Siem Reap Trip Overview
This guided tour in an A/C vehicle is designed as a combination of the temples along the Grand Circuit Road of Angkor with those in and near Angkor Thom. The highlights are th facetowers of Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom and the large temple compound of Preah Khan in the north of Angkor.
We hope to make a difference by adding two more temples to the itinerary that are less frequented by tourists, thereby allowing you to avoid the crowds.
Additional Info
* Duration: 8 hours
* Starts: Siem Reap, Cambodia
* Trip Category: Transfers & Ground Transport >> Private Drivers
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What to Expect When Visiting Siem Reap, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia
This guided tour in an A/C vehicle is designed as a combination of the temples along the Grand Circuit Road of Angkor with those in and near Angkor Thom. The highlights are th facetowers of Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom and the large temple compound of Preah Khan in the north of Angkor.
We hope to make a difference by adding two more temples to the itinerary that are less frequented by tourists, thereby allowing you to avoid the crowds.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Phnom Bakheng, Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap 17000 Cambodia
The first stop of your tour to Angkor Thom and along the Grand Circle is at Phnom Bakeng, the only natural hill in the archaeological Park of Angkor. On the top, you will enjoy the view to Angkor Wat in the east and the large artificial lake West Baray in the west and see a temple with 108 small towers. Actually, this temple on a tiered step pyramid was the first monument ever built in Angkor. King Yashovarman, by choosing Phnom Bakheng as the centre of his new royal city, made Angkor the Khmer capital for the first time.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Baksei Chamkrong, Angkor, Siem Reap Cambodia
Baksey Camkrong, a temple built in the 10th century, is not large but picturesque. The single tower atop a very steep stepped pyramid somewhat resembles Maya pyramids in Mesoamerica. If you like, you can find some hidden temples in a not too far distance on small hikes at the foot of Phnom Bakheng.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Angkor Thom South Gate, National Road #6 Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap 17252 Cambodia
This is the iconic gate with a face tower. You will have seen it on several images before coming to this place. Giant Buddha faces look into four direction. The South Gate is the best preserved of the 5 city gates of Angkor Thom. In particular, the railings at the bridge crossing the large moat of Angkor Thom are almost complete. They consists of rows of gods and giants carrying a rope to churn the mythical Ocean of Milk. This is a symbol of gaining trasures out of a fluid medium, an emblematic theme depicted on many works of art in Angkor.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom, Siem Reap Cambodia
The Bayon marks the very centre of Angkor Thom. Apart from Angor Wat, the Bayon is the most famous Khmer Temple. In contrast to most previous monuments such as Angkor Wat, the Bayon of Angkor Thom is a Buddhist sanctuary. The dozens of face towers crowning this temple are an ensemble of gigantic sculptures seen nowhere else in the world.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Baphuon Temple, Angkor Tom Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap 17252 Cambodia
The Baphuon temple gas been restored only recently. It earned the nickname of being the world’s largest jigsaw puzzle, because it had been completely collapsed and was reconstructed stone by stone. At the time of its construction in the 11th century, Baphuon was the largest stone pyramid temple in Asia. It’s remarkable for its stone carvings in particular, depicting animals and scenes from the two great Indian epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Phimeanakas, Angkor Wat Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap 17252 Cambodia
Phimeanakas is the smallest among the “mountain temples”, which were state temples built on artificial tiered hillocks. It formed a kind of temple chapel, as it is built within the complex of the former royal palace.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Preah Palilay, Angkor Thom, Siem Reap Cambodia
Preah Palilay is one of the few temples on an artificial mount that was not a state temple. Because it’s relief decoration in Thearavada Buddhist, it’s believed to be one of the latest temples ever built in Angkor. Preah Palilay is picturesque, because the pyramidical structure carries several large trees, some of which had to be cut as they threatened to destroy the stability of the entire structure.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Preah Pithu, Angkor, Siem Reap Cambodia
Though situated close to the central car park of Angkor Thom, the five small temples of Preah Pithu are not frequently visited on normal round tours, though they are quite charming and situated on small artificial islands surrounded by moats. They have carvings mainly of Hindu Hindu mythology, but the easternmost temple has Buddhist sculptural decoration.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Siem Reap 17259 Cambodia
The North Gate is wort a stop for a photo, though the railings of the causeway are not as well preserved as at the South Gate of Angkor Thom. However, the design of the front facing the city is better lit by the sunshine than at the South Gate, Three pillars at each site turn out to be trunks of the multi-headed mythical elephant Airavata.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Preah Khan, Angkor Wat Angkor Archaelogical Park, Siem Reap 17252 Cambodia
Preah Khan is breathtaking. It’s a lyabyrinthic temple compound of an enourmous size. More precisely, it was much more than a temple. It was an entire fortified city as large as the biggest contemporary cities in Europe. Preah Khan served as the capital of King Jayavarman VII before the even larger Angkor Thom was finalized.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: Banteay Prei, North side of the Grand Circuit between Neak Pean and Preah Khan, Siem Reap Cambodia
This medium-sized temple is one of the very few monuments in Angkor that is completely off the beaten path, allowing you a kind of “Indiana Jones feeling” undisturbed by the crowds. We include it as one of the two Extras of this tour. It’s not far away from the route of the Grand Tour but it’s a gravel road and an additional tour and many simply don’t know that it leads to such an exciting temple that would be considered to be a great attraction if located alone anywhere else far away from Angkor.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Neak Pean, Angkor Wat Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap 17252 Cambodia
Neak Pean is a special temple as it the central main Prasat is placed on an islan within a pond within a larger island within a lake. The symbolism of this temple is enteresting as it refers to the mythical four rivers having their source in Lake Anavatapta in the very centre of the world at Mount Kailash in the Himalayas. Reaching Neak Pean is an attraction in itself, as it requires a walk on a long wooden footbridge.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Krol Ko, Siem Reap Cambodia
Krol Ko is not far from the car park of Neak Pean. It’s not big and this is why most tourists don’t visit it. But it’s somewhat special due to the several pediments with quite large carvings which are now placed along the temple walls. This is why include Krol Ko as one of the two Extras of our version of the Grand Tour.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Ta Som, Angkor Archaeological Park, 17252 Cambodia
Ta Som is a medium-sized temple. It is from the same Buddhist period as Angkor Thom and Preah Khan and you see it, there are lots of Buddhist sculptures at this temple, they are in a quite good state of preservation. Remakably, most of them are Bodhisattvas and not Buddhas. Highlight of Ta Som for today’s visitors, however, is the exterior eastern gate which is completely overgrown by a large strangler fig, one of the most impressive photos to be taken in Cambodia.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Eastern Mebon, Angkor, Siem Reap Cambodia
A Mebon is a temple on an island in a lake. The former reservoir East Baray, the centre of which was marked by this temple island, has disappeared. It had been the first and for many centuries the most important tank of Angkor. The East Mebon is has five towers in quincunx order atop terraces arranged on three levels. In contrast to other step pyramids of this kind, it’s not very steep. East Mebon is most noteworthy for the immense number of excellent lintel carvings.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Pre Rup, National Road #6 Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap 17252 Cambodia
The last item on the itinerary is the temple mountain of Pre Rup, which is one of the favourits spots for enjoying the sunset. We will be there just in time to conclude the visiting program prior to sunset. Pre Rup is one of the most impressive step pyramids of Angkor, once again crowned by five towers in quincunx order. Chronolgically, it’s the second of the large royal state temples built in Angkor, the first one being Bakheng, the one you had visited first in the morning.
Duration: 20 minutes
