The story focus on the relationship between former first-lady Jackie Kennedy and British diplomat Lord David Harlech.
The title of the movie 37 heavens comes from the famous bas-relief from the Hindu mythology about 32 hells and 37 heavens that can be found in the Eastern section of the southern gallery of Angkor Wat.
In 1967, 4 years after Dallas, Prince Sihanouk invites a still grieving Jackie Kennedy on an official visit to Cambodia. Jackie invites the charismatic British diplomat Lord David Harlech to accompany her. Set amidst the breathtaking ruins of Angkor Wat, 37 HEAVENS recounts their brief but intense love affair.
37 HEAVENS MOVIE CAST
Gemma Arterton (Quantum Of Solace, The King’s Man) as Jackie Kennedy.
Guy Pearce (Mare Of Easttown, The Hurt Locker) as Lord David Harlech.
37 HEAVENS | JACKIE KENNEDY VISIT TO ANGKOR WAT IN 1967
In november 1967, only 4 years after the death of John F. Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy realized her long time dream to visit the temples of Angkor in Cambodia. At this time the United States and Cambodia did not have any diplomatic relations so this visit was also a political one.
Jackie visited Bayon temple guided by Bernard Philippe Groslier, historian and archeologist curator of Angkor at the time. Interestingly we could not find any archive pictures of of Jackie Kennedy visiting Angkor Wat.
The visit was captured by photographer Philip Jones Griffiths and made the cover of Time Magazine in November 1967 (Jackie Kennedy in Cambodia: She Fulfills a Life–Long Wish by Visiting the Ancient Land).
Cover of Life magazine in November 1967
37 HEAVENS AND 32 HELLS | ANGKOR WAT BAS-RELIEF PHOTO GALLERY
The 37 heavens and 32 hells gallery of Angkor Wat is a large bas-relief which can be found on the eastern section of the southern gallery. Stretching over 60 meters, it depicts rewards, punishment and torture of the Hindu Hell. A large 18-armed Yama, god of the dead, sitting on a bufallo, is directing the story,
Some part of the bas-relief are polished because people touching the carvings the past 100 years.
Scene of torture in one of the level of hell
Scene of torture in one of the level of hell
18-armed Yama, god of death riding a buffalo
Scene of the 32 hells at Angkor Wat southern gallery
Angkor is not only about visuals but also about something we sometime do not spend enough attention: sounds of Angkor The Angkor archeological park which spreads on 400 sqm has a dense forest and many nature sounds are noticeable especially in the morning when insects and animal are waking up.
They are plenty of human activities in the park as well as few Cambodia people still live inside as well as a relatively low numbers of monks spread into few pagodas, including two with the perimeter of Angkor Wat temple.
Quite a lot of people are also working around the temples of Angkor : ticket controllers, cleaners and workers and engineers involved in restoration efforts. You can also bump into kids playing on the moat of Angkor or some fishermen taking their chance at the siem reap river.
SOUNDS OF ANGKOR | ANGKOR WAT POND BEFORE SUNRISE
This audio was recorded in June 2020 at the one of the busiest reflecting pond where tourists gathered by the thousand to watch the sun rising behind Angkor Wat temple. Due to the pandemic, the place was exceptionally quiet and you can hear a number of nature sounds: crickets, small frogs and toward the end, a gecko in the distance.
SOUNDS OF ANGKOR | ARCHEOLOGICAL RESTORATIONS
The audio was recorded in September 2022 at the East entrance of Ta Prohm temple, which has undergone extensive restoration. Many of the workers on these projects are from the surrounding villages and use their ancestors’ tools to work on the sandstone; however, trucks have replaced elephants for the purposes of moving large blocks of stone. Every restoration site in Angkor will always be accompanied by the sound of chisels hitting sandstone blocks.
Many archaeological restoration projects were started in 2020 when the tourism numbers fell dramatically by more than 90% due to the pandemic. In our blog, you can learn more about Angkor’s archeological projects .
SOUNDS OF ANGKOR | THE ANGKORIAN JUNGLE
If you have been to Angkor jungle often, you’ll become familiar with its sounds. The Angkor archaeological park hosts the largest forest near Siem Reap. There are hundreds of kilometers of jungle trails that can be explored on an ebike, some of which will lead you to hidden temples. Among the sounds you will hear are insects, monkeys, chirping birds, and more… .
A hissing sound is often heard in the temples of Angkor, and sometimes it is mistaken for the sound of an alarm system. The sound is made by insects called cicadas, which are found around the world as well. The buzzing sound of cicadas is often heard but rarely seen as they blend in with tree bark colors and patterns and stop making noise when you get too close. Cicadas live most of their lives underground (up to 17 years), and only a few weeks in the open air, long enough to mate, fertilize, and lay eggs.
SOUNDS OF ANGKOR | TA PROHM TEMPLE
The sounds of Ta Prohm temple are so distinctive that you will know you’re in Angkor even if you are blindfolded. There are flocks of parakeets flying above the temples and you can hear them chirping constantly. You can also hear the buzzling sound of cicadas in the background.
SOUNDS OF ANGKOR | RICE HARVESTING
SOUNDS OF ANGKOR | PRAYERS AT LOCAL PAGODA
Crowd gathered in front of the pagoda for the final ceremony
With over 2000 archeological sites in total, Cambodia is well known worldwide for its beautiful temples of Angkor near Siem Reap.
Angkor Wat temple in particular has captured the imagination of many generations since Henri Mouhot introduced it to the world in 1860 with his book Voyage dans les Royaumes de Siam, de Cambodge, de Laos. Although Angkor was rediscovered earlier in the 16th century, it was never completely abandoned.
