Tour operators’ tips to avoid the crowds at Asia’s most popular tourist destinations
Angkor Wat, Halong Bay and Inle Lake all have one thing in common: terrible overcrowding that annoys tourists and residents alike. These similar but less crowded alternatives allow you to enjoy some peace and quiet
The dark cloaks the crowds that swarm through the gates of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat to catch a glimpse of the sun peeking from behind the ancient temple’s spires. Like an army of ants, they charge towards the lotus lake at the front of the site – a prime spot to capture the quintessential sunrise shot.
Or it was.
Today the crowd of thousands who flock there have transformed this once soothing, spiritual experience into an elbow fight for a prime sightseeing spot and at times a jostle for even a glimpse of the view.
“It’s crazy there at sunrise now,” says Sareth Houl, who has worked as a tour guide at Angkor for seven years. “It’s not enjoyable any more, there are too many people.”
As Cambodia’s top tourist draw, Angkor has become overrun with tourists in recent years. According to the Ministry of Tourism, in the mid-1990s about 7,500 visitors explored the site annually. Last year, this figure hit almost 2.5 million.
“Angkor Wat Archaeological Park is huge,” says Hou. “Of course, Angkor Wat is the most impressive, but the crowds spoil what makes it special and there are many quieter, beautiful places to enjoy sunrise.”
The typical tourist itinerary includes sunrise at Angkor Wat before heading to Bayon and Ta Prohm. To dodge the crowds, Hou suggests trading in Angkor for Srah Srang, a 900-year-old lake that offers breathtaking reflections of the sunrise with virtually no people around.