Banteay Chhmar temple, the Small Citadel

On January 22, 2018 / Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia

Last update: January 2021

Banteay Chhmar temple is the fourth largest temple complex in Cambodia and one of the biggest in the world, situated about 164 km north east of Siem Reap (Banteay Meanchey Province), nearby the Dangrek mountain range in the border with Thailand. Since 2010, thanks to a new road, Banteay Chhmar temple is only one hour drive from Sisophon on the highway 56 and about three-hour drive from Siem Reap. Another way of reaching Banteay Chhmar from Siem Reap is to take the road 68 north of Kralanh and the road 56 west

Banteay Chhmar temple history

Banteay Chhmar, also known as the small citadel, is a massive temple complex oriented west-east with 5 enclosures (2.2 by 1.7 kilometers) and 4 entrances. It is surrounded by a 6 meters wide moat it has also a large Baray on the east with its own temple on the center.

The temple complex was commissioned by King Jayavarman VII during the late 12th century, begging of 13th century and dedicated to his son.

It is sometime described as a twin hub of the Khmer empire because of its size and its layout containing a large main temple with extensive carved walls, many satellite temples and a complex hydraulic system.

Banteay Chhmar follows the Bayon style and has also many face towers. According to George Groslier who surveyed Banteay Chhmar in 1920’s and 1930’s, counted a total of 56 towers.

As this temple was left in the nature for 800 years, it suffered considerable damages and only 10 towers are still standing with only few face towers. Even in the 1920’s, Groslier mantioned that the temple was only accessible two months a year…

Face tower 18

Two of the face towers in the central part of the temple

Banteay Chhmar bas-reliefs

Eastern Gallery

The Eastern gallery is rich in bas-reliefs, similar to the ones in Bayon temple depicting scenes of war and everyday life. It was restored in 2008 during the GHF project.

Bas -relief with war scenes – eastern wall

Bas-relief detail with fishes and turtle – eastern wall

Bas-relief detail of the Eastern wall depicting Jayavarman VII and a young prince (his son?)

Western Gallery (Avalokisteshvara’s wall)

The western gallery is famous for its Avalokiteshvara’s bas-reliefs. Originally, 8 multi-armed Avalokiteshvara were carved on this wall, two of them were under the rubles for many year and back on the wall since 2018 only. The two missing were stolen, and the last two are now exhibited at the Phnom Penh National Museum.

The southern part of the wall was restored as well in 2018, with many bas-reliefs visible including the famous churning of the sea milk story below.

Northern section (22 and 32 arms)

In the northern part of the wall are two beautiful bas-relief of Avalokiteshvara with 22 and 32 arms situated on each side of a door. The 32-armed Avalokisteshava is multi-headed but it is difficult to make out the details even on an digitally enhanced picture

22-arms Avalokiteshvara on the western wall

Sketch of the 22-armed Avalokiteshvara (Jean Boisselier, 1965). 11 heads (?) on 3 levels.

The impressive 32-armed Avalokiteshvara

Details of the multi-headed 32-armed Avalokiteshvara (digitally enhanced)

Details of the 32-arms Avalokiteshvara holding a small Buddha

Central section (10-6-8-8 arms) Before and After

Walking south, there is a 12-metres gap in the wall: in January 1999, an organized group of thieves dismantled 4 images and were intercepted later in Thailand with 177 pieces of sandstone . Unfortunately 5 out of 6 trucks carrying artifacts managed to escape making the heist of 1999 one of the biggest ever in an Angkorian temple. The New York Times published a piece called Raiders of Lost Art Loot Temples in Cambodia in April 1999.

The recovered 10-armed and 6-armed Avalokiteshvara (connected to each other) are now housed at the National Museum in Phnom Penh (in october 2017, the 10-arms was loaned to Cleveland museum in USA).

10-arms Avalokiteshvara (photo credit: Cleveland museum). 53 blocks of sandstone. Dimensions: 275 x 325 x 22 cm

6-arms Avalokiteshvara displayed at the National Museum in Phnom Penh

Walking further south, the gap continues with once was the location of two Lokeshvara. Jean Boitellier took pictures of this section in 1965 so we know that its was two 8-armed Avalokiteshvara.

