Cambodia's UNESCO World Heritage Site turned into IRL 'Temple Run' by tourists

[Marshy]

Tourists at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat have turned a sacred space into a real-life video game, reenacting scenes from the popular mobile game Temple Run. This trend, showcased in TikTok videos shot within the ancient temple complex, has sparked a mix of amusement and alarm.

 

The clips feature tourists dashing through the stone pathways of Angkor Wat—one of the world’s most treasured UNESCO World Heritage Sites—mimicking the frantic gameplay of Temple Run, often set to upbeat soundtracks. 

 

While some locals see this trend as a potential tourism magnet, experts are hitting the pause button on this game, citing concerns that the stunts could cause irreparable harm to the 900-year-old site.

 

 

Conservation consultant Simon Warrack, who has spent three decades working to preserve Angkor Wat, warned that the trend might not only bring physical damage to the ancient stones but also erode the site’s spiritual significance. Warrack brought up double standards, noting that it would be considered disrespectful to run through churches like St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, so why should it be acceptable at Angkor Wat?

 

 

Hans Leisen, who led a German conservation project at the temple, dismissed the trend as “nonsense,” emphasizing that rushing through the temple prevents tourists from appreciating its intricate carvings. Beyond that, he cautioned that stumbling or touching the walls while running could endanger the fragile artwork that has stood for centuries.

 

Archaeology professor Alison Carter echoed these concerns, reminding visitors that Angkor Wat is more than a tourist attraction—it’s a living cultural heritage site for the Cambodian people. She urged travelers to show the same respect for the temple as they would for religious spaces like churches or mosques.

 

Perhaps the concept of touching grass isn’t best applied here, and some things are still better off contained inside your screen.

 

 

• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-22/tiktok-tourists-trample-on-angkor-wat-in-viral-temple-run-recreation 
• https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3276041/viral-tiktok-temple-run-videos-put-cambodias-angkor-wat-risk-its-nonsense 
• https://www.businessinsider.com/temple-run-tiktok-videos-tourists-running-angkor-wat-cambodia-2024-8 
• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13784237/Insensitive-TikTok-tourists-slammed-real-life-Temple-Run-trend-sees-sprinting-sacred-Angkor-Wat-mimic-video-game-views.html 
• https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/tiktok-tourists-trample-on-angkor-wat-in-viral-temple-run-recreation 

 

 

Image: Martin Roeder | Dreamstime.com