Vietnam destinations

Ha Noi | Halong Bay | Dien Bien Phu | Sapa | Phong Nha Cave | Hue | Bà Nà Hill Station | Da Nang | Hoi An | My Son | Mui Ne Beach | Ho Chi Minh City | Mekong Delta | Phu Quoc | Ba Chua Xu | Angkor Park | Angkor Wat (Cambodia)
 

It is to the cities you must go to get beneath the skin of Vietnam. Their intoxicating contradictions are hypnotising: the headlong rush towards the future while hanging on tight to the past; the motorbikes, mobilesand miniskirts of the new genaration side by side with the politics, pagodas and piety of the old. Marx one minute, MTV the nest; Vietnam is evolving fast and the cities are the only place to hitch a ride.
Hue is the city for culture vultures, the old imperial capital with a flair for food. Dash through Danang to discover the Museum of Cham Sculpture - the finest collection of Cham Art in the word.

    With more than 3450km of coastline, Vietnam is no novice when it comes to brilliant beaches and just off the coast are idyllic tropical islands in the south and rugged, jungle-clad mountains of  rock in the north, perfect for the beach bum or the action addict. Snorkelling and surfing, diving and boating, there is plenty of action under and above the water.
   Enjoy an afternoon drinking at the floating bar of Mama Linh's boat, a legend throughout Asia, off the coast of Nha Trang. Trek through the jungle amid lost-world scenery on Cat Ba Island. Chill out on Cua Dai Beach, the perfect excuse to stay in Hoi An for a few days.
   In the interests of preserving our culture and heritage for future generations, UNESCO has been awarding World Heritage-site status to the most important treasures on the planet. Vietnam is no slouch when it comes to such treasures some made by the hand of humans, others the work of nature that knows no bounds.
   Natural highs are numerous in Vietnam and opportunities for adventures are never far way. The network of national parks is the perfect place to trek in the jungle, encounter an ape or ride an elephant. The mountains of the northwest are one log adventure and that'sjust the road trip.
   Swoon at the views around Sapa, home to a wealth of minority peoples, and a base for exploring the Tonkinese Alps. Boat, bike and hike your way around Ba Be National Park, a serene and scenic spot. For a truly colourful experience, meet the Flower H'mong of Bac Ha. See elephants in their element at beautiful Yok Don National Park. Discover a different world with a dive under the waters off Nha Trang. Abseil down a waterfall or rick climb up one near Dalat.

    Taste the best of Vietnam in a culinary caper around the country. Vietnamese cuisine is heaven sent and the divine flavours are as diverse as the destinations in which they are dished up. The seafood is spectacular thanks to an endless coastline, and vegetarians will love the magical 'mock meat' that the Vietnamese have mastered.
   Taste the secrets of Ba Le Well in a plate of Cao Lau in Hoi An. Fire up a fresh seafood barbecue in Nha Trang. Do the one dollar pub crawl through the "bia hoi bars "  (fresh beer bars) of Hanoi's Old Quarter.
 

---

 

Hanoi

The Capital of Vietnam is a city of timeless grace, a grand old dame of Asia who is ageing better than most of her contemporaries, Hanoi lay in a deep slumber after Vietnam’s partition in 1954, until the effects of economic reforms began to kick in four decades later.  The city and its inhabitants survived American bombs and Russian planners to emerge relatively unscathed in the early 1990s as a superb example of a French colonial cityHanoi’s centre today is a quixotic blend of Parisian grace and Asian pace, an architectural museum piece evolving in harmony with its history, rather than bulldozing through it like for 800 years and is still the best place to check the pulse of this resurgent city. Elsewhere, towering mansions line grand, tree-lined boulevards, and lakes and parks dotting the city provide the local people with the perfect place for a spot of dawn exercise. There are still fleeting moments of Paris, as ate smell of warm baguettes permeates street corners, the beret is as common as the baseball cap and a ‘bonjour’ is as likely as a ‘hello’.

