HCH 8 / January 2016

The Magic of the Angkor Temples, by Tania Shybko

Very small at the origin, Siem Reap is nowadays the third largest city in Cambodia… but the Siem Reap province is still the poorest in the country. The quick development of the city aimed at responding to the tourist arrivals that kept increasing from year to year seems to benefit mostly the owners of the hotels that can be now found everywhere in the city. Siem Reap clearly lacks charm, but the temples inside its vast historical complex are fascinating: the impressive Angkor Wat which appears on the Cambodian national flag, the mysterious Bayon with its hundreds of faces, the magic Ta Prohm and nature that reasserts itself, but also the less known, but equally impressive temples such as Ta Nei, Beng Mealea…

A gate throw time, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Together, Siem Reap, Cambodia

A spot of color, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The inhabitant of the temples, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Eternal smiles, Siem Reap, Cambodia

A story told in a stone, Siem Reap, Cambodia

A touch of gold, Siem Reap, Cambodia

A frown, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Sunset reflections, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Growing through centuries, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Shades of grey, Siem Reap, Cambodia

A hidden place, Siem Reap, Cambodia

From above, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Photos & text by Tania Shybko, Cambodia, March 2015

First published on No Boundaries on March 9, 2015