Time to explore the temples of Angkor Wat…

Although Angkor Wat is the main attraction, the archaeological park houses numerous more temples to explore in this huge and exciting complex. You could get lost for days here exploring all the temples. I only had 1 day so did Angkor Wat and Bayon Temple in the morning and then Ta Prohm and Ta Keo in the afternoon. If you have enough time I would recommend at least 2 full days exploring this fascinating area.

Ta Prohm: Have You Seen the Bum Tree?

Better known as the ‘Tomb Raider Temple’ as this is where Angelina Jolie filmed Lara Croft: Tomb Raider back in 2001. This of course has made Ta Prohm temple very popular but it’s still definitely worth a visit regardless of the crowds. The old temple ruins have been surrounded by roots from the trees, as the jungle makes an effort to reclaim its former wild status, capturing the crumbling rocks in its grasp.

My visit was during wet season and the afternoon rains had already started. It actually made this place even more atmospheric and I kinda felt (in a really geeky way) like I was on the movie set of Tomb Raider, exploring this remarkable temple barefooted on the slippery jungle floor. Our tour guide points out what he calls ‘the bum tree’, a tree that’s naturally formed into what looks like a naked bum, making us all giggle like primary school children. When I watched Tomb Raider back after seeing this, Angelina Jolie actually walks past with the bum tree in the background- look out for it!

Angkor Thom and Bayon

Angkor Thom, meaning ‘great city’ was the last capital of the Khmer Empire and houses the Bayon temple. It’s surrounded by a moat just like Angkor Wat. The entrance is fascinating enough, walking in via the south gate, each side is carved with stone figures that line the length of the path.

I make my way through the gate and onto the Bayon temple known as the ‘temple of faces’. This impressive complex has many faces carved into the walls at all angles, the eyes and glare of the statues following and holding your gaze. The more you look, the more faces you will see. This was a fun temple to explore.

Ta Keo Temple

One of Angkor’s oldest temples, Ta Keo has five levels and reaches over 70 feet in height. It doesn’t have much decoration or carvings, suggesting it may actually be unfinished. It’s known for it’s steep steps which allows tourists to climb.

I did prefer the other 2 temples but this was still worth a visit and interesting to climb to the top and see views of the surrounding areas -note- it WILL be slippery in rainy season! This large temple is noticeably different with the lack of intricate architecture like the other tempels, which gives a more ‘stripped back’ view of the Angkor structures.

What ever temple you choose to visit I can guarantee you will so much fun exploring these ancient ruins. Have you been to the Khmer temples? Which one was your favourite? Let me know below.

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