20 Mar 2019
Booked the trip to Angkor Wat on arrival on the first evening through the hotel. At first went for a tuk-tuk tour only then, thankfully decided to share a guide with another visitor. Saroon, our guide, turned up early and was, from the start, friendly, enthusiastic and relaxed. He helped us at the entrance with ticket options (I went for 3 day pass) and he took us through the process professionally and efficiently. Once we arrived at the temples he had taken on-board our request to avoid the crowds so that we could experience the magic of the temples. This is important as, at times, one could see the volume of visitors diminishing the enjoyment and ruining the atmosphere. Saroon was very knowledgeable and provided great detail on the temples, their history and surrounding legends. I was a little overwhelmed at times, in particular with the complexity of Hindu mythology. However some of this information was important if one was to understand the representations at Angkor Wat and associated temples. Saroon took on board my inability to absorb all this detail and we made a bit of a joke of it. In fact laughing was quite a feature of our visit, quite a relief on a long day in the heat, trying to take in all the amazing sites. The visual element was facilitated by Saroon with many photo opportunities, from many aspects and angles. This was not so important for me, however I can see that for most visitors posting instant pictures is what it is all about! Saroon incorporated a sunset experience which, to be honest, was a disappointment. Being on top of a temple seemed pointless as surely having the silhouette would have been more dramatic and memorable. So, in short, Saroon was an excellent guide that blended knowledge and professionalism with humour and friendliness; probably the best combination for an enjoyable experience visiting such an overwhelming attraction.