Temples of Angkor - Cambodia - page 257

A great way to get around the temples, bicycles are environmentally friendly and are used
by most locals. There are few hills and the roads are good, so there's no need for much
cycling experience. Moving about at a slower speed, you soon find that you take in more
than from out of a car window or on the back of a speeding moto .
White Bicycles ( www.thewhitebicycles.org ; per day US$2) is supported by some guesthouses
around town, with proceeds from the hire fee going towards community projects. Many
guesthouses and hotels in town rent bikes for around US$1 to US$2 per day.
Some places, like Trek or Giant, offer better mountain bikes for US$7 to US$10 per
day. Try Grasshopper Adventures ( Click here ) , which offers international mountain bikes
and helmets for US$8 per day.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Cars are a popular choice for getting about the temples. The obvious advantage is protec-
tion from the elements, be it heavy downpours or the punishing sun. Shared between sev-
eral travellers, they can also be an economical way to explore. The downside is that visit-
ors are a little more isolated from the sights, sounds and smells as they travel between
temples. A car for the day around the central temples is US$25 to US$35 and can be ar-
ranged with hotels, guesthouses and agencies in town.
Motorcycle rental in Siem Reap is currently prohibited, but some travellers bring a mo-
torcycle from Phnom Penh. If you manage to get a bike up here, leave it at a guarded
parking area or with a stallholder outside each temple; otherwise it could get stolen.
ELEPHANT
Travelling by elephant was the traditional way to see the temples way back in the early
days of tourism at Angkor, at the start of the 20th century. It is once again possible to take
an elephant ride between the south gate of Angkor Thom and the Bayon (US$10) in the
morning, or up to the summit of Phnom Bakheng for sunset (US$15). The elephants are
owned by the Angkor Village OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.angkorvillage.com ) resort
group. Some visitors have complained about the elephants being poorly treated by hand-
lers.
HELICOPTER & HOT-AIR BALLOON
For those with plenty of spending money, there are tourist flights around Angkor Wat
(US$90) and the temples outside Angkor Thom (US$150) with Helicopters Cambodia (
012814500; www.helicopterscambodia.com ; 658 Hup Quan St, Siem Reap) . The company also offers
charters to remote temples such as Prasat Preah Vihear and Preah Khan. Newer company