Beyond Tomb Raider: What Happens When the Sun Rises at Angkor Wat?

The early bird catches the worm.

It's true when you apply it with your photography session at Cambodia's most famous landmark that is featured on their national map, the Angkor Wat. This massive temple has become so popular because it was used as one of the filming locations of the movie Tomb Raider starring Angeline Jolie. The 12-century ancient complex is surrounded by a moat and inside is another moat that you'll mistaken as a lake with water lilies on it. It is here that an entire fake lake village was built for Lara Croft to ask for an international calling service from a monk and a day praying with more Buddhist monks. So now, what happens when the sun rises at Angkor Wat?

According to our tuktuk driver and the owner of our hotel, it was that movie that opened  tourism  opportunities for Siem Reap, once a sleepy town and was still healing from the bad history and terror it experienced from the hands of Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime. 

But I will not talk about that sad history. I will start from where Angelina Jolie transformed into Lara Croft who sprung from temple to temple fighting bad guys.

TIP: To not mix reality and fantasy, I suggest you watch the movie first before you come to the locations so you can compare what are the changes or what scenery where added by the producers.  

One of my shots without distractions (no heads from other tourists) as I'm in the front just beside the mini-lake (moat)

A Tomb Raider movie still superimposed on my photo

- Angkor Wat (they converted the moat into a boat village complete with wooden houses and markets and the movie staff disassembled them after use) ABOVE PHOTO

- Bayon (temple with many faces) story/blog entry soon

- Ta Phrom (Lara Croft saw a young girl here. Ta Phrom seems to be eaten by massive trees slowly.)  story/blog entry soon

Woke up early morning to buy a day pass

Now back to the sunrise hunting. 

We were told that the usual activity by tourists on their first day is to wake up early at 5 am, drive down to the Angkor-Pass outlet and purchase an Angkor- Pass ticket counter. (Now at 37 usd - price as of 2018 for a one day pass). Available at the counter also are 3-day (for $ 62) and 7day pass ($72). It's non-refundable and non-transferable.  The ticket is your unlimited pass to explore as many temples as you want. Without it, you don't stand a chance entering temples. But, since it's a day pass, the next day, you need to buy a new one. 

Tip: Be careful not to lose your pass. If lost or forgotten in your accommodation, guards will not let you enter. You'll pay for penalties for a lost ticket.

Suggested Hotels to Search: 
 - Check these Siem Reap hotels out for your trip -

Via Booking.com
1. Oasis Siem Reap
2. Panpan Saga Villa and Hotel
3. More Siem Reap Hotels to choose (click)


Via Agoda.com
1. Royal Angkor Hotel   (2.56 from city center)
2. Silk D' Angkor Boutique Hotel   (0.09 from city center)
3. Saem Siem Reap Hotel (0.21 from city center)
4. The Privilege Floor by Lotus Blanc  
5. Golden Temple Retreat - A 4 star / 4.5 star hotel inside city center

I'm obviously not alone

After purchasing the Angkor Pass, let your tuktuk driver send you to the gates of Angkor Wat where Angkor Park staff will guide with minimal flashlights. They will bring you the secondary moat for a "sunrise view extravaganza" along the ancient ruins.  Since it is so dark when you enter, you need to walk carefully and hold your guide  tightly as if you're holding on to your dear life. The darkness is part of their stragety and a way to boost the mystic feeling to tourists. So it seems people who enter are in for a surprise when the sun rises.

Behind the scenes (literally, at my back)

The scene at my right side (I spare you with my left side)

Once you're near the moat, try to find your sweet spot to capture temple where the sun rises from its rear side. If you come early, just like the "early bird" I told you, you can capture the place without any distractions since you can position yourself just beside the moat and the scenery is yours to capture. Aside from the serene feeling I experienced, the surprise seems to be just lurking behind me -- a large flock of fellow tourists has already mushroomed. It's like an early street party to celebrate of the birth of a new day minus the dancing and the DJ. The people are so plenty that it's hard to find a place when you come in late. It's not easy to reposition yourself or not easy to find another comfortable dry area for your tripod to stand without some heads protruding in your camera frame. The chances that you'll gonna plunge on the mini-lake or stuck on its muddy soil is higher when you are in the front row. Some people, equally excited to capture the sunset, might push you down accidentally. In this case, just be ready with your moves ala Lara Croft when it happens.

Once the sun rise was over, we got a chance for our solo photos too

Tips:

1. Be an early bird to purchase the Angkor Pass and see the sunset at Angkor. Wake up before 5am and let your tuktuk driver fetch you. Tuktuk drivers knows the ticket counter. 

2. Hire a good and honest  tuktuk driver for all your trip and who will not charge you more.

3. Bring  a flashlight, water, and some biscuits (the complex is huge)

4. A tripod is a must for timelapse and hand  rest from bringing heavy gear

5. Charge you camera and phones beforehand (there's no charger there)

6. Bring an umbrella in case if it rains.

7. Familiarize the Angkor Map so you can go to more temples in one day if your schedule in Camdbodia is tight.

8. There's a resto outside and in front of Angkor Wat complex gateway called Blue Pumpkin Angkor Wat Cafe (nice place to drink hot beverages and eat Cambodian cuisine and noodles) after an hour or more of exploring Angkor Wat. (See map below)

9. Don't lose your Angkor-pass. There are penalties for every kind of pass.

10. Wear a something that covers your knees (some temple guards/guides will not allow tourists in shorts)

Maps:

A cozy restaurant just in front of the Angkor Wat Complex Gateway:

Map of the Angkor Wat temple complex