Adventurous travellers who want a ruin that still looks like a ruin
Beng Mealea is a large Hindu temple built in the early 12th century, probably under Suryavarman II, about 40 km east of the main Angkor group and 65 to 75 km by road from Siem Reap. It has been left almost entirely unrestored, with collapsed galleries, trees growing from its roofs and wooden walkways that let visitors cross the ruin. A standalone ticket costs $10, and several recent guides report the Angkor Pass is also accepted, so confirm locally.
September 2026
Photo: PsamatheM, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Beng Mealea is a vast 12th-century temple about 40 kilometres east of the main Angkor group, left almost entirely unrestored in the forest. Its galleries have collapsed into mountains of carved sandstone and trees grow from its roofs, so a visit to Beng Mealea feels like walking into an explorer’s sketchbook.
Where Ta Prohm was tidied just enough to walk through, Beng Mealea was barely touched. Whole galleries lie in heaps, doorways lead into rubble, and the forest has taken back its courtyards. Raised walkways let you cross the ruin safely, and a local guide can lead you over and under the stones for a closer look.
The name Beng Mealea means “lotus pond” in Khmer. The temple sits just 7 kilometres from the sandstone quarries of the Kulen hills, which may be one reason it was built on such a scale here.
The walk in crosses the wide moat past naga serpent balustrades, the guardians found at the approaches of so many Khmer temples. It sets the scene for the ruin beyond.
Inside, galleries lie in great heaps of carved blocks. Climbing the walkways over them gives you views across the collapsed roofs to the treetops.
Trees grow from the tops of the galleries and wind their roots down the walls, and moss covers much of the stone.
Look among the rubble and on the standing walls for pediments, lintels and devatas carved in the style of Angkor Wat, some with scenes from Hindu mythology.
Some galleries are still roofed and pitch dark inside. With a guide and a torch you can pass through them, stooping under fallen lintels.
Library buildings stand within the enclosures, and the 45 metre wide moat, now overgrown, shows how grand the setting once was.
Most visitors follow the main wooden walkway, which leads from the entrance through the heart of the temple and around the central area. It is the easiest and safest way to see the ruin, with good views down into the collapsed courtyards.
Local guides at the site offer to take visitors off the walkway, clambering over the stones and through dark passages. This is more adventurous and brings you closer to the carvings. Go only if you are sure-footed, wear proper shoes and stay with your guide.
| Standalone ticket | $10, sold near the site entrance |
|---|---|
| Angkor Pass | Several recent guides report that a valid Angkor Pass is also accepted; policy has changed before, so confirm locally |
| Opening hours | Daily from early morning to late afternoon; exact times vary between reports, so confirm locally |
| Time needed | One to two hours on site, plus the drive |
| Access | Walkways with steps; very uneven if you leave them; not step-free |
| Facilities | Car park, toilets, stalls and simple restaurants near the entrance |
Early morning is best. The forest keeps Beng Mealea cooler than the open temples, and before the day-trip groups arrive you may have whole sections to yourself. Late afternoon can be quiet too, but leave enough time for the drive back to Siem Reap before dark.
The dry season from November to April makes the stones easier to walk on. In the green season from June to October the ruin is at its most atmospheric, green and moss-covered, but the stone is slippery and the moat fills with water. Take extra care after rain.
Children and mobility. The main walkway is manageable for most families, with steps in places. Off-walkway scrambling is not suitable for young children or anyone unsteady on their feet.
Beng Mealea is about 40 kilometres east of the main Angkor group as the crow flies, and roughly 65 to 75 kilometres from central Siem Reap by road. The drive takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes by car on paved roads, passing villages and rice fields. A tuk-tuk can do it, but it is a long, dusty ride; a car with air conditioning is far more comfortable.
Most people visit on a day trip by private car or on a small-group tour. Plan to eat lunch at one of the local restaurants near the entrance.
Beng Mealea sits on the way to two other great sites, which makes it easy to build a full day:
We take our guests to Beng Mealea early, in a comfortable private car with a guide who knows the safe routes through the ruin. It is part of our Hidden Temples Heartland and Northern Temple Trail dirt bike expedition journeys, often paired with Koh Ker. See our adventure experiences, or send us an enquiry and we will plan a day that suits your pace.
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