Angkor Wat, a.k.a the reason that many people go to Cambodia and certainly one of the main reasons for going to Siem Reap. One of the most impressive of all the temples in the area, Angkor Wat is hardly likely to disappoint. It appears on the national flag as it is rightly a symbol of the country's rich and vibrant past. It has also been marked by the more recent tragic history of the country.
It was built as a Hindu temple and decorated accordingly, the statues of Buddha being added at a later stage. We went before the sun came up and bought our temple passes for our time in Siem Reap for $40 for a three-day pass. One day passes are available for $20 and all passes give you access to all the temples in the area.
It is possible to climb all over the temple presently. Though there is a great view from the top it is a bit hairy climbing back down again- look for the staircase with the new addition of concrete even steps when you are trying to get back down.
Overall, from the grandness of the moat to the sight of the temple appearing majestically through the haze of the dawn, Angkor Wat is everything that you imagine it to be and more.
From journal Temples and crocodiles