Banteay SreiBanteay Srei is Mrs d2t's favourite temple in the Angkor area. Further from Siem Reap than the main temple complexes, we would recommend using a car or van for the 35 km journey, rather than a tuk-tuk. Built in the 10th Century, the temple is formed mainly of red and yellow sandstone, a real change from the other temples in the area. It is simply awesome to look at the delicate stone carvings and think that they have survived for over 1000 years. Figures of dancers, devata figures and nagas abound at the temple - everywhere you look there is something of interest. The name of the temple means Citadel of Women - the legend is that the stone carvings are so delicate that only a female hand could have drawn them. We don't have space here to write about the history of Banteay Srei, but the Wikipedia entry provides a pretty comprehensive overview.
Although the site is popular with tourist, we have tended to visit in the middle of the day and it hasn't been too busy. Transport tends to cost around $30-40 for the day, although if you want a guide you can double this figure. In addition to the temple itself, the site has a cafe, gift shop and a pleasant shaded walk, where you can see water buffalos and beautiful countryside. The temple is part of the Angkor Pass, thus you don't need to buy an extra ticket to visit. |
Nearby to the temple is the Banteay Srei Butterfly Centre, South East Asia's largest butterfly enclosure. Here, you can wander through an enclosure containing some of the most beautiful, colourful butterflies you will even see, all of them native to Cambodia. The guided tour included in the $4 entry fee is highly informative as you are shown around the gardens and introduced to the skill of butterfly breeding. It is amazing to see how sharp-eyed the worked at the centre are when spotting the tiny eggs laid on the leaves - these are removed for incubation and the butterflies are released after hatching from their pupa. The If you visit Banteay Srei, we would strongly recommend allowing at least an hour to enjoy the butterfly centre. Sit in the shade and watch these brightly coloured insects explore the world around them whilst drinking an ice-cold beer. If you're lucky one may land on you or you may observe a mating. Temple fever can set in when staying in Siem Reap and the butterfly centre is a good respite from this. |