It has been disturbing to witness what has happened to Angkor over the last few years. Even now with the rainy season in full swing visitor numbers are still high. As one hotelier said to me, ‘for the Chinese and Koreans there is no low season’. Nevertheless, the next month or two is without doubt the best time to go. Leave it until November and you won’t be able to turn sideways without hitting another tourist in the face with your 70-200 mm lens.

The highlight for many is Angkor Wat; dawn ‘til dusk it simply heaves. The temple complex covers an area of one square kilometre and comprises of three levels around a central tower. The entranceway is particularly impressive and is the site of the early morning pilgrimage for the obligatory sunrise photo shoot. Inside the confines of the temple the inner and outer walls are covered with exquisite bas reliefs. If you want to get a detailed explanation of what you are looking at, you can hire an official guide at the entrance to the site.

Due to the millions of visitors, the monks of Angkor are powerless to resist the lure of the dollar, and the monumental site which was once lost to the jungle now functions as a temple again. At its heart is a small shrine where a monk sits patiently waiting to extract money from the faithful (or gullible, depending on your perspective) in return for a splash of holy water and a blessing muttered in Sanskrit. If you are there early enough and sit quietly within the shaded cloisters you can almost imagine a time before Buddhism was corrupted by cash, egotism and self-interest, if indeed such a time ever existed.

While I was there, a nun approached a monk who had been quietly reading and presented his breakfast as an offering. As she handed over the food, he averted his eyes, recited his blessing and then tucked into his food while she moved on and prayed to an image of Buddha. It was a timeless scene played out at Angkor Wat for centuries.

Getting there:

Flying into Siem Reap from Thailand you are at the mercy of Bangkok Airways’ monopoly of the route and its grossly inflated price for the 50 minute flight. At this time of year, expect to pay around 11,000 baht.  Flights leave several times a day from Suvarnabhumi Airport. A visa on arrival is available at Siem Reap airport for $20. The entry procedure is quick and efficient. If you have arranged your accommodation in advance, ask for an airport pick-up. The ride into town takes around 20 minutes.  There is no longer a departure tax at the airport.

Apsaras are alive and well in modern-day Cambodia and can often be seen posing for tourists at Angkor highlights, Angkor Wat and the Bayon. Even celestial nymphs need to earn a crust and charge tourists a dollar a pop to be snapped with them.

It’s all very much part of the circus that Angkor has become in recent years; an ant hill crawling with 3 million visitors a year. Professional photographers even stump up the cash to ensure they get a contrived pose for their portfolio.

More interesting for me was to sit quietly and wait for an unguarded moment when no customers were around.

The reward was capturing golden Apsaras flitting through the ancient grey stones, decorating each others hair with flowers, showing each other poses…

..and, as you would expect of a celestial nymph, wearing slippers.

Visitors to Cambodia soon add a new word to their vocabulary – Apsara. Often appropriated as a name for resorts, travel companies, and restaurants, Apsaras are mythical female celestial dancers that graced the walls of Angkor-era temples as early as the 8^th century AD.

Scholars of Khmer art and archaeology often differentiate between the sensual flying nymphs or Apsaras and enigmatic standing figures known as Devatas which are thought to be guardians of the temple. Exquisite bas-reliefs of the highly stylised figures can be seen in abundance at Angkor Wat where over 1,700 have been recorded, and at other ancient monuments at the UNSECO World Heritage Site.

Today the spirit of the Apsaras has been revived by Cambodia’s bourgeoning tourist industry and they appear in performances of beautifully choreographed Khmer dance drama.

During a recent visit to Angkor I developed a bit of an Apasara obsession and ended up photographing dozens of them, many weathered by time into beautiful and ghostly images.

With all the upheaval going on in Bangkok, perhaps it’s time to dig out a few images of happier times. A few years ago I travelled to Siem Reap with my all-time favourite travelling companion to visit the temples of Angkor.

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Siem Reap may get overrun with tourists but a visit to Angkor is still essential.Many travelers to Cambodia find the visit to Siem Reap to be so inspiring that two days is simply not enough. It is certainly possible to spend five or six enjoyable days exploring the area.

A good way to start your Angkor adventure is at the recently completed Angkor National Museum. It’s a worthwhile experience that explains the history of Angkor in a clear and concise manner and is a great precursor to visiting the actual sites. The museum also includes a stunning collection of over 1,000 Buddha images. Entrance fee is $12. www.angkornationalmuseum.com

The key to enjoying Angkor itself is to get up early while the weather is cooler. By 11 a.m. wandering around the ruins becomes uncomfortably hot and tiring. Rising early, however, doesn’t mean you’ll beat the crowds as everyone else has the same idea. Park hours are 5 a.m. until 6.30 p.m. daily. Entry to the park is $20 a day or $40 for a three-day pass.

Angkor encompasses more than 30 temples and ancient buildings spread over a vast area. If you have limited time or don’t want to spend your entire visit to Siem Reap at Angkor, concentrate on a few highlights.

Angkor Wat covers an area of one square kilometre and comprising of three levels and a central tower. The entranceway is particularly impressive and is the site of the early morning pilgrimage for the obligatory sunrise photo shoot. Inside the confines of the temple the inner and outer walls are covered with exquisite bas reliefs. If you want to get a detailed explanation of what you are looking at, you can hire an official guide at the entrance to the site.

Angkor Thom dates from the 12^th and 13^th centuries and was the last capital of the Angkor Empire. Enclosed by a moat and a three kilometre wall, the area is entered through an impressive gateway. At the heart of the complex is Bayon with 37 towers, most of which feature four massive carved faces. The temple is particularly popular with visitors but the inner area is small and can get very crowded.

Ta Phrom is sprawling temple complex is the site for some of Angkor’s most memorable imagery. The main temple was lost to jungle for centuries. When the site was reclaimed the massive trees that straddled the walls were left in place. It is a fascinating temple to explore and great for photography. Bayon and Ta Prohm were used as sets in the film Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie.

There are several fine temples beyond Angkor, one of the best being Banteay Srei. It is worth taking the 38 kilometre ride out here, if only to enjoy a drive through the beautiful. The temple is constructed of sandstone that has a pinkish tinge and its delicate bas-reliefs are in excellent condition. Due to looting, the sculptures at the site are replicas. The remaining originals can be seen at the National Museum in Phnom Penh.

You will need transport to get from temple to temple, either a romuak, a motorbike with a trailer for two, or a driver with car. The romuak are an excellent way to get around, and preferable to the confines of a car. You can hire a romuak and driver for between $12- 15 a day for running around town and Angkor. For longer trips out to places such Bantaey Srei, expect the fee to rise to $25. Drivers usually wait around near hotels and the concierge should be able to assist with negotiations.

Siem Reap itself is well worth exploring. It has excellent restaurants, bars, boutiques, and markets to discover.

Places to stay

Set within beautifully landscaped gardens on the outskirts of Siem Reap, the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort is an excellent choice for any visit to Angkor. The colonial style hotel features 238 superb rooms, a swimming pool, spa, five restaurants and an 18-hole golf course located 20 kilometres away. Service at the hotel is exceptional, as is the standard of the rooms. www.sofitel.com