An Adventure Among Angkorian Adventure

AsiaLIFE Media Vol. 106

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till shrouded by darkness, a gentle voice delivers my wakeup call; tea will follow. I roll out of bed, eyes weary but an underlying bout of anticipation kept me from sleeping deeply anyway. I’ve travelled too far to miss this day, and while the comfort of my suite at Anantara Angkor Resort is all too welcoming, today’s itinerary presents itself but once a year.

It’s the spring equinox which means the sun will rise directly over the centre tower of the magnificent Angkor Wat, referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World. The solar event happens also at the autumn equinox within the wet season, which can also offer a splendid battle of sun and clouds. I’ve opted to visit Siem Reap and the resplendent temples of Angkor in spring, with guaranteed sunshine, off-peak crowds and still bearable temperatures both day and night.

My smiling and all too bright Experience Butler Ly Fong greets me at reception with a much-needed cup of hot tea. He smiles at the way I’ve tied my kroma, a traditional

Khmer scarf made either of cotton or silk, which will serve first as a neck warmer.

We climb aboard our chariot and make the way into the Park, anticipation building.

We’re just one of several flickering lights, dancing over the bumpy tarmac in a drove of thousands, seemingly each traveller representing a year of the temple’s age. The traffic snakes together in and out of the jungle like an iridescent dragon chasing the dawn.

Angkor Wat is but one of Hindu temples within Angkor Archaeological Park to which between two and three million visitors voyage every year. The ubiquitous time to see it is at sunrise, and it is truly a spectacle to behold. All the colours of the rainbow could not prepare you for this sight. Most of the visitors abandon their early rise mentality and retreat back to the hotels for a breakfast regroup, but Ly Fong and I have come prepared and we journey deeper into the temple; the best opportunity of climbing to the top. Leave at least two hours to explore the grounds, including a monk’s blessing. Most of the temples take

Monica Majors finds herself high on adrenaline, away from the crowds in Cambodia.

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considerably less time, since Angkor Wat encompasses 208 hectares.

I’m here to uncover rare and precious discoveries of Cambodia’s unexplored countryside and ancient Khmer secrets with exclusivity. A warm welcome awaits back at the all-suite boutique luxury of Anantara Angkor Resort. Dedicated Experience Butlers like Ly Fong lead quests full of mystery and intrigue – whether it be off the beaten track ventures few travellers are privileged to witness, or the indulgence of iconic wonders and distinctive local experiences.

The local knowledge of the resort’s Experience Butlers is second-to-none curated through the Discovery Guidebook, offering a first-glance of the several itineraries already on offer. For those looking to build their own adventure, over 100 possibilities in half or full day excursions can be personalised. Angkor’s jungle-clad temples can still be enjoyed without a soul in sight; handed a crisp glass of bubbles as gibbons “hoo” in the canopies above.

A personal favourite, and one I will definitely return to do again, is a full day adventure out to Kulen Mountain. The mountain itself is sacred among Hindu and Buddhist alike, and it serves as a place of pilgrimage for many Khmer. Trekking is the name of the game here, as you pass over the River of a Thousand Lingas en route to a waterfall that can dramatically change in size and ferocity depending on the wet and dry seasons. A guide is necessary to navigate the trek, ensuring your footholds are secure and well arranged, otherwise you may step on a dilapidated statue or piece of a hidden temple.

Why does this take a full day, you ask?

Well it’s about 60 kilometres outside of town, and the very boring way is to do that by car. Instead, hop on a quad bike for a four-hour mud circuit and get your adrenaline pumping. This entire experience takes a bit of stamina, as the combination of hot temps, dusty tracks and handle bar grip beats down on you before you even begin to traverse the holy peak. The hotel will package more than enough food and water

to ensure you make it through fully fueled.

Heck, you can even ask for champagne to be waiting as you return to watch sunset over the countryside rice paddies. Not. Too. Shabby.

The most easily accessible adventure programme, and a definite winner, is the 15 kilometer (approximately five hour) jungle biking circuit that starts at the first checkpoint within the Angkor Archaeological Park. Visit a local market before continuing on to visit some of the lesser explored (but, dare I say, more impressive) temples and gates within Angkor Thom City. Mountain bikes are provided with up to 21 gears, but you’ll cycle through only a few, as the riding is on pretty even ground.

Nonetheless, traversing over jungle roots and under the shaded canopy is a blast, especially when popping out in silence to the Ghost Gate of Angkor Thom, through which the bodies of dead soldiers would pass during the Angkorian era. While tourists and travellers are drawn to the heavily visited “Tomb Raider Temple” like

moths to a flame, take the time to get dusty and dirty while giving your legs a good workout. You’ll be rewarded with cool towels, coconut water, dried nuts and fresh fruit along the way from the likes of Ly Fong and his team, but the best reward of all is being able to stand in front of these glorious temples with not so much as another soul around - save for the family man in his hammock charged with watching over the monument.

In my still anti-social phase, coveting silence and feeling as if I had cheated the other thousands of visitors in Siem Reap, I was treated to a picnic lunch in the middle of Banteay Thom. My mid-day date with the Apsara dancers, so well preserved in the sandstone carvings of the falling temple; spung trees constantly stretching their roots over boulders. It’s been a whirlwind week discovering how much more there is here to get your heart pumping. Earthly bound, I didn’t even have the chance to get up in a helicopter or ultra light. But, there’s always next time, and lucky for me Anantara Angkor helps make it all feel like home.

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