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DOING IT DIFFERENTLY
FROM STRADDLING AN ELEPHANT AND RIDING A DIRT BIKE TO FLOATING IN A HOT-AIR BALLOON, JENNY CHUA EXPERIENCES ANGKOR IN FIVE UNCONVENTIONAL WAYS
ON THE BACK OF AN ELEPHANT
For those wishing to recapture a sense of Angkor as it was in its heyday, try an approach by elephant. These gentle giants once carried Khmer rulers and their entourages around the royal complex; today, expert local guides like Tuon “Tra”
Sopheaktra of Hanuman Tourism can arrange a trot around with those elephants’ descendents.
“Elephants were a symbol of strength and wisdom, and were therefore fit to carry a king,” says Tra. The pachyderms’ ancestors were also integral to the construction of Angkor. He explains: “The heavy stones were dragged here by the elephants from Kulen mountain, 50 kilometres from Siem Reap.”
Getting on an elephant’s back is not easy, so platforms have been built high above the ground. Atop Phnom Bakheng, the highest hill in the Angkor complex, you will enjoy great views of the wat (especially at sunset) and over the valley. The elephants are well cared for by a French-owned company who have been organising the tours for over a decade.
GET TO IT
Rides around Angkor and from Angkor Thom to the Bayon cost US$10; it’s $15 to the top of Phnom Bakheng. Tel +855
(0)12 914852, www.hanumantourism.com
Insider tip: Buy some sugarcane to feed your mount and it will become your best friend.
IN A BALLOON
To fully appreciate the size and scope of Angkor, the bird’s-eye-view vantage point from a hot-air balloon at sunrise or sunset is your best bet.
“At dawn, you can easily capture the beautiful panorama of rays of light creeping up behind the wat,” says Kan Nha Ong, the balloon site’s manager. “At dusk, the balloon is positioned in-between Angkor Wat and a foggy, burnished red or dusky purple sky.”
Before the flight, the European-made balloon is meticulously checked for safety. According to Ong, it has recently been replaced and can now take an average of 25 people at a time, more if they are lightweight. The push of hot air is so gentle that you barely feel the sensation of rising 180 metres above the temples.
“It’s an exciting thing for the kids to be on a hot-air balloon and it’s also a romantic affair for a couple.”
Ong reveals that they once even had a wedding in the air. If you don’t like crowds, or don’t wish to hike up a mountain, this is the way to see the wat’s silhouette at its most dramatic.
GET TO IT
A 10-minute hover costs US$15 for adults, or US$7.50 for children, and includes insurance. The hot-air balloon operates every day from sunrise to sunset, 1km down the road directly across the west entrance of Angkor Wat; it’s hard to miss the bright yellow vessel in the air. Tel +855 (0)12 520810
Insider tip: Champagne is available; just call in advance to arrange delivery.
ON A DIRT BIKE
Adrenaline junkies will favour this Angkorian option: ride a motorcycle through the jungle-engulfed ruins. On one of tour leader Paul Hay’s brightly coloured Hondas, passenger safety is ensured by an experienced rider at the tour-convoy’s front and back.
“Most people take the tour with some experience of motocross and enduro-rallies [a long-distance race], but we’ve also taught beginners. We just start them off on a small automatic motorbike,” says Hay.
It’s easy to learn and if you can ride a push-bike, you’re already one step closer. “Fast learners pick it up in half a day and it’s less difficult for those with longer legs,” Hay explains. Touring by bike enables visitors to explore where no car or tuk-tuk can: down single-track ox-cart roads, around crazy corners and through the muddy, sandy jungle temple complexes.
Hay has been leading tours for so long he knows the muddy routes as well as his own backyard. He has crossed the Lao, Vietnamese and Thai borders of Cambodia to find the ultimate temple. “My favourite place would have to be Beng Mealea, 56km from Angkor Wat,” Hay says. He customises the dirt-bike tour to snake around jungle before arriving at the centrepiece of Angkor Wat.
GET TO IT
US$105 per person per day. Nine-day cross-country adventures are also available. Tel +855 (0)12 934 412, or +855 (0)12 655201, www.hiddencambodia.com
Insider tip: For travel insurance that covers adventure sports, try World Nomads (www.worldnomads.com). This Netherlands-based agency lets you file a claim from anywhere in the world.
WITH A FINE-ARTS GRADUATE
Unlike other guides who have memorised their spiel, Tuon “Tra” Sopheaktra can answer almost any historical question you might throw at him. Graduating in 1994 from Phnom Penh’s Royal University of Fine Arts with a degree in history, he has 10 years’ experience guiding journalists and – most notably – the Tomb Raider crew around the ruins. But Tra is far more star-struck by the ancient temples than by Hollywood celebrity.
“The steps were built to be deliberately steep and difficult to climb, so people are forced to bow practically on all fours as they approach the holy temple grounds,” he explains passionately.
Each trip is customised to the visitor’s needs. “If my group is up to it at 5.30am, I take them to Ta Prohm, the only untouched ruin. Everyone else is at Angkor Wat at this time and we have the temple to ourselves, just as it was when it was discovered, with the wind blowing through the trees, and parakeets, hornbills and the mynahs singing. My favourite place to take people in all of Siem Reap is Phnom Bakheng. Everyone should see it at sunset.”
GET TO IT
US$25 per person for a whole day with hotel transfers.
Tel +855 (0)12 914852, +855 (0)63 963213, www.hanumantourism.com
Insider tip: “If you want to see the sunrise without the crowds,” says Tra, “go to the royal pool of Sra Srang for a lovely reflection, or Phnom Bakheng, where you can get a glorious view of Angkor Wat.”
THROUGH A VIEWFINDER
John McDermott is an American fine-art photographer specialising in UNESCO World Heritage sites, particularly those in South-East Asia. With images regularly appearing in top magazines and two galleries under his belt – including one in Siem Reap – a photography lesson with McDermott is a must for aspiring shutterbugs.
Forget tours – these photo safaris are intimate affairs. “I believe the best way to learn is hands on, that’s why I keep my groups small,” McDermott says. “Two or three of us get in my car – or if you wish to go local, a tuk-tuk – and together we decide which corner of Angkor to explore first.”
As well as talking about the meanings behind the carvings, McDermott delves into the secrets of photographing the relics. “After shooting here for over 10 years, I can tell you which are the magical hours when the light touches the Bayon, when’s the best time of the year to get the right mood and which angles can dramatically improve your snapshots.”
For example, he recommends taking shots of bas-reliefs at an angle, standing with your shoulder close to the end of the wall to capture the length of the carvings. It proves far more interesting than a head-on picture.
There’s no need for fancy equipment, either. Even if you have a simple digicam, McDermott will teach you to maximise its potential. He assesses your skill level and is open to teaching young children as well as adults. By the time your photo session with him ends, you’re sure to leave Cambodia with images that will impress friends and do justice to the memory of the temples’ magic.
GET TO IT
US$250 a day with a tuk-tuk, US$400 with a car. FCC Complex, Pokambor Avenue. Tel +855 (0)12 274274, www.mcdermottgallery.com
Insider tip: “Try kneeling down when taking your next picture,” says McDermott. “You’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
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