New routes added to Angkor Wat: 17-10-2007
New pathways have been built giving access to Cambodia's Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious monument, as the number of tourists continues to grow.
During the first seven months of this year, 442,000 people arrived at Siem Reap International Airport, up 38 per cent, showing that the world heritage site is more popular than ever.
The Apsara Authority, the committee which manages Angkor Wat, has introduced separate entry and exit routes to the temple in the hopes of spreading visitors out without succumbing to schemes which might ruin the site's authenticity, such as the proposal of a subway.
This is just one of the measures that Cambodia is using to show tourists the country's heritage faithfully. The Ministry of Tourism is working with the committee to find a way of showcasing the country's traditional handicraft and silk production.
A new tourist road linking Angkor Wat to the Preah Vihear temple via the old city of Koh Ker is also being considered.
Angkor Wat was built for King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century and now appears on the national flag. More than half of tourists who visit Cambodia make an effort to pay a visit to its most famous temple.
For those who have already seen the magnificent site, Bon Om Tuk, Cambodia's largest festival, is held at the beginning of November, and is well worth catching.
At Phnom Penh, festivalgoers gather for three days to celebrate the end of the rainy season and the changing direction of the flow of the Tonle Sap river.
Over 350 teams in dragon boats compete in races from midday until sunset from the Japanese Friendship Bridge to the Royal Palace and there are fireworks in the evenings.
Visitors can buy everything from food to supposedly magical potions from the stalls that pop up along the riverbank.
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