Just another day at the office for Anna, who headed into the air for a unique view of one of the Cambodia’s most popular sites. Click on the photo galleries below to enlarge and browse some of the awesome sights…
Travelers who come to tour Cambodia never miss visiting the ancient ruins of Angkor, stepping back in time as they head out on foot to explore these magnificent relics in their jungle settings.
Spread over a 40km square area, it is often hard to comprehend the enormity of this area and vastness of what was once the Khmer Empire. To grasp the true scale of the Angkor Park you can now step up your adventure and experience a bird’s eye view of the temple complex in real time.
The newly established Sky Venture offers visitors a once in a lifetime experience by showing off the beauty of Angkor from a microlight aircraft. Unlike a helicopter, this lightweight 1-to-2-seat fixed-wing aircraft is open air which makes the experience much more exciting and real as you soar through the air.
Recently I was lucky enough to try this out myself. Starting early morning with clear blue skies I met Eddie, the owner and pilot for Sky Venture, on an unassuming rural runway, microlight ready to fly.
Eddie first visited Cambodia in 2002 with an archaeological team from the University of Sydney. He would fly students, hydrologists, anthropologists and archaeologists as part of a summer fieldwork project focusing on the causes of the collapse of the Khmer Empire. Eddie has also worked with National Geographic, television crews and academics, giving him a vast knowledge both archaeological and modern day, making him an exceptional guide.
The views from the microlight are simply breathtaking… Within seconds of flight you are hit by 360 degrees of horizon and greenery as you soar over the temples and the surrounding countryside. With the recent rains, the landscape we saw was peppered with flooded paddy fields, farmers hard at work on the land. The reflections and colours from up high are just otherworldly.
We passed one of Eddie’s favourite temples to photograph – Pre Rup, which with fewer trees blocking the view and less visitors during the day makes for great pictures. He also loves to fly over the lake which is great throughout April and May while there are still locals out fishing, using nets and boating through the flooded villages.
For the best insight into the area I would recommend the 30-minute ride. Flights are very much dictated by the weather, as high winds and rain do not bode well for this sort of little adventure, but given a clear day, this will without doubt be one of the highlights of your trip. For me it was one of the most exhilarating and beautiful experiences in all of my travels.