Sunrise at Angkor Wat

 

June 2014: Sunrise at Angkor Wat is very special. People take great photos. But what is not mentioned or seen too much in photos is the hoards of people that arrive before sunrise to claim a small piece of sand in front of the lake. I was shocked when I arrived my first day .

And that is the first mistake when going to watch the sunrise. I do not recommend waiting at the ticket counter at 5am so you can get in early. Believe me you will not get there. The trick is to purchase your ticket and go the next day so you are at the lake before 4:30am. Yes, people arrive that early. And I was there in what is considered the low season.

The other problem with getting the perfect picture are some very self absorbed, inconsiderate tourist that feel they need to go to the temple and mill about being right in you photo as the sun comes up. I was shocked at some people who had no respect for other visitors. Some people only have one chance to visit at sunrise.

So with the waves of people flocking on the west side of Angkor Wat to see if the sun will light up the clouds or break through for a nice orange ball, I decided to try something different. From my experience, I knew the clouds were not going to break and it would not be much of a show this morning.

I walked to the east side of Angkor which was an excellent decision. Believe it or not I was the only person on the other side. To me, this is a great opportunity. When the sun rises it would light up the face of Angkor Wat instead of a shadow on the face from the west side.

It was very special. Something that cannot be told by the photos is the sound of nature. Crickets and frogs sounding off was deafening and very pleasant. This was as much a highlight at the scenery.

I would go again but next time on the second day I have my ticket. I might even where some kind of boot so I can stand a little in the water. That’s how many people are there! I couldn’t take all the people and the people that would be in my frame so I walked to the other side of Angkor Wat. To me that is where the show is.

 

May 2015:  After experiences sunrise at Angkor Wat, I knew what to expected and planned accordingly. I was actually the first person here the morning I went for the sunrise! A group of American students were waiting outside the west gate because a sign states “open at sunrise.” Of course everyone ignores this and it’s obviously not enforced. I arrived at about 4:45am and made sure I had a headlamp to find my way. The students asked if I knew where I was going and I said :sure do,” as I blew right past them. They tagged along, still fearing they would be arrested and thrown into a Cambodian jail, lol.

I picked a premium spot! And as the people rolled in, I was comfortably up front enjoying the show. So the warning is my experience below from last year. Arrive early and enjoy the view!

 

While most people rush to get through the west gate to a small pond the is infamous for great photos of Angkor Wat, there are options here if you are running late. There is a wall on the outside of the moat which surrounds Angkor Wat. About 50 meters before the west causeway entrance is a good place to watch the sunrise. Some people are here but far less than what is beyond the west gate.