A quiet second temple day, paired with Beng Mealea
Temples and ruinsType
In short
Koh Ker is a 10th-century Khmer capital in Preah Vihear province, about 120 km from Siem Reap, where King Jayavarman IV ruled the empire from 928 to 944. Its centrepiece is Prasat Thom, a seven-tiered sandstone pyramid 36 metres high, surrounded by more than 180 recorded sanctuaries. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023 and has its own $15 ticket, separate from the Angkor Pass.
Preah Vihear province, about 120 km from Siem Reap
Drive from Siem Reap
Two to two and a half hours by car
Capital of the empire
928 to 944, under Jayavarman IV and Harshavarman II
Main monument
Prasat Thom, a seven-tiered pyramid 36 m high
Temples
More than 180 sanctuaries recorded; about two dozen easy to reach
UNESCO
World Heritage Site, inscribed 17 September 2023
Entry fee
$15 for foreign adults; not covered by the Angkor Pass
Opening hours
Daytime, usually about 7:30 am to 5:30 pm; confirm locally
Time needed
Three to four hours on site
Best combined with
Beng Mealea, on the same road
Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer Empire from 928 to 944, when King Jayavarman IV built a new royal city in the forest about 80 kilometres north-east of Angkor. Its great monument is Prasat Thom, a seven-tiered sandstone pyramid 36 metres high. Koh Ker became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023 and is still one of the quietest temple sites in Cambodia.
928 to 944Capital of the Khmer Empire
36 mHeight of the Prasat Thom pyramid
180+Sanctuaries recorded
$15Entry fee, separate from Angkor
2023UNESCO World Heritage
After a few days at Angkor, Koh Ker feels like a different world. There are no coach parks and few vendors, just red laterite tracks through dry forest, brick towers split open by fig roots, and then, at the end of a long causeway, a stepped pyramid that looks more like something from Central America than Cambodia.
History of Koh Ker
In the early 10th century the Khmer court was at Yasodharapura, the first city at Angkor. Jayavarman IV, a member of the royal family, founded his own sacred city at Koh Ker in 921, and from 928 he ruled the whole empire from there. Its ancient names were Lingapura, the city of lingas, and Chok Gargyar.
921
An inscription records the founding of Jayavarman IV’s sacred city at Koh Ker.
928
Jayavarman IV rules the Khmer Empire from Koh Ker, which becomes the sole capital.
928 to 941
A burst of building: Prasat Thom, dozens of temples and the Rahal baray, a reservoir about 1,200 by 560 metres.
941 to 944
His son Harshavarman II reigns from Koh Ker.
944
Rajendravarman II moves the capital back to the Angkor area. Koh Ker is never the capital again.
Late 20th century
Remote and heavily mined, the site is badly looted. Many of its great statues end up in collections abroad.
2000s to 2010s
Demining and a new road open the site to visitors. Several looted statues are returned to Cambodia.
17 September 2023
UNESCO inscribes Koh Ker as a World Heritage Site.
In only 16 years Koh Ker’s builders produced something distinctive. UNESCO highlights its unconventional city plan, its use of colossal monolithic stone blocks, and the bold Koh Ker style of sculpture: large, dynamic figures, often carved fully in the round, that are among the finest in Khmer art.
Prasat Thom, the pyramid
Prasat Thom is the main temple complex, laid out on an east-west axis. You enter through a red brick gateway, Prasat Krahom, the Red Temple, then pass through long courtyards with ruined libraries and halls. At the far end the pyramid, often called Prang, rises in seven tiers from a base 62 metres square.
It was the state temple, the centre of Jayavarman IV’s kingdom, and the top once held a huge linga. No other Khmer temple looks quite like it. From the summit you look out over unbroken forest in every direction, and it is easy to imagine how the capital spread out around it.
A wooden staircase has been built up one face of the pyramid so that visitors can climb without touching the stone. It has been closed at times for repairs and safety, so treat the climb as a bonus and confirm on the day.
The other temples
More than 180 sanctuaries have been recorded across the site, and about two dozen are easy to reach by road. A good driver will stop at the best of them on the way in or out.
Photogenic
Prasat Pram
Five brick towers, two of them wrapped in the roots of strangler figs. Usually the first stop on the way in, and a favourite with photographers.
The Black Lady
Prasat Neang Khmau
A single tall tower whose stone has been darkened by fire or weathering. Traces of old wall painting survive inside.
Main complex
Prasat Krahom
The Red Temple, a brick gateway and cloister in front of the pyramid, once home to a famous statue of dancing Shiva.
