Things to do in  Siem Reap

Rising from the jungle outside Siem Reap as the star of the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Angkor Wat temple complex is a 12th-century engineering marvel. Amid the sweeping moats and dark but dreamy spires, look out for intricate carvings of nymphs dancing on columns in shadowy hallways, serpent-topped balustrades, and huge, chiseled bas-reliefs depicting Khmer Empire battles and scenes from Hindu epics.

The geographical and spiritual center of the ancient city of Angkor Thom, the Bayon is one of the crowning artistic achievements of the Khmer king Jayavarman VII. Around 200 giant faces look down from around 50 towers, while beautifully crafted reliefs depict everyday life in 12th-century Cambodia.

Small but perfectly formed, the delicately carved rose pink temple of Banteay Srei is a masterpiece of Angkorian art. The name means “Citadel of the Women,” likely because of its many carvings of “apsara” nymphs. First built in 967 AD, long before Angkor Wat or Angkor Thom, it’s about an hour’s drive from the main archaeological area.

The sprawling temple complex of Angkor Thom, an ancient Khmer capital formerly ringed by a crocodile-infested moat, surpasses the world-famous Angkor Wat in both size and scale. Each of the site’s five gates are heralded by avenues lined with 108 deities that represent good and evil, which provide spectacular photo opportunities before you even step inside.

Explored by Angelina Jolie in 2001’s Lara Croft:Tomb Raider, Ta Prohm is ubiquitously known as “the Tomb Raider temple.” A 12th-century Buddhist monastery and temple complex enmeshed in a web of towering tree roots, it’s one of Angkor’s—and Cambodia’s—signature sights and stands as an eerie symbol of the transience of human endeavor.

Topped by Bakheng—one of the earliest temples in the Angkor area—Phnom Bakheng (Bakheng Hill offers spectacular sunset views over Angkor Wat. Built around the year 900 AD, Bakheng temple ascends in five separate tiers, and its many towers reflect Hindu cosmology.

Located within the ancient walled city of Angkor Thom and part of the Angkor temples UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Terrace of the Elephants is renowned for its exquisite stone carvings. Built at the end of the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, the temple takes its name from the depictions of parading elephants that adorn the terrace walls.

Said to date back to the 12th century, Beng Mealea is a sandstone temple that replicates the design of the iconic Angkor Wat. The temple grounds are surrounded by a gigantic moat that was once entirely consumed by jungle; if you enter from the south side, you’ll find yourself amid haphazard sandstone blocks and creeping vines.

Phnom Kulen National Park, which sits north of the famous temples of Angkor Archeological Park, features Khmer landmarks in a gorgeous natural setting. Visit to see waterfalls streaming from a holy mountain, natural pools, the phallic carvings at Kbal Spean (the River of a Thousand Lingas), and a popular Buddhist shrine.

At the northern end of the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Preah Khan is among the park’s most striking temples. The evocative ruins of the temple, built by Jayavarman VII in the 12th century, lie tangled amid the roots of silk-cotton trees, its perimeter guarded by 72 stone garudas (mythological bird creatures).

Less visited than Siem Reap’s “big three” (Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm), Banteay Kdei is a 12th-century Buddhist monastery that lies conveniently close to Ta Prohm and Srah Srang. The towering trees that overgrow the site add atmosphere, while it’s easy to imagine ancient monks praying and sleeping in the tiny cells as you stroll.

Just north of the Terrace of the Elephants in the 800-year-old city of Angkor Thom, the Terrace of the Leper King takes its name from the statue that stands atop it. Around 20 feet (6 meters) high, the grand platform stands out for the detailed carvings on its exterior and interior walls: kings, princesses, spirits, sacred snakes, and more.

The tiny 12th-century Buddhist temple of Neak Pean (sometimes written Neak Poan or Neak Poun sits on a circular stone island in a square pool, framed by four more pools, all built on an island in the middle of a lake. The temple’s name means “entwined serpents.”

A favorite Angkor sunset spot, Pre Rup is a 3-tier mountain temple topped with five sanctuary towers. Built in 961 AD as a temple to the Hindu god Shiva, Pre Rup’s name means “turn the body,” and some believe it was used for cremations. Its warm brickwork and red laterite stone look beautiful at sunrise or sunset.

This great lake covering 1,000 square miles (2,600 square kilometers) is not only the largest body of fresh water in Southeast Asia, it’s also a UNESCO-designated biosphere due to its remarkable natural features. The flow of water in Tonlé Sap changes direction twice during the course of the year, expanding and contracting with the seasons.