Hanoi in a day

Begin with breakfast in an Old Quarter café before jumping on a cyclo to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, where you might be lucky enough to catch a changing of the guard. Check out the surreal museum and the balancing act that is the One Pillar Pagoda before moving on to the Temple of Literature. This is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi and just opposite is KOTO, an essential lunch stop as all proceeds from this great restaurant go forwards helping street children. In the afternoon, it is time to take a serious look at the Old Quarter, browsing its buildings, shops or bars to soak up the unique atmosphere. If you haven’t already been tempted, stop for a bia hoi (fresh beer) around sunset and watch Hanoi shift from work to play. Catch a performance of the wonderful water puppets before enjoying a local meal and some beers in nearby Pho Bao Khanh.

Halong Bay

Magnificent Halong Bay is undoubtedly the natural wonder of Vietnam. Picture 3000 or more incredible islands rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin and you have a vision of greatness. In 1994 it was designated Vietnam’s second World Heritage site. Visitors have compared the area’s magical landscape of limestone islets to Guilin in China and Krabi in Southern Thailand. These tiny islands are dotted with beaches and grottoes created by wind and waves, and have sparsely forested slopes ringing with birdsong.

Halong translates as ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’. Legend has it that the islands of Halong Bay were created by a great dragon that lived in the mountains. As it ran towards the coast, its flailing tail gouged out valleys and crevasses; as it plunged into the sea, the areas dug up by the tail became filled with water, leaving only high land visible.

Halong Bay’s very own Loch ness monster

The dragon that gave birth to Halong Bay may be legend, but sailors have often reported sightings of a mysterious marine creature of gargantuan proportions known as the tarasque. The more paranoid elements of the military suspect it’s an imperialist spy submarine, while eccentric travellers believe they have discovered Vietnam’s version of the Loch Ness monster. Meanwhile, the monster – or whatever it is – continues to haunt Halong Bay, unfettered by the marine police, Vietnam Tourism and the immigration authorities. Enterprising Vietnamese boat owners have made a cottage industry out of the creature, offering cash-laden tourists the chance to rent a junk and pursue the tarasque before it gets bored and swims away.

 

 

Dien Bien Phu

Dien Bien Phu is famous the world over as the site of a battle that can truly be called decisive. The French colonial forces were roundly defeated at the hands of the Viet Minh on 7th May 1954 and the days of their Indochina Empire were finally numbered.

Dien Bien Phu, recently granted the prestigious status of provincial city like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, is in one of the most remote parts of Vietnam. The town is 34km from the Lao border in the flat, heart-shaped Muong Thanh Valley, which is about 20km long and 5km wide and surrounded by sleep, heavily forested hills. The size and look of the city is surprising considering the remote location, especially if you survived getting here overland. History is the main attraction here and the scenery is more stunning on the journey to or from Dien Bien Phu than around town itself. Not surprisingly, the majority of travellers who come here now are French – Dien Bien Phu seems to hold the same sort of fascination for them as the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) does for Americans.

For centuries Dien Bien Phu was a transit stop on the caravan route from Myanmar and China to northern Vietnam. The town itself was established in 1841 by the Nguyen Dynasty to prevent raids on the Red River Delta by bandits.

The area is inhabited by Montagnards, most notable the Thai and H’Mong. The government has been encouraging ethnic currently make up about half of the Muong Thanh Valley’s total population.

Tourism is having quite an impact on Dien Bien Phu, with a building boom underway in the past few years. Domestic tourism went through the roof in the first half of 2004, as the whole of Vietnam geared up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu.

 

Sa Pa

The premier destination of northwest Vietnam, Sapa is a former hill station built in 1922. Nestled in a beautiful valley close to the Chinese border, the spectacular scenery that surrounds Sapa includes cascading rice terraces that hug the heights looming over town. The mountains are often cloaked in mist that rolls back and forth along the mountaintops, offering tantalising glimpses of what lies in wait on a clear day. The valleys and villages around Sapa are home to a host of hill-tribe people who wander in to town to buy, sell and trade.
History has not always been kind to Sapa, and the long series of conflicts that swept over Vietnam left it on its last legs. From WWII, through the wars against the French and the USA, to the border skirmish with China in 1979, the old hotels built by the French were allowed to fall into disrepair, and Sapa was pretty much forgotten.

Recently the place has been rediscovered, and the subsequent tourist boom has caused a sea change in Sapa’s fortunes. Bad roads have been upgraded, many streets have been given names, countless new hotels have popped up, the electricity supply is reliable and the food has improved immeasurably. Inherent in all of this prosperity is cultural change for Montagnards, many of whom are now well versed in the ways of the cash economy and are reaping the financial rewards of the tourism influx.

