Koh Ker
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Archaeological Site Of Koh Ker (2023). The Capital Of The Khmer Empire For About 20 Years In The 10th Century, With More Than 180 Sanctuaries Scattered In Forest And The Seven Tier Prasat Prang Pyramid At Its Centre. Remote, With Few Visitors And A Long Drive · Koh Ker, Preah Vihear
Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer Empire for about two decades in the 10th century, when King Jayavarman IV left Angkor and built a new royal city in the northern forest. More than a hundred sanctuaries lie scattered across a wide area, and its centrepiece is Prasat Prang, a seven-tier stepped pyramid of sandstone that rises about 35 m out of the trees. UNESCO listed the site in 2023. Nearby are Prasat Thom, a large temple complex, and Prasat Krachap, with its carved doorways and fallen lintels. Koh Ker is remote, roughly 120 km from Siem Reap, and the road via Beng Mealea has improved but is still long, about 2.5 to 3 hours each way. Services are few, and visitors are far fewer than at Angkor. Climbing the pyramid has been restricted or closed in recent years for safety, so confirm before you go. Landmines remain in areas outside the marked paths. The site ticket is separate from the Angkor Pass.
Koh Ker temple zone, about 120 km north-east of Siem Reap, reached by road via Beng Mealea, Koh Ker, Preah Vihear, Cambodia
Koh Ker is open daily, roughly from early morning to late afternoon, and staff at the entrance gate decide when you must leave, so confirm current times locally. Entry needs a separate Koh Ker ticket, bought at the gate or checkpoint on the way in. The Angkor Pass is not valid here, and no temple inside the zone is FREE to enter without the ticket. The public road to the area and the views of the pyramid from outside the fence are FREE. The top of Prasat Prang has been CLOSED to climbing in recent years, so treat it as closed until staff say otherwise. Some outlying sanctuaries may be CLOSED for safety or because they cannot be reached after heavy rain. There is no weekly closing day, but the dirt tracks between temples can shut in the wet season.