Background
The Temple Complex of Angkor Wat was built from the 6th to the 12th century (I also read 9th – 15th) and is steeped in history. There’s far too much history to cover in this post, but there’s plenty of information on-line about the rich and tumultuous history of the Khmer people and of Cambodia. It’s worth researching and visiting if you’ve never been (Cambodia, in general, and Angkor Wat, for sure). Angkor Wat is probably the most popular tourist destination in Cambodia, from what I gathered, but there’s definitely plenty else to see and enjoy. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Cambodia.
To summarize it very briefly, when the the Angkor Wat temple complex was constructed, the Khmer people fluoresced into the most influential religious, military, and social civilization of all of Southeast Asia. Their reach and authority covered all of Cambodia, as well as parts of Vietnam, China, and across the Bay of Bengal.
We didn’t know quite what to expect when visiting the temples. I didn’t do an excessive amount of research about them before, as I like to just go where I’m led and learn in the moment, so I wasn’t sure if we would be experiencing temples like the ornate, gold structures we saw in Thailand. Angkor Wat is completely different, though! Check out the photo gallery below to see images and get a feel for what it’s like to explore through there!
