Small but perfectly formed, the delicately carved rose pink temple of Banteay Srei is a masterpiece of Angkorian art. The name means “Citadel of the Women,” likely because of its many carvings of “apsara” nymphs. First built in 967 AD, long before Angkor Wat or Angkor Thom, it’s about an hour’s drive from the main archaeological area.

Our tour guide will pick you up from your hotel at 8:00 am and take you to purchase a Phnom Kulen ticket. We will then head to Phnom Kulen National Park for approximately 1 hour. This journey takes you through rural Cambodian villages, where you may observe locals going about their everyday lives and admire beautiful landscapes such as rice paddies and traditional dwellings. Stop off at the Palm Sugar Village and witness how Cambodian people make their own sugar to supply their families and villages. Afterward, we continue to the hilltop of Phnom Kulen, and our knowledgeable local guide will take you to the most spectacular tourist attractions in the national park, including the largest and most beautiful waterfalls, the reclining Buddha sculpture, and the River of Thousand Linga, which was constructed in 802 AD.

In the afternoon, we will have lunch at the local restaurant before heading to Beng Melea, the mysterious 12th-century temple in the middle of the jungle. This temple is heavily overgrown with vegetation, trees, lianas, and mosses. This temple is surrounded by a rainforest due to it being abundant for over 300 years. When it is not fully restored, many local and international tourists fall in love with the area.