Angkor Wat Sunrise – Angkor Temple at Dawn

August 05, 2016

Angkor Wat Sunrise – An Early Morning

The air is cool on my skin and the sky still dark. Along the road, I see large tree trunks reaching up into the pitch black of night. Approaching the moat-bridge, we leave the car and make our way across. I can barely make out lotuses peacefully resting on the water’s surface. I am glad I wore my sneakers today while I hop from stone to stone. We breach the outer corridor and enter into the main courtyard. The grass is damp but pleasantly cool. While the horizon hints at the sun’s climb, half of our view is the sky outlining the monument’s silhouette. Suspense and exhilaration fill the air. Our conclusion, this will be the perfect place to view the Angkor Wat sunrise.

Angkor Wat Temple

Angkor Wat – A World Wonder

Interestingly enough, the architects built the central tower to line up with the sun during vernal and autumnal equinoxes. Religious leaders did this so as to help the Angkor Kingdom plan for various Hindu festivals. They dedicated Angkor Wat Temple to Vishnu who is the Supreme God of Hinduism. The Angkor Kingdom thrived over 800 years ago dominating most of the region. However, they faded into history as most civilizations do. And the temples left behind were lost to the jungle and forgotten. Since its rediscovery, UNESCO has recognized Angkor as a World Heritage Site. I find difficult to imagine that such an ancient treasure could have so easily vanished from the pages of history.

Morning Angkor Wat Temple

Angkor Wat holds an impressive list of world records. It is the largest religious monument in the world, dwarfing the Vatican City by four to one. Also, it is home to the longest bas-relief in the world. Trip Advisor reviewers rated it as the #1 world attraction in 2015.

Rays of light stretch into the sky while Angkor Wat sunrise continues. But the sun remains hidden. It is at this point that I begin to feel so small and insignificant in relation to the age, size, and beauty of this structure. Finally, the light overtakes the structure leaving me enamored at the sight.

One cannot help but notice the attention to every detail in the carvings. Decorations and images proliferate almost every wall. We spend the rest of the morning climbing through the stone halls, stairs, and corridors. Angkor Wat will be forever engraved in my memories.