First Light at Angkor Wat

Posted Monday, May 05, 2008, 3:54 AM by Lonely Planet

The sun doesn't rise until 6:30, but our tuk-tuk driver insists that we have to meet before 5am. We exchange doubtful glances. However, everyone in Siem Reap has been honest and friendly, so we agree.

The next morning, we stumble downstairs from our hotel (the Ancient Angkor Guesthouse - a surprisingly awesome-value find) and he's not there. But his brother is, and he's been waiting since 4:30.

Bleary-eyed, we're not ready for the long, dusty road. We're not the only ones: during the 7km ride from town, we're passed by scores of taxis and other tuk-tuks. And our guy was right about the early start, as lashings of color start to streak through the sky. We arrive at Angkor Wat and dutifully join the shuffle of tourists walking the long causeway. There are hundreds of people around.

We look up, and the reflections of water-lilies shimmer on the moat surrounding the temple complex. Through the morning haze, the central tower looms in the distance. The chanting of monks wafts over on the breeze.

We enter through the outer walls, and everyone stops. The crowd fans out onto the grassy fields and huddles up on the steps of the ancient library, west of the towers. They all have their cameras out, ready to catch the first, magical moment of the sun peeking out from behind the tower.

But it's a cloudy day. The colors have already disappeared from the sky, and all is grey. We exchange glances and move on. The crowd is now behind us, and we enter the stone corridors of the inner temple. Our footsteps ring out in the dark hallways. We can barely make out the delicate bas-relief carvings on the wall, but we can take our time. No one is around to hurry us on. We're in a ghost of a place.

We pass through the temple center and come out the other side. There is only forest here, with a dirt trail heading east. We come out the building as the towers begin to light up. Fifty paces onward, and we turn to face the structure with the sun at our backs. We share the sunrise with only the giant naga sculptures and the chirping cicadas.

- Vivek Wagle, site editor

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