The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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SIEM REAP
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SIEM REAP ATTRACTIONS
are done in a style unique to the high spires of Angkor. The collection of low walls surrounds
low-rise peaked structures of deep red sandstone. It is the only building to have
been built with pink sandstone, a high-quality mineral that can withstand tougher elements.
As such, the carvings and bas-reliefs on this temple are some of the most intricate,
best preserved carvings you’ll find in Angor. Translated as “The Citadel of Women,” it
has relief carvings on the squat central buildings and intricate tellings of ancient Hindu
tales. Walking through the temple, there’s a real feeling of “work in progress.” Some of
the doorways flanking the central pathway were originally framed in wood and have
weakened with age. As such, the sandstone pediments that once stood on top crashed to
the ground and broke into large pieces. They’ve since been reassembled and lie at the foot
of the doorways like some ancient jigsaw puzzle. After the first gate and walkway, you’ll
come to a small entranceway that has a square pedestal with a round piece in the middle
that used to hold a lingam (it was stolen some years ago). Look at the frame of the square.
It isn’t smooth and straight, as you would expect, but completely warped and oddly worn
away. The Khmer Rouge used to sharpen their knives here. The hallmarks here are the
three temples; the middle one is dedicated to Shiva and it is flanked by temples honoring
Vishnu and Brahma. I highly recommend you go with a guide who can explain the finer
details of temple inscriptions. Tip: The colors are best before 10am and after 2pm, but
there are fewer visitors in the afternoon.
Beng Melea Truly the temple aficionado’s temple, Beng Melea is where to go if
the Angkor temples seem tame, if you are longing to go “Tomb Raider” and clamber
around the crumbling stones of a temple that has been reclaimed by the jungle. Squint or
use your imagination and you can feel like Indiana Jones. The kids will love it. Beng Melea
is 60km (37 miles) east of Siem Reap and often arranged as a day trip after a stop at the
Roluos Group. The road is paved and smooth until just after the Roluos Group where you
turn north at the town of Dom Dek, which has a local market that’s worth a stop. From
there, follow a dusty, bumpy road. If you go by motorbike—good luck—wear a krama or
a good mask. The temple has three gallery walls and a moat at entry. No one has ever found
the Sanskrit inscription on the temple, but Angkor Wat’s builder, Suryavarman, supposedly
put it up in the 12th century. The interior temple area is a big, fun pile of rubble. The area
has just been cleared of mines, and the temple, long a secret enclave for temple buffs, is now
attracting more visitors. There was a film recently produced on the temple site, and the
filmmakers have left their handy ramps, making it a bit easier to get around. The east
entrance is closed because of the many rocks fallen here, but enter just to the right of this
main entrance and look for the relief images of the god of fire over the first door as you
approach the gallery by the first ramp, then an image of a three-headed elephant born of
the mythical churning of the ocean of milk Hindu creation legend. A small library is inside
this first gallery area. From here, plunge into the temple center. The platform path takes
you through a covered, dark gallery. Between sections, you’ll have to do some clambering
and rock hopping. Warning: Be careful of the slippery moss. The path exits the opposite
(west) side of the temple, and from there you can either wend your way back through,
following a different course to the rocks, or walk around the outside. Get here as early in
the morning as you can and you’ll have the place to yourself. The ride is 1 hour by car at a
cost of about $50 with a driver, and about 1 1 ⁄2 hours by motorbike, about $20 to $25 with
a driver. North of Beng Melea is Koh Ker, another popular off-the-map temple.
Kabal Spean Known as the “River of a Thousand Linga” (a lingam is a
phallic symbol representing the Hindu god Shiva), Kabal Spean lay undiscovered by