4-Day Siem Reap Temple Tour with Angkor Wat to Bakong

• Arrive on your morning flight at Siem Reap International Airport, where your Siem Reap guide will meet you with a name board and warmly welcome you before transferring you to the hotel for check-in.

• Visit Angkor Wat, a World Heritage Site. It was a Hindu temple and the largest monument in the world, built in the early 12th century by the Khmer King Suryavarman II.

• Walk along the causeway from the front side, facing west, which is believed to be the direction of the god Vishnu. In the first gopura, there is a large original standing statue of Vishnu holding tools in his four hands.

• Stroll into the central parts of the temple. There is an amazing hall with Buddhist statues and galleries depicting stories from the Indian epics. Some of the bas-reliefs are shiny, as new polish is currently being used to preserve and restore the carvings on the walls. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of its architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and the numerous devatas adorning its walls.

• Take some time to climb Bakheng Hill and enjoy the bright sunset from the top of the temple hill. This Hindu temple has 108 towers surrounding it, representing Mount Meru. Enjoy the view of Angkor Wat from here.

• Enjoy a welcome dinner and an Apsara dancing show at a local restaurant.

Overnight at the hotel.

• Proceed to the South Gate of Angkor Thom. This great city was adorned with Asura and Devatas statues holding serpents on each side. A moat surrounds the outer enclosing wall of the huge complex, and this gate gives access to the temple axis of Bayon and other temples.

• Visit Bayon Temple to see the massive faces of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokitesvara or Lokesvara, erected in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. There are 54 towers representing the four basic attributes of Buddhism. Pieces of sandstone were juxtaposed and superimposed in the shape of a dome from the bottom to the top of each tower, each crowned with a smiling face.

• Walk along the gallery, where there are many bas-relief scenes showing daily life, fighting, and other epics from the past.

• At Baphuon, visit the Hindu temple, a single temple-mountain sanctuary situated on a high base. There are sculptures and carvings on small square stones depicting many scenes. The temple is under restoration, but visitors are still permitted to climb up and view its architecture.

• Continue to Phimeanakas Temple, which was the ancient Royal Palace in the 10th century. It was also believed that this palace was crowned with a golden pinnacle. The temple was decorated with lion and elephant statue pedestals that are now badly ruined. It is possible to go up to the top to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy views over the Angkor Thom complex.

• Head over to the Elephant Terrace. This place served as the King's platform in the 12th century for viewing parades and ceremonies. It stands in front of Phimeanakas Palace. Three elephants flank a long staircase, with ornamented elephant fighting scenes portrayed on the base wall underneath.

• Visit the Leper King Terrace, an unusual platform from the late 12th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. Its bas-reliefs are remarkable, showing carvings on both the exterior and interior walls.

• In the afternoon, visit Ta Keo Temple, which is shaped like a pyramid and was dedicated to a Hindu god in the 10th century. There are no carvings or bas-reliefs on the sandstone or towers. From the top, there is a nice view over the Angkor jungle complex.

• Check out Ta Prohm, a well-known temple with an abundance of gigantic trees and jungle cover, dedicated to the king's mother, Prajnaparamita, in the late 12th century. Be amazed and feel as though you were in ancient times as you see the huge old roots intertwining over the temple. There are many tiny holes in the central tower from which, supposedly, precious stones and diamonds were removed.

• Not far from Ta Prohm, reach Banteay Kdei. The sight of this temple is remarkable because of its structure. It is an original Buddhist temple from the late 12th century that was converted into a Hindu temple after religious conflicts.

• Continue to Srah Srang, the King's royal bathing place from the late 12th century. It is a man-made pond with an elegant platform for the king, always full of water and greenery.

• Stop by Kravan Temple. It has brick towers surrounded by a moat. A unique sculpture of the god Vishnu and the pedestal of a linga are revealed in the interior tower, and more scenes are depicted on the lintel and walls.

Overnight at the hotel.

• Walk into this temple, which is flanked by Asura and Devas at the gate. It was built and dedicated to the king's father in the late 12th century. You will see a brilliant Garuda sculpture holding a naga, the symbol of a powerful temple.

• Reach the central shrine, where there is a sandstone stupa deposited for worship and prayers in a later period. A two-floor building was constructed in the form of circular western-style columns.

• Walk along the small path for 300 meters to visit the superb tower surrounded by small pools. According to inscriptions, the temple was supposedly an ancient hospital in Angkor times. In the middle of the pond, there is a horse sculpture with people clinging to it.

• Stroll on to see Ta Som, a Buddhist temple built in the late 12th century during the Khmer Rough Regime. It was used as a weapon warehouse. The main attraction here is the tree root shrouding the back side of the east gate.

• Drive 35 km from Siem Reap town to visit the special charm of Banteay Srei Temple. It remains in a remarkable state of preservation. Small in size, it features excellent decoration in pinkish sandstone, which lends itself to superb carving. Many epic scenes are depicted on the lintels and on the fronts of the towers.

• Reach Banteay Samre, a Hindu temple built by the king of Angkor Wat, apart from the Angkor complex. The structure is well preserved. A tiny king's coffin was excavated here and kept in the central tower. Pre Rup means in Khmer - "Change the body." The temple was built and dedicated to Shiva, the god of Hinduism, and its five superb towers on top represented Mount Meru. It is a romantic place to watch the sunrise, sunset, and rice paddy fields from the top.

Overnight at the hotel.

• Explore one of the Angkor Wat temples built by King Suryavarman II between 1113 and 1150 CE. It is a mirror image of mighty Angkor Wat, but totally and utterly consumed by the jungle. Some of the construction was badly ruined by the Khmer Rough and by people searching for treasures. Visit the old capital of Hariharalaya at Rolous, once the city of the Hindu god. Lolei was dedicated to the god Shiva in the late 9th century, and its carvings are recognizable and fabulous.

• Visit Preah Ko Temple, called Sacred Bull in English. Although the surrounding enclosing wall was badly ruined, the structure can still be seen in plan, with a porch in each cardinal direction, and the sculpture was covered with elaborate stucco.

• Last of all, visit Bakong, which was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva in 881 CE. The architecture of the temple shows only one tower on the top, which was supposed to represent Mount Meru. There is a Buddhist pagoda created in the compound as it was renovated, after the construction was destroyed over the years. From the top of the tower, there is an excellent view over the Angkor jungle and the sunset.

• Transfer back to the airport for your departure flight to your next destination or home.