Private One Day to Banteay Srei, Beng Mealea and Rolous Group

Embark on an enriching journey where you'll get to know everything about this must-visit attraction with its ins and outs, its incredible history, insights, and fun facts. The more you explore, the more you'll discover why this place is so important to the locals and its cultural relevance. Thanks to this private Angkor Temple day trip, you'll be able to say that you got an exclusive experience from an authentic perspective. The local hosts are natural storytellers, each with a different background ranging from history to art. They can't wait to share some of their unique stories and personal anecdotes with you! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes!

Full Description

This tour highlights temples located a little further beyond the main Angkor Archaeological Park. In the morning you will travel to a small temple of Banteay Srei well known for its beautiful delicate carvings in warm pink sandstone. This late 10th century temple is fairly compact and very different from other Angkorian temples. Once in a complete state of disrepair resembling a giant jigsaw puzzle, our next stop – Beng Mealea, has recently been made more accessible with the addition of a wooden walkway throughout the structure assuring a safe access and slight elevation, thus a better view. This mid 12th century temple features mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism attributes. Then, you will visit the late 9th century Hindu temples Bakong, Lolei and Preah Ko which are collectively known as the Rolous Temple Group. Let your guide show you the most attractive sites in this location, the most impressive being the pyramid-like Bakong surrounded by moat still containing water today. You are going to picked up at the lobby of hotel and transferred to visit Banteay Srei temple, the “Citadel of Women” or “Citadel of Beauty” presumably referring to its size and the delicacy of its decoration. Unlike the major sites at Angkor, Banteay Srei was not a royal temple. It was built not by the kings, but by Brahmin Priests. Often described in terms as the “Jewel of Khmer Art”, Banteay Srei is a temple of great beauty, and compares with little else in Angkor. Its miniature scale almost always surprises visitors, and the near total decoration of its surfaces are exceptional. For its protection, the most inner spaces of the temple are closed to public. Then, continue to Beng Mealea which is a spectacular jungle temple around 60 Kms drive to the north east of Siem Reap. It is one of the “new “highlights of Cambodia; having only been cleared of mines at the end of 2003. Built by Jayarvaman VII; in the style of Angkor Wat; its scale is huge; being well over one square Kilometer within its moat. Approached by a four causeways; Beng Mealea appears to be a huge pile of rubble partially hidden in the trees. Once you get closer the high walls, the ancient Khmer Architecture reveals itself. Cloaked in vegetation and with few concessions to tourism; this temple looks like it would have done when the early French explorers found it. Afternoon, we visit Roluos Group (Hariharalaya), The monuments of Rolous, which served as the Capital of Indravarman I (reigned 877-89), are among the earliest large, permanent temples built by the Khmers and mark the beginning of Khmer classical art. Visit Preah Ko, erected by Indravarman I in the late in the late 9th century dedicated by the King to his ancestors in 880- Bakong, the largest and most interesting of the Roluos Group temple, with his active Buddhist monastery just to the North of the east entrance- Lolei, the four brick towers, a replica of the towers of Preah Ko, built on an islet in the center of a large reservoir-now rice fields, by Yasovarman I, the founder to the first city at Angkor. Back to hotel and drop off.

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