Elephants in Angkor

When we asked my brother what he'd like to do in SE Asia, riding an elephant was number one on his list, a definitely must-not-leave-Asia-without-doing type of thing. I imagined an elephant ride as a cheesy stroll around the big tent of a traveling circus. The ride we took was anything but. The elephant ride turned into a trip favorite for everyone.

The ride took us from outside the ancient city guarded by walls, through the gate, and into the ancient Angkor Bayon. We first viewed the ancient ruins from the top of an elephant. Amazing! Along the way, our "driver" picked a leaf from a tree and played it like a harmonica. The ride was quite bumpy and uncomfortable, but the sights were amazing.

My brother was right! Definitely put an elephant ride in Angkor at the top of your list if you're ever traveling to Cambodia.