Beyond Angkor: The Ancient Temple Of Koh Ker

If this is your first visit to Cambodia, without a doubt you should see Angkor Wat. It’s the biggest and most well-preserved of Cambodia’s ancient Khmer temples. In addition to the main temple, there are many other sites to explore, such as the four-faced Bayon, and the overgrown “jungle temple.”

But on my motorbike trip around Cambodia, I wanted to see some of Cambodia’s other ancient temples. Many were built by the Khmer empire, and a few remain to this day, in various states of ruin.

The first ancient Khmer temple I would visit would be Koh Ker. It’s quite far from Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat is located, so most visitors don’t make it here.

The site is far down a road into the forest, so it really does feel remote. When I visited, only groups of Cambodian tourists were there.

The main temple was a spectacular seven-level step pyramid. It seemed reminiscent of an Inca temple. You can climb to the top and enjoy the nice views over the forest. There are also some satellite temples off the road, with signs pointing them out.

How To Vist Koh Ker Temple

Tickets are $10 for the day. The whole site can be explored leisurely in a few hours. There are no guides available in town, or at the site, but it’s easily accessible with your own motorbike. Vendors sell instant noodles and cold drinks outside the main temple.

There is a small hotel near the entrance. It is “expensive” at $15, but it has Western amenities. Using logic common around these parts, they would not lower their price because I would have been the only guest. I don’t mind roughing it, so I found a guesthouse in the village, which had a sign in English. It was a small wooden house on stilts with a primitive but clean bathroom down the hall, for only $7.

The only real restaurant is at the hotel. They were very confused that I wanted to eat there even though I wasn’t staying there, but they eventually rustled up some food.