There are more than 40 accessible sites in the Angkor Wat area. The following selections highlight the most interesting as well as the most commonly visited. If you need help sorting through it all, here's some very rudimentary advice: You must visit the temples of Angkor Wat and the Bayon, or you haven't even been to Angkor. You should take in Banteay Srei, Ta Prohm and Preah Khan to appreciate the full range of the monuments. If you want to see 'what nobody else sees' then take the time to get to Kbal Spean and Beng Melea. There are few places to avoid, but Phnom Bakheng is probably one of them. So many tourists flock up the hill to watch the sunset that it's seriously degrading the few remains of the monument. For detailed advice, see my full page on planning your trip to Angkor.
Angkor Archaeological Park
A Brief History of the Khmer Empire
The fertile lands of Southeast Asia have been inhabited since Neolithic times. Around the first century AD, the area became a crossroads of trade between the sub-continent and China. The Indians greatly influenced all aspects of the local culture, introducing the great religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as the basis for the modern language. The first millennium saw the emergence of great city-states which began to evolve into kingdoms and empires. Among the greatest of these was the Srivijaya empire based in Java, which at its height held influence over most of Southeast Asia.
Around 790, a Khmer prince returned from a long stay at the court in Java - whether he was there as a guest or a captive isn't clear. This young man became a great warrior who managed to subdue several competing Khmer city-states and declared a unified 'Kambuja' under a single ruler. In 802, this prince declared himself King Jayavarman II in a ceremony on Kulen Mountain.
The first capital of the new empire was near the present-day town of Roluos, although there was a brief period around 802 when it was based in the Kulen Mountains. After his death, the next king, Indravarman III built one of the first major temples of Roluos, Preah Ko, in Jayavarman's honor. The next king, Yasovarman I, built the temple atop Phnom Bakheng, and moved his capital there in 893, creating the city of Yasodhara-pura. Except for a brief 20 year exception, the capital of the Khmer empire remained in the same area for the next 500 years.
Around 1177, the Chams (from present-day Vietnam) sailed up the Tonle Sap and attacked Angkor, sacking and occupying the city. They stayed on for four years, until the now legendary Jayavarman VII mounted a counter-attack and finally drove out the chams in 1181. Jayavarman VII was named king after he expelled the Chams. Unlike previous kings, he was Buddhist rather than Hindu, and made Mahayana Buddhism the state religion. He also undertook the most ambitious period of monument building that Angkor had ever seen. Hundreds of temples and other monuments were built during Jayavarman VII's 40 year reign, including the Bayon, in the middle of his new royal city, Angkor Thom, as well as the temples of Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and Banteay Kdei, but he didn't build Angkor Wat. The greatest of all the temples at Angkor was built by Jayavarman VII's predecessor, King Suryavarman II, earlier in the twelfth century.
This huge temple, by which most people know the whole complex, was built around 1150. It is now such a part of the national identity that it figures on the Cambodian flag.
Banteay Kdei was yet another temple built by the great King Jayavarman VII. It is similar in design to Ta Prohm although much smaller, and like Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei is largely un-restored.
When it was built, around 952, the East Mebon must have been quite impressive. The pyramidal structure consists of three concentric tiers crowned by five towers. It is a typical motif of many Angkor temples, which seek to represent Mount Meru, the location of the Hindu "heaven". It must have been highly symbolic, rowing a boat across the lake to one of the temple's four landings, then climbing up the tiers to pray at the shrines.
Neak Pean is perhaps the most unique temple in the Angkor complex. It was built in the second half of the 12th century as a sort of spiritual and physical hospital.
Pre Rup was built around 961, just a few years after the similarly designed East Mebon and located just to the south. The temple is built on a grander scale than the East Mebon, and is perhaps the best example of the temple-mountain style of structure.
Like Ta Prom, Preah Khan is still largely in the embrace of the jungle, but it is in the process of being restored. If you're interested in how this is done, you can see the process in progress at Preah Khan.
We recommend this late-11th century temple as the place to start. The unrestored complex is still overgrown by jungle and massive trees. It gives you an idea of the state most of the other temples were in when restoration started around 100 years ago.
This tiny temple was also built by Jayavarman VII around the end of the twelfth century. Although more or less unrestored the temple is still in very good shape, with some very fine details.
The Thommanon is a small temple just a short distance outside the eastern "Victory" gate to Angkor Thom. It is one of a pair of temples more or less identical in plan on opposite sides of the road.
Up on Kulen mountain, about 50 kilometers from Siem Reap, a natural stone bridge crosses one of the small streams that pour out onto the plain below. From this bridge, and for about 100 meters downstream, the ancient Khmers carved linga images into the exposed stone riverbed.
Before Angkor Wat was built, before the Khmer capital was was moved to the area around Phnom Bakeng, the center of the kingdom was located around the present-day village of Roluos.
For a break from viewing the temples, make a trip to this huge inland sea.