Giant lingas
Prasat Thneng
Small shrines holding some of the largest lingas in Cambodia, carved from bedrock or colossal single blocks.
Engineering
The Rahal baray
The great reservoir of the capital, partly cut into the rock, which fed the city and its temples.
Guardians
Prasat Damrei
The elephant temple, named for the stone elephants that stood at the corners of its platform.
Many of Koh Ker’s finest sculptures are no longer on site. Some are in the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, including pieces returned from abroad in recent years. Seeing them there after a visit to Koh Ker brings both places to life.
Tickets and opening hours
Entry fee
$15 for foreign adults
Angkor Pass
Not valid; Koh Ker is ticketed separately
Where to pay
At the ticket booth on the approach road
Payment
Bring US dollars in cash, in small notes
Opening hours
Daytime, usually from about 7:30 am to 5:30 pm; confirm locally
Time needed
Three to four hours for Prasat Thom and the main temples
Nearby combination
Beng Mealea, on the way from Siem Reap, has its own ticket
How to get there
Koh Ker is in Preah Vihear province, about 120 kilometres from Siem Reap by road, or two to two and a half hours by car on paved roads. The usual route goes east towards Beng Mealea and then north. There is no public transport to speak of, so most people come by private car or on a tour.
A few simple guesthouses near the site allow an overnight stay, which lets you be at the pyramid in the early morning. Koh Ker also sits on the road north towards Preah Vihear Temple, which has been closed to visitors since the 2025 border clashes. Check its status before planning a longer northern route.
A day at Koh Ker and Beng Mealea
Most visitors combine Koh Ker with Beng Mealea, the huge jungle temple on the same road. This is how we usually plan the day:
6:30 am Leave Siem Reap by car
8:30 am Prasat Pram and Prasat Neang Khmau on the way in
9:30 am Prasat Krahom and Prasat Thom, with the climb if the stairs are open
12:00 pm Lunch at a simple local restaurant near the site
1:30 pm Drive to Beng Mealea, 60 to 90 minutes
3:00 pm Beng Mealea, then back to Siem Reap by early evening
Doing it in this order means you reach the pyramid before the heat and before the few tour groups, and you see Beng Mealea in the softer afternoon light.
Tips for your visit
Our advice
Start early. The site is open forest with little shade around the pyramid. Morning is cooler and the light is better.
Stay on the paths. Koh Ker has been extensively demined, but the wider area was heavily mined. Keep to cleared tracks and marked routes.
Wear good shoes. Paths are uneven, and fallen blocks and roots are everywhere.
Bring cash and water. There are few shops and no cash machines at the site.
Go in the dry season. November to March is best. In the wet season the forest is lush but the minor tracks between temples can be muddy.
Please do
Cover your shoulders and knees
Follow the direction of guards on the pyramid stairs
Take your rubbish away with you
Hire a local guide if you want the stories behind each temple
Please don’t
Climb on fallen masonry or the root-covered towers
Yes, if you have a spare day in Siem Reap. The pyramid is unique in Khmer architecture, the forest temples are atmospheric, and the site is far quieter than Angkor.
How much is the Koh Ker entrance fee?
$15 for foreign adults, paid at the ticket booth on the approach road. Bring US dollars in cash.
Is Koh Ker included in the Angkor Pass?
No. Koh Ker has its own ticket, and Beng Mealea, on the way, has another.
How far is Koh Ker from Siem Reap?
About 120 km, or two to two and a half hours by car.
Can you climb the Koh Ker pyramid?
A wooden staircase leads to the top of Prasat Thom and is usually open, but it has closed at times for repairs. Confirm on the day.
How tall is Prasat Thom at Koh Ker?
36 metres, in seven tiers on a base 62 metres square.
Who built Koh Ker?
King Jayavarman IV, who founded the city in 921 and ruled the Khmer Empire from it from 928. His son Harshavarman II reigned there until 944.
When did Koh Ker become a World Heritage Site?
UNESCO inscribed Koh Ker on 17 September 2023.
Can I visit Koh Ker and Beng Mealea in one day?
Yes. It is the most popular way to see both. Leave Siem Reap early and allow a full day.
Is Koh Ker safe from landmines?
The site has been extensively demined and the visitor areas are safe. Stay on cleared paths and marked routes.
Preah Vihear Temple is an 11th-century Khmer sanctuary to Shiva, built along an 800-metre axis on the Dangrek escarpment at Cambodia's border with Thailand, ending at…
Status
Closed to visitors since July 2025; no reopening date announced
Location
Dangrek escarpment, Preah Vihear province, on the Thai border
