A rainy day: the museum and the Royal Gardens

Spend a wet afternoon with Buddha images and the history of Angkor, then visit the town’s most beloved shrine and the bats of the Royal Gardens.

Area

Siem Reap town

Start from

Siem Reap town

Distance

walking distance in town

Time needed

half a day

Best season

Wet season (June – October) or the hottest hours of any day

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

On foot or by tuk-tuk

Tickets & rules

Museum ticket; modest dress at the shrine

Why go

When the monsoon sets in and the afternoon sky opens, the Angkor National Museum is a good refuge. It is a modern, air-conditioned building with galleries that explain the history of the Khmer empire, its religions and its kings. Seeing the sculptures close-up, well lit and explained, made me look at the temples differently.

The Hall of a Thousand Buddhas is a long, dark room lined with small Buddha images, peaceful and slightly hypnotic. Other galleries cover Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, the inscriptions and costume.

After the rain, walk to the Royal Independence Gardens, where Cambodians come to pray at the shrine of Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chom and where large fruit bats hang in the tall trees.

The story

The Angkor National Museum opened in 2007. Its collection includes statues from Angkor and other sites, many on loan from the Conservation d’Angkor depot, where thousands of objects were kept safe during the conflict years.

The shrine of Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chom houses two small Buddha statues, said to be sisters, which according to legend were hidden during wartime and later rediscovered. Locals come to pray for luck, health and success, especially before exams or business ventures, and the shrine is always busy with incense and offerings.

The bats in the Royal Gardens are a familiar sight in town. In the evening they leave their roosts and fly off to feed, a spectacular sight against the sunset.

The gardens themselves are a place to watch the town at rest. In the late afternoon, couples sit on the lawns, vendors sell grilled corn and sugar cane juice, and young people practise dance routines in the shade. Across the road, the royal residence is used when the king visits Siem Reap, and in the evening the lights of the old hotel facing the gardens give the area a slightly faded colonial elegance.

Getting there

The museum is on the road towards the temples, a short tuk-tuk ride or a walk from the centre. The Royal Gardens are a few minutes further towards the river.

Opening hours and prices change; check before you go.

A suggested plan

1. 13:00Arrive at the museum; start with the introductory film.
2. 13:30 – 15:30Walk the galleries, including the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas.
3. 16:00Walk to the Royal Gardens and visit the shrine.
4. 17:30Watch the bats leave their roosts at dusk.
5. 18:30Dinner in town.

Where to stay

Stay in town; this route is easy from anywhere.

Good to know

• The audio guide is helpful.
• Combine with a visit to the silk workshops or crafts schools in town.
• Buy a lotus flower or incense to offer at the shrine.
• Bring an umbrella for the walk between sites.