Koh Ker & Beng Mealea Tour: Honest Review & Guide

Alright, so you’re mulling over this Koh Ker and Beng Mealea day trip, huh? It is that thing a change from the classic Angkor Wat circuit? Absolutely. You see, rather than sticking just to the main temples near Siem Reap, this tour gives you a chance to peep temples that are further away. Consider that the tourist crowds are far less and that you can climb on pretty much anything. Does that pique your curiosity just a bit?

What Makes These Temples Different?

Koh Ker, too it’s almost a 10th-century capital that’s just sitting there, waiting for you to explore it. You will get a real sense of adventure there, instead of feeling as though you are just shuffling along with herds of camera-toting tourists. Its standout is Prang, which some might describe as a seven-tiered pyramid. As a matter of fact, it’s got that jungle vibe to it. That’s because the jungle is really trying to take it all back, you know? Then, Beng Mealea? A bigger temple, so swallowed up by greenery that the trees are really part of the stonework. This isn’t some neatly trimmed and tidied attraction; this is adventure- Indiana Jones- sort of stuff.

Both, Beng Mealea, and Koh Ker, really let you witness how nature, over time, can swallow the achievements that we, as humans, make. Some of the experience has the flavor of discovering something yourself, you know? With your own peepers. It doesn’t hurt that the busloads seem to want to stay closer to Siem Reap. So, you might just get this all nearly to yourself.

What’s the Tour Like? What to Expect?

Okay, as for the trip itself, keep in mind, it’s a full-day kind of thing. Many start super early – around 8 a.m. – so that you will bypass at least a small amount of the midday heat. Very often, you are going to get picked up from the front of your hotel (always useful). Most of the tour guides do speak English well enough, which means you’ll get plenty of background about both of the temples, alright?

The drive is pretty long, more or less around two to three hours each way, because these temples sit quite a bit further out from Siem Reap, okay? The vehicles really do run the range, alright, so sometimes it can be a fancy air-con bus and sometimes, well, let’s just say you get a more local experience. When it comes to the ride, keep a snack, or maybe a book, just to have something to do, in case the views are boring.

Most tours are just visits, too, you know? Like your guided stuff around both sites, as well as that all-important cold water. Yet, you will usually have to fork out for the entry tickets to the temples on the spot (like $15 for Koh Ker and $5 for Beng Mealea). So, don’t forget to carry dollars.

Koh Ker: A Step Back in Time

When you get to Koh Ker, the first thing you will likely see is Prang, the pyramid, alright? Pretty awesome. You actually used to have to climb all the way to the top, to the opening, and peer right down to the bottom. The authorities have had to fence the access off to everyone for security, these days. Apparently, you still get awesome views all across the area, right from the midway point. That’s really important, too it’s almost the temples there. It gives off such a special feel because there are not so many people.

There are quite a few additional temples there that are well worth seeing while you wander around the site if there’s time to do it. Quite a bit of Koh Ker is still, kind of, lost in the jungle; expect to have to pick your way a bit through overgrown vegetation. Yet, that’s really very much of what makes it super fun!

Beng Mealea: The Jungle Temple

Beng Mealea offers up, too, such a slightly different experience. To get there, many feel that this thing just had nature take over completely, which means getting around, in a way, sometimes entails doing a little scramble. You are free to explore everywhere at this one, picking your route among those piles of rock and, seemingly, into dark spaces – all part of what adds to the attraction.

As I was saying, there’s one route, for people that aren’t too hot on climbing. The one does go around the structure, if you like your ground solid and flat, or even if pushing a buggy or anything similar. But if you feel OK, make the most of going right into it, alright?

It’s almost as if you can easily hire one of the locals at the entrance to guide you to your destination, alright. So they can steer you toward spots you maybe wouldn’t discover on your own, while the proceeds help the surrounding villages directly.

Who’s This Tour For? And Who Should Maybe Give It a Miss?

So, who would seriously get the most enjoyment out of this type of trip, basically? Adventure fans, for one. Those that have a good level of curiosity, along with the interest to see some seriously amazing historical landmarks that haven’t been totally ‘sanitized’ for visits.

But you see, should you, say, find it very hard to be on the go for entire days, in addition to longish drives that can get a bit bouncy; or have a real difficulty scrambling over rocks, well, this may not be the one that you’re seeking. Besides, take into consideration the temperatures: all through the central hours of the day it can get extremely hot. Which then might become tiring should that sort of thing bother you in particular, so too, in short, if the sun is an enemy.

What You Need to Bring With You

• Comfy Shoes: That’s because you will walk – and climb – a lot.
• Sunscreen/Hat: Think: it’s very hot, okay? In a really bad way. Keep protected!
• Water: Your tour company very often will stock the bus up. That said, an additional bottle never hurts anybody, does it?
• Snacks: It might just be lunch on that tour. You never know when those hunger pangs may begin, okay?
• Cash: Because you’re going to want this for entrance tickets and, perhaps, that tip for a local at Beng Mealea.
• Camera: It is worth the charge because this is awesome selfie fodder!

Is it Worth the Money?

Alright, as I was saying, that’s the main question here, isn’t it? If you really are templed out on Angkor Wat but have an actual thirst for seeing additional stuff – and if you’re the Indiana Jones kinda type – that’s an absolute, resounding yes.

You will often discover those tours cost more or less around $50-$80. Also, a trip this way offers, at the end of the day, the chance to see landmarks. These are very cool, as well as not being drowned by all those floods of regular visitors. Remember too, if that feels worthwhile, absolutely go for it.

Overall it may be safe to say that, a trip like this goes some distance towards offering something for that spirit that lies inside most travellers, really! It gets a “thumbs up” here from this reviewer!