Beyond Angkor:
Wanderings Along the royal roads
Cambodia’s angkor Wat is one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks. Those who have seen it can attest to its overwhelming presence. It is after all, the largest religious monument in existence. And the amazement does not stop there: Angkor extends much further as this enigmatic site sprawls over 400 km2 in total.
Nearby Siem Reap, this vibrant city is the most ideal base that has everything a tourist needs: cheap finds, amazing food, tireless night bars, friendly locals. But, with Angkor receiving around 2.6 million tourists a year (prior to the pandemic), it may be difficult to expect that one can enjoy the temples all to him or herself. Those who do are simply 20 years too late. I first saw Angkor in 2012 and then again in 2015 as part of a technical visit during the UNESCO-UNWTO Conference. The observed increase in visitors was not only apparent, but also concerning.
Nevertheless, what is impressive about this country is that Angkor is not the only temple complex it offers. There have been times when I felt more amazed by other temples nestling deeper in the countryside. The Angkorian site of Beng Mealea, for example, is not far from Siem Reap, yet it offers a less commercialized visitor experience. There are three other sites that deserve more attention, and my experience in exploring them have been some of the most memorable excursions I have had.
Preah Vihear temple and its location are phenomenal. The complex is older than Angkor, and it was a major pilgrimage place for Khmer kings. It is also one of only three World Heritage Sites that are inscribed solely due to being “a masterpiece of human creative genius,” the two others are Taj Mahal and Sydney Opera House. The temple’s extensive 800-m-long layout is unique, and the galleries surrounding its central sanctuary served as inspiration for the outline of Angkor Wat 300 years later. Its ornamentations also clearly influenced the detailed and captivating Banteay Srei.
Sitting atop the Dangrek mountains and right beside a 600-meterdeep ravine, Preah Vihear offers excellent views of the “Golden Triangle,” the meeting point of Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. The temple environs, however, were heavily disputed between Cambodia and Thailand, and military crossfires in the past painted a picture of this site as unsafe and undesirable until only recently. Nevertheless, I made my visit there only weeks after a shootout encounter in 2012. Back then, the trip from Siem Reap took five hours. With improved infrastructure, the travel time is now reduced by half. The International Court of Justice 2013 ruling finally awarded the adjoining contested forest zone to Cambodia, and now Preah Vihear is peaceful and can be enjoyed by many.
It may be difficult to imagine ancient temples lying just south of Phnom Penh. But then again, the Khmer empire was architecturally prolific, leaving relics as far as Thailand and Laos. The rural Takeo province is considered as the “cradle of Cambodian civilization,” and it is quite convenient to visit several sites there on a day trip from the capital. In 2010, my family and I climbed the promontory of Phnom Chisor to see the 11th century temple thought to be the twin-temple of Preah Vihear. Arriving early at the base, we found ourselves in the company of monks in conquering the strenuous 412 steps to the top. The view from the temple, nevertheless, was nothing less than rewarding.
Not far away are two 10th century brick towers called Neang Khmau (“Black Lady”). There used to be a third tower that once stood on the site of the modern pagoda beside them. On the way back, the 12th century Ta Prohm and Yeay Peau are also worth a visit. Ta Prohm especially features well-preserved carvings. These temples were constructed near Lake Bati where visitors can get hold of fresh palm fruits to quickly recharge.
Banteay Chhmar, on the other hand, lies close to the western border with Thailand. Several international organizations have painstakingly worked for its conservation, but there are still a lot to learn about this least understood site. It is also largely reclaimed by the jungle even now.
Banteay Chhmar (“Citadel of Cats”) houses an outstanding testimony to a military victory over the Cham, a rival kingdom that occupied modern-day Vietnam. The intricate carvings in the eastern gallery depict an almost complete chronicle of a historic war, which has no parallel elsewhere. The most iconic reliefs, however, are those in the west: the 32-armed multi-headed Avalokiteshvara and another 22-armed one. Originally, there were eight of these figures, two of which were only reconstructed from the rubbles in 2018, two are displayed at the National Museum, while the last two remains missing from a 1998 looting.
All these temples—along with hundreds more—stand along the royal roads to Angkor. There were virtually no other sightseers at the time of my visits, rendering the experience truly remarkable and intimate. In fact, Banteay Chhmar only sees less than 1,500 visitors a year up to now. Banteay Chhmar is being positioned to become Cambodia’s next World Heritage Site, and Phnom Chisor is also on its way already.