The Bakong Temple is the oldest sandstone mountain temple in the region. It is said to be inspired by the Borobudor temple in Java, and carries many elements inspired by the design.
Travel
Going to other places and doing things.
Preah Ko: Shiva’s Sacred Bull
Just to the east of Phnom Penh is Prasat Bakong, an area with three temples really close to each other. I thought this would be a good area to visit on my last day exploring temples.
Phnom Bok: Not My Namesake
As soon as I learned there was a temple called Phnom Bok, I knew I had to visit. How can I miss a temple that bears my own name?
Preah Khan: The City Temple
After leaving the healing waters of Neak Pean, there was time for one more temple before returning to Siam Reap. The next temple I went to has been left largely unrestored, but it is still impressive in scope.
Neak Pean: The Water Temple
Perhaps the most spectacular island temple in the area, this temple of healing is surrounded by a large moat that needs to be crossed by bridge before you can reach the inner shrine. This was certainly a highlight of my second day exploring Khmer temples near Siem Reap.
Ta Som: Temple of Solitude
Ta Som is a small island temple that has, like Ta Prohm, been overrun by nature. It’s one of the smaller temples I visited on my second day of exploring. As such, it was also one of the quietest temples in the area.
East Mebon: An Island No More
The second temple of the second day exploring temples, East Mebon is a smaller island temple north east of Angkor Thom. Though it is an island temple, the moat has since been filled, giving it a mildly different history to other island temples.
Pre Rup: The Funeral Temple
There are many temples around Siem Reap that you can visit without a tour guide, and with a 3-day pass I was wont to take advantage. So I spent a couple of days touring as many temples as I could, beginning with Pre Rup.
Angkor Wat Equinox Sunrise
One of the most beautiful sunrises you can see is at Angkor Wat during the equinox. The sun rises right over the central tower, perfectly aligned with the temple. This is, of course, no accident. The temple was build with this alignment in mind.
Siem Reap’s Outdoor War Museum
Apart from the ruins of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, Cambodia has a more recent history of Civil War. The Khmer Rouge were ultimately defeated after five years of fighting and around 600,000 casualties.