Jamshed V Rajan

Terrace of the Elephants & Terrace of the Leper King — Visitor Guide The Terrace of the Elephants is a 300-metre-long elevated stone reviewing platform on the western edge of Angkor Thom’s Central Square — the royal ceremonial stage from which the Khmer king watched parades, games, and public events. The Terrace of the Leper … Read more

Ta Prohm — The Tomb Raider Temple Complete Guide (2026) Ta Prohm is a 12th-century Buddhist monastery temple built by Jayavarman VII, located 1 km east of Angkor Thom and 3 km from Angkor Wat. It is famous for the massive Tetrameles and silk-cotton tree roots that have grown through and over its stone galleries … Read more

The Roluos Group Temples — Angkor’s Earliest Ruins Guide The Roluos Group is a cluster of three 9th-century Khmer temples — Bakong, Preah Ko, and Lolei — located approximately 13 km east of Siem Reap, built during the earliest phase of Angkor-era Khmer civilisation under kings Indravarman I and Yasovarman I. They are the oldest major temple complex … Read more

Preah Khan Temple — The Complete Visitor Guide (2026) Preah Khan (“Sacred Sword”) is a large, largely unrestored Buddhist temple complex built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century CE. Located on the Grand Circuit north of Angkor Thom, it covers approximately 56 hectares — making it the second-largest temple in the Angkor Archaeological … Read more

Phnom Bakheng — Angkor’s Best Sunset Temple (Complete Guide) Phnom Bakheng is a hilltop Hindu temple built in the late 9th century CE, located 1.3 km north of Angkor Wat. It sits on a natural hill 65 metres above the Angkor plain and offers the most celebrated sunset viewpoint in the archaeological park — a … Read more

Neak Pean Temple — The Island Sanctuary Guide Neak Pean (“Intertwined Serpents”) is a small but remarkable 12th-century Buddhist temple complex built on an artificial island at the centre of the Preah Khan Baray — a large reservoir on the Grand Circuit. The central structure is a circular island platform surrounded by four smaller pools, … Read more

The Khmer Empire — History Behind the Temples of Angkor The Khmer Empire (802–1431 CE) was one of the most powerful civilisations in Southeast Asian history, ruling a territory that at its peak encompassed present-day Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and southern Vietnam. It was governed from the Angkor region and produced Angkor Wat, Bayon, and hundreds … Read more

Beng Mealea Temple — The Jungle Temple Guide (2026) Beng Mealea (“Lotus Pond”) is a 12th-century Khmer temple approximately the same size as Angkor Wat’s inner enclosure, located 40 km east of Siem Reap. Unlike any other major Angkor temple, it has received almost no restoration — the jungle has reclaimed it almost entirely, with … Read more

Bayon Temple — The Complete Visitor Guide (2026) Bayon is the state temple of Jayavarman VII, built in the late 12th to early 13th century CE at the centre of Angkor Thom — the ancient walled capital. It is famous for its 54 towers carved with 216 giant smiling faces, believed to represent the Bodhisattva … Read more