Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kbal Spean
Daily 5am-3pm; allow at least 90min for the visit - it takes around 45min to climb the hill
In a magical area of jungle on the western side of the Kulen Mountains,
Kbal Spean
was used by the Khmer as a hill retreat in the mid-eleventh century, during which
period they carved sacred linga and Hindu gods into the bedrock of the river - the
water flowing down the river would thus be blessed by the carvings before coursing on
to Angkor. The scenes depicting Vishnu are of marvellous ingenuity, not only for their
skilful execution but also for the way they are tailored to the contours of the riverbed.
Although looters have crudely hacked out some sections of bedrock, the scenes are
almost as remarkable today as they were when first carved.
The path follows the east bank of the river and has a couple of steep stretches; you'll
come to the top of the hill, a natural bridge, after about forty-five minutes' walk, which is
a good place to start. Upstream lingas are carved into the riverbed, two reclining Vishnus
and a carving of Uma and Shiva on the bull, Nandin. On the way down, stop to admire
the veritable cobble of lingas, more reclining Vishnus and associated pantheon.
3
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
There's no public transport to the temples, which are spread out over a fair area, so - unless you fancy
cycling
- you'll
need to rent your own transport.
Tuk-tuks
are the most popular option - cheaper and more fun than a car, but more
comfortable (and only slightly more expensive) than a
moto
. Note that foreign tourists are banned from riding
motorbikes
around Siem Reap and the temples, ostensibly to safeguard them from having their bikes stolen by agents of
the rental companies in order to elicit a replacement fee (it's also been claimed that tourists can't safely negotiate the
chaotic tra
c). There are also various ways to see the temples from the air (see p.174).
By tuk-tuk or moto
Siem Reap is awash with tuk-tuks
and motos, although it's probably best to rent one through
your guesthouse or hotel; pretty much all drivers speak at
least a little English. Approximate prices are $12/$10 (tuk-
tuk/moto) for the Small Circuit, $15/$12 for the Grand
Circuit, $8/$6 for the Roluos Group. Add around $3/$2 if you
want to start in time for sunrise. If you want to go off-menu
and combine temples from the various groups (see p.164)
you'll need to bargain a fare in advance.
By bike
Cycling is in many ways the perfect way to
experience the temples, although the distances involved are
not inconsiderable: the Small Circuit is around 30km long,
and the Grand Circuit a little over 35km. This might not sound
like that much in itself, but bear in mind that exploring the
temples can be physically tiring on its own, even before
you've started pedalling. If you do cycle, you might plan on
visiting slightly fewer temples than if taking a vehicle. There
are bike rental options in Siem Reap (see p.144).
By car
A car and driver can be hired from most Siem Reap
guesthouses and hotels, or from the tourist o
ce (from
$30). Costs are around $30/day around Angkor, $40 to
Banteay Srei and $50-60 to Phnom Kulen.
INFORMATION
Opening hours
All the temples within the Angkor
Archaeological Park - which does not include Phnom Kulen
(see opposite), Koh Ker (see p.192) and Beng Mealea (see
opposite)- are open daily from 5am to 6pm.
Entry passes
You must buy a pass to enter the Angkor
Archaeological Park, and will need to show it at the various
temples. Three categories of pass are available at the main
entrance, on the Siem Reap-Angkor Wat road: one day ($20;
this can also be purchased after 5pm, allowing entry for
sunset on the day of purchase and all the following day);
three days, valid for three days during the following week
($40); and seven days ($60), valid for one month. Children
under 12 are admitted free, but you must show their passport
as proof of age; children aged 12 and over are charged the full
entrance fee. One-day passes only can be bought at the ticket
o
ce between the airport and Angkor Wat, at Roluos Group
and at Banteay Srei. Note that payment is by cash only. There
is no need to provide a photo as these are now taken digitally
at the ticket o
ce. Separate tickets are required to visit
Phnom Kulen (see opposite), Koh Ker (see p.192) and Beng
Mealea (see opposite), with tickets issued at each temple.
Tour guides
Highly trained, government-licensed guides
to the Angkor temples can be booked through any of the
various tourist o
ces in Siem Reap (see p.144), or
sometimes at the ticket o
ce, costing $25/day for an
English-speaking guide. Note that guides do not drive tuk-
tuks and tuk-tuk drivers do not guide.
Books
There are several detailed and highly illustrated
book-length guides to Angkor (see p.308), all widely
available in Siem Reap (secondhand copies can be picked
up for as little as $6 or so).
Safety
If you plan to visit outlying temples we've not covered,
you should seek advice from registered guides regarding the
safety situation, as some sites have not been fully de-mined.
