Cambodia

The Angkor temples are one of the most magical and unbelievable temples I have seen.

Here are some fun facts to spike your interest:

Angkor Wat extends over 400 square kilometers and consists of more than 1000 temples.
From the 9th to 15th century, Angkor was the center of the Khmer Kingdom.
During the course of the 15th century, nearly all of Angkor was abandoned, except for the temple Angkor Wat, which remained a Buddhist shrine.

The Angkor temples complex is extremely large and you need at least 2 days to see the most popular temples. To make the most of our time there, we purchased a 2-day tour with a private car and guide, which we absolutely loved. Our tour included an A/C vehicle, parking fees & tolls, English speaking guide, cold water and cold towels to help with the heat. It was an exceptional tour and we highly recommend it.

You can get more information on personalized tours here.

Sam, our guide, was incredibly knowledgeable, flexible and patient, everything you need when you’re in a foreign country. We highly recommend him. You can find his contact information here: Sam Sophea Samsophea21@gmail.com www.angkorguidesam.com — Sam, our guide, was incredibly knowledgeable, flexible and patient, everything you need when you’re in a foreign country. We highly recommend him. You can find his contact information here:

Sam Sophea
Samsophea21@gmail.com
www.angkorguidesam.com

Day 1 – We started off at Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world built between 1113 and 1150 that only took 35 years to build. It’s highly recommended to visit it during sunrise so you can appreciate the beauty of the sun reflected on the lake that’s located in-front of the temple.

Inside Angkor Wat where the holy pools where located.

After spending a couple of hours wondering around Angkor Wat, we visited the nearby temples.

Ta Prohm - Known more commonly as the 'Tomb Raider Temple,' this spot has become a favorite among tourists. The fact that Ta Prohm, untouched by archaeologists, has been almost entirely taken over by nature is part of its charm. It serves as a powerful reminder that while empires rise and fall, the riotous power of nature marches on, oblivious to the dramas of human history. Ta Prohm is the modern name of the temple at Angkor, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara. Click here for Source.

Ta Nei - it’s located off-road, deeply in the jungle and is quiet and peaceful) - Ta Nei is a late 12th century stone temple in Angkor. Built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, it is near the northwest corner of the East Baray, a large holy reservoir that was dedicated to the Buddha. Click here for source.

Ta Keo - One of the tallest monuments of Angkor, the Ta Keo is a mountain temple build by Jayavarman V. One of the largest and oldest temples of Angkor, built entirely of sandstone. Source

Banteay Kdei - meaning "A Citadel of Chambers”, is also known as "Citadel of Monks' cells”. The temple is a Buddhist temple in Angkor, Cambodia. It is located southeast of Ta Prohm and east of Angkor Thom. Built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries AD during the reign of Jayavarman VII (who was posthumously given the title "Maha paramasangata pada"), it is in the Bayon architectural style, similar in plan to Ta Prohm and Preah Khan, but less complex and smaller. Its structures are contained within two successive enclosure walls, and consist of two concentric galleries from which emerge towers, preceded to the east by a cloister.

This Buddhist monastic complex is currently dilapidated due to faulty construction and poor quality of sandstone used in its buildings, and is now undergoing renovation. Banteay Kdei had been occupied by monks at various intervals over the centuries until the 1960s. Source

Banteay Kdei - I found Alex’s double in Cambodia

South Gate - The South Gate is one of the 5 gates which guard the ancient city of Angkor Thom and is the best preserved of all the gates. It was built by King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th Century, serving as 1 of the 5 holy Buddhist gateways to Angkor Thom. Some of the initial heads from the 'naga avenue' are now kept in Angkor conservation museum. Source

Angkor Thom was known as the big walled city and the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late twelfth century by King Jayavarman VII.

The three headed elephant at Angkor Thom

Bayon the state temple and the temple mountain of the Buddhist King, located exactly at the middle of Angkor Thom. 'The Temple of Many Faces' is an interesting one to include in your day. Built in dedication to the Buddha in the 12th century, it has withstood time very well. It's only a short distance from Angkor Wat and a little less crowded.

Baphuon - The tallest pyramidal temple to climb where you can get a view of the city from the top. It was built in the mid-11th century, it is a three-tiered temple mountain built as the state temple of Udayadityavarman II dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. Source

Royal Palace - Visit the enclosure wall of the Royal Palace and visit the temple inside called Phimeanakas Temple, which are all Part of Angkor Thom. There is a steep staircase to climb to the top as well.

The Elephant and Leper King Terraces - near the Royal Palace

Chao Say Tevoda is just east of Angkor Thom, directly south of Thommanon across the Victory Way. Built in the mid-12th century, it is a Hindu temple in the Angkor Wat period. It is dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu with unique types of female sculptures of devatas enshrined in it. Source

Thommanon is just north of Chau Say Tevoda, Thommanon borrows many features from Angkor Wat and was dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. The small temple is in good condition thanks to extensive work undertaken by the EFEO in the 1960s. Source

Day 2 - In our second day we began at Preah Khan. It’s one of the most fascinating in the Angkor temple complex. Preah Khan literally translates to ‘Sacred Sword’. In keeping with the name, this temple is littered with phallic symbols everywhere – lingas, giant serpents at both east and west entrance, and garudas holding ‘nagas’ (snakes). Its majestic statues have been vandalized and disfigured over the years by various religious sects. It was built in the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII to honor his father. It is located northeast of Angkor Thom and just west of the Jayatataka baray, with which it was associated. It was the center of a substantial organization with almost 100,000 officials and servants.

Banteay Srei, also called Lady Temple is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25 km north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom.

East Mebon - This temple is literally falling apart. Restoration work is in full swing here but the obstruction cannot dampen the sheer beauty of this temple. This massive three-tiered temple is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. It is laden with intricate carvings and sculptures of guardian elephants and lions at gateways. It is easy to spend hours at East Mebon and not get bored. The East Mebon is a 10th Century temple at Angkor. It was built during the reign of King Rajendravarman, it stands on what was an artificial island at the center of the now dry East Baray reservoir.

Here’s a quick recap on how we spent our days visiting temples. If you would like full details on our 4 day trip in Cambodia, including our days spent in Siem Reap, please contact me here.

Day 1

Angkor Wat
Ta Prohm
Ta Nei
Ta Keo
Banteay Kdei
South Gate at Angkor Thom
Angkor Thom
Bayon
Baphuon
Royal Palace and the Elephant and Leper Terraces
Chao Say Tevoda
Thommanon

Day 2

Preah Khan
Banteay Srei
East Mebon

To find out more information on Siem Reap and the many other things the city offers, click here.

If you loved this post, you will also love reading about the temples in Egypt, click her e.

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