Beng Melea, Siem Reap

Beng Melea, an Angkor temple 37 miles east of Siem Reap, is perhaps the best place to feel like Lara Croft or Indiana Jones. Here you can clamber around the crumbling stones of an "undiscovered" and mysterious temple that has been reclaimed by the jungle. Long a secret enclave for temple buffs and only recently cleared of land mines, Beng Melea is steadily attracting more visitors.

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History of Beng Melea

No one has found the usual Sanskrit inscription on the temple, but King Suryavarman (Angkor Wat's builder) is believed to have erected it in the 12th century.

What to See at Beng Melea

Beng Melea temple has three gallery walls and a moat at the entrance. The interior temple area is a big pile of rubble, great for climbing around and exploring. There was a movie recently filmed here and the filmmakers left their ramps, making it a bit easier to get around.

The east entrance is closed because of many fallen rocks, but enter just to the right of the main entrance and look for the relief images of the god of fire over the first door as you approach the gallery by the first ramp, then an image of a three-headed elephant born of the mythical Churning of the Ocean of Milk (the Hindu creation legend). A small library is inside this first gallery area. From here, plunge into the temple center.

The platform path from the center leads through a covered, dark gallery. Between sections, you'll have to do some clambering and rock hopping - be careful of the slippery moss. The path exits the opposite (west) side of the temple, and from there you can either wend your way back through, following a different course to the rocks, or walk around the outside.

Getting There

Beng Melea is 60km (37 miles) east of Siem Reap and is often visited as part of a day trip along with the Roluos Group. The road is paved and smooth until just after the Roluos group where you turn north at the town of Dom Dek, which has a local market that's worth a stop. From there, follow a dusty, bumpy road. Traveling by motorbike is not recommended, at least not without a good mask and nerves of steel.

Quick Facts on Beng Melea

Site Information
Names:Beng Melea
Categories:temples; ruins; World Heritage Sites
Styles:Khmer Culture
Dates:12th C
Status: ruins
Visitor and Contact Information
Coordinates:13.477828° N, 104.225100° E
Address:Phumi Boeng Mealea, Cambodia
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Lodging:View hotels near Beng Melea
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

References

  1. Frommer's Vietnam with Angkor Wat, 1st ed. (2006).
  2. Lonely Planet Cambodia (2005).
  3. Beng Mela - The Angkor Guide (translation of Maurice Glaize, A Guide to the Angkor Monuments)

More Information

© Hartfried Schmid
© Hartfried Schmid
© Hartfried Schmid
© alidarbac
© Hartfried Schmid
© Hartfried Schmid

Map of Beng Melea, Siem Reap

Below is a location map and aerial view of Beng Melea. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.