It is only after few decades after Cambodia became a French Protectorate in 1863 that archeological conservation began in Angkor. For the explorers who came to Angkor before 1900, it was a dangerous expedition as temples were covered with a dense jungle which grew over the centuries.
One of the most important milestones of the archeological conservation work in Angkor was the inception of the EFEO (The École française d’Extrême-Orient or French School of Asian Studies) in 1900. It is not before 1907 that the restoration work started in Angkor as Siem Reap was controlled by the Kingdom of Siam till this date.
Conservation work was interrupted during the Khmer rouge regime and for many years after. It resumed in 1992 supported by the APSARA and the Cambodian government. Nowadays, many countries are supporting the conservation efforts in the temples of Angkor and beyond such as India, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, China, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland.
ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECTS IN ANGKOR
The primary goal of this page is to gather the last information about the main archaeological projects in the temples of Angkor and in Cambodia in general. Interestingly since tourism stopped mid March due to the pandemic, many locally privately funded archeological projects have started.
Due to the fact that most temples were built on sand, structures slowly sank and now are buried. It is not uncommon that statues or artifacts are found less than one meter deep into the ground.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION | DISCOVERIES
Archaeological site: Angkor Thom West Gate
GPS coordinates: 13°26’28.6″N 103°50’42.6″E
Discovery date: May 2nd 2022.
Image source: Apsara Authority
An Apsara carving was found on the lower side of the bridge leading to Angkor Thom west gate. It is not clear at this point if this stone was part of the original structure. It is the first time such carving was found on Angkor Thom gates.
Archaeological site: Baray Pier of Banteay Chhmar temple
GPS coordinates: 14°04’17.0″N 103°06’37.7″E
Discovery date: February 3rd 2020.
A 2-meter tall lion statue weighting more than 2 tons was unearthed during the archeaological project taking place at the pier of the Baray of Banteay Chhmar. He was put back in place at its original position where it will face the sunrise once again.
Image source: Banteay Chhmar CBT Facebook page
Image source: Banteay Chhmar CBT Facebook page
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT BANTEAY CHHMAR TEMPLE, CLICK BELOW
Archaeological site: Srah Srang reservoir
GPS coordinates: 13°25’51.3″N 103°54’23.0″E
Discovery date: May 6th and May 8th 2020.
Two days apart, two stone turtles were unearthed from the ground of Kandal Srah Srang. The first one uncovered on May 6th 2020, measured 22 by 37 inches and had a lid which when was opened was found empty. The lid of the second turtle found two days later contained small crystal stones and a small trident
The tortoise Kurma is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and often depicted in the story of the churning of the Ocean of Milk. It is not the first time stone turtles were found in Angkor: two were found at Bayon temple in 2014 with one containing a gold leaf and crystals in its cavity.
First turtle discovered in Srah Srang. photo credit: Apsara Authority
Second turtle discovered in Srah Srang. photo credit: Apsara Authority
Archaeological site: Angkor Wat western lawn
GPS coordinates: 13°24’47.0″N 103°51’43.9″E
Discovery date: April 16th 2020.
During the installation of an irrigation system on the lawn of Angkor Wat temple, many pieces of beheaded Buddha statues were unearthed only 40 cm deep in the ground. They were found together with modern object including plastic bags suggested that they were buried in the 60’s or 70’s.
photo credit: Apsara Authority
photo credit: Apsara Authority
photo credit: Apsara Authority
Archaeological site: Angkor Wat northern pond
GPS coordinates: 13°24’47.9″N 103°51’51.6″E
Discovery date: March 26th 2020.
During the excavation work on the northern pond of Angkor Wat, an intriguing structure with wooden beams (believed to be dating back from the 12th century) was found below the pond. A small statue of Ganesha was also recovered.
photo credit: Apsara Authority
photo credit: Apsara Authority
photo credit: Apsara Authority
photo credit: Apsara Authority
Archaeological site: Angkor Thom East gate (death gate)
GPS coordinates: 13°26’29.6″N 103°52’23.7″E
Discovery date: April 1st 2020.
A team of the APSARA Authority discovered two face stones buried in the siem reap river nearby the death gate of Angkor Thom about 1.5 km from Bayon temple. One was a faceless demon head (also called asura) and the other a god head (called deva) with its left and bottom parts of the face missing.
The death gate is one the most remote of the five gates of Angkor Thom and also the one with no statues standing so this discovery is significant. Originally, each gate had on each side two rows of demons and god pulling a snake as reference to the story of the Churning of the Sea of Milk.
Each side had 2X 54 statues so 216 heads were attached to this site originally.
photo credit: Apsara Authority
photo credit: Apsara Authority
Archaeological site: Tonle Snguot Temple
GPS coordinates: 13°27’35.6″N 103°51’30.4″E
Discovery date: July 31st 2017.
A 2-meter sandstone statue was unearthed 40cm deep in the ground of an angkorian hospital dating back from the 12th century. This archaeological site, called Tonle Snguot Temple is one of the 4 remaining of the network of 102 hospitals built by Jayavarman VII in Angkor Thom. Two others can be visited close to Angkor Wat and Takeo temples.
