Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Private tourOnly your group will participate
Pickup offeredSee the meeting and pickup details below
Overview
Explore the jungle-swallowed ruins of Beng Mealea and the finely carved pink sandstone of Banteay Srei, two of Angkor's lesser-visited temples, on a full day tour with lunch included.
Eighty kilometres outside Siem Reap, Beng Mealea, the 'Lotus Pond' temple, lies engulfed by jungle much as it was when rediscovered. Built in the early 11th century by Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple, its wide galleries are thought to have foreshadowed Angkor Wat's own design. Clamber over collapsed sandstone blocks to reach its inner sanctuary, one of the few jungle temples still open to this kind of exploration.
After lunch on the way back to Siem Reap, visit Banteay Srei, the 10th century 'Citadel of Women' temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Built from red sandstone in 967, its carved figures are executed with a delicacy widely considered unmatched among Angkor's temples.
Two very different sides of the Angkor region in a single day, from raw jungle ruin to refined stone carving.
What's included
Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver.
Lunch at a local restaurant (food only)
All applicable taxes and service charges
A professional English-speaking guide.
Personal expenses such as meals, drinks, tips and gratuities, shopping, portage fees and optional tours, unless otherwise stated
Tours, inclusions of any kind and other services that are not outlined in the tour description
Transfers for customers arriving or departing from any airport or resorts located outside the general pick-up and drop-off locations
Travel insurance coverage for customers (highly recommendable)
Angkor Archaeological Park entrance pass, to be purchased separately by guests on site or on the official website
What to expect
Prasat Beng Mealea
3h · Admission ticket not included
At around 8 am, your English-speaking guide and driver will be waiting at your hotel lobby for a full day away from the main Angkor temples and move into the countryside. The ride to the jungle-based Beng Mealea lies 80 kilometres outside Siem Reap and will fill our morning with ease. The Beng Mealea, or “Lotus Pond” Temple, from the early 11th Century built by Suryavarman II as a Hindu Temple and is hidden in a maze of the jungle. Architecturally, Beng Mealea is noted for its innovative, for its time, construction of hallways, it once was a very large temple with galleries foreshadowing Angkor Wat. For a long time, it was left aside by nearby villagers until it was (re)discovered by local explorers and remains still one of the least-visited temple ruins of Angkor. The sprawling jungle temple covering over one square kilometre is overrun by vegetation, so there is plenty to see, explore and walk around.
Banteay Srei
2h 30m · Admission ticket not included
After enjoying a simple lunch en route and on the way back to Siem Reap, you will visit Banteay Srei. Named ‘The Citadel of Women’ this is a tiny, yet very enchanting temple, which is one of the jewels in this remarkable city. Built of red sandstone in the 10th century and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the carved male and female figures in the niches are executed exquisitely in both style and proportion. This is the most Indian of all the temples in Angkor and the words of H.W. Ponder, is ‘a fairy palace in the heart of an immense and mysterious forest’. A proper dress code applies for visitors to this temple and your guide for the day will gladly explain the requirements to enter the holy sanctum of Banteay Srei.
The day comes to an end, and with the air-conditioning on and seeing countryside life passing by, we head back to Siem Reap.
Meeting and pickup
Pickup details
We pick up from only hotels inside Siem Reap, Supplements apply for customers who want to join this excursion outside one of these regions.
Additional information
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This tour is operated on full private basis with English-speaking guide. Other languages are on request / subject to availability and supplementary charges may apply
Return transfers for this excursion apply only / are inclusive for customers staying in and inside Siem Reap. Transfers outside these areas, including any accommodation outside this area such as Tonle Sap, Koh Ker, Banteay Srei and Siem Reap International Airport are excluded. Supplements apply for customers who want to join this excursion outside one of these regions
We will do all possible to comply with any dietary requirements during this excursion; it may not always be possible to confirm your wishes in advance based on the choice of local restaurant
Guests are advised that some walking is required during this excursion; we always ensure that we take the most comfortable ways from the entrance of the sight to the sight itself
To avoid any issues pertaining obtaining an arrival visa at the airport, please ensure that your passport contains at least two empty pages. Failure to do so may result in not gaining entrance into the Kingdom of Cambodia
Some of the Angkor sights temples and palaces (such as the Baphuon) uphold a very strict dress code: it is essential that you dress appropriately during this excursion by wearing clothes that cover shoulders and fall below the knees.
Customers wearing shirts with obscene and disrespectful prints and pictures and brightly-coloured clothing may be refused entrance
Natural elements of any kind have a destructive effect on electronic equipment. It the customer’s own responsibility to ensure that any camera, mobile telephone or other device is properly wrapped and protected against these elements. We cannot be held responsible in any way for negligence and/or not following suggestions for any damage related to this
Please ensure that you bring sunglasses, a hat /cap and sunblock with a high SPF factor when traveling with us on this tour – even when it is cloudy, the sunrays still have an immense power
It is the responsibility of the customer to provide us with the correct hotel information, should pick-up and drop-off services be included in the package. Any changes in accommodation outside 24 hours will be handled accordingly: changes within 24 hours may be on request
In the event of no-show or change of accommodation without prior consent and confirmation from us within 24 hours may result in the applicable cancellation charges as outlined in the terms and conditions.
Important note: From 1st January 2020 on wards, Visiting to Beng Mealea temple will require visitors to have a Angkor pass to enter.
TICKET REQUIREMENT: Visiting Beng Mealea temple requires visitors to have an Angkor pass to enter. The pass is not included in the price. Guests purchase it separately, on site or on the official website
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