One inconvenience that will not change is the weather. If you visit off-season, don’t forget your winter woollies. Not only is it cold (0°C), but winter also brings fog and drizzle. Quite why the French alighted on this spot is difficult to comprehend; it must have been one of those rare clear days when the views are to die for. The chilly climate does have a few advantages, though- the area boasts temperate-zone fruit trees bearing fruit such as peaches and plums, and gardens for raising medicinal herbs.

The dry season in Sapa lasts from around January to June. January and February are the coldest (and foggiest) months. From March to May the weather is often excellent, and the summer is warm despite the rains between June and August. The window from September to mid-December is a pleasant time to be in Sapa, though there is a bit of lingering rain at the start and the temperature dips by December.

If possible, try to visit during the week, when the prices are cheaper and Sapa is less crowded and more manageable. Crowds flock to Sapa for the Saturday market, but a smaller market is held every day. There is plenty to see on weekdays, and there are many interesting villages within walking distance of the center.

Sapa would be of considerably less interest without the H’Mong and Dzao people, the largest ethnic groups in the region. Mostly they’re very poor, but are rapidly learning the spirit of free enterprise. Most of the Montagnards have had no formal education and are illiterate, yet many of the youngster have a good command of English and French.

Lots of the women and young girls have done into the souvenir business; the older women in particular are known for their strong-armed selling tactics. One frequent Sapa sight is a frenzy of elderly H’Mong women clamouring around hapless backpackers to hawk their goods, which range of opium stashed away in matchboxes. When negotiating prices, you do need to hold on your ground, but go easy when it comes to bargaining. They may be persistent, but are not nearly as rapacious as Vietnamese vendors.

 

Phong Nha Cave

Formed approximately 250 million years ago, give or take a few million years, Phong Nha Cave is the largest and most beautiful cave in Vietnam. Located in the village of Son Trach, 55km northwest of Dong Hoi, it was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2000. It’s remarkable for its thousands of meters of underground passageways and river caves filled with abundant stalactites and stalagmites. It November and December the river is prone to flooding and the underground cave may be closed.

In 1990, a British caving expedition explored 35km of the cave and made the first reliable map of Phong Nha’s underground (and underwater) passageways. They discovered that the main cavern is nearly 8km long, with 14 other caves nearby.

Phong Nha means “Cave of Teeth”, but unfortunately the teeth (or stalagmites) that were by the entrance are no longer there. Once you get further into the cave, it’s mostly unspoiled. There’s also a dry cave in the mountainside just above Phong Nha Cave. You can walk to it from the entrance to Phong Nha Cave (10 min.) – look for the sign to Tien Son at the foot of the stairs.

The Chams used the cave’s grottoes as Hindu sanctuaries in the 9th and 10th centuries; the remains of their altars and inscription are still there. Vietnamese Buddhists continue to venerate these sanctuaries as they do other Cham religious sites. More recently, this cave was used as a hospital and ammunition depot during the American war. The entrance shows evidence of aerial attacks. That US war planes spent considerable time bombing hardly surprising: this was one of the key entrance points to Ho Chi Minh Trail. Some overgrown remains of the trail are still visible, though you’ll need a guide to point them out to you.

 

Hue

Historically, Hue has been the heartbeat of Vietnam, a centre of political intrigue, cultural innovation, religious worship and educational excellence. Today, its main attractions are the splendid tombs of the Nguyen Emperors, several notable pagodas and the remains of the Citadel. In May 2001 the first Festival of Hue was celebrated, with local and international cultural performers at locations throughout the city, and this is now a biennial event in the calendar. If you happen to be in Hue around this time of the year, make sure you will book a room in advance, since it would be impossible to find a room when you are there without any reservations.

Tourism may just have saved Hue’s cultural sites from oblivion. Between 1975 and 1990, all the old buildings were regarded as politically incorrect, signs of the ‘feudal Nguyen dynasty’. Everything was left to decay. It was only in 1990 that the local government recognized the potential of the place and declared these sites ‘national treasure’. In 1993 UNESCO designated the complex of monuments in Hue a World Heritage site, and restoration and preservation work continues.