This statue is believed to be standing on the entrance of the hospital acting as a guardian. Many similar statues like this one can be find in Preah Khan temple, although their head had been stolen in the 70s so it is quite rare to find statues with a complete head. However this statue’s arms and legs were missing.
photo credit: Apsara Authority
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION PROJECTS | ONGOING
Archaeological site: Angkor Wat central sanctuary (Bakan)
GPS coordinates: 13°24’45.0″N 103°52’01.1″E
Focus of the conservation work: southwestern and northwestern side of the central sanctuary
Project duration: Started November 2021
The central sanctuary of Angkor Wat, also called Bakan, is the third and most sacred level of the temple. It is currently accessible by a wooden stairway covering the original stairs from the east side, the other accesses being blocked at this time.
The foundation of the sanctuary is made of laterite stones which can be seen in some damaged part of the structure.
This work is part of a 5-year project aimed at restoring different sections of Bakan. After the restoration of the northwest and southwest corners will be completed, the next task will be consolidate the southeast and northeast corners of the sanctuary.
The central sanctuary of Angkor Wat (Bakan) in March 2022
Srah Srang (Khmer: ស្រះស្រង់, “Royal Bath”) is an artificial reservoir (also called Baray) surrounded by sandstone and laterite rocks facing the east entrance of Banteay Kdei temple. It is believed to have been dug in mid 1oth century and subsequently modified during the reign of Jayavarman VII in the 12th century.
It measures 700 by 350 meters and it is very shallow most of the year, occasionally becoming dry few weeks a year. In the dry season you could sometime see a small pile of sandstone blocks right in the middle of the reservoir. A Cambodian flag marked its position when the rocks are below the water.
The current project, privately funded and executed by the Apsara Anthority is focusing on the restoration of the central temple. The first phase of the project is to build a wall around the small temple to isolate it from the surrounding water (see drone picture below). Two quite rare sandstone turtoises were found on the site: two replicas were placed at the same location.
At the end of the restoration project in January 2021, one can see from far away a lotus shaped temple, and a broken Naga standing. In February 2021 the temple was opened for the first time to the public and it now accessible (depending on the water level).
Cambodian worker from the restoration project (April 2020)
Cambodian worker with central temple in the background (April 2020)
Srah Srang’s central temple (June 2016)
Trident found on Srah Srang island on May 4th 2020. photo credit: Apsara Authority
Archaeological site: Angkor Wat temple
GPS coordinates: 13°24’47.9″N 103°51’51.6″E
Focus of the conservation work: Northern reflection pond
Started: May 2019
The northern reflection pond is a world’s famed location where thousands of tourists day after day stand to witness the color of sunrise behind the five lotus-shaped towers of Angkor Wat. The site got damaged years after years by millions of visitor and by erosion. In recent years, the level of water was dropping so much in dry season that water from the main moat of Angkor Wat had to pumped in.
The pond is 76 meters long and 48.5 meters wide, his depth ranging from 2.7 to 2.9 meters and has embankment steps made of sandstone and laterite stones. Announced multiple times in 2018, the project of restoration of the pond was started in May 2019
The purpose of this project, beside the restoration, is to understand how the pond was built originally and to carry some archaeological excavations. In 2021, the project is still ongoing.
Northern pond with Angkor Wat in the background, the wooden beams were found below the green cover (4th April 2020)
Excavation work at Angkor Wat Northern pond (27th February 2020)
Archaeological site: Angkor Thom
GPS coordinates: 13°26’28.6″N 103°50’42.6″E
Focus of the conservation work: West gate of Angkor Thom
Started: March 2020, completed in February 2023
The west gate of Angkor Thom, also known as Ta Kav gate or TaKaov gate is one of the five gates leading to the 12th century fortified complex of Angkor Thom, also the last city of the Khmer Empire before it was gradually deserted from the 15th century.
Symmetrically opposite from Bayon and the East gate, about 3 kilometers away, TaKaov gate has always been out of the beaten path from most tourists visiting the Angkor archaeological park. This gate is actually used everyday by local people either on bicycle or motorbikes as a gateway from nearby villages to Angkor Thom. Its path was once covered by wooden planks, but now only a dirt path remains.
In July 2021, a huge anastylosis project was started on the gate. During excavations, three deva and asura heads were discovered on the western side of the gate. One asura (god head) was found buried under a tree. Some large trees surrounded the gate were cut as well to make room for the restoration work. In 2022, the project continued and the 4 faces removed from the gate and some giant statues being carved to be placed on the western side of the gate. In February 2023, Apsara Authority annonced that the restoration project was completed.
TaKaov gate, April 2020
Ta Kav gate in March 2021
Asura head found buried under a tree. photo credit: Apsara Authority (July 2021)
Ta Kav gate, August 2021
Stone carvers working on new faces at Angkor Thom west gate. February 2022
Stone carvers working on new sandstone block to make a new face. February 2022
New half-face made of sandstone. February 2022
Three-headed elephant after restoration. February 2023
Archaeological site: Banteay Kdei temple
GPS coordinates: 13°25’51.1″N 103°53’54.3″E
Focus of the conservation work: Western gopura
Started: March 2020, still ongoing
Banteay Kdei temple (AD 1185) is a one of the the many temples built under the reign of the king Jayavarman VII following the Bayon style and one of the few temples with face towers in Angkor.
Banteay Kdei is actually quite unique within the Angkor archaeological park as all four of its face towers are still standing. The current restoration work is focusing on the western gopura which has only two of its four faces complete. One face facing west is missing its top half. in 202o, trees have been cleared around the tower making the faces more visible than before.
After a period of inactivity, the project resumed in January 2022 where the gate is being disassembled. It is not clear at this stage if new sandtone blocks will be added to the structure.
