Angkor Wat and Favourite Temples, with more or less climbing and photos from ground level

Problem
Which temple(s) do you see from Cambodia's second city, Siem Reap, and in which order?

Answers
Tickets
You have to buy your pass ticket from the main ticket office (or via an agent for a group). At the main ticket office you queue up and have your photo taken and pay cash.

Before each temple you must show your ticket. If you are in a taxi or tuk-tuk your driver will drive into the check point. If you are on foot (after leaving your tok-tuk in a nearby car parking area) a man sitting on a seat will jump up and ask to see your ticket.

The first stop of the day, the inspector has a clipping machine which punches a hole in one day. If you have a three day ticket your ticket is punched each day.

Make sure you have your own ticket if you separate. You might have to show the ticket to get into the toilet for free, and to get back into the complex if you go outside to the public toilet near the entrance.

Maps show you the circuits
After one long temple visit to Ankor Wat on day one we were too tired to do much more climbing and walking and simply stopped at the bridges and walls where you could take photos at ground level.

If you need to buy a hat, hats are sold at kiosks around the temples. Kiosks also sell water, drinks, fruit, snack food, tee-shirts, postcards, fans, guide books.

After we'd done the three day tour we could see why some people follow the advice to rise at 5 am and see Ankor Wat at dawn. Not only is it good for photos. You are less tired by the heat. You get more done in the day if you buy only a one day pass or spend only one full day in the city.

I asked a Danish couple of girls which temples they liked the most. The Danish girl told me liked the one with the most climbing, on four levels.

I, on the other hand, preferred the temples which could be with little of no climbing.

From ground level you would see:
Anker Wat causeway and the outside walls.
The building with the elephants on four corners needs a lot of climbing but you can photograph the lower level elephants from the ground outside. To see the second level of elephants you have to climb.
My other favourite was the five lakes complex, all on the flat, c causeway across one of the lakes with tree stumps in the water either side, very atmospheric.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer