Angkor Wat temple

We start bright and early for a full day of exploring the mysteries of the Angkor. Beginning by traveling back in time to discover about many days gone by. A tour around Angkor National Museum, wander through all eight galleries learning about everything from the ancient Khmer civilization to the awe inspiring Angkor Wat. The museum presents one of the most immense and prestigious collections of Buddha Statues and relics ever assembled just in one gallery. Next it’s off to the temples themselves. First, we travel to Angkor Thom (Big Angkor) which was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire; built by Angkor's greatest king, Jayavarman VII. The major attraction of Angkor Thom is the Bayon Temple, where you can come and marvel at the wise smiling faces. The exact function and symbolism of this temple is still unknown to this day but you can’t help but feel a calmness as you look into the kind faces. Then go on to Baphoun Temple, which was one of the most spectacular of Angkor’s temples in its heyday. Terrace of the Elephants so called because of the elephants sculpted into the stone. It was used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the King’s grand audience hall. Terrace of the Leper King is another of Angkor’s mysteries; the walls are deeply carved with seated deities. On to lunch at local restaurant where you can have a chance to rest and discuss all that have seen so far. After you’ve regained your strength it’s on the Ta Prohm (Jungle Temple) which is undoubtedly the most atmospheric ruin at Angkor should be high on the list of every visitor. Over the centuries this temple has been devoured by the jungle, you will stand in awe of what man and nature combined can create. Finally, the one you’ve been waiting for; time to visit Seventh Wonder of the World - Angkor Wat. Without a doubt one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Angkor Wat stretches over some 400 sq. km, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire. You will indeed gaze in wonder at what these ancient people built with their bare hands. After taking in this famous spectacle we will return to the hotel and your evening will be yours to do with what you will.

Faraway Angkor Temples

Well, I have to admit that these Angkor temples aren't really that far away.

They are, however, located further than the temple groups near Angkor Wat.

Which means that the trips will be longer and that it won't be a mere 20 minute ride by Tuktuk to get to one of these temples.

Also, the temples are scattered in different directions and most of them will take about a half a day to visit. Unfortunately, that is half a day per temple. So you will need a few days if you want to visit them all.

But don't let that deter you because some of them are so worth visiting, especially Banteay Srei and Beng Melea (do not leave Cambodia without seeing these two temples!).

The Faraway Temples

Banteay Srei 'The Citadel of Woman,' touted as the prettiest temple in Cambodia. It probably has the most intricate carvings on the whole planet. Although this temple is rather small compared to the others, the workmanship on the carvings more than makes up for it.	Banteay Srei details. Unbelievably detailed carvings.
Beng Melea A large temple hidden in a jungle, far away from the city. Modeled after the 'Temple City' itself, but with much less visitors. Beng Melea is the temple for adventurers. You'll get to go under temple ruins, climb up to the roof, and pass through dark hallways. Not to be missed.	Beng Mealea, probably the most exciting temple of all.
Phnom Kulen The sacred site for Cambodian people. This is where they go on pilgrimage. Jayavarman II, one of the earliest Khmer kings, established his kingdom at this site. This is where Angkorian history begins, so to speak.	Phnom Kulen waterfalls. Photo by N. Ole
Koh Ker One of the farthest temples you can get to from Siem Reap, about 100 kilometers away. It was once the capital of the Khmer kingdom in the 920s - 940s. Due to the distance, this will be probably be an overnight trip.	Koh Ker temple. Photo by T. Wanhoff
Banteay Srei 2 A small, but charming temple on the way to Beng Melea. Large stones are scattered around and tall trees tower above it. Not much is known about this temple. There is a working modern temple and a monastery nearby.	Banteay Sreai II, a pretty, petite temple.
Ak Yum One of the first temple mountains, Ak Yum predates the 8th century (older than all other Angkorian temples). That alone is enough of a reason to visit. Unfortunately, it is in very bad condition with nothing much to be restored since it looks more like a pile of dirt and rubble than a temple.
Phnom Krom A temple on top of a hill overlooking the Tonle Sap lake. It is in bad condition.
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What Transportation to Use to Get to These Faraway Angkorian Temples?

