APOPO and Banteay Srei: Cambodia’s Past and Present in Siem Reap

A half-day experience in Siem Reap. The operator sums it up as visit the apopo visitor center and explore its educational exhibits. The price covers Hotel pickup and drop-off in Siem Reap, Private, air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking driver. It does not cover apopo visitor center admission fee, if a, banteay srei / angkor park entrance fee and licensed tour guide, so budget for those separately. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price. Banteay Srei lies 37 kilometres north-east of the main Angkor group and is carved in a pink sandstone that holds detail no other Khmer temple keeps: the lintels and pediments are cut deep enough to throw real shadow, which is why it is called the citadel of women. It is small, it was consecrated in 967 to Shiva, and it was built by a brahmin rather than a king. Because it is out on its own it is usually paired with Kbal Spean, the river of a thousand lingas, where Shiva carvings lie in and under the stream bed and the walk up is about 1.5 kilometres of forest path. Both close earlier than the central temples, so they are morning stops. This one is priced for the group rather than per head: 1 traveller costs $84 and 6 costs $110, so the more of you there are the less each of you pays. Golden Escape Cambodia runs it. We book with them directly, so the guide who meets you works for the operator rather than for a reseller.