Banteay Srei Temple

Not more than 20 kilometers north of Ankor, sits Banteay Srei. The name means 'The Citadel of Women" most likely because of the intricate carvings. Historians believe that the carvings here couldn't have possibly be done by a man but rather by women because of the detail and intricacy. Unlike the major sites of Ankor, Banteay Srei wasnt a royal temple but rather built by one of the kings counsellors. This temple small as it may be continues to surprise visitors because it clearly showcases the grandeur of Khmer Art.

I recommend visiting this temple whenever visiting to Ankor. Others would consider visiting it only when touring Ankor for a couple of days. I only had one and a half full days, yet didnt want to miss it. Your moto driver would most likely charge you more for going here, but in case you decide to go, i suggest you go right after you watch sunrise at Ankor Wat. (around 7-7:30 am). When I went, I was the first one to step in the grounds and i had the temple all to myself. When 8:30 came, tourists started to arrive. :)

The majority of the ancient ruins around Siem Reap (commonly known as Angkor Wat, although that name actually refers to just one specific temple - the largest one) are impressive mostly because of their massive size and the sheer volume of temples within the complex. The temple of Banteay Srei has a different appeal than most of the other temples/ruins, but it was one of the more interesting to visit.

In comparison with Angkor Wat, the Bayon, and many of the other Angkor temples, it's tiny in size: the tallest of the middle towers is maybe 10 meters, and you can walk around the perimeter in 5 minutes. What makes the temple interesting in comparison with the others is the tremendous amount of intricate decorative carvings covering the surfaces of many of the building walls. There are floral designs, miniature buddhas, and demon heads everywhere, and most of them so well preserved that they could have been carved into the pink sandstone yesterday, not a millenium ago. 5 or 6 buildings in the central section are still pretty much intact, but unfortunately this area is now roped off. However, you can still get close enough to admire the architecture and carvings from a few meters away.

At about 30km NE of the main temple area, it's not so convenenient to get to, but the ride through the countryside offers a good glimpse of life in rural Cambodia, passing through rice paddies, tiny villages with dogs, cows and naked toddlers all wandering freely.

A ride on a motorbike from Siem Reap to the temple should cost $8-10, and a tuk-tuk should cost $12-15 (depending on your bargaining skills and how desperate for work your would-be driver is).

Apart from the general entry pass, no additional ticket is required.

There are many temple complexes in the Siem Reap area built by the Angkor God-Kings in the 10th-12th century. The most famous is Angkor Wat, but my favourite was the tiny Banteay Srei.

Banteay Srei was built in 967 by Rajendravarman II and Jayavarman V. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. This temple is very small by Angkor standards (~200m by ~100m compared to 1.5km by 1.3km for Angkor Wat), but is exceptional in the amazing amount of extremely intricate carvings carved into the red sandstone. Its construction is credited to a courtier named Yajnyavahara, who served as a counsellor to Rajendravarman. The foundation stela says that Yajnyavahara was a scholar and philanthropist.