krishnan

We’ll be in Siem Reap for over a week, and have the following plans:
First 3 days are with a group that visits Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre.
We’re also planning a day to visit Beng Melea and Koh Ker, a day at the Preak Toal bird sanctuary, a day biking and downtime for a day.

We have another day and a half - any suggested priorities for additional temples among the many nearby that would complement the ones above? (We don’t want to travel far.)

Also, at Angkor Thom, the group’s itinerary lists the South Gate, Elephant Terrace, Terrace of the Leper King and the Bayon Temple. Are there other parts of the Angkor Thom complex that would be worth going back for (eg the Baphuon)?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

silverwool

Tanae templet behind Ta Prohm and on the track to the 'Flight of the Gibbon' (ziplining) is worth a look. On the day you visit Being Melea, stop of at the Roulos (sp?) Group on the way back. Not much out of your way and well worth a look. I enjoyed the Baphuon and consider its well worth a visit.

Another suggestion is to go back to any temples you particularly enjoyed on your own for a leisurely contemplative visit. The stone carvings around the base of Angkor Wat for example.

You should have a great trip. Have you got Dawn Rooney's book on the temples?

Kathie

Do you have a copy of Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor: A Guide to Cambodia's Wondrous Temples? Do get a copy, as it is the best guide to the temples. She lists many temple both close to Siem Reap and Farther away.

We loved Ta Som, which is within the main temples group. There are many, many temples within the Grand Circuit and Small circuit that are not covered by your group tour. You could spend another 2 or three days in the near vicinity of Siem Reap. I agree that the Roulous Group is worth visiting.

krishnan

Thanks for the suggestions! I looked up the Rolous group and Ta Som, and they definitely appear worth adding on. And Ta Nei is on the bike trip we're doing. I also think, silverwool, your idea is a good one to go back to some of our faves where the group did not spend as much time as we'd have liked.

I do have the Dawn Rooney book and have been enjoying it - in fact it was after seeing Kathie's recommendations from earlier posts that I made sure to get it.

Kathie

Have a wonderful trip - what a luxury to have all that time to visit temples!

silverwool

Who are you going biking with? I did a countryside ride with Grasshopper in July and had a great tour. There was only me and the guide and it was about 25 kms with several snack and water stops. I've seen most of the temples on my various trips (my daughter works there so annual visit) and this was something different.

Have you thought about eating places in SR! If not I'd suggest a trip to Cuisine Wat Damnak for something a bit upmarket and different. There are also some good massage places ranging from Frangipani to the cheap and cheerful foot massage places near Pub Street. (Master Feet is my favourite there). Finally, if you are young a heart a trip to the Phare Circus is a fun way to spend an hour or so.

As Kathy says, have a wonderful trip.

krishnan

silverwool: We're planning to bike with an NGO called KKO (Khmer for Khmer Organization) whose bike trip covers some of the lesser known temples (Ta Nei, Ta Keo, Banteay Kdei) in addition to the Bayon and Preah Khan. It's slightly longer than Grasshopper's (KKO's is 40km) but sounds pretty similar; the attraction of these trips, as you point out, is to experience the area in a different way.

Thanks also for the restaurant and massage suggestions - have put them into our trip folder!

And apropos of your earlier comment on the stone carvings at Angkor - I think I'm beginning to get an inkling of their scale; a friend just lent me a doorstop of a 300-page book devoted entirely to the carved reliefs, with the majority of the book devoted to just the third enclosure of Angkor Wat!

silverwool

Thanks for that. I'm trying to get fit enough to do a longer ride next time. Maybe Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City but that may be pushing it for a 66 year old! Re the carvings - they are amazing! Interesting to compare them to the carvings at Banteay Srei. Its an amazing place. Another place I enjoy is Kbaal Spean which is out past Banteay Srei. Its not a temple per se but stone carvings in a river and a waterfall. Its about 1500 metres walk up the hill.