Inside the volcanic
laterite outer walls, virtually every available surface is covered in carvings
with a predominance of apsaras — celestial nymphs in Hindu tradition —
from which the temple takes its name. It has its own picturesque lotus bud
towers too, but what makes Banteay Srei all the more remarkable is that it was
completed some 150 years before Angkor Wat in the year 967.
Banteay Srei, never a
royal temple, is thought to have been built by a guru of the king and it is
believed that this lack of a royal go-ahead is one of the reasons why it is so
small. What Banteay may lack in size it more than makes up for in beauty. Some
have suggested that the temple was built by women as no man could have created
something so beautiful and with so fine a hand. The carvings cover an
incredible amount of the temple’s surface and the reliefs are often deep.
As with many Khmer
temples, the main sections of Banteay Srei were built of laterite, but instead
of the carving being done into a plaster coating normally layered onto the
stone, the temple was faced with pink sandstone and the carvings done into
that. The results are breathtaking. Throughout the monument are lintels, door
jambs and window columns all layered with amazingly well executed and preserved
carvings.
At more than 1,000
years old, Banteay Srei’s carvings are some 150 years older than Angkor Wat
When the French came
across the site in 1914 it was totally covered by forest and partly buried by
earth. It didn’t take them long to realise they’d stumbled upon an outstanding
find, so outstanding in fact that French author Andre Lalraux decided to take a
chunk of the temple home with him. He cut out over a tonne of the finest
apsaras and other carvings and carted them back to Phnom Penh where he planned
to surreptitiously freight his plunder back to France. Fortunately he was
arrested and sentenced to a couple of years in prison (a term he never served)
and the carvings were saved. Lalraux was later appointed Minister of Culture
under Charles de Gaulle.
At about 25
kilometres from town the journey in a tuk-tuk should take less than an hour
each way and cost you in the region of $20-$25 including any stops you might
make en route. If you splash out on a car with English-speaking driver
you can expect to pay up to $40 for the privilege of air conditioning,
some useful words of guidance and a cooler full of bottles of iced water. It’s
best to check exactly what is included when you book your driver.
On arrival you may be
pleasantly surprised to find a very well organised complex with a large car
park, official gift shops, wall-mounted site plans, clean, modern toilets,
souvenir stalls and restaurants. If you want to stay for lunch, restaurant
menus include all the usual Khmer rice and noodle staples,
and although prices were listed from $5 upwards, on my recent visit we were
instantly offered “anything on the menu” for just $3.
Early morning or late
afternoon are the best times to visit to avoid any tour buses but if the temple
entrance looks busy when you arrive, turn right instead of left and take the
short circular walk around the small wetland nature reserve. It’s a
haven of birdlife – at the right time of day and year — and provides a
peaceful and shady walk along good paths with various viewpoints on wooden
piers constructed over reedy lakes.
Far from the madding
crowd: Banteay Srei’s wetland walk.
The
path from the lake to the temple also takes you past a small raised platform
that gives you a clear view over the temple’s outer walls and moat for a good
chance of capturing that elusive stranger-free photo.
The path from the lake to the temple also takes you
past a small raised platform that gives you a clear view over the temple’s
outer walls and moat for a good chance of capturing that elusive stranger-free
photo.
You will of course need a temple pass to access
Banteay Srei and unfortunately the only place you can buy one is at the main Apsara
Authority ticket office on the road from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat. Which is
not exactly the most direct route from town to Banteay Srei.
To save time, buy a three-day pass when
you tackle The Big Three on day one. It costs the same as two single-day passes
– currently $20 for one day and $40 for three — and it gives you the luxury of
being able to take your time and see more than the average package tourist. You
could even mix up some half-day temple visits with a lazy afternoon by the pool, a spot of shopping or a long lunch
without feeling guilty about the cost of your pass.