Sunset At Phnom Bakheng

Sunset watching is always a fun thing to do, particularly when traveling. Yet, at Angkor Wat, watching the sun going down is an extremely interesting occasion. Not only the sun looks prettier from there, but also there are such a lot of people gathering for it.    

Where do these people gather? At a temple called Phnom Bakheng (a short separation from the Angkor Wat temple), and this place has been well known for some time now as the spot for sunset viewing. A few people think Phnom Bakheng is overrated and too crowded, while others believe it's just so-so. In any case, I observed Phnom Bakheng to be an awesome place for an Angkor Wat sunset!    

Phnom Bakheng situated slightly toward the northwest of Angkor Wat is a temple mountain built in the late ninth century, over 200 years before Angkor Wat.    

Remaining over top of a hill, this Hindu temple devoted to Lord Shiva was the state temple of the Angkor region during the rule of King Yasovarman.    

Phnom Bakheng is really a step pyramid with ascending square terraces. The steps were steep and very challenging for us to climb up. Each stone step is around 50 centimeters (or 1.6 foot) high and extremely narrow. 

1. Why is it an awesome place for sunset?  

+ It is an incredible place, on the grounds that the temple is on top of a hill. That way you'll get an unhampered view of the sun as it goes down.    

+ It is additionally an incredible place, because you can see many Cambodian people watching the sunset from an ancient Cambodian temple.    

+ As a reward, you'll likewise get the opportunity to see the Angkor Wat complex from a distance, and at high elevation.    

+ And at last, when you are at the highest point of the Phnom Bakheng temple, you have the fortunate position of having the capacity to see all 360 degrees of the scene just by walking around from one corner to another. What's more, the view is truly beautiful.    

2. How well-known is it?    

Another unique fact about sunset watching at this ancient temple is the volume of people who turn up. It would appear as though every tourist that is in Siem Reap goes to watch sunset at Phnom Bakheng. When we went there, possibly more than 900 people turned up.    

This place is that acclaimed. So it gets crowded, and has the likelihood of getting excessively crowded. I thought the sight of so many tourist and travelers from different countries were truly fascinating. It is astounding when you perceive how one awesome site can draw in such a large number of different people.  

3. Climbing Up To The Temple  

Alert to the physically challenged and the elderly. The climb up can be very tiring. It is a smoothed and compact dirt road; however it is still a hike. On the off chance that you need to stay away from the rush hour, or if being within a tourist stampede frightens you, you can come earlier and leave later. Do not wait too long before you start going down the hill, however, because you would prefer not to go down when it's pitched dark. There are no electrical light posts along the way.    

4. How to reach Phnom Bakheng?  As usual, Tuktuk is the transportation of decision while in Angkor Wat and Siem Reap. It ought to be around $5 in case you're going from your accommodation in Siem Reap. You can simply talk to your driver that you need to see sunset at Angkor Wat, and the default area will be Phnom Bakheng.    

The driver will drop you at the entrance to Phnom Bakheng, and he will wait for you until you come down. Searching for your driver after you get down can be confounding as well! There will be such a large number of Tuktuks arranging, and in the dark, you cannot make sure which is yours. It would be a smart thought to ask roughly where he will stop, or agree on a meeting point so he can wait for you there.    

5. When to go to Phnom Bakheng?  

For an Angkor sunset, it is best to arrive a little bit early to beat the group, and furthermore to get a premium sitting spot, and to have a lot of time taking pictures. Plan to leave for the temple around 4, so you can be at the temple at 4:30. And afterward, you will require an additional 30 minutes or so for the climb up to the temple. At 5, you'll be all prepared with your camera to take shots of the entire 360 degrees view.  

We hope that you will appreciate the sunset at Phnom Bakheng as we did. We thought it was a really fun experience, especially with the stampeding crowd and the stairs part. 

Despite the challenges climbing up and down the steep steps, I would still highly recommend visiting Phnom Bakheng for the fun of it!