 

 

Ba Na Hill Station

Optimistically deemed ‘the Dalat of Danang province’ by the provincial government, Ba Na is a former French hill station along the crest of Mt. Ba Na (Nui Chua). The 360 – degree view is truly spectacular and the air is fresh and cool. When it’s 36°C on the coast, it’s likely to be between 15°C and 26°C at Ba Na. Rain often falls between 700m and 12000m above sea level, but around the hill station itself, the sky is usually clear. Mountain tracks in the area lead to a variety of waterfalls and viewpoints.

Ba Na was founded in 1919 and, until WW II, the French were carried up the last 20km of rough mountain road by sedan chair! Of the 200-odd villas that originally stood, a few tattered atmospheric ruins remain. The provincial government has high hopes of once again making Ba Na a magnet for tourists and is in the process of developing the site to suit domestic visitors. This means a variety of accommodation and restaurants, all good news, but also lots of karaoke, music for all from a loud PA and litter, which are not such good news.

Views from the Le Nim restaurants balcony are fantastic and worth a stop in themselves; it’s a great place for lunch. The Ba Na By Night Resort (don’t be fooled by the names, it’s open by day as well) has preserved an old French wine cellar in its foundations – walk in and feel the cool. You can also walk along a marked track, just behind the plushest accommodation section, to the atmospheric ruins of one of the French Villas. An enormous Buddha that’s visible for miles around has also been constructed here.

 

 

Da Nang

Vietnam’s fourth-largest city, Danang is the economic powerhouse of central Vietnam. After a long period of slumber, the city is once again awaking and has been given a total makeover in the past few years. With new roads, new bridges and new buildings, it is starting to act like a city of its size, although with Hue to the north and Hoi An to the south, it’s never going to make the major league for tourism. Travellers pass through Danang to visit the Museum of Cham Sculpture or to make transport connections. Most people prefer to stay in Hoi An or out at nearby China Beach, but for city slickers who like to soak up the atmosphere of bustling centres, it’s an endearing enough place to idle a night or two away.

Back in the heady days of the American War, Danang was often referred to as the ‘Saigon of the North’. This held a note of both praise and condemnation: like its big sister to the south, Danang was notable for its booming economy, fine restaurants, busy traffic and glittering shops. Entertaining the military was also a profitable business – bars and prostitution were major industries, and that legacy lingers. As in Saigon, corruption also ran rampant. Liberation arrived in 1975, promptly putting a sizable dent in the city’s economy until the good old days came back again a few years ago.

Danang also marks the northern limits of Vietnam’s tropical zone and boasts a pleasant climate all year round.

 

Hoi An

A living museum, the riverside town of Hoi An oozes charm and culture from every corner. Emphatically the most enchanting place along the coast, this is one spot worth lingering in.

Known as Faifo to early Western traders, it was one of Southeast Asia’s major international ports from the 17th to 19th centuries. In its heyday Hoi An, a contemporary of Macau and Melaka, was an important port of call for Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and other trading vessels. Vietnamese ships and sailors based in Hoi An sailed to all corners of Vietnam, Hoi An retains a sense of history that envelops you as you explore the town.

Every year during the rainy season, particularly in October and November, hoi An has problems with flooding, especially in areas close to the waterfront. The greatest flood ever recorded in Hoi An took place in 1964, when the water reached all the way up to the roof beams of the houses.

“Hoi An Legendary Night” takes place of the 14th day of every lunar month (full moon) from 5.30pm to 10pm. This colourful monthly even features traditional food, song and dance, and games along the lantern – lit streets in the town centre. All motorised traffic is banned from the streets, including motorbikes.

 

 

My Son

One of the most stunning sights to see in the Hoi An area is My son, Vietnam’s most important centre of the ancient kingdom of Champa and a Unesco World Heritage site.

During the centuries when Tra Kieu (which was then known as Simhapura) served as the political capital of the kingdom of Champa, My Son was the site of the most important Cham intellectual and religious centre and also may have served as a burial place for Cham monarchs.
My Son is considered to be Champa’s smaller counterpart to the grand cities of Southeast Asia’s other Indian-influenced civilisations: Angkor (Cambodia), Ayuthaya (Thailand), Bagan (Myanmar) and Borobudur (Java)

The monuments are set in a verdant valley surrounded by hills ad overlooked by the massive Cat’s Tooth Mountain (Hon Quap). Clear streams run between the structures and past nearby coffee plantations.

