The temples of Cambodia's Angkor Wat can be as crowded chaotic as a theme park.

I don't like crowds at the best of times, so I certainly don't like crowds when I'm pretending I'm an old-fashioned explorer.

Bakong sunrise

So I was on a mission to take my little family to a deserted temple to experience a magical sunrise in one of the ancient wonders of the world, the mysterious crumbling temples of Angkor Wat.

At Bakong temple, about 30 minutes in a tuk-tuk from downtown Siem Reap, we were completely alone in the grey pre-dawn light.

We could hear the soothing low drone of monks chanting in the pagoda next to the temple. And as the light strengthened we saw saffron-robed monks emerge from the pagoda and walk along the dirt track to collect alms.

A little while later, schoolchildren began cycling past to start their day.

It was an amazing experience, and the simple bread and jam breakfast we shared on top of the temple was one of the best meals I've ever had.

Barbara is currently based in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. After dropping out of the rat race twice, Barbara now runs street food tours in Ho Chi Minh City with her Vietnamese husband, taking regular breaks to explore the world with their three-year-old daughter. Read some of Barbara’s funny travel stories at The Dropout Diaries, join her Facebook community here, and check out her food tours at www.saigonstreeteats.com.

Photo courtesy and copyright The Dropout Diaries