Phnom Bakheng
There is simply no better place to be for sunset at Angkor Wat than Phnom Bakheng, so make sure you include this in your trip to Siem Reap.
Phnom Bakheng Sunset
The views across the Angkor complex are simply outstanding, but be warned if you want to guarantee a good viewing spot you will need to get there early as this place fills up fast. Literally hundreds of tourists line up to take their place for this event.
The temple sits at the top of a hill, which after a long day trekking around the temples will feel like a mountain to walk up, but rest assured you will be rewarded at the top.
Do make sure you wear clothing that covers your knees. If you don’t respect the dress code, you will not be allowed to the top and waiting for your friends to tell you how much fun they had is not great.
Due to this large number of visitors, Bakheng has become one of the most threatened of all temples.
History of Bakheng
Bakheng is both a Hindu and Buddhist temple dedicated to Shiva and was built towards the end of the 9th Century in the reign of King Yasovarman. The hilltop temple mountain of Phnom Bakheng was the first temple to be built in the Angkor area, the capital was moved from near Roluos to Phnom Bakheng in 893 during the reign of Yasovarman I.
Did You Know?
Phnom Bakheng features in Tomb Raider. It is from here that Laura Croft played by Angelina Jolie views Angkor Wat upon arriving in Cambodia.