Sketch of the 8-armed Avalokiteshvara (Jean Boisselier, 1965). It was stolen in 1998 and still missing

Picture of one the 8-armed Avalokiteshvara (Jean Boisselier, 1965). It was stolen in 1998 and still missing

Southern section (4-16 arms) Before and After

Under the rumbles of the southern part of the wall are believed for a long time to lay the two last Avalokiteshvara. A privately funded project was successfully completed in July 2018 to put back the 2 images back. The 16-arms Avalokiteshvara documented by Jean Boisselier in 1965 is back on with few pieces missing only on the bottom right corner.

Surprisingly the other Avalokisteshvara was found under the rubles and put back have only 4 arms which is the lower number of arms in the whole serie of eight. This piece was not documented in 1965.

4-armed Avalokiteshvara back on the wall (taken in March 2019)

Newly discovered piece of Avalokiteshvara on the ground (June 2018)

Picture of the 16-armed Avalokiteshvara (Jean Boisselier, 1965)

Sketch of the 16-armed Avalokiteshvara (Jean Boisselier, 1965)

16-armed Avalokiteshvara head close-up (Jean Boisselier, 1965)

Sandstone block discovered under the rumbles (June 2018) a perfect match with the 16-armed Avalokiteshvara

16-armed Avalokiteshvara back on the wall (taken in March 2019)

The total sequence of the number of arms from from Northern to Southern side of the wall is the following: 22/32/8 (missing)/8 (missing)/6 (museum)/10 (museum)/4/16. The ones with the highest number of arms (16,22 and 32) are the only ones with many heads.

All 8 images have some common features: the lokiteshvara stands on a lotus flower and surrounded by three layers of devotees layers and apsara

Research and Conservation Work

Even though the French explorer Etienne Aymonier first visited the citadel in 1911, it is not before 1924 that the first archaeological surveys were done out by George Groslier and subsequently in 1934 and 1935. Groslier described the temple in a pity state with only few face towers standing. He took many photographs which were later priceless to archaeology research.

Banteay Chhmar was added to UNESCO tentative list in 1992, the same year that Angkor Wat temple was listed UNESCO World Heritage site. Because of its remote location, like Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, Banteay Chhmar was unfortunately the target of extensive lootings in the 1990s.

In 2008, the Global Heritage Fund (GHF) setup a multi-year project with stakeholders such as The Ministry of Culture & Fine Arts, the government of Cambodia and people living in the vicinity of the temple. Led by Dr John Sanday, this project ended in 2015, was a success in restoring the temple, training Cambodians but also providing the base for a sustainable tourism by setting up a community based tourism called CBT. Dr Olivier Cunin, an expert on Banteay Chhmar, built an impressive 3D model. He concluded that the temple was built in different stages, and the same time than some structures of Bayon and Preah Khan temples. A video of the 3D model made by Dr Cunin can be watched here (starts at 5’15”).

A private funded restoration work financed by H.E. Mao Malay Ken Kimyan started in 2018 on the Avalokisteshvarawall and unnearthed two images on a collapsed section of the western wall (see above). Another project started in september 2018 on the eastern terrace, a lintel with Avalokisteshvara was uncovered at the beginning of 2019 as well as two lions. (see below).

Another project completed 2018 was to put back up the wall on the southern part of the west gallery which has also many bas-reliefs with missing parts.

Among them is a bas-relief describing the churning of the sea of milk but unfortunately the turtle carrying Vishu was never found

Photo Gallery | Banteay Chhmar

Eastern Terrace

Lion statue uncovered in 2019 at the eastern terrace

Lintel with Avalokiteshvara uncovered in 2019 on the eastern terrace

Satellite temples

Original wood ceiling on one of the satellite temple

New visitor platform set up at the end of 2018 to get easier access to the center of the main temple

Mebon temple

3D reconstruction of Banteay Chhmar by Dr Olivier Cunin

Banteay Chhmar LIDAR map (Dr Damian Evans, 2016)

Why it is worth visiting Banteay Chhmar?

