Tra-Abel Cambodia Trip Day 3: Temple Hopping at Angkor Wat - Inner/Small Circuit

“Excuse me! Can you please take a picture of me with the temple as the view?” politely asked by a stranger near me. I looked at her direction, instantly smiled and gladly took a picture of her. I was having second thought to ask her if she is a Filipino since her looks are more of the East Asian descent. But I gave it a shot, “Are you a Filipino?”

And that’s how our friendship started. In a far away land, where I know no one, never did I imagine that I would meet someone who I can share stories and go on a tour sharing beautiful travel experiences with each other.

It was my third day in Siem Reap when I decided to avail of the Tuktuk services of Mandalay Inn. The tuktuk driver whom I talked to during my first day at Siem Reap and paid US$10 in advance left me waiting in vain. It was a long story and I’m not even sure if I want to remember what happened during that time. Anyways, the supposedly 5:30AM start of my tour became 7:30 AM. Left with no choice but to hire a tuktuk from Mandalay Inn for US$12, which turned out to be a better alternative, I began my tour of Angkor Wat Inner Circuit. The US$ 12 tuktuk rental service includes unlimited supply of cold water (a necessity when visiting the temples at Angkor) and driver cum tourist guide.

Tra-abel Cambodia Trip Day 2: Temple Hopping at Angkor Wat - Outer/Grand Circuit

A beautiful view from Neak Poan

On my second day at Siem Reap, I purchased a US$12 tour ticket from Mandalay Inn and Tour. The tour agency is located in the premises of Mandalay Inn, where I was staying. The ticket is for a van tour on the Outer/Grand Circuit of Angkor Wat Archeological Park or those temples far from the main Angkor Wat. The tour includes an English speaking guide, unlimited supply of ice cold bottled water and of course a comfortable ride in a 16-seater air conditioned van.

As indicated in my receipt, the tour starts at 7:00 AM, so I woke up early and had a simple breakfast of chicken noodle soup which I ordered at Mandalay Inn. At exactly the agreed time, the van picked me up and I was welcomed by a Cambodian national inside the van. I was expecting a jam packed van so I was really surprised to only see the tourist guide inside and a middle aged Chinese tourist girl. I introduced myself to the group and told our guide that I still don’t have a visitor’s pass. He then assured me that we will get one later after picking up the rest of the group. Minutes later, we were joined by 2 Japanese girls, same age as mine. Unlike my short conversation with the Chinese girl, I instantly became friends with the Japanese girls not just because we’re of the same age but because they have been to the Philippines, specifically Cebu, where they studied for English.

A group picture before the tour ends!

Moments later, the van stopped at the ticket counter, where I bought my pass for US$40 good for 3 days. The process in buying ticket was simple and fast. After paying for your desired number of days to visit Angkor Wat, your picture will be taken and a visitor’s pass will then be issued to you with your picture on it.

Chasing Sunset at Phnom Krom Hilltop Temple

After a whole day tour of the outer circuit of Angkor Wat, I still have enough energy for a Cambodian sunset adventure. The famous locations for sunset viewing are Pre Rup and Angkor Wat. Since I just got back from Pre Rup, I decided to go to Angkor Wat to experience the sunset on this side of the planet. I hired a tuktuk to take me to Angkor Wat who is willing to wait for me and bring be back after dark or after the sun has completely set. We were a few meters away from the temple when I noticed the massive crowd in front of the temple. The driver told me that this was normal and he suggested if I want to try another site. At first, I was hesitant since I was alone and I don’t normally trust strangers (that’s what my mom taught me LOL). But without much of a choice, rather than squeezing my way through the crowd, I just agreed to the recommendation given by the tuktuk driver.

So off we went to this unheard name of the temple at the top of the hill. We drove past the pub street and night market, along the green rice fields until we reached the foot of a hill where a stairway can be found. It took us around 20 minutes and around 10 kilometers to get there. I was a little worried when we got there, since there were no traces of tourists in the area but mostly locals. The place reminded me of a secluded sitio or barangay in one of the remote provinces in the Philippines. The driver then told me to climb the stairway and follow the path to the hilltop where the temple is located.

Feeling like a royal at Bang Pa-In Summer Palace

The Bang Pa-In Palace is located 30 kilometers south of Ayutthaya and is located on a small island called Bang Pa-In in the Chao Phraya River. Also known as the summer palace – it is a complex formerly used by the Thai kings.

Tour Fee:                    750 Baht (600 Baht for Ayutthaya + 150 Baht for Bang Pa-In)

Duration:                     Full Day Tour

Attraction & Sites:       Wat Phu Khao Thong, Wat Lokaya Suttha, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Yai Chai Mongkol,                                   Wat Mahathat and Bang Pa-In Summer Palace.

After 6 hours of tour around the temples and temple ruins around Ayutthaya, we then went to Bang Pa-In Palace. This is the last stop for the tour I purchased at Canary Travel and Tours for 750 Baht.

Bang Pa-In Palace is open to the public daily from 8.00 am until 4.00 pm. Tourists enter through the South Gate where there is a shop at which you can purchase guide booklets and I strongly recommend you acquire these first so as to greatly enhance your understanding and visit experience.

