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My first daybreak visit to a Wat was Bayon. This temple consist of more than 200 giant carved faces of Avalokitesvera staring down from 54 towers.

The faces are all slightly different but all have an enigmatic smile. Remarkably, at all points within the temple grounds will have at least eleven of these faces in sight.

By day, the temple looks like a big pile of rocks from a distance. Just before sunrise these rocks looked eerie and foreboding. We looked around inside with a mini torch, disturbing bats which had just flown in to settle for a days sleep - the stench of their guano soon putting pay to our visit to the interior.

Outside, the light began to break around 5:30am. We watched as the first rays touched the top of the highest faces. The faces gradually turning from cold grey to a light pinkish tan as the sandstone lit up.

Around the temple walls are some 1200m of bas reliefs depicting predominantly historical events - the Chams attacking and being defeated, the Siamese invading and scenes of everyday life in the 12th century such as hunting, fishing and giving birth.

As we toured, we spied a lone woman practicing the traditional dance - a real, live Apsara!

All in all, a magical first foray into the temples.

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