Second Encounter with Angkor: Grand Circuit and Banteay Srei "Jewel Temple"

Description

8:00 AM departure from the hotel. In the itinerary, we will see:

• Preah Khan (meaning "Sacred Sword"). Dedicated to the king's father.According to epigraphic data, the temple was built on the site of a battle where the king achieved a great victory over his longstanding enemies, the Chams. The complex covers an area of 56 hectares. The temple has not been completely cleared of the jungle, which adds a special charm to it.
• Ta Som. A small temple in the "Bayon" styleVirtually untouched by restoration. A photo of a massive tree destroying the gate has become a classic for Angkor visitors.
• Neak Pean (translation: "Entwined Serpents"). A place of pilgrimage for the sick seeking healing.The healing temple will help you envision the beauty and grandeur of bygone years. A picturesque road leads to the temple, crossing a bridge over an ancient artificial reservoir.
• East Mebon. Dedicated to the King's ancestorsThe temple is located on an artificial island with a diameter of 250 meters in the center of the now-dry but previously most extensive Khmer reservoir called the "East Baray." Mebon in stone symbolizes the traditional concept of depicting the creation of the world surrounded by the cosmic ocean.
• Pre Rup. Square three-tiered pyramidThe upper terrace is crowned with five towers. The beauty of the structure, in addition to its compositional innovations, lies in the color harmony, combining the red-brown laterite of the lower levels with the light-blue sandstone of the upper towers.
• Banteay Srei (("Citadel of Women"). Magnificent Temple Complex constructed by a royal advisor on land gifted by the king (40 km away). The structure is executed with remarkably delicate artistic taste. While earlier sculptures were monumentally frozen, and faces sternly immobile, for the first time, the sculptural images of Banteay Srei are characterized by the softness of lines and forms, the lyricism of facial expressions and poses. The images of female devas in pink sandstone, expertly embedded in niches on the walls made of pale pink sandstone, are especially astonishing. The soft material allows the creators to employ the "sandstone carving technique."

5:00 PM return to the hotel

Included:

• Transfer from the hotel and back
• All transfers along the route are by air-conditioned minibus.
• English speaking guide
• All entrance tickets
• Lunch
• Water

Take with you:

• Headdress
• Sunscreen
• Comfortable shoes
• Clothing that covers shoulders and knees (scarves and shawls not suitable).
• Money for personal expenses