Beng Mealea: The Khmer Temple in a Jungle

Not much is known about this mysterious temple located 77 km away from Siem Reap. It sits on an ancient royal highway that links the main Angkor complex to Preah Khan Kompong Svay. But, one thing is for sure, Beng Mealea gives off the Indiana Jones vibe more so than what the guides say about Ta Prohm. Plus, the temple complex was not as crowded as the Angkor Complex in Siem Reap.

Beng Mealea, which means lotus pond, is an Angkorian temple built by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century. The man behind the Angkor Wat.

The temple began as a Hinduist place of worship. From what I have learnt from the trip and my research, the empire changed its religions several times over the centuries, and you can find Buddhist motifs hidden within as well. Beng Mealea is one such temple where nature runs amok – more than Ta Prohm! But these two elements blended well together and transformed the architecture into a huge living organism.

Beng Mealea is classified as a tentative UNESCO site since 2020.

Getting There

My visit to Beng Mealea was part of a self-organised day trip from Sra’aem to Siem Reap with UNESCO sites Prasat Preah Vihear and Koh Ker. 

Our day started early from Sra’aem, the nearest town to Prasat Preah Vihear. Along our way to Siem Reap, we stopped at Koh Ker and Beng Mealea. This one-way journey cost USD 90 on Highway 62 and 64.

You could charter a car for a one-day return trip from Siem Reap for USD 200, or join a group tour for about USD 90 per person.

The journey from Siem Reap to Beng Mealea takes an hour.

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Visiting Hours and Ticket Price

7.30 AM – 5.30 PM

Cost: USD 5

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The Visit

It was late afternoon when we reached our last attraction of the day. Maybe it was the foliage above our heads or the hour of our visit but visiting Beng Mealea was not as scorching hot and sweaty as visiting Prasat Preah Vihear and Koh Ker.

After getting our tickets, we walked across a nicely-paved tiled floor with Naga balustrade flanked at both sides. 

Beng Mealea is unlike any of the temples and UNESCO sites I have seen.

The temple complex was impressive. It is grand, no doubt, but not in the orderly sense like the Angkor Wat, and that’s where the appeal is. There were clusters of boulders strewn haphazardly at certain places, like how a crumpled-up mount of Legos is, and tree branches (or roots?) zig-zagging across the lichen-covered stone walls. Some of the boulders were even lifted and supported by thick branches grown to such grotesque sizes over centuries. If Ta Prohm is haphazard, Beng Mealea is disastrously chaotic.

Wooden boardwalks led us across the complex and into and over certain portions of the temple that were inaccessible without them.

My visit to this temple was coincidentally timed as the last couple of hours before closing. As such, despite what other visitors suggest – Beng Mealea as an increasingly touristic attraction – there was only a handful of us around, like in Prasat Preah Vihear and Koh Ker.

Perhaps it was our order of visit. We were going against the conventional flow from Siem Reap by starting our morning at Prasat Preah Vihear – the furthest attraction from Siem Reap. This order gave us sufficient time for each site and guaranteed zero crowds.

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Key Takeaways

Beng Mealea is worth your time away from the crowds in Siem Reap!

Getting to the temple isn’t expensive as some hostels do organise tours to bring you there. Having your group for a private ride would make it even better. 

• Bring enough water. Don’t run the risk of heat exhaustion.
• Sunscreen and sun shield.
• Visiting very early or just before closing time. To get away from the tour groups.
• Good camera. For all the beautiful photos you should take.