Koh Ker was the capital of the Angkorian Kingdom during the 10th century, immediately prior to king Jayavarman IV moving to the Angkor Wat location, and it is a fascinating group of over 30 ancient structures. Koh Ker’s fame was short lived as it was only the capital for 16 years, yet the site was home to some fantastic sculptural artifacts, many of which are now on display at the National Museum in Phnom Penh.

Since the 1990s parts of the temple complex have been ravaged by looters who bring crude tools and attempt to hack away at the beautiful Apsara carvings and other stone treasures, leaving them headless or badly cracked. Generally the looters are not locals, however some locals were so poor that they had no choice but to steal from the gentle stone giants to earn a bit of money.

However, with the assistance of Heritage Watch (a preservation organisation) the locals are being educated about the cultural and historic significance of the temples and being given the opportunity to learn new skills which enable them to financially benefit from the increase in tourists visiting the area. Visitors can purchase local handicrafts they have made, enjoy a traditional ox-cart ride around the temples, and sample locally sourced food and drink. In return the locals provide a daily patrol roster reporting any suspicious behavior to the local police. Since the patrols began in 2006 there has been a significant drop in looting.

Prasat Thom is Koh Ker’s showcase temple, a 45m high pyramid with spectacular views across the surrounding countryside. Nearby Prasat Krahom is covered in jungle and highly atmospheric. Other important temples in the area include Prasat Ling with the best preserved in situ lingas in Cambodia, and Prasat Pram with several smothering trees cloaking the brick towers.

There is now a good road from Siem Reap to Koh Ker with the 120km journey taking about 2 - 3 hours. Whilst Koh Ker is becoming more popular it is still much quieter than the Angkor temples and you still have the opportunity of having some temples to yourself. A trip to Koh Ker and visiting the jungle clad Beng Mealea on-route makes for a great days escape from the crowds of Angkor and a great introduction to Cambodia’s countryside. Or why not take a couple of days and continue further north to explore the stunningly located cliff top remains of the beautiful Preah Vihear temple.

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