Banteay Srei
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Angkor (1992). A Small 10th Century Hindu Temple Of Pink Sandstone, Famous For The Finest And Deepest Carving Of Any Khmer Monument, With Devatas And Mythical Scenes In Miniature. Known As The Citadel Of Women. Compact And Delicate, A Half Hour Visit That Draws A Crowd · Siem Reap, Siem Reap
Banteay Srei is a small Hindu temple of the 10th century, built in pink sandstone and famous for the finest, deepest carving of any Khmer monument. Lintels and pediments are cut so crisply that leaves, flames and tiny scenes from Hindu epics look closer to wood or metalwork than stone. Standing figures called devatas, guardians and female deities, occupy niches around the central towers. The name is usually translated as citadel of women, a nickname that points to the delicate work, not to who built it. It sits about 25 km from Angkor Wat, well outside the main temple cluster, and is part of the UNESCO Angkor listing, so the Angkor Pass covers it. Expect a compound that is small: a walled enclosure, three sanctuary towers and two library buildings, with a limited walk-through and roped-off interiors, so most visits last 30 to 45 minutes. It is also crowded. Sunrise and mid-morning bring tour buses, and the front of the towers is hard to photograph without other visitors. The journey by tuk-tuk takes roughly 1 to 1.5 hours each way, so plan it as a half-day trip.
Banteay Srei temple, about 25 km north-east of Angkor Wat, reached by tuk-tuk, car or bicycle along a rural road, Siem Reap, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Banteay Srei follows the Angkor Archaeological Park hours, roughly from early morning to late afternoon, with gates closing around dusk. Confirm current times at the ticket office in Siem Reap, because pass checkers at the gate enforce them. Entry needs an Angkor Pass, so nothing inside the compound is FREE to enter without one. The approach road, the village market stalls outside the gate and the car park are FREE to walk. There is no weekly closing day. The inner sanctuary towers are CLOSED to visitors, who can only look from the paved path or a short platform, and rope barriers around the central buildings are CLOSED to entry. Parts of the site may also be shut for repairs, or after heavy rain, without notice.