Tourists told not to smoke, give to begging children or take selfies with monks, as plans to open Angkor Wat earlier are announced
Angkor Wat in Cambodia is to open earlier so that more people can see it – but visitors will have to abide by a new code of conduct put in place around the site.
From January 1, the main Khmer temple of Angkor, Angkor Wat, alongside smaller Phnom Bakheng, will be opening two hours earlier, from 5.30am, in order to cater for those wanting to see sunrise from the temples.
In the meantime, a code of conduct has been published on posters outside temples in an attempt to curb the inappropriate behaviour of some of the thousands who already visit each year.
Cambodian monks, tour guides, local authorities and Unesco representatives spent two years discussing the types of behaviour that they would like to see eradicated from the important Khmer site.