Tag: Angkor Wat hotels

Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre

Situated about 23 kilometres from Siem Reap, the Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre is certainly a place that one is bound to enjoy! It is a definite stopover when on your tour to Angkor Wat. Learn a thing or two about the delicate little magical butterflies!

Image credit: Sneha Abhyankar via wikimedia commons

How to get there?

If you are planning on visiting the butterfly farm and are travelling from one of the Angkor Wat hotels, the place is just a 41-minute drive away from properties like FCC Angkor Siem Reap. The drive to the farm is pretty enjoyable. You will pass by little Cambodian villages where the road comes to life with basket weavers and palm sugar vendors selling their items.

Entrance fee

The entrance fee is not much, $5 for adults and $2 for children under the age of 12, children under 3 walk in free. It is best to visit in the morning hours as the butterflies are mostly out during this time. A trip to the farm on a rainy day though will be pointless.

The Banteay Srey Butterfly Farm

Guess you can say that this is where the butterflies come out to play! The guides here are well versed on the subject, however, their English might be a little difficult to understand. This farm actually exports butterfly pupae and hosts butterfly exhibitions in zoos all over the world!

The butterfly cycle

On your tour of the farm, each stage of the butterfly life cycle will be explained to you. The guide will also give you a glimpse of each stage of the cycle. Butterfly eggs, caterpillars and even cocoons have been put into climate-controlled containers. Furthermore, you can learn about the various types of Cambodian butterflies as well.

 

The History of Angkor Wat

The temples were originally constructed in dedication to the god Vishnu and then converted into a Buddhist temple circa the 14th century. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage that a lot of effort is spent on preserving for the future.

Image credit- Pixabay,Poswiecie,CC0

The Largest City in the World

Many guests that stay in Angkor Wat hotels and make sure to head over to see the ruins at sunrise. The city of Angkor was once the capital of the Khmer empire and contains hundreds of temples and was home to a population of over one million people.

The Architecture

Angkor Wat is 200 metres wide with a perimeter of about 3 miles. The moat is 4 metres deep and was probably constructed to make sure that the foundations of the temple remain strong.

Vishnu and King

Angkor Wat was built by Suryavarman II; a usurper who came to power after murdering his uncle. He venerated Vishnu and wanted to build the god a temple. Signs of devotion are all over the temple, some of them surviving till today.

Construction Techniques

If you are staying locally at a hotel like FCC Angkor Siem Reap, be sure to visit the temple at sunrise or sunset to get the best photos and really appreciate the construction techniques that were used centuries ago.