Grand Circuit of Preah Khan and Neak Poan

Overview

Originally recorded as Nagara Jayasri (holy city of victory), Preah Khan is a large ancient temple wihin the Angkor Archeological Park. It was built-in the 12th century under king Jayavarman VII (reign 1181-1218 AD) to honor his father while the nearby Ta Prohm was built to honor his mother. It is one of the must-visit temples in Angkor.

Neak Poan is an artificial island with a Hindu temple in the Jayatataka Baray, which was associated with Preah Khan temple. It was originally designed for medical purposes following ancient Hindu beliefs that bathing in the temple’s pools would balance the elements in the body, and thus cure diseases; it is one of the many “hospitals” built by Jayavarman VII. Four connected pools represent Water, Earth, Fire and Wind.

Highlights

Preah Khan: the stupa at the central sanctuary, a linga with its yoni, the hall of dancers, the biggest strangler fig in Angkor beside the east gopura, the 2-story pavilion, the baray on the east leading to Neak Poan and Ta Som
Neak Poan: the sculptures within the lake which are so mystical given their backdrop in the water and their Hindu symbolism. The statue of a flying Balaha, the horse figure whose form the god Bodhisattva would take when in battle or helping the kingdom’s peoples. A statue of Vishnu. Many lingas.

Itinerary

Full-day tour from Siem Reap.

Morning visit of Preah Khan. Discover the delicate carvings and the only two-storey building in Angkor, a unique occurence in Khmer architecture. Walk through narrow pathways from one section of the temple to the other surrounded by apsaras and other bas-reliefs.

In the afternoon, access Neak Poan via a long bridge on the east side of the temple. Discover the ancient water engineering system particular to Neak Poan.