Put yourself in the shoes of the various travellers, explorers and hunters that stumbled upon the temples of Angkor deep in the Cambodian forests all those centuries ago.
Imagine the incredulous look on their faces as they stared up at the intricately carved stonework peeping through the greenery.
This feeling of amazement still persists for today’s visitors, as you approach the site and catch your first glimpse of the ancient temples piercing the treetops.
The undisputed jewel in
Cambodia’s crown is the ancient city of
Angkor, the Khmer capital constructed between the 9th and 12th centuries where around 1,000 temples are scattered on the plains north of
Tonle Sap lake.
The sprawling metropolis of
Angkor would once have been a powerhouse of the region and was proven in 2007 to have been the world’s biggest pre-industrial city having potentially had one million inhabitants.
The main cluster of temples is relatively compact, and focuses on some of the best preserved of the Khmer monuments, but the site spreads across a huge area, and if you are hoping to find your way to some of the temples with a lower footfall, this can be arranged.
Depending on how extensively you wish to explore the site and its temples, you could devote anything from a couple of days to a week to discovering Angkor’s mesmerising temples.
- Angkor Wat
- Ta Prohm
- Angkor Thom and the temple of Bayon
- Banteay Srei
- Preah Vihear
- Roluos
1. Angkor Wat
So thoroughly entwined with Cambodia’s national identity that it features on the flag, Angkor Wat is the best known of the temples of Cambodia.
It is widely credited with being the world’s largest religious monument, and though it is often busy with visitors, it doesn’t disappoint.
The harmonious symmetry and impressive setting surrounded by water enhances the beauty and unbelievable detail of the temple.
Even when it seems crowded on the approach, you can quite easily find a quiet corner to contemplate the amazing 12th century workmanship, and our local experts know all the hidden hotspots.
2. Ta Prohm
If you are hoping to feel the magic and mystery of these ancient relics of the Khmer empire, there’s no better place to go looking for it than Ta Prohm, where fallen masonry and remnants of stone edifices are slowly being reclaimed by the surrounding vegetation.
The roots of giant kapok trees are knotted around and through the remaining walls, giving the whole temple the sense of a lost kingdom, and reminding visitors of the great age of all the Angkor monuments.
Exploring Ta Prohm gives you an idea of how it must have felt to stumble upon this ancient city after centuries of neglect.
3. Angkor Thom and the temple of Bayon
The history and significance of Angkor Thom can be detected as soon as you set off across the walkway leading into the enclosed city proper, which is flanked by 54 larger than life figures on each side.
Angkor Thom is a moated area with an enclosing wall of around seven kilometres which contains some fine carved bas-reliefs within the star attraction, Bayon.
The temple of Bayon is one of the most impressive sites within the whole of the ancient city of Angkor, with its imposing towers sporting huge carved faces that stare out over the surroundings.
4. Banteay Srei
A little further out from Siem Reap than the main temple circuit, Banteay Srei is worth the effort to get there, as you will discover its amazingly detailed decorative exterior, featuring elaborate pattern inspired by flowers and plants.
The whole temple is relatively small in size so it’s not going to keep you all day, yet the carvings are so mesmerising that you may end up spending longer here than you planned.
If you do have spare time after viewing the temple, head for nearby Kbal Spean, where yet more impressive carvings can be seen, this time chipped out of the rocks on the riverbed.
5. Preah Vihear
The temple requires a bit of perseverance to reach, as it is quite some distance from all the others, at around 150 kilometres from Siem Reap.
For a long time it was out of bounds due to ownership disputes, but it has recently reopened.
This sandstone temple is appealing for its remoteness and its lofty position high on an escarpment with views over the plains below.
Along with the ancient city of Angkor, Preah Vihear is one of Cambodia’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, listed to ensure the preservation of its exceptional carved stone ornamentation.
6. Roluos
Not far outside Siem Reap lies the so called Roluos group of temples, which are thought to be among the earliest of the Khmer Empire’s monuments.
There is a notable difference in the architectural style in this group compared to the main group of temples, mainly because of the use of bricks in the construction.
There are still some interesting carvings present on some of the temples, even though most of them are from the 9th century, making them over 1,000 years old. Preah Ko is the temple to head for to explore the best examples.