Banteay Kdei west gate in March 2020 after trees were cut
Banteay Kdei west gate in March 2020 after trees were cut
Banteay Kdei west gate facing east in March 2020
Banteay Kdei west gate being disassembled, february 2022
Banteay Kdei giant lips down on the ground, february 2022
I recently updated my Huawei P9 lite (released in April 2016 ) with a Redmi Note 8 Pro, a mid range smartphone released by Xiaomi in October 2019. This smartphone is dubbed by Xiaomi as the “Pioneer of 64MP Quad Camera” as it is the world’s first smart phone with a 64MP camera.
4,500mAh battery with support for 18W fast-charging.
MIUI 10 based on Android 9.
Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
Redmi Note 8 Pro camera specs
Like razor blades it looks that mobile phones are getting more and more camera lenses these days and it is also the case for this redmi note 8 pro which packed 4 camera lens on the back and one on the front (20 MP selfie f: 2.0).
64 MP ultra high resolution at f:1.89
8MP ultra wide at f:2.2
2 MP macro at f: 2.4
2 MP depth sensor
ISO: from 100 to 3200
The most anticipated feature of the RedMi is the 64 MP camera based on the 64-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GW1 sensor (pixel size: 0.8μm).
The sensor is 1/1.7″ (7.6 X 5.70 mm) which is 8.5 times smaller than the sensor of the Fuji X-T100 (24 MP). You are probably wondering how it is possible to cram 64 megapixels on a so small sensor ? Well it is because the native format is only 16 MP: tetracell technology uses pixel-merging and Samsung’s remosaic algorithm to merge four pixels into one and provides a high resolution image.
RedMi 8 note pro file resolutions
For photographers, here are the file sizes you will get with this phone
1200 X 1600 pixels (2MP macro mode)
2448 X 3264 pixels (8 MP wide angle)
3472 X 4624 pixels (16 MP)
6936 X 9248 pixels (64 MP)
Redmi 8 Note Pro photography tips
Set camera frame
Before you start taking pictures, it is very important to set camera frame as it will set the final file size. It is accessed from the camera menu (top right corner). You have the choice between the different formats below:
1:1 (good for your Instagram feed)
3:4
9:16
Full (1:2.2) which is the ratio of the camera screen
When shooting on normal mode (16 MP) here the different final file sizes and resolutions below:
Using RedMi pro mode is useful in difficult lighting conditions (indoor for example) and for creative photography where you want to control as many things as possible
What will you be able to adjust using the pro mode?
White balance (from 2000 to 8000 K)
Focus (from 1 to 100 units)
ISO (from 100 to 3200 ISO)
Field of view (macro, wide or ultra-wide).
Note the the 64MP option do not work with macro and ultra-wide lenses
You can adjust the aperture from f:1.0 to f:16 on portrait and therefore control the depth of field in your pictures. It is especially useful when taking closeup objects.
Redmi Note 8 Pro review: image samples
This gallery will be expanded in the future. We tried to shot in different conditions and used the different available modes (macro, 64MP, HDR, ultrawide) to assess the quality of pictures.
redmi 8 note pro : 64 MP sample (see a cropped sample here)
redmi 8 note pro review: macro mode
redmi 8 note pro review: normal mode (X2 zoom)
Shooting video with the Redmi Note 8 Pro
Redmi note 8 pro can record 4K, 1080, 720 videos at 30 fps. Unfortunately the pro mode is not available in pro mode so creativity is limited:(
Slow motion movies can be captured at 960, 240 and 120 fps at 1280*720 resolution. Note that the quality of the 960 is the less good. Its use it pretty limited but can interesting results with very fast moving scenes such as waterfall.
The most interesting video feature which is not immediately visible to first time users are the video stabilization at 1080p which works very well even if you record handheld while walking. Stabilization is activated in Video –> Settings –> Image stabilization.
RedMi Note 8 pro hyperlapse (X2) with video stablization
Timelapse and hyperlapse videos are recorded in video mode by selecting Time-lapse on the upper right section. Frequency of the shots can be adjusted on the camera settings menu (video mode) from 2X (0.06-second interval) to 1800X (60-second interval).
X2 would be for very fast moving objects (city traffic for example) and 150X and above for slow and very slow moving scenes (e.g cloudscapes).
We recorded the timelapse (hyperlapse) below from inside a moving car at 1080 p (2X speed). It was further edited on the phone by applying a film filter. For more advanced editing you can use the Kinemaster application.
CONCLUSIONS
The quad camera system is part of the marketing strategy from Xiaomi and follow the steps of Samsung A9, the first world’s first 24 MP quad camera smartphone released at the end of 2018.
The picture quality of the 64 MP camera is good in bright daylight and is clearly the strongest feature of this redmi note 8 pro camera.
We did not see any advantage of having a dedicated macro lens and picture quality coming from the ultrawide 8 MP is average. Another lens is the 2 MP depth sensor which is not something that it is not used all the time.
Although it take pictures at 64 MP, the redmi note 8 pro is however not a replacement for a entry level DSLR or mirrorless camera but of course as the saying goes, the best camera is the one you have with you:)
Redmi Note 8 Pro | Cons
The 64 MP shooting mode is not the default one when you open the camera, so be sure to select it first
The ultra-wide mode is not available at 64 MP
Video stabilization is only available when recording at 1080p but not at 4k
Markets in South-East Asia and in Cambodia in particular are one of my favorite places to take pictures for many reasons which I will detail below. Every city or village in Cambodia have one or many markets: indoors under a metallic rooftop or in a concrete building, outdoors as for example along a road side. Market stalls are often organized by categories (jewellery, clothes, fish,vegetables,meat, desserts, hairdressers, etc…). It is also possible to find specialized markets like the fermented fish (prahok) market of Battambang (also called cheese market by tourists because of its strong smell) and the crab market in Kep.
