ANGKOR WAT & SIEM REAP: The Ultimate Cambodia Travel Guide 2025

ANGKOR WAT & SIEM REAP: The Ultimate Cambodia Travel Guide 2025

[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Welcome to Wow of the World. And in this episode, you’ll join me in Southeast Asia. We’re in Cambodia and this is Ankor Watt. And this is how we got there. From the Thai border, we traveled the Meong route through Laos all the way from north to south. [Music] [Music] From the city of Pox, we explored the 4,000 islands region, a hidden gem full of old traditions and incredible nature. [Music] [Music] We say goodbye to the cozy town of Nakasong and look for the bus that will take us to the next adventure. [Music] [Music] From Nakasong, it’s only 1 hour to the border with Cambodia. And from there, we have a 6-hour luxury bus ride ahead of us. Uh, it’s only 40 bucks, but it’s a super luxurious bus with Wi-Fi and screens in the chairs. So, I’m looking forward to it. And then we’ll arrive in Camar to see the mighty Anker Watt. [Music] The bus company also helps us crossing the border by guiding us through the several checkpoints. And I can’t help it, but the Kim Wild song keeps popping up in my head. [Music] We’re going to Cambodia. [Music] We get the visas after a super fast custom clearance and enjoy a bumpy ride to our next destination. [Music] We’re almost halfway from the border to CM Reap, but it takes a while because the bus is very comfortable, but the roads clearly aren’t. Uh, it’s 350 km from the border to CM Reap, but uh, it takes the whole day really. So, we made a stop over here to get some food, get some drinks, and then it’s on to Sim. As the night falls, we hop over on tuk tuk. We’re here. Sim, baby. [Music] Wow, this has been one long and heavy day, especially for the kids. It took like 10 hours to get from the boat to the customs to the bus. We felt like every bump in the road in entire Cambodia with all the stops, but it doesn’t matter because we’re here. This is CM Reap and this hotel is called the Golden Banana. It’s a nice name, but the hotel is even nicer. So, a family room. We’re about to check out Anker Wad. But first, of course, this little town, CM Reap, and this fabulous hotel. We just can’t believe a family room like this costs only around 25 bucks, including breakfast. [Music] It even has multiple swimming pools and pets are included. [Music] [Music] CM Reap is the second city of Cambodia with 140,000 people. However, it welcomes over 2.6 million visitors every year because it’s the gateway to the world famous temple complex of Ankor Watt. The city has an old French center built in the colonial times and it has some interesting architecture too. So today it’s time for a little stroll through CMR. When we wake, hear the birds and see the sun. Side our fears are done. All the good times just begun. I was here before in 2012 and 16. The town was way smaller back then, but it managed to remain quite cozy and relaxed. Call us crazy. But things are finally right. So if you’re into shopping, CM Reap is the place for you. In this big market dome, you can eat your heart out with a lot of cool stuff, mostly knockoffs, but you can barely see they’re not real and they cost next to nothing. And I’m looking for new flip-flops, so these are going to be mine. Even in the hard times, you and I can weather any storm. On the other side, we find the food market as well. And there’s a lot of vegetables, fresh stuff like fish and meat, and even live animals like turtles in a bowl. It’s Asia after all. But it doesn’t smell bad at all. It’s all pretty fresh, and it looks amazing. Nice to see this, too. Oh, we know what we have. Let’s hold on tight. Found what we’re looking. The market zone is the ideal place to see the local culture and get to know the friendly Cambodians. Anybody up for some dried meat or fish? You and I, we got it. Oh, we don’t need no more. [Music] Even in the hard times, you and I can weather many storm. So, I did a lot of shopping, guys. I think Yens will be very pleased with me as well because he’s now a true Cambodia supporter. [Music] [Applause] the hard time. You and I can weather any storm. A very good morning. It’s still early. We just had our breakfast and in half an hour we’ll be driving to Ankorwat today. It’s the big day. This is our tuk tuk driver. It will only take like half an hour and I will show you all the temples today. Excited. [Music] Can you believe it? It’s my third time visiting Ankorwat. Sus and I did the trip by bike once, but we had to conquer the intense heat. The tuk tuk is therefore the better alternative with kids and I can assure you this is a must visit in every traveler’s lifetime. [Music] Ankorwat is the biggest religious monument in the