Most of these temples are doable for a half day's visit. The exception is Koh Ker, which will most likely be an overnight trip.

Tuktuks and motobikes do go to these 'faraway' Ankor temples, although they charge a slightly higher rate due to the distance. However, you might want to consider a more comfortable means of transportation. The roads are long, and sometimes very dusty, so they're not very friendly to tuktuk passengers.

For example, the drive to Beng Melea is a long one and even using a car it took us around 2 hours to get there. That is a rather lengthy drive for a day trip, and I imagined if we were using a tuktuk it would've meant more hours and a much less pleasant and comfortable journey.

So go by car if possible, or join a small tour. It will be worth it because when you arrive at the temples you'll still be excited, in a good mood, have lots of energy, and be ready to explore. Click here to read more about transportation choices for temple visits.

Faraway Angkor Temples

Well, I have to admit that these Angkor temples aren't really that far away.

They are, however, located further than the temple groups near Angkor Wat.

Which means that the trips will be longer and that it won't be a mere 20 minute ride by Tuktuk to get to one of these temples.

Also, the temples are scattered in different directions and most of them will take about a half a day to visit. Unfortunately, that is half a day per temple. So you will need a few days if you want to visit them all.

But don't let that deter you because some of them are so worth visiting, especially Banteay Srei and Beng Melea (do not leave Cambodia without seeing these two temples!).

The Faraway Temples

Banteay Srei 'The Citadel of Woman,' touted as the prettiest temple in Cambodia. It probably has the most intricate carvings on the whole planet. Although this temple is rather small compared to the others, the workmanship on the carvings more than makes up for it.	Banteay Srei details. Unbelievably detailed carvings.
Beng Melea A large temple hidden in a jungle, far away from the city. Modeled after the 'Temple City' itself, but with much less visitors. Beng Melea is the temple for adventurers. You'll get to go under temple ruins, climb up to the roof, and pass through dark hallways. Not to be missed.	Beng Mealea, probably the most exciting temple of all.
Phnom Kulen The sacred site for Cambodian people. This is where they go on pilgrimage. Jayavarman II, one of the earliest Khmer kings, established his kingdom at this site. This is where Angkorian history begins, so to speak.	Phnom Kulen waterfalls. Photo by N. Ole
Koh Ker One of the farthest temples you can get to from Siem Reap, about 100 kilometers away. It was once the capital of the Khmer kingdom in the 920s - 940s. Due to the distance, this will be probably be an overnight trip.	Koh Ker temple. Photo by T. Wanhoff
Banteay Srei 2 A small, but charming temple on the way to Beng Melea. Large stones are scattered around and tall trees tower above it. Not much is known about this temple. There is a working modern temple and a monastery nearby.	Banteay Sreai II, a pretty, petite temple.
Ak Yum One of the first temple mountains, Ak Yum predates the 8th century (older than all other Angkorian temples). That alone is enough of a reason to visit. Unfortunately, it is in very bad condition with nothing much to be restored since it looks more like a pile of dirt and rubble than a temple.
Phnom Krom A temple on top of a hill overlooking the Tonle Sap lake. It is in bad condition.
	Back to Top

What Transportation to Use to Get to These Faraway Angkorian Temples?

Most of these temples are doable for a half day's visit. The exception is Koh Ker, which will most likely be an overnight trip.

Tuktuks and motobikes do go to these 'faraway' Ankor temples, although they charge a slightly higher rate due to the distance. However, you might want to consider a more comfortable means of transportation. The roads are long, and sometimes very dusty, so they're not very friendly to tuktuk passengers.

For example, the drive to Beng Melea is a long one and even using a car it took us around 2 hours to get there. That is a rather lengthy drive for a day trip, and I imagined if we were using a tuktuk it would've meant more hours and a much less pleasant and comfortable journey.

So go by car if possible, or join a small tour. It will be worth it because when you arrive at the temples you'll still be excited, in a good mood, have lots of energy, and be ready to explore. Click here to read more about transportation choices for temple visits.

