The motorcycle ride to Siem Reap is 320 km according to Google Maps, but my Garmin navigation keeps choosing another route, which is still 150 km longer. That makes me a bit restless during the ride because if a road is indeed closed, it means that it will be a very long day.
I keep following the Google route and luckily, about half way the route also appears on my Garmin. That drives a lot more relaxed because I'm used to it and it's much easier to read in sunny weather than my phone. By the way, the phone regularly stops due to overheating or then switches to a dimmed image. Very convenient in the middle of a busy city.
Siem Reap is a beautiful city with a vibrant nightlife, many restaurants and (Asian) tourists. And everyone comes to see the same sights: the temples of Angkor Wat. The Angkor Archeological Park is the largest religious monument in the world with an area of 162 hectares and about 50 temples. A ticket for 1 day costs $37 and gives access to the entire park. Many tour operators offer small or large tours by bus. I'm lucky enough to be able to drive my own motorbike through the park and stop where I want.
The roads through the jungle are beautiful and parking is easy everywhere, although it is sometimes a long walk to see the temple. It is 36 degrees, so I drink more than 3 liters of water in 5 hours and sweat out again. The motorcycle rides between the temples are wonderfully cooling.
The first temple I visit, Angkor Wat, is immediately the largest and most famous. The second temple, Ata Prohm, is much more special to me because it is partly covered by trees with huge roots. Movies were also shot here for Tomb Raider and The Temple of Doom. It is low season and there are not many visitors. European tourists are even in the minority. At some smaller temples, in the middle of the jungle, I am even the only visitor. It feels strange but also very special to drive and walk around in an area with such a rich history.
