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Banteay Srei

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Kez
Kez
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5 out of 5
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Banteay Srei

  • March 7, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by alan_nesbit from Singapore, Singapore
Banteay Srei

I thought this might be a quiet temple, set over 20km, away from the main sites. No such luck, and there’s not even anywhere to hide when you get inside because of the small scale. There are no wide-open spaces here like there are at Angkor Wat. Instead, its intimate scale gives it a charm and the detailed carvings that cover the orange stone make this a popular and worthwhile visit.

From journal The Temples at Angkor

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Lesser known temples - Banteay Srey & Pre Rup

  • February 26, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Kez from Broadbeach Waters, Australia
Lesser known temples - Banteay Srey & Pre Rup

Banteay Srey translates to "Citadel of the Woman," but most people agree it refers to the really delicate carvings found here. Carved from a beautiful rose colored sandstone, the style of carvings differ to the other temples in the area as they do not feature the Aspara’s (heavenly nymphs), but are of a more decorative style of flower with stylized leaves, and also feature animals but not in the heat of battle. Although Banteay Srey still contained the Angkor style towers but of a smaller size, the carvings to me had a more Hindu or Indian feel.

The ruin was very uncrowded, in fact, I think we were nearly the only tourists here. This is probably due to the fact that it is located about 38km from Siem Reap. We found that the drive gave us the chance to see some of the countryside, and a glimpse of how the locals live away from tourism. Most of the locals seemed to live in homes on stilts on small plots that were self-sustaining, so there were many cows, chickens, etc., wandering around. You also pass many roadside stalls that sell a variety of fruit, vegetables, palm sugar, and the like. It was also the first time that I had ever had the opportunity to see the cashew fruit. It is such a huge fruit! It is about the size and appearance of an apple or capsicum, in either yellow or red, and then on the end there was one tiny cashew nut! I can now understand why they are so expensive.

Banteay Srey is well worth the trip if you have time. Pre Rup was the other ruin we also saw on the same journey. Lesser known, this ruin is still beautiful, and although crumbling in parts it offers some beautifully carved false doors. The main tower is extraordinarily high, so it offered some great views of the surrounding countryside.

From journal Amazing Temples of Angkor

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