entire world. In these walls, you can find 162 hectares of ground with temples on it. 900 years old in the perfect example of Camar architecture. This is also the symbol of Cambodia as you can see on the national flag because in the middle is Ankorwat. [Music] Once inside the old city walls, we find ourselves in the world’s biggest open air museum. But with all the monkeys around here, you might even call it a zoo. [Music] On busy days, you’ll notice that the front entrance is extra crowded. So, if you walk around the back like we did, you got this perfect view for yourself and the sun is even on the good side. So, guys, this is Ankor Watt. [Music] Ankorwat is the popular name that we use for this entire area and it is without a doubt the most famous temple here. However, there are ruins of over 1,000 buildings and having a guide or a tactic driver helps you pick the best sites. [Music] The The entire Encore Archaeological Park covers 400 square km. And inside you’ll find 72 different temples. So to see them all, you’ll probably need two or even 3 days. Inside you will find the remains of Kare capitals from the 9th to the 15th century. So a lot to see here. Let’s start. We go straight through the complex of Ankorwat first. And just like me, Yens is pretty impressed by the 900year-old architecture. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Don’t forget to look for the stunning details on the walls. [Music] And like I said, there are more ancient temples around here to explore. The most important ones and also the most famous ones are Enkovat, Enorm, Tapro, and the Bayon Temple. So, we’ll be seeing all of those today and a lot more. It’ll cost you about 25 bucks for a tuk tuk driver all day. It picked us up at the hotel and it’ll bring us back at the end of the day after we saw all of it. Heat. Hey, Heat. Our [Music] luxurious carriage ride continues. And despite the many tourists, Ankor Watt is a tranquil place with beautiful nature and friendly people. [Applause] I’m standing on the famous bridge and behind me is the entrance gate to Ankor Tom which means big city. It was once a great kar city with a lot of temples inside. It’s 10 square km in size and today we can still visit the most famous temples here called Bayon Temple, Vapuan Temple and Tapron Temple. Let’s go. Where are you? [Music] The most beautiful temple at Ankortom is the Bayon Temple. It’s from 1181 and it has 54 towers of granite rocks with four faces on each of them. So if we do some quick math, we have 216 faces and they are the face of Brahma, the Hindu god. The s came for us and showed us what we lost. I’m writing to myself about the things you said about the things you said. This mysterious temple is even more impressing than Ankorwatt if you ask me. with a maze of tunnels and hallways. It was the last temple to be built here and the first one to shift from Hinduism to Buddhism under the rule of King Jaman IIIth. You’re on my mind is weak. The loss are deep. I fall too refuge that is sleep. There’s nothing in my view but images of you a thousand times. The summer came for us and showed us what we lost. I’m writing to myself. At places like this, I always feel like I’m in one of those Indiana Jones movies. [Music] [Applause] Love is nothing but an echo. A memory you can deny. [Music] Life is nothing but a vision. A play without a stage, an ocean without waves. The song came for us. [Music] As we drive on through Ankerto, we see the remains of temples popping up everywhere while the jungle has been taken over the place for hundreds of years. You said [Music] [Music] [Music] walking for Our next stop is the Papuan temple and this used to be the exact center of the old city of Ankortom. So from there they used to have this magnificent view 360 all over the area. It’s one of the most impressive temples and it still is one of the best preserved temples of all of the Ankor temples. [Music] And that’s not all. This is also the place I’d like to refer to as the monkey pool. This is the place where Enkor’s most prominent inhabitants like to play and go for a little swim. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] So, we’re about to leave Enkor Tom at another gate. This is called the east gate and also the victory gate. And this is another perfect example of how the jungle has taken over the ruins. You see the trees growing right through at this big Buddha statue. And you can actually walk over there. How awesome is this? [Music] [Music] Time for lunch and our driver happens to know the most relaxing restaurant to shelter from the heat in a beautiful lush garden. [Music] We even have some live music. Yeah. [Music] The next temple that we visit is called Tapron. Also known as the jungle temple. And you’ll see why. Because this place has been taken over by the trees entirely over the years. It’s also a world famous temple when the movie Tomb Raider was filmed here. So after that it got a little bit more popular, but you’ll see why. [Music] This is truly the place in Ankor begging to be filmed. Tapum was built without the use of mortar. So the loose stones have been playfully rearranged by the trees. You could say that the jungle was the real architect creating this mystical and photogenic movie set. