The 4am alarm beckons and I rise out of bed, put on a pair of linens and walk to the lobby of my hotel in Cambodia to meet my guide Prom and chauffeur Pisey. Despite a restless night, I am fresh as a daisy, enthused by the notion of witnessing the Southeast Asian country’s archaeological treasures that have captured my imagination for the longest time. Soon, we’re riding in a remork (a Cambodian tuk tuk which is an elegant trailer hitched to a motorbike) through Siem Reap’s calm, pre-dawn streets.
Cooler undertones of the landscape that defines Cambodia’s second-largest city soothe my senses, while the air—fresh and nippy yet misty from the previous day’s downpour —invigorates my lungs. I revel in the simple privileges reserved for early risers. After a quick pit stop at the ticket centre to collect our entry passes to the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park, we arrive at the tranquil back gopura (entrance) to the magnificent Angkor Wat—the world’s largest religious monument and a striking statement of Khmer architectural genius.
Embedded like a jewel in the verdant jungle, the imposing 12th-century sandstone edifice with its tiered, lotus-bud towers stimulates awe. There isn’t a soul at the site, which allows me to wander at a desired pace. Prom pours me a takeaway cup of steaming black coffee before we wend our way inside the minimalistic yet ornately carved complex, home to glorious temples, naturally-lit corridors, interlinked galleries and gracef.