With the growing popularity of Angkor, especially the top three temples (Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Bayon), it is increasingly difficult to appreciate their beauty and take pictures. In Banteay Chhmar, you can walk among the ruins alone and still have this feeling of mystery and adventure. You can forget also the many ticket checkpoints of Angkor, just sign a book at the entrance and you are all set; difficult to believe but no tickets will be delivered to you and if you are coming back the same day you just have to point your name on the book. The entrance fee is only USD 5 which is the same price than Beng Mealea temple.

If you feel more adventurous you can go outside the main temple and visit the 9 satellite temples built during the same period: of particular interest are Ta Prohm, Prasat Samnang and Ta Nem. If you look carefully you might even spot two original wooden ceiling in one of them. If you have time, it is worth strolling in the village and have a look at the farmers working on the culture of manioc.

Local farmers processing manioc before exporting to nearby Thailand

Due to its remote location, the site escaped the iconoclastic reaction which took place in Angkor when almost all of the Buddha images in the Jayavarman VII’s temples is Angkor were destroyed or altered (Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, Bayon,…).

Buddha image

In 2017, the archaeological site received its highest number of tourists with 2200 visitors, a sharp 300% increase from 2008. To put things into perspective, Angkor Wat temple receives about 10 000 visitors on a busy day. We therefore strongly suggest to go to Banteay Chhmar after Angkor Wat and not the other way around…

Community-based tourism at Banteay Chhmar

To add to your experience, we recommend to sleep at one of the homestays of the CBT to immerse yourself and have the chance to enter the temple early to take advantage of the golden hour. Some of them are only few hundred meters away from the temple. Booking is recommended as CBT can only accommodate about 40 persons.

Note: since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, some changes have been made at the CBT:

The main CBT office have been relocated from the east to the west side of the main temple
Homestays are closed. As an alternative, instead it is possible to spend time in a tented camp at Banteay Chhmar temple along with catering services.

Banteay Chhmar | Related Videos

BEYOND ANGKOR: CAMBODIA SCULPTURE FROM BANTEAY CHHMAR (2017 Cleveland Museum of Art. English, 6 min)

watch online: Complete (6 min)

The Heritage Curse (2012 Al Jazeera, 101 East. English, 25 min)

watch online: Section about Banteay Chhmar (8’26” to 12’59”)

THE SMALL CITADEL: RECONSTRUCTING THE RUINED BUDDHIST COMPLEX OF BANTEAY CHHMAR (2010 Freer and Sackler Galleries Smithsonian Institution. English, 66 min)

watch online: Complete (66 min)

FEATURED TOUR

Preah Khan temple

On September 28, 2017 / Cambodia, Preah Khan

Preah Khan, temple of the sacred sword

Preah Khan of Angkor, not to be mistaken with Preah Khan of Kompong Svay, is one of the most beautiful and underrated temple within the Angkor archaeological park. Although Angkor Wat is the most impressive in term of architecture and symmetry it lacks some atmosphere.

When you visit Preah Khan, you will have the feeling of being one of the first explorers wandering within the narrow corridors, courtyards and concealed chambers. The walls of this ancient site boast an extraordinary palette, adorned with various shades of green, black, and red, courtesy of the diverse lichen and moss species. Colors are changing also with the seasons making this temple an ever changing playground for photographers. It is one the rare temple in Angkor worth exploring with your camera under the rain

This temple, commissioned in 1191, is a Hindu-Buddhist temple complex built during the reign of Jayavarman VII, one of the most charismatic Khmer king who built also the famous temples of Ta Prohm and Bayon. It is also known as the temple of the sacred sword, and dedicated to the father of Jayavarman VII (divinity Jayavarmesvara). The temple was a monastic city dedicated to teaching and of course a place of devotion. A stele discovered in 1939 by Maurice Glaize gave away many information for example 100,000 people were living on site, including 1000 teachers. We also learned that the temple was built on the battle site where Jayavarman VII defeated the Cham army. 60 tons of gold inlays were believed to be in the temple making an unique treasure in the 12th century.

Preah Khan | Temple layout

The temple was built on a flat ground oriented East to West, with a naga bridge on both side (most visitors enter via the west entrance). There are also two other entrances on the north and south of the temple, the later one not been used. The temple complex spread on 56 hectares with 4 concentric enclosures. It has 72 garudas (mythical bird-man),holding two nagas, all spread around the outer wall. The 40 meters wide moat is full of water all year around although some sections are dry during the months of April and May.