What You'll Find Here

Apsara nymph carvings.

You'll find several ideas on the 'best' ways to experience the many Angkor temples and the town of Siem Reap.

• You can start with this brief overview of Angkor Wat, its temples, and its history.

• If temple history isn't your cup of tea, head out to this Top 5 list of must-see and must-do list activities when having a holiday in Cambodia. You'll see why a morning walk at Ta Prohm temple is not to be missed!

• When you feel you've seen too many temples (notice that I said when and not if), try going to some of these interesting Siem Reap tourist attractions and activities.

Although they're not temple-related, some of them are not to be missed!

• If you plan to see the Angkor temples and Siem Reap with a guide, I've found some great Cambodia tour programs which are not only affordable, but high quality and relatively small in size.

• Do you need practical traveling info, mundane stuff like visa, flight, and currency information? Perhaps this Cambodia travel info is not too exciting, but we still need it to get to Angkor.

So whether your trip is a short one or a long one, I hope you'll find some useful information here.

I believe no one can soon forget a visit to this great temple, considering how magical Angkor is.

You will love it!

P.S. Please subscribe to my occasional newsletter, Angkor Wat Travelers, and be the first to know about new ways to experience the Angkor temples and Siem Reap.

Going On An Angkor Wat Holiday ?

Angkor Wat is an amazing place! The temple, the long galleries of detailed bas-relief carvings, the steep stairs, the history!

Bas-Relief corridor inside Angkor-Wat.
Click here to get an Angkor
bas relief wallpaper.

Since it's rediscovery in the 1800s, (with the exception of the civil war period) this historic temple has received a steady stream of visitors.

All of them curious about this ancient temple.

The fascination is such that in the 1950s a foreigner fell deeply in love with the Angkor temples and her last wish was to have her ashes scattered on the temple grounds. I believe she got her wish.

Clearly it's not some kind of a fad, because here we are, ready to visit Angkor Wat as well.

The number of visitors to the Angkor temples increases each year. Large tourist groups, crowded temples, and big tour buses are a regular sight these days.

Not really the kind of Angkor experience that old travelers experienced decades ago.

But fear not, because even with those 'challenges,' you can still experience the Angkor temples in a truly personal way. It is still possible to get a temple just for yourself!

Angkor Wat temple

Angkor Wat..

Angkor Wat from the top.

the front of Angkor Wat..

khmersperit

Angkor Wat

There are two great complexes of ancient temples in Southeast Asia, one at Bagan in Burma, the other at Angkor in Cambodia. The temples of Angkor, built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD, represent one of humankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. From Angkor the Khmer kings ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. The structures one sees at Angkor today, more than 100 stone temples in all, are the surviving remains of a grand religious, social and administrative metropolis whose other buildings - palaces, public buildings, and houses - were built of wood and are long since decayed and gone.

Conventional theories presume the lands where Angkor stands were chosen as a settlement site because of their strategic military position and agricultural potential. Alternative scholars, however, believe the geographical location of the Angkor complex and the arrangement of its temples was based on a planet-spanning sacred geography from archaic times. Using computer simulations it has been shown that the ground plan of the Angkor complex – the terrestrial placement of its principal temples - mirrors the stars in the constellation of Draco at the time of spring equinox in 10,500 BC. While the date of this astronomical alignment is far earlier than any known construction at Angkor, it appears that its purpose was to architecturally mirror the heavens in order to assist in the harmonization of the earth and the stars. Both the layout of the Angkor temples and iconographic nature of much its sculpture, particularly the asuras (‘demons’) and devas (‘deities’) are also intended to indicate the celestial phenomenon of the precession of the equinoxes and the slow transition from one astrological age to another.

