Angkor Wat, Cambodia: watching the sun set

Angkor Wat is Cambodia’s biggest tourist attraction, bringing in 2 million visitors a year.

In an effort to preserve the site, built between the 9^th and 14^th centuries, Cambodia has joined with Australia to protect the attraction. To limit the damage to the complex network of the city, a website called Angkor Sunset Finder, has been developed (International Herald Tribune, July 8, 2013). The website gives recommendations to tourists in the region on where in the 400 square kilometres of the city (160 square miles) is the best spot to watch the sun set.

There are several locations in Angkor Wat where tourists can see the sunset. But the sites are prone to damage by the many tourists. Therefore the website (www.angkorsunsets.com) enables visitors to select several criteria to choose alternative perches from a listing of 34 vantage points.

The website, Angkor Sunset Finder, is part of the Heritage Management Framework plan initiated in 2008 when tourism increased rapidly to Angkor Wat.

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