Wonders of the World: Angkor, Ticket Price 440 Yuan - How to Spend it Worth the Money (Long Article)
On the second day, we chose an outer route, avoiding sunrise viewpoints to ease our spirits.
We woke up at 8 am and set off at 9 am. The outer route featured attractions like Queen's Palace, Gboves Beach, Kong Pheap, and Roluos Temple Group, which were quite scattered and far apart.
Leaving Siem Reap city, we cycled east-southeast for 12 km and arrived at the first stop, Roluos Temple Group. The group comprised Bakong Temple, Preah Ko Temple, and Lolek Temple. These early Angkor temples were mostly dilapidated, with some undergoing repair and reconstruction. The fragmented remains were clad with new red bricks, secured with steel cables. The temples were surrounded by villages and farmers, and I saw enamel trays with bananas and star anise drying on stone slabs by several ruined temples.
Besides the bread I had brought with me, I also had roasted chicken for lunch, which was a better meal than the previous day's.
Continuing north, we navigated using the map. In Cambodia, I hadn't bought a SIM card or internet card; I relied on map screenshots and, with a strong sense of direction and the help of friendly locals, I found my destinations.
We arrived at the second stop, Gboves Beach, at 2 pm. We had to park the car at the main entrance and walk up to visit. Gboves Beach consisted of scattered stone statue ruins in a pristine forest. There were no paved trails, but a clear path had been worn by previous visitors. I took off my shoes and walked, which is not unusual for walking in Southeast Asia. This was not a tourist group route, and we occasionally encountered a few independent travelers, otherwise it was peaceful. After about 40 minutes, we arrived at a concentrated area of ruins. The intricately carved stones were partially submerged in streams, a natural preservation. It's likely that when Angkor was discovered over a hundred years ago, it was hidden in the jungle, just as it is now, evoking feelings of awe, envy, self-deprecation, and gratitude. Observing the carvings, we saw row upon row of 'Lingas,' a symbol of Hindu fertility worship, contrasting sharply with our own Chinese culture's more reserved approach.
We were still rushing to catch the sunset when we headed back, taking a direct route that was bumpy and uneven. Soon it was dark, and the journey became increasingly difficult. Then it started to rain, and we couldn't stop in this remote area. It was a relief to finally get back, but it was 7:30 pm.
