Angkor Thom and the Bayon

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Angkor (1992). The Walled Capital Of Jayavarman VII At The End Of The 12th Century, With A Moat, Five Stone Gates And, At Its Centre, The Bayon Temple And Its 200 Or So Carved Smiling Faces. Nearby Are The Baphuon, The Terrace Of The Elephants And The Terrace Of The Leper King · Siem Reap, Siem Reap

Angkor Thom is the walled capital that King Jayavarman VII built at the end of the 12th century, a square about 3 km on each side inside a moat, entered through five stone gates. The South Gate is the best approach, a bridge lined with rows of stone gods and demons holding the naga serpent, under a tower carved with four faces. At the centre stands the Bayon, a Buddhist temple whose towers carry some 200 smiling stone faces, and its outer galleries show daily life and war on the Tonle Sap. Nearby are the ruined Baphuon, the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and the pyramid of Phimeanakas. The site is large and shadeless in parts, so midday is hot and the tour buses arrive together; morning gives the best light on the faces, and by midday the courts reflect heat and the crowds peak. A small circuit by tuk-tuk takes half a day, a grand one longer. Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm are separate places, covered on their own.

Angkor Thom walled city, about 1.7 km north of Angkor Wat, entered through the South Gate in the Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The gates and temples open at dawn and close in the late afternoon, around the same schedule as the rest of the Angkor park, so confirm current times when you buy your pass. The Angkor pass is bought at the ticket centre on the road from Siem Reap and is checked at the entrances. There is no FREE entry to the Bayon or the terraces for foreigners without a pass. Driving or walking past the South Gate and over the bridge, and looking at the gates from the road, is FREE. Some upper platforms, such as the Baphuon or the tower tops, may be CLOSED for restoration or safety, and the status changes, so ask at the gate.

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