Phumi Spean Angkor Travel Guide

Kbal Spean

Kbal Spean is not a temple, but more of an archeological site. Known as the Valley of 1000 Lingas, this spot is quite unique. Your driver will drop you off at the trailhead where the local vendors and food stalls are located and then it’s a steep hike uphill through the jungle. The hike is gorgeous, and only mildly strenuous but a few of the older and less healthy travelers we saw on the way were struggling. Most anyone can do the hike, just take it at your own pace, just remember not to venture off the trail as there are still landmines in the jungle. The jungle provides some shelter from the sun, but you will need sun protection and water. The top of the hike takes you to a river. Look closely at the riverbed, it is actually hundreds of ancient carvings that make this site special. Slightly down river the is the waterfall, which is best seen during the rainy season when the water is running high and the butterflies are at their height. But we were there in the dry season and still enjoyed the waterfall and saw a couple of butterflies. Although we weren’t alone on our visit, there were very few other tourists who made the trek out here. And despite the heat, the hike through the jungle was a great departure from the beaten path.

If you plan to visit Banteay Srey or Kbal Spean your driver will likely be expecting more money due to the distance, so be sure to settle on the price beforehand. Our driver suggested visiting this temple and the even further a field Kbal Spean as our itinerary for the third day of our visit to Angkor. Unfortunately he left us under the impression that his payment would be the same as the day before and it wasn’t until we reached Banteay Srey that he changed the rules on us. Thankfully, we were able to reach a mutually agreeable settlement and it didn’t ruin our day, but keep this in mind when you are making arrangements to visit these distant temples. Our trip out to these remote sites was one of the highlights of our trip!

Directions: Located 49km outside of Siem Reap, this site is far removed from the tourist track. Part of the charm of visiting these remote sites is the drive out through the Cambodian countryside and the small villages along the way.

Banteay Srey

Located 38km outside of Siem Reap, this temple is still hotly on the tourist trail. Part of the charm of visiting these remote sites is the drive out through the Cambodian countryside and the small villages along the way. If you plan to visit Banteay Srey your driver will likely be expecting more money due to the distance, so be sure to settle on the price beforehand. Our driver suggested visiting this temple and the even further a field Kbal Spean as our itinerary for the third day of our visit to Angkor. Unfortunately he left us under the impression that his payment would be the same as the day before and it wasn’t until we reached Banteay Srey that he changed the rules on us. Thankfully, we were able to reach a mutually agreeable settlement and it didn’t ruin our day, but keep this in mind when you are making arrangements to visit these distant temples.

Banteay Srey means something along the lines of “Citadel of the Women”. It was built in the late 10th Century for Rajendravarman. The temple is of Hindu origins. This gorgeous red sandstone temple is known for it’s ornate and pristine carvings. The temple is currently undergoing restorations but the majority of the temple is still easily accessible. Despite it’s remote location, Banteay Srey is very popular, even in the morning. We arrived relatively early, not sunrise early, but in the morning and even then busses crammed with tourists were arriving alongside us. Regardless we still were able to see the entire site and didn’t feel overwhelmed by the crowds like at Angkor Wat. There are plenty of food stalls and souvenir stands across the way from the temple and public bathroom facilities are a slight walk down the road.

Our trip out to these remote sites was one of the highlights of our trip!

Our tuk tuk driver from the bus station was so sweet and his English was so good so we were compelled to hire him for the following day to take us around Angkor. We settled on a price of $15 US for the entire day and arranged to have him pick us up at our hotel the following morning at 4:30 am so we could experience sunrise over Angkor Wat. We later realized we fell victim to the old “bait and switch” as he changed himself out for his cousin who he swore spoke English as well as his own (this wasn’t the case). But even though his cousin couldn’t speak much English at all he arrived promptly at our hotel the following morning and was a great driver.

If you are planning to do the small tour or grand tour circuit of Angkor (both of which include the closest temples) it is reasonable to hire a tuk tuk and driver for $15 US for the entire day. In addition to an all day hire it is not unusual to have your driver pick you up for sunrise, drop you back off at your hotel to escape the midday heat and then pick you up again for sunset all for the same price. The heat gets intense in the afternoon and it’s great to escape the noontime sun and enjoy the mysteries of Angkor in minimal heat.

Tips for hiring a driver all day: Settle on your price beforehand but do not pay your driver until the end of the day.

Negotiate your prices. Drivers will attempt to get more money out of you if they can. When in doubt walk away. There is always another tuk tuk driver waiting to be your guide. Sometimes simply walking away is the best negotiating technique.

Expect to pay $15 US for a full day of the small tour or grand tour circuits. If you want to visit Banteay Srey (37 km from Siem Reap) or Kbal Spean (49 km from Siem Reap) expect to pay between $18 to $30 US for the trip because of the distance and due to the fact that the roads out to Kbal Spean are currently extremely rough and hard on the tuk tuks.

Website: http://www.canbypublications.com/siemreap/srtemples.htm