Worker at the prahok market of Battambang (Phsar Prahok)
Some markets are also known for their architecture: the central market of Phnom Penh (Phsar Thmey), the central market of Battambang (Phsar Nath) to name as few which were built in the 1930’s following an Art Deco style.
Interior of Battambang market (Psa Nat), Art Deco style
Architecture is one thing but what is inside of course is more interesting. One thing Asian local markets are sharing is their energy especially during morning peak hours.
Photographers are always looking for the best light and in an indoor market in early morning when the sun is barely above the horizon, this quest could prove to be quite challenging. The light can be diffused softly through the ceiling or coming directly through some small holes in the metallic structure making impressive beams of light added some atmosphere to the pictures. These lighting conditions make marketphotography challenging and hence the best place to learn or improve your photography.
The space you will have to take pictures can be limited because indoor markets have generally narrow lanes and some area are congested. Be aware of the traffic from motorbikes as they are allowed to cross the market. Markets are also a good opportunity to catch some short lived moments, capture locals sellers and customers going about their day. Mothers also often bring their kids at the market and always happy to strike a pose.
Barista in local market
Approaching people and get the perfect portrait is a challenge by itself and it gets easier to do that with a photography guide who has established some relationships with local sellers. Cambodian people are very friendly and are open to be photographed but it is always better to ask first. Cambodia is changing rapidly but in a local market you can still find elderly women wearing a traditional piece of cloth called kroma folded around their heads.
Beside people, food photography is not to be missed and food stalls, especially vegetable ones can be particularly colorful. You can even capture abstract patterns there if you looking carefully as these water lily stems below.
If you are interested to capture similar pictures and improve your photography skills, please have a look at our two guided photography tours in Siem Reaphere and here. Our multi-day tour in Battambang province will provided you also with many photography opportunities out of the beaten path.
If you have visited the temples of Angkor, you probably still remember the impressive face towers of Bayon temple. These enigmatic and slightly smiling faces carved in sandstone are the signature of the king Jayavarman VII. This design is very important in the Angkorian architecture and unique among all archaeological sites of South East Asia.
To this day, the meaning of these faces is still a mystery: some authors are connecting these faces to Shiva, Brahma, Avalokiteshvara, Buddha or to the King Jayavarman II himself.
So how many faces can be found in Cambodia? 300 is probably a good estimate and with Bayon alone counting for 200 of them. These faces can be found on the side of towers of temples in Angkor and beyond, some in very remote area. If you want to visit all the sites with face towers, it is a long journey that we take you hundreds of kilometers on both side of Angkor. We found that face towers are the most spectacular and enigmatic in remote temples where they are still surrounded by jungle and hidden away from tourists. In Angkor, the best way to see the face towers is to join us for a day of adventure with e-bikes.
BAYON TEMPLE (JAYAVARMAN)
Face towers temple by design, Bayon has an unique and imposing architecture. Whether you look at it from far or close from the upper terrace, the faces carved in sandstone are unique and best seen early morning or the evening at the golden hour.
Bayon temple is the with the highest concentration of face towers and is also the top 3 visited temple in Angkor. Many photography opportunities exist from the upper terrace as it is possible to frame the faces with many compositions. It then become quite a game of composition for photographer to find new angles and play with the window openings.
Note: From January 2020, the upper terrace of the Bayon temple will be closed to the public due to the start of a restoration undertaken by Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor (JASA). The exact duration is not known but we can expect it to last few years (3 to 5 years) as it is a major archeological work
GATES OF ANGKOR THOM
Angkor Thom is an ancient fortified city of 3 square kilometers with five entrances and .surrounded by a moat It was also the last capital of the Khmer Empire. Each gate has a 20-meter tower with 4 faces and 4 three-headed elephant. All 20 faces are intact but n the the last 5 years, some faces have been secured by metallic cables.
Face carved on Angkor Thom West Gate in Angkor Thom Cambodia. Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Khmer empire during the 12th century.Selective color
TA SOM TEMPLE
Ta Som is a small temple located just east of the Preah Khan Baray or (Jayatataka) with two face towers. The East gopura is photogenic although the strangler fig does not grow directly around the faces. 50 years ago when the number of tourists were very low, the western gopura was one of the most famous spot in Angkor with a tree growing around one face. Unfortunately the tree was cleared up in the 60’s.
Photo credit: Luc Ionesco.
BANTEAY KDEI TEMPLE
Few hundred meters from Ta Prohm, lies the less visited temple of Banteay Kdei (the citadel of chambers ) with four entrances, most visitors are familiar with the eastern and western ones.
TA PROHM TEMPLE
Built in the 12 century by Jayavarman VII and dedicated to his father, Ta Phrom is one of the most famous temple with Angkor Wat and Bayon, Ta Prohm has four entrances with tower faces. The eastern entrance gate is partially collapsed and unfortunately do not have any standing faces. The western is intact but the most interesting one is the less visited northern entrance. At the end of 2017, a side of the tower collapses as a tree holding the structure went down because of a landslide. The gate was partially restored in June 2018.
