A couple stands in front of Angkor Wat, its towers reflected in the moat behind them
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Siem Reap, Cambodia — Day One

First Light at Angkor

Family Travel Cambodia Angkor Archaeological Park

I first took my family of five to Siem Reap, Cambodia, in 2017. It had always been my intention to make it to the Angkor archaeological park since I first traveled to Southeast Asia in 1989.

Touching down

On arriving, we were met with very friendly customs staff at the airport, who rushed us through immigration with no issues — our youngest was 12 at the time. We picked up two tuk tuk vehicles outside and made our way into town from the airport.

A man rides in the back of an open-air tuk tuk, Cambodian flag flying beside him

A warm welcome

We were warmly welcomed at our villa. The staff was amazing, the pool was clean, and we immediately started in on the options on the menu.

Our rooms were well appointed and clean, and our balconies faced the sunset. We were close to a Buddhist temple, so we could hear the drums in the distance and smell the incense in the air — it was a complete Southeast Asian experience.

A Buddhist monk in an orange robe sits quietly in a temple corridor

Into the jungle

First thing the next morning, we had arranged for two tuk tuks and two guides to spend the day exploring the Angkor archaeological park. Each driver charged $15, which is an amazing price.

View from a moving tuk tuk down a tree-lined road, an ancient stone gate visible in the distance

There is no feeling to describe driving through the jungle on a perfect paved road and rounding the corner to the first entrance of one of the large temples. You truly feel like you're in a movie.

The full front facade of Angkor Wat under a clear blue sky, its five towers rising above the outer galleries

Among the ruins

After spending the day exploring — I think three or four of the main temples — and having a great lunch, we headed back to our hotel villa.

A woman traces her hand along an intricately carved stone relief depicting zodiac animals
A couple leaning against an ancient carved temple wall, smiling for the camera Moss and lichen-covered stone galleries of a jungle temple, sunlight filtering through the trees above

The tree that ate a temple

An enormous tree with sprawling roots growing over an ancient temple ruin, tourists gathered below A man looks up at massive tree roots enveloping a carved stone doorway A family of five poses together beneath a stone archway inside a temple ruin
A group of Cambodian musicians in matching purple shirts playing traditional instruments under a green tarp in the forest

Music among the ruins

All five of us

Four family members standing together in front of massive tree roots at Ta Prohm temple Family sitting together on the ancient stone steps of Angkor Wat Family relaxing in a restaurant lounge on Pub Street in Siem Reap in the evening

Pub Street and an early night

The evening was spent on Pub Street, where we dipped our feet in the fish tanks and wandered the brightly lit streets. I think we settled on some Mexican food that night. The kids were fussy then. That's just day one — we were tired.

Little did we know there was lots more to do in Siem Reap.

A teenager in a yellow cap gently feeds a baby elephant, its trunk reaching toward his hand