Attractions in Siemreap

SIEM REAP	Is the gateway to the temples of Angkor, Cambodia's spiritual and cultural heartland. It was a quite, sleepy backwater until a few years ago and even now, in the midst of a tourism boom, it's remains a charming town with rural qualities
ANGKOR THOM	A fortified Royal City (10 square kilometers) built by King Jayavarman VII, who ruled from 1181 to 1201. The city has five monumental gates and is encircled by a moat 100 meters wide. In the center of the walled city are the city's most important monuments including Bayon, Baphuon, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and Phimeanakas with Royal Enclosure.
ANKOR WAT	A temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, who reigned between 1131 and 1150. It was constructed over a period of 30 years and is world famous for its beauty and splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology. In 1992 the UNESCO declared the monument and the whole city of Angkor a World Heritage Site.
BAKONG	The most impressive member of the Roluos Group, sitting at the center of the first Khmer capital of Hariharalaya. Constructed by the third Angkorian-era king as his state-temple, Bakong represents the first application of the temple-mountain architectural formula on a grand scale and set the architectural tone for next 400 years
BANTEAY KDEI	Sprawling, largely unrestored, monastic complex in much the same style as Ta Prohm. Like many of Jaravarman VII's works, it is a tightly packed architectural muddle. Probably originally constructed over the site of an earlier temple. It functioned as a Buddhist monastery. A restoration project is underway on many of the towers and corridors.
BANTEAY SAMRE	Large restored temple about 3 km off the grand circuit. Constructed around the same time as Angkor Wat, the similar style is particularly obvious in the towers and balustrades. Carvings are in excellent condition.
BANTEAY SREI	Built in the late 10th century, it is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. The temple is square with entrances on the east and west. Of main interest are the three central towers, which are decorated with male and female divinities and beautiful filigree relief work
BAPHUON	The pyramid shape represents the mythical Mount Meru and marks the center of the city that was here before Angkor Thom.
BASKET WEAVING VILLAGE	Visit a local village where the indigenous local craft is basket weaving. Basket of various styles and sizes come from the village, which is located just a short 8 kilometers from Siem Reap town.
BAYON	Jayavarman VII's temple mountain that stands at the center of Angkor Thom. It is one of the most popular of Angkor's monuments and a place of narrow corridors, steep flights of stairs and an amazing collection of towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces.
CHAU SAY TEVODA	Built during the second quarter of the 12th century on the east side of Angkor Wat, it was dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.
CHONG KNEAS	A floating village on the lake where both Khmer and Vietnamese live
EASTERN MEBON	Temple erected by Rajendravarman (ruled from 944 to 968), it is located on an islet in the center of the Eastern Baray. The base of the temple is guarded at its corners by stone figures of harnessed elephants.
FORMER ROYAL PALACE	Nothing remains today, except two pools that were used by royalty for washing
KOH DACH	Travel by boat to an island that is known for its production of fine silk. Travelers will also stop at local villages along the way to observe life along the "mother of all waters", the Mekong River.
LES ARTISANS D ANGKOR	Craft shop attached to a EU-sponsored school teaching local apprentices traditional wood and stone carving. Les Artisans also sell wood and stone carvings produced by the local craftsmen.
LOCAL MARKET	The friendly locals make visiting a local market an interesting excursion.
LOLEI	Built on an islet by Yasovarman I (who ruled from 889 to 910), the founder of the first city of Angkor. The sandstone carvings in the niches of the temples are notable as are the Sanskrit inscriptions on the doorposts
NEAK PEAN	Built by King Jayavarman VII (ruled 1181 to 1201), it is a Buddhist temple consisting of a square pool with four smaller square pools arranged on each axis. In the center of the large central pool is a circular island encircled by two nagas with intertwined tails.
PHIMEANAKAS	Near the center of what was once the royal palace within Angkor Thom. Phimeanakas means ‘Celestial Palace’, though today there is not much left to indicate its former splendor.
PHNOM BAKHENG	Hilltop temple ruins, which provide one of the best views of Angkor Wat, especially at sunset.
PHNOM KROM	A hill south of Siem Reap with spectacular views over the lake and a temple dating from the 10th century. The three towers on it are dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma
PHNOM KULEN	Historically revered by all Cambodians as a sacred place of pilgrimage. This was the site, then known as Mount Mahendraparvata, that Jayavarman II chose in 802 to proclaim himself a divine universal ruler, marking the beginning of the Angkor period of Khmer history. It is possible to see some of Kulen’s spectacular riverbed rock carvings.
PRASAT KRAVAN	The five brick towers were built for Hindu worship in 921 and are notable for the bas-reliefs cut into the bricks on the interior walls.
PRE RUP	Built by Rajendravarman II (ruled 944 to 968), it consists of a pyramid shaped temple with the upper-most of the three tiers carrying five square shrines arranged as a quincunx. The name means ‘turning the body’ and refers to the traditional method of cremation.
PREAH KO	Erected by Indravarman I in the late 9th century in dedication to his defied ancestors in 880. There are inscriptions in Sanskrit on the doorsteps of each temple
PUOK SILK FARM	Located in the countryside 16 kilometers from Siem Reap town. Visitors are shown the different steps in silk production: from mulberry tree planting to silk weaving, from cultivation of mulberry bushes, to the silk worms, to cocoons, to spinning, to weaving, to finished products which are on sale.
ROUOS GROUP	These monuments mark the beginning of classical art, as some of the earliest great temples built by the Khmer. They served as the capital of Indravarman (who reigned from 877 to 889)
SRAS SRANG	A basin east of Banteay Kdei measuring 800 by 400 meters with a tiny island in the middle where only the stone base remains of what was once a wooden temple.
TA KEO	Built by Jayavarman V (ruled 968 to 1001), it was the first Angkorian monument built entirely of sandstone and was dedicated to Shiva. The summit of the central tower is 50 meters high and is surrounded by four lower towers
TA PROHM	One of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.
TA SOM	Built in the late 12th century by Jayavarman VII for his teacher ‘Som’. Ta Som means ‘the old Som’.
TERRACE OF ELEPHANTS	This terrace was used for viewing public ceremonies and was a base for the King’s grand audience hall. The famous lines of elephants are at either end of the retaining walls.
TERRACE OF THE LEPER KING	North of the Terrace of Elephants is a platform named ‘Terrace of the Leper King’. On the platform is a nude statue one of Angkor’s mysteries.
THOMMANON	A temple, which mirrors Chau Say Tevoda (just to the north), as it was built around the same time and has a similar plan. It is also dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.
TONLE SAP LAKE	Journey up the Tonle Sap River, which links the Tonle Sap Lake to the Mekong River, and onto the Tonle Sap Lake. TONLE SAP (Great Lake): this lake takes up much of the center of Cambodia and changes in size depending on the season. During the dry season in February it shrinks to a tenth of its original size and is then one of the richest fishing grounds in the world. The boat trip explores the lake’s fishing villages.