Angkor Wat : The City of Temples

Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is 181,035 square kilometres (69,898 square miles) in area, bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, Vietnam to the east, the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest, and maritime borders with Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Phnom Penh is the nation's capital and largest city.

Angkor Wat, which means the city of temples, is the largest religious building (enshrinement) in the world in terms of area because it occupies an area of ​​162.6 hectares (1,626 km²). Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century as a state temple by King Suryavarman II at Yasodarapura , the capital of the Kambujadesa Kingdom . The pendarmaan temple of King Suryavarman II was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, then converted into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century.         

As the best-preserved temple in the Angkor archaeological site, Angkor Wat is the only building that has still functioned as a center of religious activity since its founding. This masterpiece of classical Khmer architecture is one of the main pilgrimage sites for Cambodian Buddhists and Buddhists from all over the world. This temple has become a symbol of the Cambodian state, a decorative style of the Cambodian flag, and a major tourist attraction in Cambodia. Angkor Wat also contributed to the transformation of Cambodia into a Buddhist country.        

Angkor Wat is a combination of the two main styles of Khmer temple buildings, namely the Gunungan temple style and the terrace temple style . Angkor Wat was designed as a symbol of Mahameru , the seat of the gods according to Hindu - Buddhist cosmology . The temple is surrounded by a reservoir for more than 5 kilometers (3 miles) and is fenced off by a 3.6 kilometers (2.2 mi) long wall. It has three rectangular porticoes of varying heights. In the middle of the temple stands five tower temples in a pancayatana order . Different from other Angkor temples, Angkor Wat is built facing west. There is no agreement among experts on the reasons behind these differences. This temple is admired for the grandeur of the appearance and the harmony of the structure, the abundant low reliefs , and the statues of Buddhas and gods carved on the walls.                  

Angkor Wat is located 5.5 kilometers (3.4 mi) north of the modern city of Siem Reap , not far to the south and slightly east of the former capital city of the Kambujadesa Kingdom centered on the temple Baphuon. Asian Destination Readers can stay in Siem Reap called Pub Street, which is the choice of travelers because there are a variety of hostels in this location. The price offered ranges from 4-6 US Dollars per night. In addition to lodging, Pub Street is also a target for travelers because there are bars along the street with music booming all night long. Pub Street is also used as a gathering place for travelers in Siem Reap. Another way to get cheap lodging can be done with the Couchsurfing system. This social networking site allows travelers from all over the world to share where they live. So travelers can find a Couchsurfing member at the location they want to visit and thereafter will be given a stay overnight which is usually free of charge.

There are two options for getting to Angkor Wat from Pub Street. First, by renting a tuk-tuk (Cambodia modified motorbike transportation). The second is cycling. Even though it's cheaper, only around US$3, cycling is not recommended because of the 50km distance between Pub Street and Angkor Wat. Tuk-tuk can be a good choice especially if you don't go alone. Don't forget to bargain the price of the tuk-tuk before you agree to ride it.

Asian Destination Readers are required to dress modestly in the Angkor Wat area. The reason is that the Angkor Wat management authority made a new rule in the form of a ban on tourists wearing pants or skirts above the knee and T-shirts, including sleeveless shirts.

If you want to come here, you must make an Angkor Pass by paying US $ 37. The Angkor Pass is used as a visitor's identity card which must be shown at any time to the security officers there. The Angkor Pass that I bought can only be used for one day. However, its area of ​​​​200 square kilometers makes Angkor Wat not enough to visit in just a day. There is also a pass for a three-day visit. While there, you can get around using a tuk-tuk. Don't forget to visit Bayon and Ta Prohm Temples, which are favorite destinations for tourists. In addition, for Asian Destination Readers who like the film Tomb Raider, you can search for the location used to shoot this film at Angkor Wat.

 

Source :

https://dunia.tempo.co/read/786208/ini-rules-baru-cara-dress-saat-kunjungi-angkor-wat/full&view=ok

https://travel.kompas.com/read/2015/06/30/160400627/Panduan.Wisata.ke.Angkor.Wat.with.Budget.Limited?page=all

https://www.sintiaastarina.com/angkor-wat/

https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodia

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