Full Day Beng Mealea and Koh Ker Pyramid Temple Tour

Venture beyond the Angkor crowds to jungle-clad Beng Mealea and Koh Ker's 7-tiered pyramid temple, the former Khmer capital under King Jayavarman IV, on a full day tour with lunch. Two of the least-visited temple sites near Siem Reap make for an adventurous full day away from the main Angkor circuit. Beng Mealea, the 'Lotus Pond' temple, was built in the early 11th century by Suryavarman II and remains half-swallowed by jungle, with wide galleries said to have foreshadowed Angkor Wat's own construction. A picnic lunch is served during the visit before continuing to Koh Ker, the remote former Khmer capital from 928 to 944 AD under King Jayavarman IV. Its centrepiece, Prasat Thom, is a striking 7-tiered sandstone pyramid, the boldest architectural statement of this brief but ambitious period in Khmer history. The return drive passes remote villages and dense, untouched jungle, a fitting close to a day spent well off the beaten path.