In response to the outbreak of Covid-19 (coronavirus), the world is suddenly less accessible to travelers. The coronavirus has some areas under total lockdown, while others face restrictions on the size of social gatherings. We’ve come to accept social distancing is our greatest tool in combatting Covid-19.
Watching the news reports coming from the many affected countries around the world got me thinking… and I can’t be the only one who has thought about this.
With everyone staying home and ‘social distancing,’
the most alluring tourist destinations on the planet are devoid of people.
Humor me for a moment… Try and recall one of the most crowded tourist destinations you’ve ever visited. Remind yourself of how frustrating that experience probably was and how the overcrowding affected your ability to authentically experience that place. Sure everyone else wanted to see it, just like you, but its impossible to not wish for a few less tour buses of people.
Now… imagine you’re back in that place again, but this time it’s only one.
Is it a seductive thought, right? All this coronavirus social distancing has me thinking of all the places I’ve been to that I wish I could go and see now!
Dreaming of Angkor Wat
Of the places I’ve visited, Angkor, in Cambodia, stands out as somewhere I wish I could be right now.
Jessica and I visited the temples of Angkor a couple years ago and we had a mixed experience, as I’m sure many people do. On the one hand, it’s a significant bucket place to visit, and experiencing the immense scale and historical importance of the site is an enriching experience. But, on the other hand, it is immensely crowded, and a visit will try your patience.
Sunrise over the iconic Angkor Wat is one of the most popular activities among visitors and for a good reason. When first light breaks, pinecone like temple spires stand silhouetted against a dimly lit horizon. As tbe sun fills the sky with warm colors, rays of light break through openings, and gaps in the temple. These rays wake the monkeys who call the temple home, they begin rustling to life. The once quiet temple becomes a resonance chamber for the hoots, howls, and barks of monkeys.
It’s a beautiful experience, but it’s one that is shared with hundreds, if not thousands of other visitors.
During our visit, plenty early for sunrise, in the dark, to witness this ‘once in a lifetime’ spectacle. We joined with scores of other people arriving at the same time. Arrival alone is a hectic scene. The temple grounds have little to no lighting and as visitors poured in we witnessed many people who panicked in the confusion of not knowing where to go. In addition, almost no one brought a flashlight with them. We saw people tripping and falling as they hurriedly tried to find there way to the temple. It was incomprehensible and unnecessary chaos.
We made our way across the moat that encircles the temple doing our best to steer clear of the erratic groups of other tourists. Inside the temple grounds, we were greeted by a crowd a size neither of us had expected. The majority of people were assembled around two reflection ponds directly in front of the temple, no doubt, hoping to capture that ‘iconic’ reflection photo.
Passing through scores of confused and indecisive tourists we eventually found a nice open patch of grass near the edge of one of the reflection pools. As sunrise drew nearer, the space around us filled in, and the crowd behind us grew deeper and deeper. The experience is even further tarnished by the noise of everyone there. Instead of a peaceful and still morning, we were treated to the sound of indiscernible collective chatter and the continuous beeps and clicks of camera shutters.
Sunrise over the temple is undeniably beautiful, but the way people act as it happens is far from that. We saw several instances where people got into arguments because someone stepped in front of a picture they were taking. Other cases in which people rolled up their pant legs and walked straight into the reflection pools for a better photo, completely disregarding all the others behind them. Oh, and how can I forget all those people raising their iPads high above their heads, hoping to capture a ‘perfect’ image of the sunrise. I’m sure all the people behind them appreciated viewing the sunrise from the screen of their iPads.
Once the sun has fully risen, where do you think that mob of people goes?
Do they disperse around the various temples of Angkor?
Nope! They all flood Angkor Wat and the temple quickly becomes a congested circus of people competing for the best selfies. More than once, we saw someone take a picture in front of some statue or rock carving and then watched someone else rush over and take the same photo. And then another. And then another. And then another. The sad part is, it felt like most people there were only there to snap a photo and were missing out on a more profound experience.
The other great spectacle our nearest star affords us the chance to see every day: is sunset.
Sunset too is a magnificent moment to experience while visiting Angkor. The most coveted spot for sunset is atop Phnom Bakheng.
During our visit, we had every intention of capturing sunset from this temple-mountain. We arrived at the temple around 4 pm, plenty of time before sunset. At the foot of the temple, we found another crowd of people. This time, waiting in line to go up to the top of the temple for sunset. We learned that only 300 people are allowed on the temple at one time. For anyone to be let up someone would have to come back down. At least 300 people were already waiting, and the line did not appear to be moving.
People again were panicking and looking frustrated because they may not see the sunset from the temple. To make matters worse, some people were trying to sneak ahead of others in line, which caused a few confrontations.
Recognizing our odds of getting onto the temple for sunset were slim and not wanting to spoil a beautiful sunset in the company of 300 others we chose to move on. Ultimately we found a nice quite and place to watch it on our own.
It’s unfortunate such a historic, and uniquely beautiful place like Angkor is so badly tainted by tourism. It’s also unfortunate because it’s sadly unavoidable. Angkor Wat became widely popular after the movie “Tomb Raider” (2001) used it as a filming location. Additionally, Angkor Wat is a UNESCO world heritage site putting it on a list of sights for travelers to check off. Whether because of that movie or because of UNESCO, people will continue coming to see it for themselves. Realistically, these crowds are only going to get larger as populations grow, and more people have access to travel.
So, given the situation, at this moment in time where Covid-19 (coronavirus) has grounded the majority of flights across the globe and has people staying close to home practicing social distancing… if I could go anywhere it would be Angkor!
The thought of being among those temples and wandering around with little to no one else to distract my thoughts sends chills through my body. I’d take in a serene sunrise. Meditate in the shadow of ancient columns. Sit and listen carefully to the wind carrying whispers of generations past through the temple corridors. And, of course, I’d take in a peaceful sunset atop a high vantage point where I could see the many temples of Angkor basked in the final warm light of the day.
Where in the world do you wish you were?
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