 

 

Nha Trang

Nha Trang is a coastal city and the capital of Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam. It is well known for its pristine beaches and excellen scuba diving and is fast becoming a popular destination for international tourists, attracting a large number of backpackers on the Southeast Asia circuit. It is already very popular with Vietnamese tourists. Nha Trang Bay is amongst the World's most beautiful bays. Tourists can participate in Sea Festival and August - Nha Trang Rendez vous - Festival every 2 years.

Nha Trang is now one of the most important tourism hub of Vietnam, thanks to its beautiful beaches with fine and clean sand, clean sea water with mild temperature all year round. There are several resorts, amusement parks in this city and on islands off the coast. The most beautiful street of the city is Tran Phu Street along the seaside. Nha Trang is a venue for annual sailing boat racing from Hongkong. In recent year, the city has also welcomed 5-star sea cruises. The city's cuisine is famous for its fresh seafood. Bird's nest soup is one of the best in Vietnam. Bird's nests are collected naturally and in bird farms on the islands off the city coast and in some houses in the inner city.

 

 

Mui Ne Beach

Peaceful Mui Ne Beach is a long and beautiful stretch of white sand 22km east of Phan Thiet on Route 706, near a fishing village at the tip of Mui Ne Peninsula. It’s a lovely spot with swaying palm trees, and for traffic-weary travellers and residents of HCMC, Mui Ne offers a relaxed and welcome change of pace.

There is no scuba diving in Mui Ne, but when Nha Trang and Hoi An get the rains, Mui Ne gets the waves. Surf’s up from August to December. For windsurfers, the gales howl as well, especially from late October to late April, when swells stir over from the Philippine typhoons.

 

 

Ho Chi Minh City

At first sight HCMC may seem to be populated with a million bandanas bedecked women bandits on the verge of a giant traffic accident. And in fact, the pattern in the streets reflects a generalised, organised chaos in a city that attracts people from all over the country hoping to better their fortunes.

Unofficially the city is still called ’Saigon; officially, ‘Saigon’ refers only to District 1. Southerners certainly prefer the name Saigon, but if you have to deal with government officials it’s best to use HCMC. The city fumes, ferments, bubbles and churns. Yet within this teeming 300-year-old metropolis are timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture. In the pagodas monks pray and incense burns. Artists create masterpieces on canvas or in carved wood. Puppeteers entertain children in the parks while, in the back alleys, acupuncturists treat patients and students learn to play violin. A seamstress carefully creates a ao dai, the graceful Vietnamese costume that might elicit the envy of Parisian fashion designers.

HCMC hums and buzzes with the tenacious will of human beings to survive and improve their lot. Crazy-making and seductive, the city beats with a palpable energy, day and night.

 

 

Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta vibrates with colour – shimmering fields of bright green rice stalks, fanned-out yellow and electric-pink incense sticks drying along roadsides, and lunchtime traffic jams of white-and-blue-clad school kids on bikes. So, too, the rhythm of life along Mekong byways buzzes with slow but constant energy. A trip into the nation’s rice basket is a glimpse into the life of Vietnam’s agricultural workplace, whose daily toil on this life sustaining river delta feeds the nation. The Mekong Delta – with the nurturing of its busy inhabitants – produces enough rice to feed the entire country, with a sizable surplus.

The delta was formed by sediment deposited by the Mekong River, a process which continues today; silt deposits extend the delta’s shoreline at the mouth of the river by as much as 79m per year. The river itself is so massive that it has two daily tides. Lush with rice paddies and fish farms, this rich delta plain also nourishes that cultivation of sugarcane, fruit, coconut and shrimp. Although the area is primarily rural, it is one of the most densely populated regions and nearly every hectare is intensively farmed.

Travellers to the Mekong can join the languorous clamour by boating into the crush of floating markets or visiting local fruit orchards and fish farms. Those wishing to get away from the hustle and bustle can travel to towns on the eastern edge of the delta, which is notable for having the highest proportion of Khmers in the population despite being the furthest provinces from Cambodia. Tra Vinh and Soc Trang, two such towns, are home to several beautiful Khmer pagodas and are not often visited by foreigners.