Getting Around
Many people mistakenly under-estimate the size of the temple complex of Angkor. Its not realistic to expect to walk between the temples. At the very least, you'll want a motorcycle. Given the size of the complex, a knowledgeable guide will greatly add to your experience of this huge city of temples and palaces. See the Getting Around page for more information.
Temple Pass
All visitors to the Angkor Archaeological Park must purchase an admission pass at the main entrance on the road from Siem Reap into the park. The pass must be shown to the temple guards (wearing blue shirts) at every temple within the park, as well as some of the outlying sites. The cost of the pass is US$37 for a one-day pass, US$62 for a three-day pass, and US$72 for a seven-day pass. They will take a photo of you at the entrance booth, which will be affixed to the entry pass. Note that as of October 2017, plans have been announced to allow you to pay the fee with a credit/debit card.
The monumental gateway to the Angkor Thom complex. Angkor Thom is a large moated royal city, measuring three kilometers on a side. The complex was actually the last capital of the ancient Khmer kingdom, built by the great King Jayavarman VII around the turn of the 13th century. Within its walls were the royal palace and residences for all the king's family, generals and priests. At the very center is the state temple, the enigmatic Bayon.
The "mother of all temples" - Angkor Wat. No photograph can quite capture the immensity of this monument (which may be a tomb as well as a temple.) Some of the apparent grandeur of the complex is due to clever perspective. The tip of the central tower is only 65 meters high, although its peak is more than 200 meters above the ground. However, many of the other statistics of the temple are still quite impressive.
Entrance tower to the Bakong Bakong is the most impressive temple of the Roluos Group, and effectively the first temple mountain of Khmer art. It was started around the year 881 and also marks one of the earliest uses of stone instead of brick for the main structures. Like the temples that followed it for much of the next 400 years, the Bakong consists of a moat enclosing an east-facing rectangular complex, at the center of which is a multi-tiered central sanctuary.
Baksei Chamkrong The small Hindu temple of Baksei Chamkrong is located at the base of Phnom Bakheng, between the mountain and the outer moat of Angkor Thom. The temple was built in 968 AD and is dedicated to the god Shiva.
The name Baksei Chamkrong means “The Bird Who Shelters Under Its Wings” and comes from a legend. In it, the king tried to flee Angkor during a siege when a huge bird landed and sheltered him under its wings.
View across the moat to the inner sanctuary of Banteay Kdei Banteay Kdei was yet another temple built by the great King Jayavarman VII. It is similar in design to Ta Prohm although much smaller, and like Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei is largely un-restored. Much of it is in a bad state of repair, since it was constructed from a poor quality of sandstone.
The temple was apparently built over the remains of an older temple, and was considerably altered over time.
The Angkor Wat era temple of Banteay Samre lies just outside the eastern wall of the eastern baray. It's a bit out of the way, but worth it for some impressive architecture, which you might have all to yourself. Access is usually from the main road on the north side of the complex.
The temple of Banteay Samre The complex is fairly complete, except for the usual missing decorations. It is all on one level, with an outer and inner wall, each with a gallery.
This little jewel is located about 25 kilometers from the main complex around Angkor Wat. Built in the 10th century, it is quite small compared to the big temples of Angkor and is constructed with a pinkish sandstone instead of the gray stone used for the big temples. More importantly, the stone is finely carved to a highly intricate level of detail. So much so that the name, which translates "citadel of the women", is assumed to mean the carvings were produced by women rather than men.
Overgrown ruins of one of the ‘libraries’ of Beng Melea The remote temple of Beng Melea has only recently been opened and feasible for tourists to visit. The rather large temple was built just before Angkor Wat, by the same king. The temple is completely un-restored, and only minimal clearing work has been done. Other than some stabilization and the installation of walkways in some places to make it easier to get around, the temple is much as it would have been when westerners first visited it early in the twentieth century.
View through the enclosure wall to the central sanctuary of the East Mebon. You need to use quite a bit of imagination when visiting the East Mebon temple. It's not that the temple is badly ruined. The imagination is needed to think of the temple as it originally existed, as an island in the middle of a large artificial lake, the Eastern Baray.
When it was built, around 952, the East Mebon must have been quite impressive.
Up on Kulen mountain, about 50 kilometers from Siem Reap, a natural stone bridge crosses one of the small streams that pour out onto the plain below. From this bridge, and for about 100 meters downstream, the ancient Khmers carved linga images into the exposed stone riverbed. The linga is a simple phallic shape, the symbol of the god Shiva and his powers of creation. There are reportedly around 1,000 images in all.
The circular stone wall of Krol Romeas Generally, stone was only used in the construction of temples and other religious structures at Angkor. Other buildings, including palaces, were made of wood. This makes Krol Romeas unique among the ruins of the ancient city. It's clearly not a temple. A few people argue that the stone ellipse was a baray, or pond, but that seems very unlikely. The walls are too thick for such a small pond, and there appears to have been an inner wall which wouldn't make any sense for a water pool.
The central sanctuary of Neak Pean, when the pool was dry. Neak Pean is perhaps the most unique temple in the Angkor complex. It was built in the second half of the 12th century as part of a complex that includes Preah Khan. In fact, it sat in the middle of a large baray (reservoir) immediately east of the Preah Khan temple, and could only be reached by boat.