Preah Khan temple map (Maurice Glaize)

Preah Khan temple central sanctuary under heavy rain

Lotus flowers and candles at the central sanctuary’s stupa

Preah Khan temple | Conservation work

Past

The first conservation work was carried out by Henri Marchal from the EFEO between 1927 and 1932. After the war, conservation works was resumed by the WMF (Word Monument Fund) with a series in missions in 1991,1992, 1993 and 1994. In the 90’s, archeologists described the temple as a partial ruin deep in the jungle. Beside the consolidation and the restoration of many structures, an important goal of all these missions was to train Khmer people in conservation.

Like many temples of Angkor, Preah Khan suffered from looting during the Khmer rouge regime. By looking at archive pictures and footage you can see that a lot of statues are missing now. For example the two guardians at the west gopura still had their head in 1968 and a lion was still standing before the platform.The naga bridge on the east side just have half of giant face left out of the original 108…. Not so long ago, in 1993 and 1996, thieves tried to steal stone heads of Asura but fortunately got stopped.

Current

In 1996, WMF launched the Adopt a Garuda program. With a donation of USD 25,000 a garuda can be completely restored. The program is quite successful as in 2009, 27 of the 72 have been restored so far. Preah Khan is actually part of a larger WMF program which includes also Angkor Wat and Phnom Bakheng.

The project of dismantlement and reconstruction of of a small building close to the central sanctuary which a had a dead tree on top of it is now over. Although it is small building several hundreds of number sandstone blocks are laying on the ground ready to be put together like a puzzle which gives an idea of the daunting task of the workers who worked in the temple in the 90’s.

The visitor center was completely dismantled in 2017 and a new one is under construction at the same location. The previous building hosted some interesting information panels about the restoration work of the 90’s as well as some large pictures.

A major conservation work is on pause on the east entrance by the Archaeological Survey of India for many years now aims at restoring two of the three towers.

Visit highlights

Preah Khan has many locations to explore, you should plan a 1 h 1/2 to 2 h to cross the temple from West to East especially if you are taking pictures. Among the highlights are the stupa at the central sanctuary, a linga with its yoni, the hall of dancers, the biggest strangler fig in Angkor beside the east gopura, the 2-story pavilion, the baray on the east leading to Neak Pean and Ta Som. If you want to see the secret chambers it is recommended to hire a guide as they are difficult to find.

Narrow passage between two chapels

Elderly nun ready to give blessing, she is 81 years old and a long time resident of the temple

Group of monks in with the double stories pavilion in the background

The two stories pavilion has an unique architecture in Angkor

Devata in a narrow corridor

Demon pulling the naga snake snake on the west causeway

strangler fig growing on a wall

REFLECTIONS

Flooded corridor during the monsoon season

Gopura with giant stone guardians

Apsara dancers ornements in the hall of dancers

Devata (Queen Indradevi)

Crumbling headless statue of an Asura

Hidden Devata (Queen Jayarajadevi)

Monk exiting a secret chamber

Buddha carving covered in moss

Hidden guardian with flowers offering

Preah Khan Jayatataka

One of the standing lion at the eastern gopura

Nature and sandstone intertwined

Beams of light of the forest

Hidden Devata

The biggest tree (Tetrameles nudiflora R.Br. Datiscaceae) in Preah Khan, facing west

The biggest tree of the temple growing on the eastern gopura

Unfortunately the beautiful tree above (Tetrameles nudiflora R.Br. Datiscaceae) has been cut in 2020 and now just a shadow if itself:(

Angkor Complete

Angkor Sunrise

10 Fun Facts to Know About Angkor Wat Temple

On July 24, 2017 / Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat temple, architectural masterpiece of the Khmer Empire, situated near Siem Reap in North-western Cambodia is one of the most visited temple in the world (more than 2 million visitors in 2016). Here are 10 fun facts below about Angkor Wat temple.

1. The central tower of Angkor Wat is aligned with sunrise twice a year in March and September during the winter and spring equinox.

angkor wat sunrise spring equinox photography tours

Angkor Wat sunrise Spring equinox (March 2016)

2. The artificial moat surrounding the temple provides stability to the structure by keeping constant the humidity of the sandy ground below.

