Angkor Wat (Constructed: Early-Mid 12th century, King/Patron: Suryavaman II, Religion: Hinduism). Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1,300 meters x 1,500 meters. The temple itself is 1km square and consists of three levels surmounted by a central tower. The walls of the temples are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings. Nearly 2,000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in Ankgorian era art. But it is the exterior walls of the lower level that display the most extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II.

The northern reflecting pool in front is the most popular Sunrise location. For sunrise, arrive very early, well before sunrise begins. The sun will rise behind Angkor Wat providing a silhouette of Ankgor’s distinctively shaped towers against a colored sunrise sky. Some of the best appear just before the sun breaks over the horizon.