The best way to see Angkor Wat

The size of the carved stone blocks left me in awe. Imagine the effort to move and carve these huge monoliths? The thought of all that work was so tiring that I decided to take a break on one of the blocks of rubble, just below a 20-metre high Buddha.

I was in Sukhothai, an ancient Thai capital dating back to the time of the Khmer Kingdom. The same Kingdom that, over four centuries, built the great complex at Angkor. The stories of Sukhothai and Angkor are similar in many ways. They have common historical links -- for the Thais, Suhkothai represents the birth of their nation and written script and independence from the Khmer Kingdom. For the Cambodians, Angkor is still a great source of pride - just take a look at their flag. Both sites have had a great past, only to be swallowed by the jungle and later reclaimed.

It is Angkor that attracts a large proportion of Cambodia's one million visitors per year. Temples such as Angkor Wat (literally meaning 'temple city') or Angkor Thom (the very imaginatively named 'big city') have fascinated travellers ever since a Frenchman by the name of Henri Mouhot described it in his diary as:

"...a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo—might take an honourable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome, and presents a sad contrast to the state of barbarism in which the nation is now plunged."

No wonder people have flocked to see this ancient site ever since his vivid description of buildings, that even today carry the evidence of their constant wrestle with the jungles.

With over one thousand separate sites spread over a vast area, which range from rubble to the likes of Angkor Wat, Angkor certainly requires more than a day of casual sightseeing.

Below are some tips and advice.

Where in the world is it? Click the map here. Or take a look at this NASA image.

Getting there: To go directly to Angkor, fly into Siem Reap. The easiest route is from Bangkok, although flights originate from many South East Asian cities. For comfort, avoid the overland route from Bangkok, as the Cambodian road system is an adventure in itself. For the carbon-conscious traveller remember my tips here.

Staying: Because of the popularity of Angkor, there are plenty of places to stay in the nearby Siem Reap.

How many days to set aside: Most people recommend at least three days. For those who want to really experience the place, five is recommended.

Entry to the park: You can get one day (US$20), two day (US$40) and one week passes (US$60) to the park. You will require a passport size photo so remember to bring along a few spares. More information.

Guides: Local Travel Indochina travel guides will take you around in a car. The ruins are spread over a large area so you will need transport and a guide to explain exactly what you're looking at.

Money: Bring along small US notes. As with other places like Vietnam, US dollars are commonly used and preferred.

Photography: There are many tours that specialise in photography tours. However, if you take your time with your own guides you can join the other photographers at sunset and sunrise. Remember, Angkor Wat has the rare orientation of facing west, not east. In some cases - professional photographers will pay monks to accompany them so that they have the classic 'monk in front of the ruins' photograph. Because of the number of people, photographing the ruins without people clambering for various positions in front of you requires time and patience.