Cambodia has a been a country that I’ve always wanted to visit because of Angkor Wat, even though I didn’t know much about it. I only knew that Angkor Wat was an amazing temple with international acclaim. Obviously, I had a lot to learn and see. And I was not disappointed!

Turns out Angkor Wat is actually just one temple within Angkor Archeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The park itself covers over 100,000 acres, about half the size of New York City. The temples, all developed around the 12th century, are located in the town of….Angkor. It’s just a 10–15 minute tuk tuk ride away from Siem Reap, the town where all the tourists like myself stay.

To see Angkor Wat and all the other temples within the park, I paid $40 for a 3-day pass. A 1-day pass was $20. You can also pay $60 for a 1 week pass. Instead of renting a scooter or bicycle to go around Angkor’s temples on day 1, I decided to get a feel for the place by joining a 4-person group to tour the temples on the park’s outskirts. This is called the “Grand Circuit” tour. It’s a great way to get ready for the Angkor’s more famous temples: Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Ta Prohm.