At the temple of Phnom Bakheng there are 108 surrounding towers. The number 108, considered sacred in both Hindu and Buddhist cosmologies, is the sum of 72 plus 36 (36 being ½ of 72). The number 72 is a primary number in the sequence of numbers linked to the earth’s axial precession, which causes the apparent alteration in the position of the constellations over the period of 25,920 years, or one degree every 72 years. Another mysterious fact about the Angkor complex is its location 72 degrees of longitude east of the Pyramids of Giza. The temples of Bakong, Prah Ko and Prei Monli at Roluos, south of the main Angkor complex, are situated in relation to each other in such a way that they mirror the three stars in the Corona Borealis as they appeared at dawn on the spring equinox in 10,500 BC. It is interesting to note that the Corona Borealis would not have been visible from these temples during the 10th and 11th centuries when they were constructed.

Angkor Wat, built during the early years of the 12th century by Suryavaram II, honors the Hindu god Vishnu and is a symbolic representation of Hindu cosmology. Consisting of an enormous temple symbolizing the mythic Mt. Meru, its five inter-nested rectangular walls and moats represent chains of mountains and the cosmic ocean. The short dimensions of the vast compound are precisely aligned along a north-south axis, while the east-west axis has been deliberately diverted 0.75 degrees south of east and north of west, seemingly in order to give observers a three day anticipation of the spring equinox.

Unlike other temples at Angkor, Ta Prohm has been left as it was found, preserved as an example of what a tropical forest will do to an architectural monument when the protective hands of humans are withdrawn. Ta Prohm's walls, roofs, chambers and courtyards have been sufficiently repaired to stop further deterioration, and the inner sanctuary has been cleared of bushes and thick undergrowth, but the temple has been left in the stranglehold of trees. Having planted themselves centuries ago, the tree's serpentine roots pry apart the ancient stones and their immense trunks straddle the once bustling Buddhist temple. Built in the later part of the 12^th century by Jayavarman VII, Ta Prohm is the terrestrial counterpart of the star Eta Draconis the Draco constellation.

During half-millennia of Khmer occupation, the city of Angkor became a pilgrimage destination of importance throughout Southeastern Asia. Sacked by the Thais in 1431 and abandoned in 1432, Angkor was forgotten for a few centuries. Wandering Buddhist monks, passing through the dense jungles, occasionally came upon the awesome ruins. Recognizing the sacred nature of the temples but ignorant of their origins, they invented fables about the mysterious sanctuaries, saying they had been built by the gods in a far ancient time. Centuries passed, these fables became legends, and pilgrims from the distant reaches of Asia sought out the mystic city of the gods. A few adventurous European travelers knew of the ruins and stories circulated in antiquarian circles of a strange city lost in the jungles. Most people believed the stories to be nothing more than legend however, until the French explorer Henri Mouhot brought Angkor to the world's attention in 1860. The French people were enchanted with the ancient city and beginning in 1908 funded and superbly managed an extensive restoration project. The restoration has continued to the present day, excepting periods in the 70's and 80's when military fighting prevented archaeologists from living near the ruins.

Orthodox archaeologists sometimes interpret the temples of the Angkor complex as tombs of megalomaniacal kings yet in reality those kings designed and constructed the temples as a form of service to both god and their own subjects. The temples were places not for the worship of the kings but rather for the worship of god. Precisely aligned with the stars, constructed as vast three dimensional yantras and adorned with stunningly beautiful religious art, the Angkor temples were instruments for assisting humans in their realization of the divine.

Jayavaram VII, spoke of his intentions in erecting temples as being:

“full of deep sympathy for the good of the world, so as to bestow on men the ambrosia of remedies to win them immortality….By virtue of these good works would that I might rescue all those who are struggling in the ocean of existence.”

Temple of Ta Prohm, Angkor, Cambodia
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Stone Heads of Bodhisattva Avilokiteshvara, Bayon temple, Angkor, Cambodia
(Order Fine Art Print)

Bayon Temple, Angkor, Cambodia
(Order Fine Art Print)

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) (Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត), is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation—first Hindu, dedicated to Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs and for the numerous devatas (guardian spirits) adorning its walls.

The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple": Angkor is a vernacular form of the word nokor which comes from the Sanskrit word nagara meaning capital. wat is the Khmer word for temple. Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok, after the posthumous title of its founder, Suryavarman II.^[1]