street. As the name implies, life is at its fullest on Pub Street. Lights dazzling, glistening, gyrating; live bands churning out rock and oldies; fried rolled ice cream prepared in your presence, as per your choice; open spas for a foot massage—all these and more to make you feel elated and refreshed in that moment. One night we had a barbecue dinner at Cambodian Barbecue Restaurant, where we, for the first time, tasted their famous Cambodian Chimney Soup.  Other nights we dined and drank at Temple Balcony & Bar Restaurant, where, from 8 pm, they host an Apsara dance performance on the balcony. It’s superb. The spirit of Cambodia is so high that Siem Reap continues to beckon us. 

Photo credit: Arundhati Sengupta👇

Cute and tranquil Siem Reap International Airport

Angkor Wat at daybreak

A beautiful reflection of Angkor Wat at sunrise

Carvings of Apsara on the walls of Angkor Wat

The steps and pathways at Angkor Wat are adorned with Naga balustrades.

Walls of Angkor Wat are adorned with carvings of flowers, plants, Vishnu, and other Hindu Gods

Artworks depicting details of battles from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and also battles led by King Suryavarman adorn the walls in the temple complex of Angkor Wat.

Another view of Angkor Wat

The moat at Angkor Wat

Sunset point at Angkor Wat Archaeological Park

Phnom Krom is a look-alike of Angkor Wat, but it was built in the 10th century, long before Angkor Wat came up. It doesn't have the carvings, bas-reliefs, and statues one finds at Angkor Wat. However, one can watch the sunset atop the temple.

Preah Khan, meaning 'sacred sword,' is of similar design to Ta Prohm. Built by King Jayavarman VII and dedicated to his father. A sprawling monastic complex, it served as a Buddhist monastery and school and was also a residence of Jayavarman VII for a brief period. The temple is full of carvings and artwork.

The sprawling complex of Ta Prohm temple, which King Jayavarman VII dedicated to his mother, has been jointly restored and conserved by India and Cambodia. Massive fig and silk-cotton trees growing from the towers and corridors have been intentionally left partially unrestored to get the look of a 'jungle atmosphere.'

A close view of how a tree has integrated with the temple stones

Approaching the Gopura of a temple

A view of the Neak Pean temple that sits in the centre of the baray belonging to Preah Khan

Terrace of the Elephants

Another view of the classical Khmer art and architecture at the Bayon

The statues at the Bayon represent the Laughing Buddha, though it is still a matter of debate as to who the faces may represent. Some say it might be a combination of Buddha and Jayavarman VII, the most celebrated of the Khmer kings. As a matter of fact, Bayon was King Jayavarman VII's state temple.

The bridge leading to the Bayon. The guardrails on either side of the bridge constructed over a moat are statues of human heads, most of which are headless due to theft and the ravages of nature.

This board on landmines is located at the entrance of Beng Melea

Beng Mealea, like Phnom Krom, is also located outside the Angkor Park Area. Since this sprawling temple complex is nestled inside a dense forest of Cambodia, it is also referred to as a jungle temple. This Hindu temple was built by the builder of Angkor Wat, King Suryavarman.

Naga balustrades of Beng Mealea lie in ruins

Beng Melea ruins

Giant tree roots intertwined with stone architecture at Beng Melea. Awesome!

The temple lies in ruins, and wooden walkways have been built to give an adventurous 'Lost Temple' feel.

Beng Melea is largely overrun by thick vegetation.

Embracing the electric evening energy along Pub Street in Siem Reap.

Cambodian Barbecue. Food of one's choice is laid on the table, and one can prepare the barbecue.

Fried Ice Cream Roll

Apsara performance at the Temple balcony on Pub Street

Crystal-clear saltwater swimming pool at boutique hotel Visoth where we stayed

Getting to Siem Reap:

AirAsia offers direct flights from Calcutta to Siem Reap with a changeover at Kuala Lumpur.

Where to stay: 

There are several good hotels in Siem Reap. We stayed at Visoth Boutique Hotel, which we booked through Booking.com. It is a budget hotel, centrally located. Very warm and friendly. Special thanks to Piseth, a cute young Cambodian lady at the reception.

Flavours of Cambodia:

Savouring local delicacies like fresh Cambodian prawn curries, traditional BBQ, and chilled local brews. The Cambodian barbecue can be prepared at the table with the choices ordered.

Apsara Dance:

One can enjoy dinner at the Temple Balcony Restaurant in Pub Street, accompanied by a graceful live performance of classical Apsara Dance.