For an even more remote experience, head to the western jumping-off point of Rach Gia and catch a boat to peaceful Phu Quoc Island. There is still little commercialisation happening on Phu Quoc, and among the attractions are uncrowded dive sites, deserted beaches and cool freshwater springs.

 

 

Phu Quoc Island

Moutainous and forested Phu Quoc Island is in the Gulf of Thailand, 45km west of Ha Tien and 15km south of the coast of Cambodia. This tear-shaped island, which is 48km long and has an area of 1320 sq km, is ringed with some of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam. There are fantastic views of marine life through transparent blue-green water.

Phu Quoc is claimed by Cambodia; its Khmer name is Ko Tral. Needless to say, the Vietnamese view it very differently and have built a substaintial military base covering much of the northern end of the island. Phu Quoc is governed as a district of Kien Giang province.

Phu Quoc Island served as a base for the French missionary Pigneau de Behaine during the 1760s and 1780s. PrinceNguyen Anh, who later became Emperor Gia Long, was sheltered here by Behaine when he was being hunted by the Tay Son Rebels.

Phu Quoc is not really part of Mekong Delta and doesn't share the delta's extraordinary ability to produce rice. The most valuable crop is black pepper, but the islanders here have traditionally earned their living from the sea. Phu Quoc is also famous in Vietnam for its production of high-quality fish sauce (nuoc mam).

The island is also known for Phu Quoc hunting dogs. The dogs have been a great success - with their help, the islanders have decimated most of the osland's wildlife. These dogs are said to be able to pick up the scent of their master from over 1km away. The classic Phu Quoc pooch has a ridgeback, curly tail and blue tongue.

Phu Quoc has tremendous tourism potential, but although it is beginning to ramp up it is mostly unrealised. Transport difficulties, not to mention some of the best beaches being occupied by military bases, have contributed to keeping the visitors away. But since it became a national park in 2001, the island is gaining more attention.

Phu Quoc's rainy season is from July to November. The peak season for tourism is mid-winter, when the sky is blue and the sea is calm; however, when it's not raining it'S stinking hot. Don't set out to explore the island unless you've got at least two litres of water in your day-pack or you'll dehydrate.

 

 

Ba Chua Xu - An Giang

The Legend of Ba Chua Xu

There are many legends about Ba Chua Xu, the local tutelary goddess. One says that the statue of the goddess sat on top of Sam Mountain for a long time before being discovered by villagers nearly 200 years ago. The villagers tried but failed to move the statue to the foot of the mountain until they followed the goddess' instruction to select nine virgin girls to do the job. However, the girls could not mover the statue anymore when it reached the foot of the mountain and the villagers decided to build a temple there to worship this goddess. The day to bath the statue, the 24th day of the fourth lunar month, was chosen as the annual anniversary of the goddess.

The temple was first built in the early 19th century using bamboo and thatch. After many restorations, in 1972 the present-day architecture of the temple with sophisticated carving art came into being. This is a work showcasing the harmony of traditional and modern architecture.

The land of relics

At first, the festival was attended only by local people but it has attracted an increasing number of visitors year by year. In recent years, millions of people join in the festival every year to pray for success, health and happiness, making it the largest folk festival in the Mekong Delta.

Activities include the statue-bathing ceremony at midnight of the 24th day, the procession from Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb to Ba Chua Xu Temple and performances of traditional and folk music.

Apart from the festival, tourists can also visit Chau Doc Market to buy specialties of the province like salted fish sauces. Other places are Vinh Te and Thoai Ha canals, Tay An Pagoda and Tuc Dup Hill.

 

 

Angkor Archaeological Park (Cambodia)

Angkor Archaeological Park, located in Northern Cambodia, is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia.
Stretching over some 400 sq. km, including forested area, Angkor contains the magnificent remains of several capitals of Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century CE. These include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless scultural decorations.
Angkor was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992  - the same year it was also placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. UNESCO has now set up a wide-ranging programme to safeguard this symbolic site and its surroundings.
Angkor itself has no accommodations and a few facilities; the nearby town of Siem Reap is the tourist hub for the area.