3. Contrary to the other Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is facing West.

4. Angkor Wat counts about 1700 delicate carvings of topless celestial dancers called Devatas.

5. The first pictures of Angkor Wat were taken in 1866 by John Thomson.

6. Angkor Wat was during the 12th century the largest city on Earth with an estimated population of nearly 1,000,000.

7. Angkor Wat has four entrances but only the west and the east are accessible.

8. Angkor Wat was built as heaven on earth with its fives towers representing Mont Meru and its moat the ocean.

9. Since 2013, you can visit the entire temple complex of Angkor Wat from your smartphone using Google Street View.

10. Angkor Wat central sanctuary is made of an iron core (coming from laterite, a porous stone containing iron oxide).

Dragon Monks of Cambodia

On July 15, 2017 / buddhism, Cambodia, monks

While leading a photography tour with one of my guest in the Cambodian countryside, we unexpectedly stumbled upon a unusual Buddhist ceremony at a local pagoda: many families were there busy preparing offering and several young Cambodian boys with shaved heads were wearing colorful dresses and make-up. One of them was actually crying.

We learned later that this 2-day ceremony was inspired by the Dragon Monk Legend: a long time ago, a dragon (Neak in Khmer language) who took the form of a man was ordained monk by Buddha. While taking a nap, the monk changed back to dragon and the trick was discovered. The legend lived until this day as the ceremony of the dragon is taking place when a Cambodian man wants to become a monk either for few years or longer.

We were lucky to be the only outsiders taken pictures of this ceremony of the 9 monks to be ordained. Future monks had their head and eyebrows shaved and were dressed up with the with a colorful sampot (an ancient long traditional saron) and a lace top along with some jewellery. They also applied lipstick to make themselves more beautiful, something which can be seen in the temples of Angkor done by locals on some Buddha and Devata statues.

At one point of the ceremony, beautiful horses were brought in and monks rode them to take part of a procession going back to the city few miles away. Some women carried colorful boxes containing the robe of the monks that they will be wearing the next day.

When back from the city, a large crowd did a circumambulation (3 times) before entering the pagoda where the monks were been ordained by higher monks.

If you are visiting Siem Reap and want to document this special Buddhist ceremony please get in touch with us.

Dragon monks praying Buddha

Dragon monk in a colorful pagoda

A soon to be ordained monk adjusting his colorful sampot

Khmer family dressing session in pagoda

Dragon monk wearing a pink sampot

Young dragon monk wearing a lace top outfit

Dragon monk posing with his offerings

Dragon monk dressed with a sampot in the monastery

The nine to be ordained monks kneeling and praying

Elderly Cambodian women at the Dragon ceremony

Elderly Cambodian woman in front of a colorful pagoda mural

Colorful box containing the robe of a future monk

Procession going from the pagoda to the city on foot

Dragon monk riding a colorful horse on his way to the city

Dragon monk riding a colorful horse on his way to the city

Monk waiting by the pagoda’s entrance

Young Cambodian kid with colorful paint on his face

Crowd gathered in front of the pagoda for the final ceremony

The enigmatic temple of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay

On May 26, 2017 / blog, Cambodia

Preah Khan of Kompong Svay (not be mistaken with Preah Khan temple in Angkor), also called Prasat Bakan by the locals, is a remote archeological site located 100 km from Siem Reap as the crow flies in Preah Vihear province at the eastern end on the ancient royal road from Angkor.

Preah Khan is the single biggest temple complex built during the Khmer Empire occupying an impressive footprint of about 22 kilometers square, 11 times larger than Angkor Wat and 2 times larger than the city of Angkor Thom. Because of its remote location (more than 200 km one way from Siem Reap including about 70 km of unpaved road) it receives less than 10 visitors daily.

The layout of the temple is unique compared to the other sites in Angkor as it is oriented northeast. It has been proposed that the temple is aligned with the raising sun during thee summer solstice.

A large baray of 3 km long lies on the east with a temple called Preah Thkol in the middle similar to the West Mebon in Angkor. It was built between the 10th and 13th centuries in different stages during the reigns of Kings Suryavarman I, II and Jayavarman VII. The influence of Jayarvaman VII is clearly visible in Prasat Preah Stun which has with a four-faced tower similar to the Bayon temple (see picture below).

