Having first visited the remote temple sites of Koh Ker and Sambor Prei Kuk over 20 years ago, when they were only reachable via bumpy, potholed, sandy or muddy roads and felt miles from anywhere. Today, these lesser-visited sites are far easier to access and have gained UNESCO World Heritage status – Sambor Prei Kuk in 2017 and Koh Ker in 2023 while still maintaining their original charm. The Kouprey Adventures team started out in late November, which is possibly our favourite month in Cambodia: fields close to harvest, deep post-monsoon greens, and the rich red of laterite temples and country roads, with smiles and waves accompanying us the whole journey.
Our first stop was Beng Melea. Shrouded in jungle, it feels like a lost world – collapsed towers and courtyards wrapped in roots and vines, with raised walkways guiding you through the vast ruins. We then enjoyed a delicious local lunch at Chef Sothea’s Beng Melea Lodge, which now offers rustic accommodation and genuinely good food bringing quality options everyone can enjoy. After a late lunch, we drove on wide sealed roads that took us straight to Prasat Thom at Koh Ker. Arriving as the sun began to dip, we had the place to ourselves – no people, not even a ticket inspector in sight. One of the most impressive temples in Cambodia we climbed the 160-odd steps to the top and watched the sun melt into the forest canopy with only the birds accompanying us.
We checked into Koh Ker Hotel, around 20 minutes away, with only nine bungalows, a small pool, and a decent restaurant. It doesn’t ooze character, but it’s clean, comfortable, well managed, and acceptable for intrepid guests in these remote parts in order to have a unique experience. Rising early, we returned to Koh Ker, starting at Prasat Pram – five towers, each being slowly consumed by its own strangler tree, roots gripping doorways like sculpture. We then followed the ring road to pick up other temples and relics scattered through the forest, exploring by motorbike, though it would work just as well by car or bicycle.
From there we backtracked towards Beng Melea and turned onto the red road – sections of an ancient route begun by Suryavarman II linking Beng Melea with Preah Khan deep in the forests of Kampong Svay. This is far-flung countryside Cambodia with rough tracks, sugar palms and rice fields, no shops, no vendors- just warm faces and friendly waves and plenty of dust! Many smaller temples along the way, mostly staying hidden unless shown by locals or our expert Kouprey Adventures guides.
Meeting up with our local expert we tailed him down sandy trails and over makeshift bridges to a twin pair of temples (Prasat Top Chey Thom and Prasat Chey Toch) lying undisturbed in the jungle – places you’d never have found alone. The star of the day was Spean Praptos, an ancient laterite bridge crossing the Sen River, while it isn’t Cambodia’s largest, the remote setting and beautifully preserved arches make it unforgettable – especially in November, when the landscape is lush and water runs beneath it. We sat quietly for a while, imagining the processions of people, soldiers and elephants that once moved along this road centuries ago.
Preah Khan wasn’t part of this trip, so from the small outpost of Kheav we headed south on a lovely, sealed road to Sambor Village Hotel on the banks of the Sen River in Kampong Thom. It’s a long-standing favourite: brick bungalows in a garden, a big pool, and a traditional wooden house for reception and dining. With little happening in Kampong Thom, we enjoyed a good dinner, caught up with our friendly team, and turned in early.
We rose early the next day for a quick visit to the surprisingly informative Kampong Thom Museum in its new location with our local guide. It made a fascinating pre-visit to Sambor Prey Kuk as we followed the now beautifully sealed road through well-kept villages, winding past rice fields, lotus ponds, and sugar palms as we approached Sambor Prei Kuk, a tranquil pre-Angkorian temple complex hidden in the forest. Once known as Isanapura, it was the 7th-century capital of the Chenla kingdom and an important Hindu sanctuary long before Angkor’s rise. Today, this lesser-visited UNESCO site preserves more than a hundred brick temples and towers scattered among the trees, softened by moss, roots, and time. We were immediately struck by how much it has improved since our last visits; new signage, clear paths, marked cycling route, and a small cluster of local community restaurants serving tasty meals and cold drinks in the shade. Local community guides are also on standby, offering their services in a polite, organised way. We visited in the early morning, which was lovely, though some still prefer late afternoon, when the light warms and the day begins to slow as people head home from work.
After a tasty lunch at one of the community restaurants, we began the four-hour drive back to Siem Reap. This short but full two-day loop reignited our passion for places that still feel remote in spirit but no longer demand “expedition travel” to reach. They aren’t alternatives to Angkor, but they are the perfect complement – quieter, more spacious, and wonderfully immersive for guests who want to explore Cambodia’s ancient history away from the crowds. Calm sanctuaries where you can conjure the past while listening to birdsong and the wind in the trees. Koh Ker and Sambor Prei Kuk are deeply rewarding for those who wish to stay longer and venture further back in time and go Beyond Angkor.
