Angkor Wat (§d­ô¸]) was dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, who reigned between AD 1131 and 1150. 'Angkor' literally means 'Capital City' or 'Holy City' and 'Wat' means temple. Angkor Wat was constructed over a period of 30 years, and illustrated some of the most beautiful examples of Khmer and Hindu art. Covering an area of about 81 hectares, the complex consists of five towers, which are presently shown on the Cambodian national flag. The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings. Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. The most extraordinary bas-reliefs also depict stories and characters from Hindu mythology, and the historical wars of Suryavarman II.

Following the decline of the Khmer Empire in around 1220, Angkor Wat faced the same fate. It had once 'lost in the jungle' as the capital had been moved to Phnom Penh, until it was 'rediscovered' by a French archaeologist in the 1860s, making it a hot subject of adventure at that time. During occupation by the Khmer Rouge (¨ª¬Z) in the 1970s, many Buddhist monks who lived in the Angkor temples had been massacred along with the majority of Buddhist population as a result of a 'social reorganization'. Miraculously, though the bloody civil wars had terrorized Cambodia for over 30 years, very little damage had been made to the Angkor region.

We visited Angkor Wat in a morning as most visitors went elsewhere leaving Angkor Wat opened for a more personal visit. Though the light was not the best for photography, we did capture the tranquil atmosphere of the temple. As a bonus, we also met some newly married local couples taking pictures and videos around Angkor Wat. A very special feeling and experience for us tourists indeed!!
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