We arrived at Bang Pa-In Summer Palace at around 2:30 in the afternoon. There are two ways to get around the palace grounds: by foot, or by golf cart.  I opted to walk since I do not have a companion to share the price for the golf cart rental. The palace complex was constructed in the 17th century, though many of the present buildings were built in the 19th century.

The Palace is a collection of different styles of colorful buildings set in a landscape and water setting. The mansions reflect Chinese, Swiss, Khmer, Thai and general European styles of architecture. As with other Thai Royal palaces this compound is divided into two sections, the Inner Palace and the Outer Palace.

Ayutthaya: The Ancient City

Ayutthaya, full name Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya is the fabled city as well as the fallen city located 85 kilometers north of Bangkok. Ayutthaya is the ancient city of Siam before re-establishing their center at present-day Bangkok after they have fallen from the war with the Burmese. This city is rich in Thai history with beautiful and equally stunning temples!

Ayutthaya Day Tour!

Tour Fee:                   750 Baht (600 Baht for Ayutthaya + 150 Baht for Bang Pa-In)

Duration:                    Full Day Tour

Attraction & Sites:      Wat Phu Khao Thong, Wat Lokaya Suttha, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, Wat Mahathat and Bang Pa-In Summer Palace.

Interesting Fact: Throughout the centuries, Ayutthaya is the trading capital of Asia and even the world. By 1700 Ayutthaya had become the largest city in the world with a total of 1 million inhabitants. Many international merchants set sail for Ayutthaya, from diverse regions as the Arab world, China, India, Japan, Portugal, the Netherlands and France. Merchants from Europe proclaimed Ayutthaya as the finest city they had ever seen. All this came to a quick end when the Burmese invaded Ayutthaya in 1767 and almost completely burnt the city down to the ground. The great cultural value of Ayutthaya’s ruins was officially recognized in 1991, when the Historic City became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Wikipedia, 2014)

Meeting New Friends

At 7:00 o’clock in the morning, the van for the Ayutthaya Day Tour picked me up at my reserved accommodation at NapPark Hostel. There were 10 other tourist in the van with me, plus the guide and the driver. We were headed to Ayutthaya and the guide told us that the trip takes about 1 hour. Since I slept early last night, I just decided to watch You Who Came from the Stars & Running Man from my phone (both are Korean Shows). Little did I know that the couple seated behind me is Korean.

Sunset at Wat Arun, The Temple of Dawn

Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River just a ferry ride across Wat Pho and the Grand Palace is Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn. It is named after the Indian god of dawn, Aruna.

Important Facts:

Entrance Fee: 50 Baht

Open everyday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

How to get there:

From Wat Pho you can get to Wat Arun through the Chao Phraya Cross River Ferry that can be found at N. Pier 8 or the Tha Tien Pier Station.

The cost of riding the cross river ferry from Wat Pho  to Wat Arun is three (3) Baht per person. Since I was feeling tired from the tour of Grand Palace and Wat Pho, I decided to sit first at the café near the temple. They serve pastries and coffee. I ordered a grande size Iced Caramel Macchiato as it is still hot even if the sun is about to set. After resting for about 30 minutes, I started my tour of Wat Arun. Firstly, I visited the surrounding areas of the temple.

Interesting Fact: Wat Arun is a Khmer-style temple with four prangs (also known as prasat) and one larger one in the middle. This layout is a representation of the five sacred mountains which were home to the gods according to Khmer, Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. The central prang represents Mount Meru, the center of the universe. When the heights of the central prang was extended, Rama III ordered that colourful ceramics and porcelain should be used to form elaborate motifs and designs. This unusual design feature makes the prangs shimmer and shine in the sunlight and give the temple a unique appeal that has to be seen close up to be fully appreciated.

Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha)

The Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho!

The oldest and largest temple in Bangkok, it houses the country’s largest reclining Buddha, and it has the biggest collection of Buddha images in the country. Wat Pho is also the national headquarters for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai medicine, including Thai massage.

Wat Pho!

Important Facts:

Entrance Fee: 100 Baht

Open everyday from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM

How to get there:

If you're coming from the Grand Palace, Wat Pho is just 5 to 10 minutes walk. It is near N. Pier 8 or the Tha Tien Station. You can ride a tuktuk from the Grand Palace to Wat Pho but beware cause you might find yourself in a different temple. Haha.

My tour of Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace ended at noon, in time for lunch. I went to Ta Chang Pier to look for cheap eatery where I can escape from the hot weather and to pacify my growling stomach. Since I love watching Running Man (Korean Action-Comedy Sunday Variety Show), I went to the eatery featured in one of their episode shot at Bangkok and was satisfied with what I ordered.

Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace

On the 7^th day of my backpacking trip, I decided to visit the famous temples at Bangkok. My first stop was the Grand Palace which share grounds with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha or locally called as Wat Phra Kaew.

Important Facts:

Entrance Fee: 400 Baht

Open every day except during special occasions

How to get there:

The most comfortable as well as the cheapest way to get there is through the Chao Phraya River Express. Get off at N. Pier 10 (Ta Chang) and walk to the gate of Grand Palace where Wat Phra Kaew is located.

From Ta Chang Pier, the gate of Grand Palace is just a hundred or so meters away. You can immediately spot the entrance. You just have to look for the busiest and most crowded area/wall/fence of the grand palace. The gate is named Viseschaisri Gate, that’s according to the pamphlet of grand palace given upon purchasing the ticket.