Discover Banteay Sei, Angkor Grand Circle with watch sunset at Angkor temple

Banteay Samre - Banteay Samré is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, located 400 metres to the 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

Banteay Prei - Banteay Prei is one of the many edifices founded by the record-breaking temple, insignificant temple located a little further down the country path from jungle.

Ta Som - Ta Som was built during the late 12th century by the great King Javayarman VII. Little is known about the purpose of this temple, but it may have been dedicated to the King’s father or one of his teachers.

Banteay Srei - Most visitors asked which was the most beautiful temple they saw in Cambodia, will answer: Angkor Wat was great, but we love Banteay Srei most. And Cambodians will tell you: As long as you have not seen Banteay Srei you have not seen Cambodia. Indeed, Banteay Srei is a top candidate for a competition: Which is the nicest temple in the world?
What is special about Banteay Srei, is its abundance in carvings and the perfect harmony of architectural and sculptural art. Actually, at Banteay Srei building and ornamentation is nearly undiscernable, as in the case of the best examples of fine arts in India. But in contrast to Indian masterpieces Banteay Srei is not over-ornate. It’s design is discreet, more delightful than impressive. Its dimensions are modest. Most visitors are surprised, how small Banteay Srei is.

Preah Khan - In 1191 Preah Khan was dedicated to Jayavarman VII’s father, the central statue was 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 years older temple Ta Prohm was dedicated to his mother as Prajnaparamita, female embodiment of perfect wisdom. Care and knowledge are the bipolar interpreted central terms in the salvation doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism, which Jayavarman VII introduced as the new official cult of the Khmer empire, by the way, without suppressing the former Hindu believes: Temples for Vishnu to the west and for Shiva to the north, accompanying the central Avalokiteshvara shrine, are integral parts of Preah Khan’s layout right from the beginning.

Neak Pean - Neak Pean is really exceptional. Its layout differs from all the rest of Khmer architecture. It was a temple on an artificial island of 350 m diameter in the huge Baray. Unlike other Mebons, those well-known island temples in the centre of other reservoirs, Neak Pean has a round platform for the temple proper and, as its main feature, a series of ponds arranged in a concentric Mandala structure. The central circular temple platform of 14 m diametre, its form resembling a lotus bud, is an island within the island, it is 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 of them 24 m by 24 m. Originally the five ponds were surrounded by eight more square pools in a lotus pattern.

Pre Rup - Pre Rup, founded in 961, is the most significant legacy of Rajendravarman II (941-968), who is one of the “big names” among Angkor kings. After empire-founder Jayavarman II, Roluos-founder Indravarman I and Angkor-founder Yashovarman I, King Rajandravarman II can be regarded as the “Angkor-restorer”, as he was the one who decided that the capital was returned to Angkor, after a period of political turmoil and of dominance of Koh Ker, where Jayavarman IV had resided.
Rajendravarman did not built his monuments in the area of the first Angkor capital, which was Yashodharapura founded by Yashovarman I, but further eastwards, in the vicinity of Angkor’s water reservoir East Baray, which was built already by Angkor’s founder Yashovarman, too. King Rajendravarman II erected the East Mebon on an island close to the centre of this huge man-made lake, which is dry now, and one decade later the similar, but much more massive Pre Rup, probably in the centre of his new capital.

Angkor Wat Sunrise and explore all major Angkor temples in Small Circle

Angkor Wat - Get up early on the morning at 4:30 to visit sunrise at Angkor Wat ,is the national emblem of Cambodia and the pride of the Khmer people. Its silhouette of five towers or of only three from a frontal perspective is as iconic as those of the pyramids of Gizeh or of the Taj Mahal. The Angkor Wat is the largest historical temple monument in the world. The central towers rises 65 metres from ground level. Originally, all nine not only the central five - great pinnacles were plated with gold. The platform of the temple-pyramid measures 332 metres length and 258 metres width. Its enclosure has a 1025 metres long and 800 metres wide outer temple wall, surrounded by a moat measuring 1500 metres by 1300 metres. Angkor Wat is not only of enormous size, it is a masterpiece of architectural design, craftsmanship and sculptural decoration as well.

Angkor Thom South Gate - In front of the South Gate there is the best-preserved and restored stone causeway across the 100 m broad moat of Angkor Thom. The railings are formed by the world-famous rows of giant sculptures holding on their knees a Naga, whose seven heads rises fanwise at the outer end of the causeway. Originally, each of the Angkor Thom’s five city gates had such balustrades with two times 54 figures, 108 being a holy number in Mahayana Buddhism. But today only the South Gate has an almost complete set.

Angkor Thom - “Angkor Thom” is sometimes spelt “Angkor Tom”. The name “Angkor Thom” has been used only after Angkor was not the Khmer capital any more, it means “Angkor Big” or “Capital Great”. It was the last capital in the Angkor era. After Jayavarman VII recaptured the Angkorian capital from the Cham invaders and became king in 1181, he began a massive building campaign across the empire, part of it was constructing Angkor Thom as his new fortified capital. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the new capital as his bride.

