4 Must-See Angkor Temples!

The Angkor Archaeological Park at Siem Reap in Cambodia is astonishingly full of ancient temples. The 400 square kilometres archaeological park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. The park is home to literally dozens of ancient temples in varied conditions, from complete ruin to well-conserved. We visited many of them during our stay in Siem Reap. Four of the temples stood out, each in its unique way. Angkor Wat is immense, Bayon is known for its carved faces, Ta Prohm is only semi-cleared of the jungle that encroached it, and Banteay Srei is small, intricate and beautiful. If you only visit four temples in Angkor, these are them!

1. Angkor Wat

The grandeur of this ancient temple is simply breathtaking. It is magnificent and awe-inspiring!! As we wandered around the immense temple and manicured grounds, we were constantly reminded of the tremendous feat of engineering that took place in the 12th century. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. It required 20,000 workers, 4000 elephants and around 40 years to complete. Surrounded by a 3.6km moat, it is – understandably – a source of national pride. You can not visit the Angkor Archeological Park without visiting the Angkor Wat Temple. It really is something to see.

2. Bayon (Angkor Thom)

This temple is well known for its tremendous stone faces and incredible bas-relief carvings. The massive carved heads each have four carved stone faces oriented to the cardinal points. They are one of the most recognisable images of the Cambodian temples and classic Khmer art. Don’t miss the extraordinary bas-relief carving, which depicts scenes of the real-life historical sea battle between the Khmer and the Cham, as well as everyday events such as market scenes, cockfighting and chess game.

3. Ta Prohm

This temple is where parts of the movie ‘Tomb Raider’ were filmed. Don’t miss visiting this exquisite temple. Ta Prohm is only partially cleared of jungle and only partially restored. Large piles of tumbled building blocks remain in situ, many covered in lush green moss. The greenness of this temple is part of its allurement. Many trees are still in place, growing on, over, or through the temple. If you want to get in touch with your inner Lara Croft or Indiana Jones, this is the temple to visit!

4. Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei, a small but exceptionally beautiful temple, was built in the late 10th century. Banteay Srei (or Srey as it is sometimes spelt) means Citadel of Women or Beauty. Many believe the name relates to the delicate and intricate beauty of the bas-relief carvings that adorn the builds and the small size of the temple itself. The temple is made from pink sandstone, and the entire temple is covered in the most beautiful carvings. It is a remarkable example of classical Khmer art. Banteay Srei is around 30km further out than most other temples, and it may cost more to get to, but if you like history and extraordinary architecture, don’t miss it!