Rediscovery

The rediscovery of Preah Khan is credited to French explorer and artist Louis Delaporte who lead a expedition there in 1873. At the end of their visit they took many statues which are now at the Guimet museum in Paris : among them, a naga garuda and an elephant statue from Preah Damrei (see picture below).

Because of its remote location and lack of security, the site was badly sacked during the 1980’s and 1990’s and even more recently in 2003. Even so, some beautiful pieces like doors and lintels are still there. The causeway crossing the moat (mostly dry like in Beng Mealea) has many garuda carvings on both sides.

Exploring the site can be quite difficult because of the dense vegetation there and the absence of clear paths.

Recent archeological missions

The Cambodian Archaeological Lidar Initiative (CALI) known for his groundbreaking discovery of the first Khmer empire city, Mahendravarpata, in Phnom Kulen and in 2014 did a survey of Preah Khan in 2015 and confirmed the previous layout of the temple. They confirmed that Preah Khan was an important iron smelting center at the height of the Khmer Empire. 90 structures were identified within the four enclosures of the temple.

Another project called The Two Buddhist Towers lead by a multidisciplinary team of researchers (UCLA, University of Illinois, University College London, EFEO,…) aims to study the transition from Mahāyāna to Theravāda Buddhism at Preah Khan did some excavations in 2015 and 2016. Three Chinese coins dating from the 10th and 11th century were found confirming the importance of his site during the Khmer Empire.

LIDAR image of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay

Main entrance of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay

Buddha niche at Preah Khan Kompong Svay

Atmospheric entrance in Preah Kompong Svay

Garudas below the main bridge of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay

The same garuda bridge by Louis Delaporte in 1873

Remain of a lion statue

preah khan kompong svay photography tour

Laterite towers in Preah Khan Kompong Svay

Beautiful door at the main temple of Preah Khan Kompong Svay

Temple ruin in preah khan kompong svay second enclosure

One of the two elephant statues remaining statue at Preah Damrei. Louis Delaporte took one back to France in 1873.

Bayon like temple in Preah Khan Kompong Svay

Beautiful Naga with Garuda at Preah Damrei

Tree growing on one of the temples of Preah Khan of Kompong Svay

Devata at Preah Damrei

Preah Stun , a surprising Bayon look alike temple in the jungle

Preah Khan of Kompong Svay is best visited during the dry season when the unpaved road is in fairly good condition. It is a 1-day trip from Siem Reap that can be combined with a visit to Koh Ker or Beng Mealea. A 2-day trip with a visit to Preah Vihear can also be arranged. If you like to do a private photography tour of this enigmatic and beautiful temple, please contact me.

Bambu Stage Interactive Shows in Siem Reap

On November 3, 2016 / blog, Cambodia

Bambu Stage introduces a new form of educational entertainment in town as it opened unique shows about Cambodian culture and the famous temples of Angkor in its very own backyard in a quiet street not far from Wat Damnak Pagoda. Created by Nick Coffill and Jon de Rule, whose years of experience in museum design and theatre production delivers a different take of informative, interactive, and entertaining performances giving the audience that one-of-a-kind authentic experience. Other members of the team include Malar (marketing and F&B), Sorn (puppetry), Wab (technical). At present, Bambu Stage runs two different shows each week. Every Friday, a show about the history of Cambodia exhibiting the very first photos of Angkorian temples taken by John Thompson and Emile Gsell is narrated by Nick. SNAP! 150 Years of Photography in Cambodia takes you back in time from 150 years back, all the way thru the golden age of the 60’s, throughout the dark period of the Khmer Rouge, and Cambodia today. Tuesdays in Bambu Stage is a show about the temples of Angkor and their connections to Hinduism and Buddhism. This rare interactive show, named Temples De-coded, using a miniature model of the temples will give you a better understanding of the layout of both pre-Angkorian and Angkorian temples relative to astronomy and the spirit of the ancestors. It also presents some new insights about the last LIDAR scans done in Angkor by the Cambodian Archaeological Lidar Initiative. Another exciting act, Bambu Puppets, is set to run very soon on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Shows starts at 6.46 pm on the days specified. This is a highly recommended must-do for your stay in Cambodia, to have a better understanding of the culture and history of this town with so much ancient history to reveal. Shows are priced at $25 which include a welcome drink and a banquet. An option without dinner is also available at $12.50. Private shows are also available upon request. For bookings please please click on the logo at the end of the page. Below are few pictures we took during the show Temples De-Coded.

