Early in the morning journey out of Siem Reap to visit Beng Mealea, “Lotus Pond” Temple. Built by Suryavarman II from the early 11th Century, the Hindu Temple is about 2 hours drive from Siem Reap.  

If there is one temple to explore resplendent with jungle engulfing it, it is Beng Mealea.  Clambering over large sandstone blocks to reach the inner sanctuary and its eerie worship corridor is an exploration to remember.  Situated 60 km east of Angkor Wat, through traditional countryside life, over bumpy laterite roads, Beng Mealea is a temple hidden in a maze of jungle. Architecturally, Beng Mealea is noted for its innovative, in its time, construction of hallways, it was a very large temple with wide galleries foreshadowing Angkor Wat. Garudas, hold up an outer platform, finer in detail than those to be found out in the elements of the Elephant Terrace at Angkor Thom. Surprises of fallen lintels with intricate carvings lay amongst the fallen wall and roofs. 

We then continue our road journey to Kor Ker. Koh Ker temple, is the one of the main temple complexes lost to the jungle for many years and only recently opened up to a few hardy adventurers is the former tenth century capital of Koh Ker (also known as Chok Gargyar - 'Island of Glory'), located in barren hill country some 85 kilometres (53 miles) northeast of Angkor, in the province of Preah Vihear. It was home to Jayavarman IV, the maternal uncle of the two previous kings and a great feudal landholder, who ascended the throne in 928. 

In only a few years he'd built numerous colossal sanctuaries dedicated to Shiva, ruling over large numbers of people and in considerable splendour for twenty years until succeeded by his son Harshavarman I. The capital was moved back to Angkor in 944.

The monuments of Koh Ker are arranged into three main groups. The first group is headed by the chief monument and state temple of Prasat Thom and includes the artificial baray, Beng Rahal and the ruins of the walled capital. The second group is a row of towers to the east of the Rahal and a third group, are several towers along a road running south from the southern end of the baray. The whole region occupies an area of about 5 x 7 kilometres. 

Return to Siem Reap in late afternoon/early evening. 

Note: For something special hire a helicopter to Koh Ker and fly over these incredible temple sites before landing and commencing your walk through.

PROGRAM CONCLUDES