Symbolism

The temples of Angkor are highly symbolic structures. The foremost Hindu concept is the temple-moutain, where the temple is built as a representation of the mythical Mount Meru: this is why so many temples, including Angkor Wat itself, are surrounded my moats, built in a mountain-like pyramidal shape and topped by precisely five towers, representing the five peaks of Mount Meru. The linga (phallus), representing the God Shiva, was also critical and while the lingas themselves have largely gone, linga stands (carved, table-like blocks of stone) can be found in many if not most rooms in the temples. There was  also a political element to it all: most kings wanted to build their own state temples to symbolize their kingdom and their rule.

While early Angkor temples were built as Hindu temples, Jayavarman VII converted to Mahayana Buddhism c. 1200 and embarked on a prodigious building spree, building the new capital city of Angkor Thom including Bayon, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and many more as Buddhist structures. However, his successor Jayavarman VIII returned to Hinduism and embarked on an equally massive spree of destruction, systematically defacing Buddhist images and even crudely altering some to be Hindu again. Hinduism eventually lost out to Buddhism again, but the (few) Buddha images in the temples today are later Theraveda additions.

One element that continues to mystify archaeologists is the bary, or water reservoir, built in a grand scale around Angkore: for example, the West Baray is a mind-boggling 8km by 2.3km in size. While it has long been assumes that they were used for irrigation, some historians argue that their primacy function was political or religous. Today, the moat around Angkor and the West Baray still contains water, but the rest have dride up.

Motifs

As you tour the temples, you will see certain mythical figures and other motifs cropping up repeatedly.
Apsara. Celestial nymphs, always bare-breasted and usually dancing, representing an ideal of female beauty.
Kala. Montrous face without a lower jaw, often found on temple gateways, meant to guard against evil.
Naga. Many-headed mythical serpent. The most famous nagas in Angkor can be found on the guardrails of each entrance to Angkor Thom.
Singha. Stylized lions, often guardians to temples. The beast is not native to Cambodia, and this shows in the depictions.

Get around

Tour buses visit only the three or four most accessible sites. The guided, air-conditioned comfort may not make up for the hassle of crowds and lack of options. The cost is about US$30-$70 / day including driver.
Cars with drivers can be hired for single or mutiple days. Though the drivers to ask for US$5 - US$10 for trips to further temples such as Bantaey Srei, and mor for remote sites like Beng Melea. Don't be alarmed if you realize that your car does not have a license plate. None of them seem to!
Motorbikes (with drivers) can be arranged through any guesthouse for about US$6- US$8 / day. Again, drivers might ask for more to visit remote ruins. Some drivers can speak a bit of English, and can give you information about Angjor and Cambodian life. Drivers are required to be licensed and must wear their gray numbered vest while traveling within the confines of the Ankor Park. The rental of motorbikes without a driver to foreigners in Siem Reap is prohibited; however, foreigners can ride motorbikes they've rented elsewhere (e.g. Phnom Penh).
Tuk Tuks can be arranged through guesthouses, offering space for one or two travelers. Figure on US$10 - 12 for the main temples, and more for outlying temples. Like the motorbike drivers, they must be licensed, may speak English, and must wear gray numbered vests while traveling within the park.
Bicycles are another option, though you will spend more time getting from place to place and will have a limited range. They are probably best for visitors planning on returning for several days. Bring sun screen, a good hat, lot of water and a scarf to keep the sun off your neck. The rental is around US$2-$3 per day, and quality does vary.
Horse carriages and even elephants are also available within the park, but only from specific points. For example, elephants travel the route between Bayon and the nearest gate of Angkor Thom.
Electric cars will take you to certain areas for a round-trip price of only $2. They can be found in front of Angkor Wat and the Terrace of the Elephants.