Temples De-Coded just before the show

temples-decoded-bambu-stage-live-drawing

Live drawing on projector

Nick Coffill starting…

and finishing drawing a map of Asia

bambu-stage-nick-coffill-angkorian-temple-model

Nick Cofill showing a piece of the Angkorian temple model

bambu-stage-cambodia-nick-coffill-temple-model

Nick Cofill showing a piece of the Angkorian temple model

bambu-stage-nick-cofill-guest-temple-building

Nick, Wab and a guest starting the design of a temple following the sun

bambu-stage-temples-decoded-interactive-show-guest

Drawing the lines….

bambu-stage-temples-decoded-interactive-show

The design is almost completed

bambu-stage-siem-reap-angkorian-temple-layout

Main lines are drawn before adding the main structures

Nick working on the Angkorian temple model

Partially completed Angkor temple

bambu-stage-final-layout-interactive-show

Angkorian temple completed

bambu-stage-siem-reap-final-layout-interactive-show

Angkorian temple completed

A visit at Siem Reap Silk Farm: unveiling the Magic of Cambodian Silk

On October 29, 2016 / Cambodia

As of January 2024, Siem Reap silk farm is still closed

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Cambodian silk, also known as golden silk (CGS), is a unique and distinctive product with a long history dating back to the 13th century. The silk production industry faced significant challenges during the Khmer Rouge regime, which almost led to its extinction. However, after the genocide, silk production slowly resumed, and the government developed a Cambodia National Silk Strategy (2014-2018) to revitalize the industry. Key measures taken to revive the Cambodian silk industry include:

1. Sericulture: Focusing on the production of raw silk, yarn production, and weaving.

2. Product and market development: Strengthening the value chain and promoting the unique qualities of Cambodian silk.

3. Capacity development: Enhancing the skills and knowledge of farmers and artisans involved in the silk production process.

Despite these efforts, the silk production industry faced a significant drop in yield, from 5 tons in 2005 to less than 1 ton in 2014, due to challenges in cultivating silkworms and maintaining mulberry plantations. This decline has led to a reliance on imports from China and Vietnam, which account for more than 300 tons a year. The Cambodian silk industry is worth saving due to its unique color and quality of thread. The government’s strategy aims to reduce poverty, benefit women, and promote the sector’s growth. The silk production process involves raising silkworms, harvesting silk thread, and processing it into high-quality yarn for weaving. The knowledge of raising silkworms and processing silk has been passed down through generations, mainly by women.

Beyond the Silk farm Siem Reap guided tour | Capturing the Soul of Cambodian Silk with your camera

Fifteen kilometers away from Siem Reap, just before the small city of Puok, you can visit the silk farm owned by Artisans d’Angkor. Entrance to the silk farm is free and it comes with 30-minute tour with a guide who will walk you through the different steps of fine silk production from the growing of mulberry plant to the work of the workers on the loom machines.

Aside from being a very informative visit, it is a great opportunity to take pictures for the enthusiasts. Below are some pictures taken during the different stages of the silk production-from the nurturing of the silkworms to the weaving process. Taking pictures in the silk farm is quite challenging due to the fact that light is low for most parts of the production area and some objects are in motion.

Mulberry leaves cultivation

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Newly hatched silkworms fed with small pieces of mulberry leaves

Growing green-colored silkworm fed with bigger mulberry leaves

angkor silk farm with mature yellow silk worms

Mature silkworms turned yellow in wooden baskets

Mature silkworms turned yellow ready to start their cocoon

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Cocoons of Cambodian golden silk

angkor silk farm with yellow silk cocoons

Closeup of golden cambodian silk cocoons

Cocoons of Cambodian golden silk hanging from a window

The best cocoons are selected

Boiling cocoons to kill the worm inside

Different types of silk displayed

Workers on a throwing machine with golden silk

Worker behind her loom machine

Worker behind her loom machine

Worker on her weaving machine

Red silk on loom machine

Threads of silk stretched on a weaving machine

Worker spinning silk threads

Closeup of a silk design

The First Photographs of the Temples of Angkor

On September 28, 2016 / blog, Cambodia

With the widespread use of digital cameras and the recent progress in smartphone photography, ten of thousands of pictures are taken everyday in the temples of Angkor. We take the ability to take pictures granted but often forget that the first photographs of the temples of Angkor were taken more than 150 years ago!

