Srah Srang, the dual peaceful sunspot

An October morning bike return to Siem Reap via Srah Srang reservoir. Peaceful and far from crowdy are the qualities of this place in Angkor Park. It carried the promise of a nice, sunny day after the green season.

The Srah Srang reservoir, meaning ស្រះស្រង់, "Royal Bath", is one of those spots deserving a couple of visits. Like in the morning and in the evening. It is a place both to enjoy sunrise and sunset.

Along the reservoir on its north and southwest side there are a lot of cafes, restaurant and street food stalls. Open for both breakfast, lunch and dinner. Or for snacks and coffee breaks.

In the northwest corner, the two main routes of sightseeing of the core Angkor Park meets. This is the Angkor Park small circle of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Keo and Ta Prohm temples. And the Grand Circle of Angkor Thom, Royal Palace/Leper King, Preah Khan, Neak Poan, Ta Som, East Mebon and Pre Rup.

Today Srah Srang measures 700 by 350 meter. There is a platform in the centre of the Baray, meaning there might have been a larger temple there originally. Now there is a small tower with a spire showing that location.

This reservoir and its small temple were supervised built by the only known Khmer imperial architect by name, minister and guru Kavindrarimathana to the King Rajendravarman II in approximately 950 CE. He is accepted as the main architect behind East Mebon Temple, Prasat Bat Chum and probably the first architect designing Pre Rup Temple.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2025/06/15/srah-srang-the-dual-peaceful-sun-spot/

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The triple hidden tower temple at the end of red road

Prasat Bat Chum is easily accessible via a red, new dirt road from the south near Prasat Kravan.

Known architect
One unique aspect of this temple is that the architect is known by name. Normally, the god kings are the ones who got their names connected to the temples built during their reign during the 630 years of the Khmer Empire.

Bat Chum was supervised by the architect, minister and guru Kavindrarimathana to the King Rajendravarman II approximately 952CE.

Kavindrarimathana is also accepted as the supervisor behind East Mebon Temple, Srah Srang and maybe the basic designer behind Pre Rup Temple. Meaning that he designed the main reservoirs and elements of most of the Southeast Grand circle Angkor Park.

Mahayana Buddhism
The other unique aspect, Bat Chum was built as Mahayana Buddhist Temple when the Khmer Empire still had Hinduism as the main religion. Another interesting glimpse into religious pluralism early on in this powerful empire.

The three towers are in poor condition when I visited, undergoing a several yearlong restoration project. The three towers are dedicated to Buddha, Vajrapani and Prajnaparamita. Simplified one is for the Buddha, the second for the bodhisattva symbolizing Buddhas power and relentless determination in conquest of negativity, and the third perfection of Wisdom.

This temple is a 12,5 km bike ride from Siem Reap Old Market on mostly flat roads and bike tracks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_Chum

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That morning trip to Prasat Bat Chum among rich rice fields

Bat Chum Temple – ប្រាសាទបាទជុំ – is one of these off the main track sites where the travel is as interesting as the target.
There are several reasons to take a small side trip to the small Prasat Bat Chum. The beautiful entrance track among rice fields and cultural landscape is an obvious one.

It is near Prasat Kravan and close to Srah Srang reservoir. It is easily accessible both as part of and end point of a Small and Grand circuit tour of Angkor Park.

Or by mountain bike.

This morning, I met this fellow sitting near a small river trying fishing. Or simply enjoy a nice morning in the rice fields.
Good ones, either choice.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2024/02/15/prasat-bat-chum-a-unique-temple-off-main-track/

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