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] All around the complex, we see the trees growing straight through the roofs and walls. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Wow, we’ve seen so many temples and it’s so hot today. I could really go for some ice cream. Two more temples to go. So, let’s go. [Music] For our final temple of the day, we visit Bontai Kadai. And this is a temple that’s very quiet. It looks like Ankor. It looks like the Bayon Temple, but there’s nobody here. So, if you want a temple all for yourself, this is your pick. Visiting Ankorwat, you’ll notice that many temples are quite similar, but each has its own charm. Some are more famous or more photogenic, and some are more quiet. Tomorrow, [Music] I guess time’s in a rush. Today, we saw a bit of everything. Leaves are falling down, but at least they grow back while I’m on a oneway track. Now I know [Music] what it means to grow. Oh, yeah. Now I know the time I’ve got it is just enough to get by. [Music] Yeah, it is just enough to get by. I told you that we had two more stops to go, but the last one is actually a lake called Shrashang, meaning royal bath. It is over a thousand years old. [Music] Sometimes I understand I’m making We’ve had a long day. We saw the temples of Ankor. What? The sun was burning. But thank God it’s happy hour at the hotel. Cheers. And we have encore beer. Yeah. Reachore [Music] what it means to grow. Oh yeah. Now I know we do like CM Reap a lot. So, we decided to stay a couple of extra days, but unfortunately, the hotel is fully booked. So, we go to another hotel and then it’s time to do some relaxation time because there is a water park on a 15-minute drive and that’s something for Yens and for me. [Music] Yeah, now I know the time of God, it is just enough to get by. Yeah, it is just enough to get back. In the countryside, just outside the busy city center, we arrive at a peaceful place with a super modern water park that exceeds all our expectations. [Music] How ideal that we have this water park nearby to cool off from that burning hot Cambodian sun. The entrance fee is only three bucks and we can enjoy this park all day. They have enough options for food and drinks. It’s all reasonably priced and there is nobody here in the early morning. So, who’s up for a day of fun? [Music] At this fantastic location, we can’t believe our eyes. The slides are fun, clean, safe, and suitable for all ages. Our son Yens is a good swimmer, but in some exotic countries, they won’t let young kids slide. This place is therefore a paradise where he never wants to leave again. And the same goes for us. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] We can even grab a fully equipped little cabin to spend the day and have some food or drinks. Both Cambodian and international [Music] And before I forget to mention, they have the best ice coffee. [Music] For the kids, this was the ultimate reward after a hot day exploring Ankorwat. And I honestly enjoyed them both equally. [Music] Thank you. That’s it for this episode. I’m having breakfast and after breakfast, we’re going to the airport to fly to Plumpen. So, I’ll see you over there. In the next video, you’ll first see more of CMRI and the beautiful surroundings. After Lake Tundles and its floating villages, we explore the capital of Nonang. [Music] From there we head to tropical island paradise in Kurong. [Music] [Music] Make sure you subscribe and check in every week. Let’s explore the world together. Ciao. [Music] Look guys, it’s like I said, this is purely for the kids. [Music]

Join us on an incredible journey through Cambodia’s most iconic destination! In this complete travel guide, we explore the magnificent Angkor Wat temple complex, discover hidden gems in the Angkor Archaeological Park, AND dive deep into vibrant Siem Reap city life – from bustling night markets and street food adventures to the coolest local restaurants and cultural hotspots!

🎥 Video chapters
00:00 Intro
04:30 Siem Reap
09:05 Angkor Archaeological Park
11:11 Angkor Wat
30:11 Water Park Khnar Siem Reap

#AngkorWat #Cambodia #SiemReap #TravelGuide #TempleHopping #SoutheastAsia #TravelVlog

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