Giant trees
Roots over doorways.
David Sim — CC BY 2.0 · Balon Greyjoy — Public domain · diego_cue — CC BY-SA 3.0
A monastery and centre of learning built by King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century and dedicated to his mother. Its original name was Rajavihara, the royal monastery, and its inscriptions say nearly eighty thousand people served it. Today it is famous as the temple the jungle was left to embrace. French archaeologists left Ta Prohm close to the state they found it in, so the roots of giant silk-cotton and fig trees coil around towers and walls and pour over doorways like waterfalls of wood. Fallen galleries are strewn with carved stones and green forest light. It appeared in the 2001 film Tomb Raider and is often called the film temple. Indian restoration teams are stabilising its structures, and wooden walkways protect the ground and guide visitors. It is busiest between 9 and 11 am, so arrive at opening. Entry is with the Angkor Pass: USD 37 for one day, USD 62 for three days within ten, and USD 72 for seven days within a month; children under 12 go free with a passport. Temples are living places of worship: cover shoulders and knees, remove your hat where asked and keep off roped-off stones. The heat is fierce most of the year, so carry water and start early.
Roots over doorways.
Carved stones.
A guided route.
About 1 km east of Angkor Thom, Angkor Archaeological Park
Archaeologists chose to keep it close to its original state so visitors see how Angkor's temples looked when found, while stabilising the parts at risk.