Temples of Angkor and Banteay Srei - Full-Day Tour - Siem Reap - North

We will start the day by picking you up from your hotel at around 8:00 a.m. and travel with your small group to the most interesting temples outside Angkor Thom city. Our first stop will be at Pre Rup Hindu Temple, built as the state temple of Khmer King Rajendravarman and dedicated around 961 AD. It is a temple mountain of combined brick, laterite, and sandstone construction. Then, drive to the intricately-carved and well-preserved Banteay Srei. The detailed engravings on this small sandstone structure are regarded as the finest, most skillfully crafted in Cambodia. Banteay Srei has only been accessible since the late 1990s, when the Khmer Rouge left the area. End your tour at Angkor with lunch at the temple (not included) and a short rest.

On the way back, visit Neak Pean, a Buddhist temple, on a circular artificial island in Jayatataka Baray. Then, continue to Preah Khan temple, a ruined but highly atmospheric collection of tree roots and crumbling stone structures commissioned by the prolific temple builder Jayavarman VII in honor of his father. Preah Khan is currently being restored by the World Monument Fund and, in certain areas, is in remarkably good condition. While this may be a smaller site, this visit makes for an interesting contrast with the more imposing Angkor Wat. In the late afternoon, you’ll return to Siem Reap after a memorable day of exploration.

This tour is perfect if you like: History, archaeology, culture, ancient civilizations, and nature.