Part of our guide to Homestays in Banteay Meanchey
At a glance
The short version
- Province
- Banteay Meanchey, near the Thai border
- Getting there
- Around three hours by road from Siem Reap
- Rooms
- Family house, mattress and mosquito net, shared bathroom
- Do
- Temple walks, ox-cart rides, village cooking, satellite temples
- Rates
- Set by the community, confirmed on enquiry
Banteay Chhmar is one of the largest temple complexes of the Angkorian period, and it sees a fraction of the visitors that Angkor does. The village around it runs a community tourism scheme that places guests in family homes, cooks for them and supplies the guides.
What a stay looks like
Houses are wooden, on stilts, with a mattress and mosquito net in a private room and a shared bathroom. Dinner is cooked by the community and eaten together. Early morning at the temple, before the heat, is the reason to stay the night.
Good to know
Bring cash in small notes, a torch and a headscarf or hat. The road is paved; the last stretch into the village is short.
Questions travellers ask
How long should I stay?
One night is the minimum - the temple deserves a morning and an evening. Two nights lets you add the outlying temples.
Can I combine it with Siem Reap?
Yes. Most guests come from Siem Reap and go on to Battambang or back.
