Friday, September 19, 2008

dinner with the gods and kings

Do you know that for a price, you can actually rent out any of the temples of Angkor and relive the golden age of the empire? Well, with the modern conveniences of course- like a generator set, mist sprays and luxurious portable toilets. So if you are probably someone who has some scandalously big cash to burn and have a couple of nights in Cambodia, try these out for a change... real value-for-money dinners at the world heritage temples of Angkor!

(I shot these from different catering photography assignments from various hotels and events)


The experience begins with a symphony of lights...


Then the intricate set-up is laid: from candle-lit tables, wine bars, Michelin-star chefs at your beck and call and all that jazz... this is a full dinner setting at the Prasat Kravan temple


A courtyard dinner at the Thommanon temple where you are blanketed by the jungle...


A lounge set-up at the Banteay Samre temple by Amansara


A dinner set-up at the Terrace of the Leper King


Ice sculptures guard the gates to the inner sanctum of Wat Attwiya


The dinner set-up inside Wat Attwiya with classical performances on the temple's causeway


Cocktails and wine by the Bayon temple, Angkor Thom


Classical Cambodian dance performances or music can be arranged... or if you fancy to be serenaded by U2 or Madonna, it's your call.


...or perhaps float a thousand candles on coconut on the temple's moats?


Rental prices for temples range from $2,500 for smaller, far flung temples while Angkor Wat can cost as much as $20,000 for a 3-hour dinner schedule! And that doesn't even include your dinner yet! Dinners usually start at around $300 per person. For most Cambodians earning an average of $2 a day, dinner alone is equivalent to their life savings. Rental price in Angkor Wat can actually build you a house here...

A couple of years ago, a year before I came to Cambodia, Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor held a dinner at Angkor Wat with performances by tenor Jose Careras, a full philharmonic orchestra and the Cambodian Royal Ballet. Dinner cost a measly $2,000 per person. Not bad for a two-hour spectacle. Very very affordable indeed.

So what are you waiting for?

Live it like the kings!

14 comments:

Abaniko said...

Dinner for $2,000? Truth is, $20 is already super duper heavy for me. Ah, the lifestyle of the filthy rich! Nakakapangilabot. Some of them even dream of a dinner in the outer space for a "measly" price. :D

the boomerang kid said...

i had a chance to attend one event in siem reap in 2005 (i think) and these events are really bongga. i just hope that these events do not contribute to the degradation of the temples, or that the enormous fees to use these places at least contribute to the temples' care & restoration.

the spool artist said...

@abaniko: yup, tht goe to show how unfair life is. lol. but you know what, i'd totally diss out an angkor wat dinner in exchange for a boneless bangus meal at tapa king or my favorite Jolly Jeep pancit bihon in Salcedo Village... ang babaw ko!

@zen bitch: really? cool! well, the apsara authority here (the ones in charge of the temples) set some very tight rules on those events and they send out a batallion of police and officials to make sure no harm is done to the temples...

[G] said...

wow. the power of money talaga.

don should have his fashion show just outside the angkor wat..imagine the long runway. bongga.

nice pics as always!

lucas said...

wow... nasa Cambodia ka nga pala... Cambodia always reminds me of the Temple of Angkor Wat. Thanks to tomb raider-- i have always fancied to go there. but eat within the temple walls never crossed my mind... and know i am blown away! wheeew!

at dahil ang mahal... dito na lang muna ako kakain sa bahay. fried egg.. hehehe!

KUDOS TO YOUR PICS! love the effect of the candles against the dark skies and the ancient walls... :)

pusangkalye said...

I love the effect of candles on a particular place.....spells magic

The Dork One said...

the place is so magical!!!
and the price too of course

atto aryo said...

sosyal naman nito! he he. pwede ba pumasyal dyan? :-)

the spool artist said...

@gibo: thanks. i'm sure don is working on that fashion show... dapat andun ka rin daw!

@roneiluke: i'm sure mas enjoy ka sa fried egg rather than think about the price you have to pay to dine here! mas sasarap ang fried egg mo pag may tuyo and atsara! hehehe. sige, bisita ka dito sa cambodia. tour ka namin sa angkor wat!

@salingpusa: you're right, candles can surely make anything magical!

@leviuqse: oo nga, if i have that much money, ibabakasyon ko na lang sa boracay! that for me is pure magic...

@r-yo: sure, pasyal kayo dito!!

fuchsiaboy said...

Ven - on the cheap side, let's have picnic at the temple. matagal na nating plan yan! they can have luxurious but we can beat them with chicness and style. I'l invest na lang in picnic couture! Pwede na ba ang YSL safari outfit?

Gibo - outside lang naman di ba? I'l work on that. naku, kelangan natin i-photo shoot si bonotan sa temples!!!

Jake said...

Huwaaat?! US$2,000 for dinner? Eh, isang buwang sahod ko na yun ah!

Tataya muna ako sa lotto hehehe.

This is a nice post dude. Pinaglaway mo lang ako hehehe. :)

the spool artist said...

@fuchsiaboy: mas bagay yata ang issey miyake mo na pleats please para mag compete ang sculptural essence nya sa temples... hehehe

@jake tornado: $2,000 is rental ng temples pa lang ha... di pa included yung dinner itself, catering fee (around$700 yata) and your $4,000 bespoke Tom Ford tuxedo para sa dinner na yan... ikaw pa, kaya mo yan! lol

Anonymous said...

wow, those photos are really lovely! as in that's something i want to attend! ;-)

the spool artist said...

@caryn: thanks. if you visit cambodia in the high season, you could run into one of these events!