Our Ta Prohm Visit

Ever since Ta Prohm made its movie debut in The Tomb Raider, I was mesmerized. The overgrown trees, intertwined with the crumbling structure of what had once been a monastery and university, fostered a sense of adventure and wonder. The more I researched, the more convinced I became of the need to visit the site.

We arrived just as the site was opening for the day, and miraculously had it all to ourselves, well, at least for a short time. The sun was still rising, casting an eerie, shimmery light through the trees and a green tint across everything, making it feel like a dream. We wandered deeper into the site and the jungle, becoming increasingly enthralled by the trees and their intertwined roots.

In one of the buildings, we encountered a female monk caring for the site and an offering. Although we did not understand the words, we could feel the peace and tranquility as she spoke blessings while tying a simple red string around our wrists. These blessings are common across all the temples, and we made a point of receiving all that we found. As we were leaving, the site began filling up with tourists. We timed it perfectly, making our visit even more magical.

Built late 12th C. as a Buddhist monastery, which may explain the peacefulness while walking through the location. Abandoned in the 15th Century, the temple became overgrown by the jungle until the mid-18th Century. Since 1992, when the site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, its conservation and restoration have focused on rebuilding buildings, shoring up walls, and maintaining the balance between the jungle and the temple. The site remains much as it was when European explorers rediscovered it in the late 18th Century.

“On every side, in fantastic over-scale, the trunks of the silk-cotton trees soar skywards under a shadowy green canopy, their long spreading skirts trailing the ground and their endless roots coiling more like reptiles than plants.”

Maurice Glaize, Explorer & Scholar

Carved throughout the site are devatas, nagas, and temple guardians typical of Khmer architecture. These represent Buddhist beliefs and the kingdom’s stories and times. It’s worth reading up on the site, the religions, and the history of the time to understand the significance of the symbols there.

Best Time to Visit

Our day started at 5 am, when we watched the sunrise over Angkor Wat, then headed to Ta Phrom, getting there by 7 am. Most people see the sunrise, then spend the rest of the morning exploring Angkor Wat, leaving Ta Prohm void of the mass tourists (at least for a couple of hours). We spent close to two hours investigating the intricate carvings, hidden doorways, and outbuildings. Ta Prohm is part of the larger Angkor complex included in the purchased passes. 

Read more about our Angkor Wat visit:

• The Temples of Angkor Wat. A Guide to Visiting
• Bayon – The Temple of Smiling Faces
• The Angkor Guide by Maurice Glaize

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