Explore Koh Ker

Koh Ker was the Cambodian capital for a brief period from 928 - 944 AD.  Similar to Angkor Thom, Koh Ker features many distinct temples and sites within its boundaries.

Koh Ker is located about 120 kms from Siem Reap, but thanks to new road construction, the journey only takes about two hours.  It's great to combine as a day trip with Beng Mealea. One thing to note, there is no public transportation so you'll need to hire a driver or a car to make the trip out.  You can also join an organized tour out of Siem Reap.  Due to its distant location from the tourist hub of Siem Reap, you can usually wander through most of these sites alone or with a fraction of the crowds at places like Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm.

Outside of the smaller crowds, there are a couple other reasons to make the trip out to Koh Ker.  First is that unlike many of the Siem Reap temples, Koh Ker was never modified to Buddhism from Hinduism thanks to its remote location. Second is that the jungle has overtaken many of these temples which makes for stunning photos.  My favorite two sites in Koh Ker are Prasat Pram and Prasat Thom.

This area has been recently cleared of land mines but they're still a risk if you walk off the paths.