1 Day Tour: Kbal Spean and Banteay Srei Temple

1 Day Tour : Kbal Spean and Banteay Srei Temple

Kbal Spean is located about 12km from Banteay Srei and, in terms of a day-trip, its natural beauty compliments the man-made splendour of Banteay Srei. Kbal Spean was the refuge of 11th – 13th century religious hermits and over the centuries they carved lingas stands, animals and sacral friezes into the surrounding rocks and riverbeds. 

Today, a well-marked path leads up the forested hillside to the central area that contains most of the carvings. The walk takes about 45 minutes. Visitors are rewarded for their effort by a stunning waterfall and rock pools in which to bathe and cool off. In addition to the carvings there is also a variety of fauna at Kbal Spean and the trees and rock pools attract a colourful array of butterflies. 

It is easy to spend half a day relaxing at Kbal Spean, especially if you take a picnic, and this day-trip allows plenty of time to take in the extraordinary carvings at Banteay Srei on the return journey to Siem Reap.

Banteay Srei – Citadel of the Woman

Banteay Srei temple is located about 37km north of Siem Reap and is the most remote of the temples in the Angkor World Heritage Site. Visits to Banteay Srei can be combined with side-trips to Kbal Spean, or the Phnom Kulen National Park. 

Banteay Srei was designed by Yajnavaraha, a court official of King Rajendravarman [944-968AD] and the principal Brahmanist instructor of King Jayavarman V. Banteay Srei was constructed from sandstone, instead of the volcanic laterite commonly used at Angkor, and this material allowed the ancient craftsmen to demonstrate the full scope of their extraordinary stone-carving skills. Virtually every inch of this diminutive temple is covered in carvings of exquisite detail and sharpness.

The size of Banteay Srei means it can become overcrowded when several large tour parties arrive together. An experienced guide can take you during quieter times of the day, allowing you to fully appreciate this gem of classical Khmer architecture.

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