Northern gopura before the landslide
BEYOND ANGKOR
BANTEAY CHHMAR TEMPLE
Banteay Chhmar is a large temple complex in Banteay Meanchey Province, nearby the Thai border. Research has shown that Banteay Chhmar had originally 28 face towers, but because its remote location it was not saved from the jungle like Bayon at the beginning of the 20th century and many structures collapsed in the last 100 years. Its proximity to Thailand made it also a target for looting. Today, some beautiful face towers remain in the temple itself and in its satellite temples. To read more about Banteay Chhmar please have a look at our blogpost.
face tower in banteay chhmar temple
PREAH KHAN KOMPONG SVAY
Preah Khan is probably one of the most remote Angkorian temple built under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This huge complex has only a small temple with a face tower. To learn more about this temple, please have a look at our blog entitled the enigmatic temple of Peah Khan of Kompong Svay.
Battambang (also called Bat Dambong which means the disappearing stick) is the second largest city in Cambodia with a rich colonial history. It had more than 500,000 inhabitants in 1962.
Because of its proximity with Thailand, Battambang had a tumultuous history. It was annexed by Thailand in 1795 until it was transferred to French Indochina e in 1907. But it was not always peaceful, it was in the middle of the French-Thai war in 1940-1941, Thailand finally ceded back in 1946.
Because of the quality of its soil, Battambang province is the rice bowl of cambodia. The city center counts about 800 colonial building spread around the central market called Psa Nat 0r Psah Nath, west of the Sangkar river. It was built by the same French architects who did the central market in Phnom Penh and Saigon following the art deco style. some old pagoda with Thai influence. They are many shop houses along streets number 1 and 1.5 although many now are defaced because of shops. There is even a 150 years old Chinese active temple.
A photowalk in Battambang city center will give you plenty of photo opportunities of you like architecture and street photography. The back alleys and the yellow wall will remind of Hoi An or the Cholon district of Saigon.
Architecture
150 years old Chinese temple
New Khmer Architecture building (Sangkum Reastr Niyum)
Like a pilgrimage, thousand of people are exploring everyday Angkor Wat, the largest religious temple in the world and share their pictures on social media. Among them, pictures of sunrise at the reflecting pool are probably the most famous ones. However there are many other opportunities. We wanted to sharing with you in this post our 15 favorite pictures taken in Angkor Wat over the years.
Above is Angkor Wat captured during the spring equinox of March 2016. This timely event occurs twice a year around the 20th of March and September. Getting this shot is of course highly depend on the weather and the chance to have a cloudy sky is particularly high during the month of September. In this picture we blended 4 shots taken few minutes apart with a tripod.
On March 9th 2016, a special set conditions were gathered for an unique Angkor Wat sunrise: a partial eclipse of the sun and the near alignment with the central tower. For few seconds only we could see the sun masked by the moon suspended above the central tower.
The second level of Angkor Wat is where you stand the closest to the five towers and to the central sanctuary called Bakan. From the corners, only three of the five towers are visible. On the first picture, during Vesak day, a Khmer family was walking around the temple which give an interesting human dimension. The second picture, much more dramatic, from another angle, allow to focus on the silhouette of the three towers.
Due to restrictions of the the opening hours, it is only possible to shoot Angkor Wat under the stars between the month of December and February. As it is also the peak season for tourism in Cambodia so many people are on site early and it is quite challenging to avoid the light pollution coming from torch lights and smartphones during long exposure shots. If you look carefully in the picture below, 3 out of 5 towers are lighting up on this shot thanks to random torch lights.
In an there situations, artificial lighting can be helpful to do light painting . This used on the second picture to illuminate and create light effect on one of the naga balustrade of Angkor Wat.
The only opportunity you will have to take some night pictures of Angkor Wat with laser lights are usually during the three days of Khmer New Year which happens every year in April. However this picture was taken in December 14th, 2017 during a light show to celebrate of the 25th anniversary UNESCO world heritage status of Angkor Wat temple.
Sunrise or sunset in Angkor Wat provide some opportunities for silhouettes shots if you are standing on the right location at the right time. In some instance, rays of light can go through the windows and create unique pictures.
Instead of aiming at eye-level for the classic reflection shot at Angkor Wat, pointing down the camera can give a great reflection shot especially at the golden hour.
One of my favorite group of devatas is located on the second level of Angkor Wat (you can count as many as 17 on this picture). It is unfortunately behind a scaffolding since 2016 due to restoration of the tower above it.
This 49 meters long bas-relief depicting the churning of the ocean of milk is one of the most famous in Angkor Wat. You can see the demons (asuras) and the gods (devas) pulling the snake Vasuki fighting over the elixir of immortality. The snake is wrapped around mount Meru used as a stick. Vishnu under the form of his avatar the turtle is helping to stabilize the mountain. Due to its position the bas relief has a strong casting shadow. The solution for this shot was to use light painting, and blend multiple pictures together.
Archaeologists often describe the temples of Angkor as a skeleton as the many wooden structures that did not stand the test of time. On this shot of Angkor taken from the top of the main tower, one can imagine what the temple was like at its heydays with ornaments and wooden doors.
Angkor Wat emerging from the surrounding misty jungle in the morning. This picture was shot from Phnom Bakheng one of the three hills around Siem Reap. To get this shot we recommended to use at least a 300 mm on a full frame sensor.
The existing Cambodian railway system covers 650 kilometers and consist of two lines: The Northern line (386 km) , built between 1929 and 1942 during the French Protectorate and the Southern line (266 km) which was built later in the 60’s. It was then operated under the name of CHEMINS DE FER ROYAUX DU CAMBODGE ( C.F.R.C.). The tracks suffered a lot during the war and from the lack of maintenance afterwards.
