Explore Angkor temples, Bakong temple, Tonle Sap Lake, Floating Village and City Tours

Preah Ko - The Shiva-temple Preah Ko (“Sacred Bull”) in Angkor’s predecessor capital Hariharalaya - now known as Roluos - is situated between the similar Lolei temple and the pyramidal Bakong structure. It is the first ancestor temple of the Khmer empire. Preah Ko was consecrated in 879, likely serving as a royal chapel next to the king’s palace. The residential area was encircled by a moat measuring 500 m in length and 400 m in width. The palace buildings, made of wood, have disappeared over time, leaving only the stone structures of the temple. Preah Ko is renowned for its exquisite decoration, which inspired later Angkor stone carving styles. Its carved colonettes are particularly noted for their unmatched quality.

Bakong Temples - Built under the orders of Indravarman I and consecrated in 881, the Bakong temple is historically significant as it became a prototype for the typical Khmer temple pyramid, also known as a temple-mountain or step-pyramid. Bakong served as the state or imperial temple of its time, dedicated to the king’s Shiva-Lingam. Jayavarman II, in the early 9th century, is considered the founder of the emerging Angkor empire, now called “Kambuja-Desa” or “Kambu’s descendants’ Land.” Indravarman I (877-889) is the first Khmer king of the Angkor era whose achievements are well-documented, including architectural masterpieces like Bakong and Preah Ko.

Lolei - Lolei, located a few hundred meters north of the A6 main road in Roluos, is the youngest and smallest of the three main Roluos temples. Though less photogenic than Preah Ko, Lolei has a remarkable historical background. Consecrated in 893 by Yashovarman I (889-910), who moved the capital from Hariharalaya (present-day Roluos) to a new 16 square kilometer fortified city called Yashodharapura. This city, which included the area of the later Angkor Wat, was the first metropolis and capital in what we now call Angkor. Yashovarman, who built the Lolei temple in memory of his father, Roluos-king Indravarman I, is considered the founder of the most famous ancient Khmer capital, Angkor. His state temple was the Bakheng in Angkor, and he also constructed the East Baray.

Kampong Phluk Floating Village - This community lives on floating villages on the Tonle Sap lake. These people have resided in Cambodia for 3-4 generations. Once living comfortably, they suffered heavy losses during the Khmer Rouge, with many being killed.

Wat Bo Temple - One of the town’s oldest temples, Wat Bo houses a collection of well-preserved wall paintings from the late 19th century.

SATCHA - សច្ - Cambodian Handicrafts Incubation Center - We act boldly and authentically to give Cambodian handicrafts a new dimension. Our goal is to create the first Cambodian handicraft center that incubates local artisans, blending traditional knowledge with contemporary design to showcase Cambodian talents to local and international visitors. We aim to transmit these skills over time while having a sustainable social, economic, and environmental impact.

Tonle Sap Lake - Tonle Sap is one of the world’s most productive fishing lakes, supporting over three million people and providing more than 75 percent of Cambodia’s annual inland fish catch and 60 percent of the population’s protein intake. Its fish species richness and productivity rank fourth in the world.

Angkor Wat Sunrise and explore Angkor Thom Complex, Bayon and Ta Promh

Angkor Wat - Rise early to witness the sunrise at Angkor Wat, then return to the hotel for breakfast. Angkor Wat is Cambodia’s national emblem and a source of pride for the Khmer people. Its silhouette of five towers - or three from a frontal view - is as iconic as the pyramids of Giza or the Taj Mahal. Angkor Wat is the largest historical temple monument in the world, with the central tower rising 65 meters from ground level. Originally, all nine - not just the central five - great pinnacles were plated with gold. The temple-pyramid platform measures 332 meters in length and 258 meters in width. Its enclosure has an outer temple wall that is 1025 meters long and 800 meters wide, surrounded by a moat measuring 1500 meters by 1300 meters. Angkor Wat is not only enormous in size but also a masterpiece of architectural design, craftsmanship, and sculptural decoration.

