Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image Bon Voyage Travel Slider Image
/exclusive-offers/">Sign Up For Exclusive Offers

Angkor Wat – An Adventure in Asia

|

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERARemarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site

Angkor Wat is a city that still has temples standing from 1113 AD.  Located in Cambodia, Angkor Wat is a unique treasure and a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Its name means Temple City, and it was constructed on 500 acres as a religious monument.  At its zenith it may have had a population of a million people  and was the largest city in the world before the industrial revolution.

Angkor Wat ……. Its History

As the capital of the Khmer Empire during its golden age from 889 – 1434,  Angkor Wat governed the area which is presently Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and part of Thailand.

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAOriginally, Angkor Wat was dedicated to the God Vishnu and constructed as a Hindu temple. However, in the 14th century it was changed to a Buddhist temple with statues of Buddha, which are still evident today.

The architecture and geographic location of the many temples show symbolic significance, while dikes, reservoirs and canals are also woven into the landscape. Although from a distance Angkor Wat looks like a group of buildings on one level, a closer look reveals stairs that go up to different tiers.

Angkor Wat ……. Can It Be Preserved?

Today approximately 100,000 people live in villages inside the Angkor Wat Archeological Park area and some trace their ancestry back to the dominant political and cultural period of the 15th century.  They work primarily in rice cultivation, although increased tourism opens up other prospects.

Angkor Wat represents a living heritage site for the Khmer people and they continue to respect the ancestral traditions and venerate the temple deities with ceremonies including traditional music and dance.  When UNESCO first identified the Archeological Park as a World Heritage site in 1992, it was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger as  a result of looting, a declining water table, and unsustainable tourism.  These problems have now been largely resolved.

Angkor Wat ……. How to Visit As a Luxury Traveler

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAIt is difficult to describe the size of Angkor Wat and the large number of temples that make up the site.  The best way to visit the area is either with a private guide or with a very small group of people and a guide.  Because of the size of the Angkor Wat archeological park, it takes several days to see the main temples.  The closest accommodations are in Siem Reap, just a few miles away, where there are luxury hotel lodgings.

A good level of physical fitness is required for the extensive walking and climbing while visiting the temples in Angkor Wat, although transportation to the various areas of the park is arranged by the guide.  Some of the stone steps up to access the Angkor Wat temple interiors are steep and not always easy to negotiate.  The lack of railings to aid in climbing up and down also makes it challenging.

Seeing Angkor Wat is a fascinating experience that you will remember for a long time.  I highly recommend it.

For more information on luxury travel for mature adventurers, click here to schedule your 20 minute complimentary telephone travel consultation.

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA