Svay Leu

Kbal Spean is located about 50 Kilometers from Siem Reap and takes about one hour to get there by Tuk Tuk. This location is a series of carved Lingams in a river bed deep in the the jungle. Kbal Spean is known as "River of Thousand Lingams." Lingams are a phallic representation sacred to Brahmanism as symbols of fertility. There are hundreds of these carved in the river bed in various areas alo...

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 transporta...

Halfway between the temple city of Angkor Thom and Koh Ker on the old imperial road lies Beng Melea. This is a perfect temple to visit after picking up passes from the park ticket office in Siem Reap. The best time to go is at the end of the day a few hours before closing when the crowds are fewest and the afternoon sun breaks through the jungle canopy in golden rays.Most hotels will connect yo...

Bantaey Srei was built in 967 A.D. primarily of sandstone. Bantaey Srei is the name the locals call the site now. Translated this means "City of Women" or Citadel of Women. It is called this because of the intricate carvings throughout the complex that are said could only be carved by the delicate hands of women. The temple was originally called Isvarapura and was dedicated to Shiva.From the pa...

Ta Som is located along the Grand Circuit road after passing Neak Pean and was built in the late 12 century. The interesting thing about Ta Som is that none of it has been restored, with the exception of clear undergrowth vegetation. Also, there is a gate tower at the entrance with four faces of Buddha, very similar to the gates at the entrance/exit to Angkor Thom.Through this entrance gate the...

East Mebon is a temple that was built in the 10th century. The unique thing about East Mebon is that it is actually built on an island. The island is in the middle of what was a man made reservoir called East Baray. The reservoir is now try so you have to use your imagine nation when exploring East Mebon, that it was completely surrounded by water.  The temple has three tiers and five towers on...

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.  Water fills the quadrants and steps all around Neak Pean lead into the water.  You can imagine t...

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 is very popular to watch the sunset. Many people go to the top to see the sun set on the horizon....

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 take a tuk tuk to the temple, they're cheap and do the job just fine. You can also hire a driver, ...