Bayon Temple - The Bayon, built in the centre of Angkor Thom about 1200 A.D., is the second most popular monument in Angkor, after Angkor Wat. It is the temple with those numerous enigmatic “stone faces” Angkor is famous for. As it is not clear who or what is symbolized by those gigantic Buddhas, the smiling faces of Angkor Thom became an emblem of the mysteries of Angkor. The original total number of face towers is still a matter of debate. However, originally there must have been about 50 towers and 200 colossal faces at the Bayon. Now, there are 37 standing towers, most of them with four Buddha faces oriented toward the cardinal points. Most of them are raised on the cruciform terrace surrounding the central tower, which is, rarely enough in Angkor, a circular structure. The central tower rises 43 metres above the ground. Apart from those face-towers, there is a second exciting attraction at the Bayon,

Baphuon Temple - The Baphuon is situated only 300 metres north-west of Angkor Thom’s central Bayon facetower-temple, which is 150 years younger. The Baphuon was by far the hugest Khmer temple before the Angkor Wat was built. But the massive Baphuon temple collapsed already in medieval times. Recently it became famous as “the world’s biggest jigsaw puzzle” and a masterpiece of modern restoration work. 300,000 stone blocks had to be reused at their correct positions. This enourmes task became even more difficult as after completely dismanteling the monument archaeological records about the stones’ original positions went lost (or were even intentionally destroyed) during the Pol Pot period. After many delays, the Baphuon was finally reopened in July 2011 by Cambodia’s king and the French Prime Minister. Since then the Baphuon temple is one of the most significant attractions of Angkor.

Phimeanakas - Phimeanakas means “Aerial Palace” or “Celestial temple”. It is sometimes transcribed “Pimeanakas” or “Vimeanakas”. The name is a deformation of the Sanskrit words “Vimana” and “Akasha”, meaning “god palace” and “sky” respectively. The Khmer pronunciation is “Vi-Mern-Akas”, spoken like three separated words. In modern Khmer “Vimean” is used for a special or big place, “akas” still means “sky”.

Terrace of the Elephants - The Elephant Terrace, also called Terrace of the Elephants, is an ancient wall and platform that forms most of the western edge of the Royal Square of Angkor Thom. This square only a few hundred metres north to the Bayon temple in the centre of Angkor Thom was the secular core of the city, serving for parades and festivals. The Elephant Terrace separates this square from the compound of the Royal Palace, being a kind of high entrance platform to it. The so-called Victory Avenue from the Victory Gate just ends in front of the Elephant Terrace. Thus, it most probably served as the Royal audience hall, from where the king and his family and court officials watched public events such as military parades and presented themselves to the people. The terrace carried pavilions of perishable materials. Remains of painted lead tiles of a former roof have been found nearby.

Terrace of the Leper King - The Terrace of the Leper King is located immediately north of the Terrace of the Elephants, in the north-west corner of the Royal Square of Angkor Thom. The terrace is worth seeing and studying it, as the best example of an ornate open-air wall with an abundance in deeply carved reliefs. They depict gods and demons, Garuda halfbirds and multi-headed Naga serpents and other mythical beings, many of them female

Ta Prohm - Ta Prohm, located three kilometres north-west of the Angkor Wat, is famous as Angkor’s “jungletemple”. If you are in a hurry and have only a few hours to spend in Angkor, this large monument surmounted by many stone-strangling trees, indeed, is one of the three must-sees of Cambodia, apart from the Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom’s Buddhist face towers. The early French archaeologists intentionally left it partially unrestored. This is why until the present day enormous strangler figs (Ficus gibbosa) and even huger Thitpok trees (Tetrameles nudiflora) grow from the towers and halls, spreading their gigantic roots over intricately carved stone, thus making Ta Prohm an icon of excellent architecture reconquered by the force of nature. This massive combination of art and vegetation is unique in the world, and one of the impressions nobody will ever forget.

Banteay Kdei - Banteay Kdei is easy to find as its eastern main gate is very close to the junction where the Small Circuit and the Grand Circuit meet. On the opposite side of the road is the huge Srah Srang reservoir, which supposedly was integrated in the plan of Banteay Kdei, maybe in connection with worshipping the Buddha of the East. This region east of the core of Angkor was the village of Kuti, and the Buddhist temple seems to have had a much smaller 10th century predecessor at the very same place.

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.

• Private transfer by air-conditioned vehicle
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Bottled water & cool towel
• Service charge and VAT
• Professional English-speaking licensed tour guide

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

A visit to the Angkor Archaeological Park offers an unforgettable experience, with the sunrise at Angkor Wat being one of its most iconic highlights. This tour combines the best of Angkor’s stunning temples, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the grandeur and mystery of Cambodia’s ancient Khmer Empire. Enjoy personalized services while exploring the Angkor World Heritage site, covering both the Grand and Small Circles of Angkor Park.

• Gain insights into the history and culture of the Khmer civilization from a professional English-speaking licensed tour guide.
• Benefit from informative commentary on Cambodia’s past provided by an insightful personal guide.
• Travel in comfort with a private, air-conditioned vehicle.
• Private hotel pick-up and drop-off are included.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.