Photographers back then were using one of the first photographic process created called wet plate collodion. They had porters to carry their darkroom and chemicals as photographic plates needed to be developed on site. In top of that, access to the temples of Angkor were very difficult as they were still covered by a dense jungle….

Two photographers were credited for successfully captured the first pictures of Angkor. The first one, was a Scottish Photographer named John Thomson, who was 29 years old and based in Singapore. He did an extensive photographic work during his two weeks spent in Angkor in 1866. John Thomson was inspired to take this trip by the writings of Henri Mouhot in 1860. Beside Angkor Wat, Thomson took pictures of Angkor Thom and Bayon which were covered by a dense jungle. It was only in 1911, that Jean Commaille lead an archeology mission from École française d’Extrême-Orient to clear up the trees in Bayon temple and started restorations.

Few months after John Thomson, Frenchman Emile Gsell, 28 years old, based in Saigon, brought his darkroom to Angkor and captured more than 100 pictures. He returned later on in 1873 part of the famous expedition lead by Louis Delaporte. Gsell developed his glass plates on paper coated with albumen. The pictures of Thomson and Gsell are today priceless documents as they put in perspective the massive restoration work accomplished since the beginning of the 20th century in the temples of Angkor.

THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR |

EMILE GSELL

THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR | JOHN THOMSON

(Copyright Wellcome Library)

12 Vintage Pictures of the Temples of Angkor

On September 4, 2016 / blog, Cambodia

I rarely do black and white processing because I prefer seeing the unique tones of sandstone, the building block of all Angkorian temples, as well as the different hues of lichen and moss growing on the stones. However on some photos, black and white effect can add an interesting dimension as they give a classic impression to the images similar to those photographs from the late 19th century towards the beginning of the 20th century captured by the first explorers of Angkor. This handpicked selection of Angkor temples photographs was processed using one of the vintage filters of Silver Efex Pro2 from Nik collection to add a dramatic and timeless dimension. These were taken in 2013 to 2016 in Angkor Wat, Preah Khan, and Beng Mealea temples as well as in Angkor Thom.

devata preah khan temple angkor photography

Hidden devata in Preah Khan temple

Devatas at Angkor Wat temple

Gopura at Ta Som temple

Gate at Ta Prohm temple

angkor thom west gate angkor photography

One of the faces of Angkor Thom West gate

devata close up Ta Phrom angkor photography

Devata close up at Ta Prohm temple

Beng Mealea the jungle temple

smiling face bayon temple angkor photography

Smiling face at Bayon temple

The majestic Angkor Wat temple

Angkor Thom east gate also known as gate of the dead

Vishnu statue at Angkor Wat temple

Ta Prohm temple

Ta Prohm temple with sprawling tree

12 Beautiful Pictures of the Cambodian Countryside

On August 29, 2016 / blog, Cambodia

Millions of tourists flock in Siem Reap every year to visit the famous UNESCO World Heritage temples of Angkor. While these temples are the highlight of every tourist visiting Cambodia, the countryside of Siem Reap tends to be overlooked and only a few chooses to explore off the beaten track and get to experience the beauty of Cambodia’s authentic rural lifestyle.
About five kilometers away from the busy Siem Reap downtown area, one can find picturesque and tranquil scenary of villages with small traditional houses scattered throughout the expanse of the countryside. People are warm and they are almost all the time happy to pose for photographs. Main photography themes would be landscape photography of the green paddy and lotus flower fields, farmers working in the plains, amazing sunsets, and portrait opportunities of kids from the village.
Angkor Photography Tours offers photography tours in Siem Reap to photography enthusiasts who wants to see and capture rural living.
These photographs were taken during our tours and will hopefully entice you to take a day or two of your visit in Siem Reap to explore the lovely Cambodian countryside.