The remains of the temple atop Phnom Bakheng, as seen from the top of Angkor Wat. Phnom Bakheng was one of the first temples built at the Angkor Wat complex, when King Yasovarman moved the Khmer capital from Roluos around the year 890. Unlike the later stone mountains at Angkor, Phnom Bakheng is a natural hill. It stood in the exact center of Yasovarman's new city, which was even larger than Angkor Thom, which was built much later.
Prasat Bei This tiny temple consists of three towers sitting on a platform. According to archaeologists, the temple was never actually completed. Prasat Bei lies between Baksei Chamkrong and the moat of Angkor Thom.
Prasat Kravan seems rather uninteresting at first glance. The tenth century monument consists of five towers set on a single stone platform, and surrounded by a moat, which is usually dry except in the rainy season. The temple's really interesting part is hidden inside the main sanctuary.
Reliefs on the interior of the main sanctuary of Prasat Kravan The walls within the central tower are covered with well preserved bas-reliefs depicting the god Vishnu in various poses.
Pre Rup temple in the light of sunset. Pre Rup was built around 961, just a few years after the similarly designed East Mebon and located just to the south. The temple is built on a grander scale than the East Mebon, and is perhaps the best example of the temple-mountain style of structure. It's now believed to have been the state temple of king Rajendravarman II.
Pre Rup is roughly square in plan.
Not far outside the royal city of Angkor Thom is the large monastic complex of Preah Khan. Like Ta Prom, this temple is still mostly in the embrace of the jungle with many collapsed sections, but it is in the process of being stabilized, although the decision has been made not to fully restore it.
The eastern gateway with one of the overgrown trees. Preah Khan was built around 1191 by the great King Jayavarman VII.
The central sanctuary platform of Preah Ko. Preah Ko is the earliest temple still existing of the Roluos group, one of the first seats of the Khmer empire. The structure was built by king Indravarman I as a funerary temple for the king's parents, maternal grandparent and king Jayavarman II.
The central sanctuary consists of six towers of various sizes rising from a relatively low stone base. Although much smaller, the basic structure is highly reminiscent of the Hindu temple complex of central Java, the Prambanan.
Before Angkor Wat was built, before the Khmer capital was was moved to the area around Phnom Bakeng, the center of the kingdom was located around the present-day village of Roluos, about 12 kilometers (7 1/2 miles) from Seam Reap. A small group of three temples marks the site of the old capital, Hariharalaya. The temples were all built some time in the ninth century, not long before the capital was moved to around Angkor.
Ta Keo stands just a short distance from the eastern "Victory" Gate of Angkor Thom. The temple is one of the great temple-mountains of Angkor, but it seems to be well off the main tourist trail, perhaps because it was never finished.
The temple of Ta Keo A causeway stretches out to the east, from the grander eastern gate. The temple, almost square in plan, rises up on three major levels or tiers.
One of the many trees that grows over Ta Prohm temple. This temple had been left more or less as it was found, with an overgrowth of jungle and portions tumbled down, but restoration work funded by the government of India began in 2006. It gives you some idea of what the first westerners found when they began exploring the area in the late 19th century. This is a huge temple, one of the largest single complexes in the Angkor group.
The tree-shrouded eastern entrance to the inner sanctuary. This tiny temple was also built by Jayavarman VII around the end of the twelfth century. Although more or less un-restored the temple is still in very good shape, with some very fine details. Of course, the most photographed feature is the large banyan tree which has entangled the eastern gateway.
Entry and exit through the temple is usually through the western gateway, which has four heads at the top, similar to the gates at Ta Prohm, and smaller versions of the gates to Angkor Thom.
The Thommanon is a small temple just a short distance outside the eastern "Victory" gate to Angkor Thom. It is one of a pair of temples more or less identical in plan on opposite sides of the road. The temple on the south of the road is Chau Say Tevoda, which although more 'complete' in plan, is much more deteriorated.
The temple of Thommanon Although the Thommanon was once enclosed in a boundary wall, only the foundations of it remains.
A visit to this huge inland sea is a great way to cool off after several days of temple touring. Although enormous in area, most of the lake is very shallow, so much so that there are many villages built on stilts out in the open waters. Its just a short drive from Seam Reap to the shores of Tonle Sap, where you can rent a boat to take you out on a tour of one of the villages.
The West Mebon of Angkor Wat The Western Baray is the largest of the man-made lakes at Angkor. Although it's not known exactly when the lake was built, the temple in its center called the West Mebon appears to date from the 11th century.
The Mebon temple is reached by boat from the south dike of the Baray. Depending on the water level, you can walk around the Mebon to see the fallen stones.
One of the challenges to understanding Angkor is that there very few written accounts of the empire at its peak. There are some court records and inscriptions, which help to place things in historical context, but there's very little about the daily life of the city, the court, or the people themselves. Of the few accounts that have come down to us, perhaps the most complete is the memoirs of the Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan.