Angkor Thom South Gate - The South Gate is the most famous city gate and a symbol of Angkor Thom. Every visitor to Angkor will see it, as the only road from Angkor Wat to the Bayon crosses Angkor Thom’s South Gate. Visitors often stop here to see Angkor’s most extensive collection of giant sculptures. Many tourists start an elephant ride here, either through the South Gate to the Bayon temple or to the top of the nearby hill Phnom Bakheng. The causeway of the South Gate can be crowded, particularly between 9.00 and 10.00 am. In the evening, an hour or two after sunset, the South Gate is closed.

Bayon Temple - Built around 1200 A.D. in the center of Angkor Thom, the Bayon is the second most popular monument in Angkor, after Angkor Wat. It is famous for its numerous enigmatic “stone faces.” The original total number of face towers is still debated, but there were likely about 50 towers and 200 colossal faces at the Bayon. Now, 37 standing towers remain, most with four Buddha faces oriented toward the cardinal points. These are raised on the cruciform terrace surrounding the central tower, which is a rare circular structure in Angkor. The central tower rises 43 meters above the ground. Apart from the face-towers, the large-scale carvings at the gallery walls are another major attraction at the Bayon.

Baphuon Temple - Completed around 1060 by King Udayadityavarman II near the Royal Palace, the Baphuon served as his state temple. Dedicated to Shiva, it housed a Lingam in the central shrine atop the pyramid. In its time, the Baphuon was Asia’s largest stone temple. The central tower collapsed after a few centuries, and its stones were reused in the 15th or 16th century to build a 9-meter tall and 70-meter long reclining Buddha on the west facade. In the late 13th century, the Chinese envoy Zhou Daguan called it “the Tower of Bronze,” and it was approximately 50 meters tall. Now it stands at 34 meters.

Phimeanakas - Started by King Rajendravarman II (944-69) and altered by subsequent kings, particularly Suryavarman I (1006-1050), Phimeanakas is mainly a laterite structure with some sandstone elements. It has few carvings, but the axial stairways on all four sides are flanked by guardian lions. Elephants once stood at the corners of the tiers, but most are broken. The stairways are extremely steep, with a wooden stairway added for visitors on the west side. At the top are small sandstone galleries and remains of an elevated sanctuary, likely later additions. An inscription on a door jamb was reused from an older temple of a minister of Yashovarman I, the founder of Angkor.

Terrace of the Elephants - The Elephant Terrace, or Terrace of the Elephants, is an ancient wall and platform forming most of the western edge of the Royal Square of Angkor Thom. This square, located a few hundred meters north of the Bayon temple, was the city’s secular core, used for parades and festivals. The Elephant Terrace separates this square from the Royal Palace compound, serving as a high entrance platform. The Victory Avenue from the Victory Gate ends in front of the Elephant Terrace, likely serving as the Royal audience hall where the king and his court watched public events and presented themselves to the people. The terrace once had pavilions made of perishable materials, with remains of painted lead tiles found nearby.

Terrace of the Leper King - Located immediately north of the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King is in the northwest corner of the Royal Square of Angkor Thom. It is worth seeing for its ornate open-air wall with deeply carved reliefs depicting gods, demons, Garuda half-birds, multi-headed Naga serpents, and other mythical beings, many of them female. The 6-meter high and 25-meter long terrace is named for the kneeling statue on top. Four more statues of guardians surround the central statue, carrying swords and wearing ornate but headless costumes. The larger central “Leper King” statue is naked but without genitals, with long hair and a mustache. It once carried a mace on its right shoulder and is in an uncommon kneeling position with the right knee raised.

Ta Prohm - Located three kilometers northwest of Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm is famous as Angkor’s “jungle temple.” If you have only a few hours to spend in Angkor, this large monument with many stone-strangling trees is one of the three must-sees in Cambodia, along with Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom’s Buddhist face towers. Early French archaeologists intentionally left it partially unrestored, allowing enormous strangler figs (Ficus gibbosa) and even larger Thitpok trees (Tetrameles nudiflora) to grow from the towers and halls. This combination of art and vegetation makes Ta Prohm an unforgettable icon of architecture reclaimed by nature. Visiting in the early morning before the first bus groups arrive is recommended.

