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This is the West Gate of Angkor Thom. At first my tuk tuk driver would not take me here, saying that nobody would go there. But when I insisted that I want to see it, he relented. I am pleased to have covered all the major gates of the ancient city. For details of this gate, and information for getting there, I share them on my webpage: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/angkor-thom/west-gate.htm

Prasat Top West is one of those highly obscure - and difficult to reach - Angkor monuments. As such, not many people have visited it. If you have seen twenty different monuments in a day, this one will disappoint you, as it will appear like "yet another pile of stones". But for hardcore Angkor enthusiast, it is a victory of sorts to be able to reach it. If you want to go to Prasat Top West, I hope the details I have put together will help guide you there: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/prasat-top-west.htm

Preah Pithu is really a complex of various monuments. To be honest, I have difficulty telling one from the other, because they are often close together, and they aren't given specific names. I try to document each of them and am still reading up to find out more. I do know that they were built at different times, probably by different kings. This is what I've managed to describe of them for now: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/preah-pithu.htm I hope to continue updating my webpage as I learn more about Preah Pithu.

Vat Preah Ngok, or as spelled on this pin, Wat Preah Ngok, is really a Buddha image in a pavilion. Many people overlook it on their trip to Angkor - mainly because there's already so much to see to begin with! I can say there's nothing particularly remarkable about it that one would give it a second glance. But me, being me, document everything in sight, so I also wrote about Vat Preah Ngok on my webpage, right here: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/vat-preah-ngok.htm

The Bayon is among my favorite monuments at Angkor. It is located right at the very center of Angkor Thom, the ancient city located north of Angkor Wat. Unlike other Angkorian monuments, you don't find a wall around it. That's probably because the walls around Angkor Thom itself is the wall for Bayon too. Many people, including myself, like this temple because of the stone faces, which many believe is that of King Jayavarman VII, or perhaps the Avalokitesvara. It's an amazing sight to approach Bayon for at first what appeared to be mountains of rock gradually take shape into a profusion of stone faces. I describe this in more detail on my own webpage: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/bayon.htm

To be honest, it is rather difficult for me to differentiate between this, the Terrace of the Leper King, and the Terrace of the Elephants, located immediately south of it. The only thing I can say is that there is a path that runs between the two. Otherwise, they look almost the same. Oh yes, the Terrace of the Elephants have marching elephants on them. On the other hand, the Terrace of the Leper King has a statue which early archaeologists called the Leper King, but is most likely that of Yama. I describe this in more detail on my own webpage: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/terrace-of-the-leper-king.htm

I have visited Baphuon three times, in 2002, 2006 and 2008. Unfortunately, on all three occasions, the monument was not yet fully open to the public. I call the Baphuon the "world's biggest jigsaw puzzle" because after it was dismantled, the Cambodian civil war happened, and when the country is at peace again, the documents describing how it was dismantled had been destroyed. So it took over 20 years to put the monument back together again. I describe this in more detail on my webpage here: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/baphuon.htm

One of the loveliest Angkor ruin. I visited it in 2002, 2006 and 2008. I got the best shots in 2006, when the sky was a nice blue. http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/prasat-kravan.htm

I had to persuade my tuk tuk driver to take me here. When he was reluctant to go any further, I decided to walk, which then compelled him to take me in. I don't regreat visiting this Angkor ruin. http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/prasat-batchum.htm

I visited Neak Pean on all three visits I made to Angkor, in 2002, 2006 and 2008. It is one of the more unusual monuments, as it is circular whereas the others are usually rectangular. http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/neak-pean.htm

Preah Khan is a sprawling monastic complex built by King Jayavarman VII located to the northeast of Angkor Thom. I visited it in 2002, 2006 and 2008. What I like most about this complex is the play of light and shadow when you are inside, as you can see in my shots: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/preah-khan.htm

This is a colossal Buddha statue. However, within its vicinity are also other large-sized Buddha statues, so I had a hard time determining which is the right Tep Pranam (yes, that's how I spell the name). Details: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/tep-pranam.htm

I walked to South Khleang from Vihear Prampil Loveng. It was the dry season, and leaves carpeted the forest. Having seen so many piles of stones in a day, I was getting "stone fatigue", and so this monument did not impress me much. Further details: http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/south-khleang.htm

I explored North Khleang on 26 February, 2006. It is in a more advanced stage of ruin compared to South Khleang. Parts of the walls have to be propped up with scaffolding. http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/north-khleang.htm

I walked up to the North Gopura of Angkor Wat on my 2006 visit. http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/angkor-wat/north-gopura.htm

I visited Baksei Chamkrong in 2002 and 2006. Got the best pictures in 2006. http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/baksei-chamkrong.htm

The first time I visited it was in 2002. At that time the weather was bad. I returned in 2006 and 2008. I managed to get the best shots in 2006. http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/terrace-of-the-elephants.htm

I had a chance to visit this temple monument in 2002, 2006 and 2008. At the time of my visit, it was still permissible to climb up to the top. I hear that due to many falls occurring, climbing it is not forbidden. http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/phimeanakas.htm

I had a chance to visit this site in 2002, 2006 and 2008. http://www.big-world-out-there.com/c/cambodia/angkor/angkor-thom/large-pond.htm