Freight and passenger trains were definitely put out of service in 2007. The project of rehabilitation of the network had many setbacks as it was on the pipeline since 2013
The railway is being rehabilitated since 2016 by the government with the help of the Asian Development Bank, the Australian Agency for International Development and China. Poipte-Phnom Pen is actually only only a small part of the much bigger Trans-Asia railway, projected initiated in 1995, that will connect Singapore to Kunming in China. and finally in 2016 Sihanoukville and Kampot opened. 2018 is an important year is it should be the year when passengers can travel from Phnom Penh to Poipet and maybe even Bangkok.
This is a railway master plan in Cambodia running between 2014 and 2031 and beyond which plan to to add 3 more lines, 8 branch lines, 4 high speed lines, 5 industrial railway and 4 access railway. The lines which have the priority are the one connecting to Vietnam.
Sisophon- Poipet (48 kilometers)
This section of the Northern line is particularly important as it connects Sisophon in Banteay Meanchey province to the city of Poipet, the main international border to Thailand. The line was completed in 1942 by the French but suffered a lot of damage during the Pol Pot regime when the line was destroyed.
After many setbacks (the line was initially planned to be opened in 2008), service resumed on the 4th April 2018 after 40 years of interruption. In May 2018, two passenger cars and one freight car were running once a day. The current train schedule is a departure at 9 am and arriving at Poipet a around 11 am. Rehabilitation of the Poipet train station was near completion in May 2018.
The train station in Sisophon is quite small with few ticket counters, it has some interesting art deco architecture with a rounded rooftop. It has been cleaned up and had a paint job with bright yellow and blue colors probably in march 2018.
The most popular destination for visitors in Siem Reap is undoubtedly the renowned and sprawling archaeological park located just a few kilometers from the city center. The iconic Angkor Wat, along with equally famous temples like Ta Prohm, Bayon and many others, drew close to one million tourists in 2023 alone.
To explore these celebrated temples and discover hidden gems, one must purchase your Angkor Wat Ticket. Separate tickets are required for the Koh Ker temples complex and Kulen Mountain.
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about obtaining your entrance pass to Angkor Archaeological Park. From where to purchase tickets to current pricing, we provide up-to-date details to streamline the process. With the essential information here, you can buy your Angkor Pass with confidence and ease.
Looking for a cheap transfer to SAI airport?🚐
Enjoy the convenient Airport Shuttle with Cambodia Post between Siem Reap city center and SAI International Airport. 8 daily return journeys are offered to you from the post office downtown. Skip the airport queues with personalized pickup. A dedicated driver will wait for you at the terminal exit with a name sign for a smooth experience. Simple and efficient reservation via the form below. A representative will confirm your transfer details quickly by email or WhatsApp.
SAI Airport to City
City to SAI Airport
👨💻 Angkor Wat ticket sales | February 2024 update
120,318 tickets were sold in February 2024, accounting for 44.0 % of the sales recorded in February 2019. The top source market for ticket sales was South Korea followed closely by USA.
We are not affiliated with Angkor Enterprise.
We do not sell Angkor Wat tickets.
Angkor Wat ticket counters in 2024
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The pricing for the three ticket categories is listed below. Please note that the ticket promotion that was offered in 2022 has now ended.
USD 37 for a 1-day pass (you can go multiple times during the same day)
USD 62 for the 3-day pass (valid for 3 entries during a period of 10 days)
USD 72 for the 7-day pass (valid for 7 entries during a period of 30 days)
Please note that there are no discounts available for groups. However, for children under the age of 12, the entrance is free. It’s important to show their passport at the ticket counter and carry it with them while visiting the temples. Please be aware that no separate tickets will be issued for children.
HOW TO BUY YOUR ANGKOR TICKET ONLINE?
You can now buy your Angkor pass online on Angkor Enterprise’s website. These are few steps to follow to get your electronic Angkor Wat ticket.
Click on the confirmation e-mail to complete your profile
You can choose to buy your Angkor pass (Angkor Word Heritage) or an entrance ticket for Koh Ker temple complex (USD 15)
If you purchase the Angkor pass, you need to upload an ID picture.
After clearing the payment step, you can download a pdf file that you present to the controllers from your smartphone.
Warning. Tickets can only be bought on one website: angkorenterprise.gov.kh. Do not click on any website paying Google Ads (sponsored links)
Tip: Use a selfie taken with your smartphone or tablet instead of a scan of your ID picture when uploading your photo.
ANGKOR WAT TICKET PAYMENT
You can pay cash in US dollars or by credit card, whichever is more convenient for your Angkor Wat ticket. Since September 2017, the main credit cards accepted are: Visa, Mastercard, Union Pay, JCB, Discover and Diners Club International. There are also options for tourists from China to pay using WeChat Pay and Alipay mobile payment platforms.
ANGKOR WAT TICKETS OFFICE MAP
The most convenient way to purchase your Angkor ticket is online (refer to the information above). There is only one physical location where the tickets are sold. You can find the exact location below (click to enlarge). Alternatively, you can search for “Angkor Park Pass Ticket Counters” on Google Maps. Angkor Wat ticket office is a 4 Km ride from siem reap city center. Either ask your hotel or use the PassApp Taxi app or Grab remorque to get there without the hassle of negotiating the price.
Note: in April 2016, the ticket counters have been relocated from Charles de Gaulle to their present location nearby the panorama museum.
FREE ANGKOR PASS | ANGKOR SPECIAL PASS FOR EXPATS
Foreigners who can justify 2 years of visa in Cambodia can apply since September 2022 for a free Angkor pass (also called Angkor Special pass) valid for one year. The program is still valid for 2023-2024. As of December 2023, more than 15 000 Angkor passes have been delivered.
You can order your free Angkor pass online from Angkor Enterprise’s website. These are few steps to follow to get your electronic Angkor special pass.
