Angkor Thom is the largest section of the Angkor Complex, in terms of the grounds, not the structure. Angkor Wat has the biggest structure, but it sits inside a rectangular moat that's 1.5 km by 1.2 km. Angkor Thom is 3x3 kilometers, and there's a ton of different temples to see within it. From each direction, the area is accessed via a bridge and a very cool gate. We came in through the south entrance.
We got a chance to see Bayon Temple, which is at the very center. Bayon Temple is a lot different from Angkor Wat. It's smaller but has many more towers, all at varying heights, so it's pretty interesting to look at. Each tower also has faces on all four side, 216 faces in total! The purpose of them is not exactly known, but it is believed to be the ruler who built the temple.
There were certain parts of Bayon Temple that we could not visit because they had become dangerous. However, we still spent almost an hour walking through the temple, and it was great. It had a much different feel from both Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm, and it was a good addition to the tour. Plus, our guide was ready with the photography skills to get this awesome photo trick using the panorama feature.
Comments