ANGKOR WAT

Overview: Angkor Wat demonstrates the pinnacle of what man can do and accomplish. Angkor Wat was built in the 12th Century by the order of Suryavarman II. The largest religious temple in the world, Angkor Wat is protected by a beautiful moat surrounding it's grounds with an epic causeway stretching across the moat. There are five spectacular towers, each reaching the heavens. The tallest tower represents the home of Vishnu. The architecture of the temple, particularly, the towers, are believed to be representative of Mr. Meru. You don't want to miss the etchings in the walls of the tower, the feeling of reverence and profundity of this temple.

Cost: See Temple Introduction

Accessibility: At the beginning of the bridge that takes you across the moat, there are a few steps. I’ll emphasize that there are a lot of self-assigned tour guides surrounding the bridge area. I hired a few of the guys there for $20 each to hoist me up step after step, staircase after staircase and even some of the plain, uneven ground. The guys hoisted up and guided me up to the second tier of Angkor Wat with no problem. They were glad to do it and I was more than happy to have them with me.

You can make your way down a few steps to the grassy grounds surrounding the temple as well. It’s absolutely gorgeous. The grass is thin and easy to wheel over and there are even some dirt paths. There is also an elephant entrance to the right of the bridge where you can wheel through with no problem and you’ll find yourself towards the beginning of the bridge.

Getting There: You should definitely hire one of the tuk-tuks with the trailers / carriages to take you around the Angkor compound if your wheelchair can fold up and fit in there. There's something grand and more familiar in the open-air environment of the tuk-tuks versus cabs. Should only cost between $10 - $15 for the day.