See

Passes are required to enter the Angkor area. They are on sale at the front gate for 1 (US$20), 3 (US$40), or 7 (US$60) days, which must be used consecutively. (Cambodians can enter for free - you shouldn't need to buy a pass for your guide or your driver). If you buy a pass on the evening before the first day of the pass, after which the park closes. A passport photo is required for the 3- and 7-day passes, which are non-tranferable. There is a provision for obtaining this photo for free, but it can be time-consuming during peak hours. Note that regular checks for the pass are performed at almost all sites within the park, so carry your pass with you all the times, and be certain to buy the passes only from the official Apsara Authority counters, not from other vendors and definitely not second-hand.
Guides can be hired for about US$20 a day, and are particularly useful for finding and explaining the bas-reliefs, which can otherwise be rather overwhelming and/or difficult to understand.
Be sure and get to the temples early – you can enter the park from 5 AM, and the temples themselves open at sunrise. There are fewer visitors early in the morning, and the sun isn’t at full force. Arriving at the temples at 8 AM instead of 9AM can make all the difference in staying one step ahead of the tour bus contingents.

The temples can broadly be categorized into four groups:

Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, the grandest temple of all the ancient capital next to it
Little Circuit (Le Petit Circuit), taking in major sites to east of Angkor Thom
Big Circuit (Le Grand Circuit), taking in major sites north and further out east
Rolous group, 15km east from Siem Reap along National Highway 6
Outlying temples, located over 20 km from Angkor Wat

You can, of course, mix and match freely, but as distances are fairly long, it makes sense to plan ahead and pick sites connected by road. Most car, tuk-tuk or motor drivers will have an itinerary ready if you don’t have one in mind, and their expertise may come in handy for arriving at sites a step ahead of the big tour groups.

 

 

Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

Angkor Wat is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built for King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. The largest and best preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained since its foundation a significant religious centre - first Hindu, dedicated to Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmew architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temples. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the gods in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6km (2.2 miles) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the granduer and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.

Style

Angkor Wat is the prime example of the classical style of Khmer architecture - the Angkor Wat style - to which it has given its name. By the 12th century Khmer architects had become more skilled and confident in the use of sandstone (rather then birck or lateries) as the main building material. The Angkore Wat style was followed by that of the Bayon period, in which quality was often sacrified to quantity.

Angkor Wat has drawn praise above all for the harmony of its design, which has been compared to the architecture of ancient Greece or Rome. According to MAurice Glaize, a mid-20th-century conservator of Angkor, the temple "attains a classic perfection by the restrained monumentality of its finely balanced elements and the precise arrangement of its proportions. IT is a workd of power, unity and style."

Architecturally, the elements characteristic pf the style include: the ovigal, redented towers shaped like lotus buds; half-galleries to broaden passageways; axial galleries connecting enclosures; and the cruciform terraces which appear along the main axis of the temple. Most of the visible areas are of sandstone blocks is yet to be identified, although natural resins or slaked lime have been suggested. Other elements of the design have been destroyed by looting and the passage of time, including gilded stucco on the towers, gilding on some figures on the bas-reliefs, and wooden ceiling panels and doors. Typical decorative elements are devatas, bas-reliefs and on pediments extensive garlands and narrative scenes. Statuary is conservative, being more static and less graceful than earlier work.

Angkor Wat today

Since the 1990s, Angkor Wat has seen a resumption of conservation efforts and a massive increase in tourism. The temple is part of the Angkor World Heritage site, established in 1992, which has provided some funding and has encouraged the Cambodian government to protect the site. The German Apsara Conservation Project (GACP) is working to protect the devatas and other bas-reliefs which decorate the temple from damage. The organisation's survey found that around 20% of the devatas were in very poor condition, mainly because of natural erosion and deterioration of the stone but in part also due to earlier restoration efforts. Other work involves the repair of collapse: the west facade of the upper level, for example, has been buttressed by scaffolding since 2002, while a Japanese team completed restoration of the north library of the outer enclosure in 2005.

Angkor Wat has become a major tourist destination: attendance figures for the temple are not published, but in 2004 the country received just over a million international arrivals, of whom according to the Ministry of Tourism 57% planned to visit the temple. The influx of tourists has so far caused relatively little damage, other than some grafiti; ropes and wooden steps have beein introduced to protect the bas-reliefs and floors, respectively. Tourism has also provided some additional funds for maintenance - approximately 28% of ticket revenues across the whole Angkor site is spent on the temples - although most work is carried out by foreign government -sponsored teams rather than by the Cambodian authorities.

Source: Vietnam guide book from Lonely Planet
and www.wikipedia.org