Krong Siem Reap

You'll want to leave your hotel or hostel in Siem Reap by 5am at the latest. Don't bother pre-arranging transportation, there will be tuk tuk drivers roaming the streets looking for people headed to the temple. If you haven't bought your Angkor Wat pass yet, I'd recommend leaving even earlier. The l...

Chances are the droves of tourist in Angkor will be trying to photograph sunrise at Angkor Wat . Use this to your advantage and shoot this temple first. It's best to be there no later than 7am. The light is gorgeous then and you'll be able to get every shot you want with nobody in your way. You can ...

Bayon Temple was built in the 12 century and about 100 years after Angkor Wat. Bayon is in the exact center of Angkor Thom. It is famous for over 200 stone Buddha faces that highlight the magnificence of Bayon. In Bayon's current state, it has 37 towers. Each tower has four faces point in four direc...

This is probably my favorite of all the Angkor temples. Ta Prohm is also referred to as Temple of the Jungle. Much has been untouched by Archeologist other than to clear paths through the ruins. Ta Prohm was built in the late 12 century. It is a fairly large complex of towers and corridors linking c...

I haven't seen this trail really called anything. The explorer in me likes to check out paths less taken. This is truly one of them. It could be that few people know it even exists. Most, probably have a limited time to visit all that Angkor Archeological Park has to offer, so don't seek out a trail...

Angkor Wat was constructed in the 12th century during the golden years of the Khmer Empire. King Suryavarman II built the Hindu temple to the God Vishnu. The central tower and courtyard represent Mount Meru, home of the gods, which for centuries could only be seen by the elite priests. Centuries lat...

The Elephant Terrace is part of the Royal Palace complex serving as part of the east wall. The wall is located just north of Bayon and serves as an elevated path that connects the Leper King Terrace and the entrances to Baphuon Temple and Phimeanakas Temple. It is said that the Elephant Terrace is w...

Of course the main attraction at Preah Khan is the temples and sanctuary's. There is amazing detail and numerous rooms to explore. They are beautiful and so much to see. But looking at the complex from the "outside" so to speak, gives a different perspective and great experience of this amazing temp...

This little carving has become quite popular in recent years. Some think it is evidence that dinosaurs existed during human times. Being that Ta Prohm was constructed around the 12 century, they hardly had the technology to determine what a Stegosaurus looked like even if they unearthed some dinosau...

Baksei Cham Krong means, The bird that shelters under its wings. The legend is that during an attack on Angkor, the king was sheltered by a large bird that spread it's wings and saved the king. Baksei Cham Krong is only one temple. It is constructed out of different materials from what you see at An...

Phnom Bakheng Temple is refer to as a "temple mountain." The complex was constructed atop one of the highest points in Angkor in the 9th century, almost two centuries before Angkor Wat. It was built to resemble Mount Meru, a mythical mountain where Hindu gods live. This temple has a very long approa...

This temple is of the "Mountain" style, meaning, it is built upward and is relatively a square layout. It has an outer wall and three tiers. The top tier has 5 towers, one tower at each corner and then one tower in the center.There are several other smaller towers around the complex as well. Pre Rup...

Phimeanakas is found within the walls of the Royal Palace. Directly north through the palace walls from Baphuon Temple. Phimeanakas is a three tiered temple constructed in the 10th century. The original structure had a tower on top. Legend states that a serpent spirit with 9 heads lived in the tower...

Banteay Kdei complex is located southeast of Ta Prohm and typically visited as part of the small circuit through Angkor. It is best for your Tuk Tuk driver to drop you off at the west end of the temple and wait for you at the east end of the temple. This way you can make your way through the temple ...

Neak Pean is not a temple. It was constructed as a place of healing. It was believed that soaking in the waters at Neak Pean would balance the individual and therefore cure their illnesses. The center tower is round but the water is divided into 4 quadrants representing Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. ...

Baphuon is situated just northwest of Bayon Temple. It was built in the 11th century and was initially a Hindu temple but by the 15th century it was converted into a Buddhist temple. Baphuon was built upon a sand base. Because of this, it suffered many collapses over the hundreds of years. A major r...