Prepare the following scanned documents: passport, previous visas covering the last two years in Cambodia, ID picture.
Click on the confirmation e-mail to complete your profile
Fill out your full name, passport number, date of birth, gender, country. Upload your passport, visas on jpeg or pdf format
Once you have completed the process, your application will be under review.
Expired Angkor Pass can be renewed, allowing you to get a free new pass and continue visiting the Angkor archaeological park after your initial pass’s validity ends.
In december 2023, it has been reported that the website experiences some technical glitches so the option is to go to the ticket office with passeport and a picture ID. It is usually processed in 2 or 3 days, sometime faster.
Angkor Special pass for long time residents
If you do not have 2 years of visa, there is another option below to get an annual pass.
Since 2022, long-term residents with a valid working visa in Cambodia (minimum of 6 months) are eligible for an unlimited entry pass. This offer is still valid in 2023.
The total number of tickets sold during the year are displayed on LCD screen at the Angkor Wat ticket counters. To access ticket sales statistics from previous years, you can find that historical data on the Angkor Enterprise official website. Pre-covid in 2019, about 7,000 tickets we sold daily.In 2023, there has been some recovery in ticket sales. Earlier in the year, daily sales plateaued around 1,000 tickets. But towards the end of 2023, this has improved to about 3,000 tickets sold per day. This rebound to around 3,000 daily tickets corresponds to roughly 50% of the pre-pandemic sales in 2019 when 7,000 tickets were sold per day.
Angkor Wat temple does not any official website per se and the only official website where you can buy your tickets online is the website of Angkor Enterprise. The website has some basic informations about Siem Reap and the opening hours of the main temples.
The temples of Angkor are open everyday even during public holidays. Angkor Archaeological Park was temporarily closed to visitors for a brief period in April 2021 and again from July 30th through August 19th, 2021. These closure announcements represented extraordinary measures taken to curb spread of the covid-19 virus.
Yes, there are 6 ATM machines located within the ticket office building. This allows visitors to easily withdraw cash to purchase their admission tickets onsite if needed.
The entrance fee for visiting the Angkor Wat complex has increased over time. In February 2017, there was a major price hike, with the 1-day pass going from $20 to $37.
These days, you need a ticket to enter the Angkor archaeological park, even if you don't intend to tour the temples. For instance, you'll still require a pass just to ride your bicycle within the park grounds. A few years ago, you could access some of the more remote temples without a pass, but that is no longer allowed. Park authorities now check for tickets at the main checkpoints. Surprisingly, they also post agents to verify passes at temples that receive fewer than 5 visitors per day. ⚠️ However, there are some temple sites outside of the main Angkor park that have separate ticketing. These include Koh Ker, Preah Vihear, Preah Khan of Kampong Svay,Banteay Chhmar temples. You also don't need an Angkor pass if you want to visit Phnom Kulen mountain. Those sites have their own distinct ticket requirements. ⚠️ Since January 2020, you do need an Angkor pass to visit the temple of Beng Mealea.
The 3-day pass grants access for 10 days total, to be used for 3 non-consecutive days. The 7-day pass is valid for one month, for 7 non-consecutive entries. Each time you enter the archaeological park, your ticket will be punched or scanned at the checkpoints, depending on if you have a paper ticket or e-ticket.
Angkor Wat temple is open everyday between 5 am (sharp) and 5.30 pm. Angkor Archeological park is open between 5 am and 7 pm. However most of the temples are only open between 7.30 am and 5.30 pm. The only exceptions are Angkor Wat, Pre Rup, Phnom Bakheng temples and Srah Srang water reservoir which are opened between 5 am and 7 pm. Pre Rup temple is now open for sunset.
If you bought your ticket online no problem has you received a digital one by email. Unfortunately if you bought it at the ticket counters and buy a new one:( We advice you to take a picture of your ticket with your phone as soon as you bought it.
No, Angkor passes are non-transferable. Your photo is printed on the pass and checked at park entrances, ensuring the ticket holder matches the visitor. This verification applies to both paper passes and online e-tickets, preventing unauthorized use. Only the individual pictured on the Angkor pass can utilize its entries.
At the Angkor ticket office, there are 48 ticket windows organized by the type of pass sold. The majority sell 1-day and 3-day passes, while only one window sells the 7-day option. Expect to wait 5 to 25 minutes to purchase your ticket, depending on what time you go. Generally, the lines are longest right before 5am when the complex opens.
We see visitor traffic peaks at the ticket office from 5-7am and 4-5:30pm. So visiting during those high volume windows means you'll likely have a longer wait to get your Angkor pass. Planning around those rush hours can minimize your time spent in queue.
Yes. In March 2018, it was announced that a new e-ticketing platform will be put in place with the possibility to upload your ID picture. Finally 4 years later, it looks a solution was put in place by Angkor Enterprise.
You can pay online using a Visa, Mastercard, Uni Pay or JCB card. For those living in Cambodia or having a ABA account you can pay via the ABA pay portal.
Purchasing an in-person Angkor pass for someone else is generally not possible, as visitors must be present to take the required identification photo. However, online ticket purchases allow buying passes for friends. By providing their photo and necessary details beforehand, you can obtain an e-ticket on their behalf remotely.
When purchasing an Angkor pass, presenting a passport is not required for adults. However, children under 12 eligible for free admission must show a passport at the ticket counter to verify their age.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILMS ABOUT THE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR
PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
Interior of the ticket center
Interior of the angkor ticket center with credit cards banner
New Khmer Architecture building (Sangkum Reastr Niyum)