Banteay Kdei - Banteay Kdei is the first large temple built by Jayavarman VII (1181-1218?), the Buddhist ruler who left nearly as many monuments as all his Hindu predecessors combined. Most of Jayavarman’s constructions are at ground level, without pyramids or upper levels. Contemporary flat temples include Banteay Kdei, the nearby “jungle temple” Ta Prohm, the huge Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Krol Ko, Ta Som, Banteay Thom, and countless smaller structures like the Chapel of the Hospital. Jayavarman VII’s state temple Bayon in his new capital Angkor Wat is his only tiered structure.

Ta Nei Temple - Ta Nei is a late 12th-century stone temple in Angkor, Cambodia. Built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, it is near the northwest corner of the East Baray, a large holy reservoir. It was dedicated to the Buddha.

Discover Banteay Srei, Angkor Grand Circle with watch sunset at Phnom Bakeng temple

Banteay Srei Temple - When asked about the most beautiful temple in Cambodia, most visitors will say Angkor Wat was great, but they loved Banteay Srei the most. Cambodians will tell you that you haven’t truly seen Cambodia until you’ve seen Banteay Srei. This temple is a top contender for the title of the world’s most beautiful temple. Banteay Srei is renowned for its abundance of carvings and the perfect harmony of architectural and sculptural art. Unlike Indian masterpieces, Banteay Srei is not overly ornate. Its design is discreet and delightful rather than imposing. Most visitors are surprised by how small Banteay Srei is.

Banteay Samre - Banteay Samré is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, located 400 meters east of the East Baray. Built during the reign of Suryavarman II and Yasovarman II in the early 12th century, it is a Hindu temple in the Angkor Wat style.

Prasat Preah Khan - In 1191, Preah Khan was dedicated to Jayavarman VII’s father, with the central statue called “Jayavarmeshvara,” meaning “Jayavarman, Lord of the world.” Jayavarman’s father was worshipped as a personification of the universal Bodhisattva of compassion and loving care, Avalokiteshvara, while the five-year-older temple Ta Prohm was dedicated to his mother as Prajnaparamita, the female embodiment of perfect wisdom. Care and knowledge are the central terms in the salvation doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism, which Jayavarman VII introduced as the new official cult of the Khmer empire, without suppressing the former Hindu beliefs. Temples for Vishnu to the west and Shiva to the north accompany the central Avalokiteshvara shrine, integral parts of Preah Khan’s layout from the beginning.

Neak Pean - Neak Pean is unique in Khmer architecture. It was a temple on an artificial island of 350 m diameter in the huge Baray. Unlike other Mebons, the well-known island temples in the center of other reservoirs, Neak Pean has a round platform for the temple proper and a series of ponds arranged in a concentric Mandala structure. The central circular temple platform, resembling a lotus bud, is an island within the island, surrounded by a square pond measuring 72 m. This larger pond sits at the axis of a cross of four more square ponds in the cardinal directions, each 24 m by 24 m. Originally, the five ponds were surrounded by eight more square pools in a lotus pattern.

Pre Rup - Founded in 961, Pre Rup is the most significant legacy of Rajendravarman II (941-968), one of the “big names” among Angkor kings. After empire-founder Jayavarman II, Roluos-founder Indravarman I, and Angkor-founder Yashovarman I, King Rajendravarman II is regarded as the “Angkor-restorer,” as he decided to return the capital to Angkor after a period of political turmoil and dominance of Koh Ker, where Jayavarman IV had resided. Rajendravarman built his monuments east of the first Angkor capital, Yashodharapura, founded by Yashovarman I, near the East Baray, a large man-made lake. He erected the East Mebon on an island near the center of this lake, which is now dry, and a decade later built the more massive Pre Rup, likely in the center of his new capital.

Phnom Bakheng - Phnom Bakheng is a pyramid-shaped temple with 7 levels, symbolizing the sacred Mount Meru and the 7 Hindu heavens. 108 towers were arranged on the ground and upper levels of the temple, symbolizing the 4 lunar phases of each 27-day cycle.

• Private cruise tours to visit floating village at Tonle Sap lake
• Drink water and cool fresh towel for the whole trip
• Professional English speaking licensed tour guide
• All transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle as per itinerary
• Private hotel pick up and drop off (provide hotel name in Siem Reap for pickup)

• All other accounts are not mentioned in the above inclusion
• Tips for tour guide and Driver
• Angkor entrance ticket. You will need for this tour. you can buy it on morning of first day tour