Joanna James
For those who love to explore historic temples and architecture of such temples, Siem Reap has a lot to offer. This city boasts a large group of temples that haven't been rebuilt and remains untouched in 100 years or more. Here's a list of the 5 must-visit temples of Siem Reap.
Travel about sixty-six kilometres from the city of Siem Reap to explore one of the greatest temples here, the Beng Mealea. This temple is located in a huge area of land that has been taken over by plants and trees. Some say that the sanctuary was built as an example and just left to be. Whatever the reason it may have been built for, you can't ignore the sheer brilliance of old age engineering and creative skills that went into building this temple. As the building hasn't been remodelled in hundreds of years, getting to some parts can be very tedious. In some places, you may need to get down on your knees and look through a few windows. There is a staircase that takes you through to main areas of the temple if you do not want to twist and turn and crawl through. If you're searching for a boutique hotel in Siem Reap for accommodation during your temple tripping experience, properties like Anantara Angkor Resort would be an apt choice to stay at.
After about one-hundred and twenty-four kilometres from the city of Siem Reap, you will find this temple. Koh Ker was named the capital city of the Khmer period for around sixteen years back in the days of the ruling. The huge pyramid and the surrounding grounds are usually skipped during explorations, as the temple is a long and hard place to look around, with over a hundred kilometres to cover in a short time. Having said that, the tiresome walk will definitely be worth it, once you see the magnificence it has to offer. Apart from Koh Ker, there are other beautiful temples and fascinating attractions you can visit around the area too.
The meaning of the name of this sanctuary is 'the citadel of the ladies'. It was named Banteay Srei because of the pink-hued sandstone the temple was built using. Inside it, you can see a display of the splendid works of art devoted to the Hindu God Shiva.
A journey of around one hundred and sixty kilometres will take you to the grand Sambor Prei Kuk, a peaceful old temple. Here you'll see architecture and works of art that suggest a strong connection to the Khmer domain. Do take a look at the Prasat Chrey, a dome that has been overridden by a tree which makes people think the entrance has you walking into a tree and not just the dome.
About ten kilometres from the main part of the city, you will be at Ta Nei. To get to the temple, you need to do a bit of climbing for a kilometre on a stony path. When you reach the temple, will see some great structures that were created and worked on during the ruling of King Jayavarman VII.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
