📍Beng Mealea｜The tree and time growing in the maze

If Angkor Wat is a symbol of imperial glory, then Beng Mealea is a dream gently embraced by time, slumbering.

I rode my scooter eastward from the Queen's Palace, the road winding eastward, the trees growing ever wilder and denser. When I arrived at Beng Mealea, the sun was high in the sky, and the entire temple was half-submerged in the forest, like a newly discovered relic, yet it had quietly existed for nine hundred years.

Once one of the great temples of the Angkor Empire in the 11th century, tree roots and moss now grew among the ruins. There was no excessive restoration, no glossy signs, only the beauty of the stacked stones, and the sound of your feet treading on the cracks of time as you walked through them.

I stopped before a large tree, its roots clinging to the entire wall like an octopus. There were no guides or crowds, yet a certain solemnity emanated from it. There were no "photo spots," but every corner was a photographer's perfect composition.

Beng Mealea isn't the kind of place that makes you exclaim, "Wow!" but the kind that stays with you long after you leave.

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📌 Travel Information Notes
• 📍 Location: Beng Mealea (approximately 70 km from downtown Siem Reap)
• ⏰ Opening Hours: 7:00 AM–5:30 PM daily
• 🎫 Tickets: Not included with the Angkor Pass; a separate ticket is required (approximately US$5)
• 🛵 Transportation: Motorbike ride (approximately 2 hours); chartered vehicles/tour groups are also available.
• 👟 Tips: The ground is slippery, so wear non-slip shoes. Some areas are climbable, but be careful of falling rocks and old structures.

Post by Dona的浪記天涯 | Jul 30, 2025