Preah Khan

What to See at Preah Khan

The Long East–West Axis

Preah Khan is laid out along a processional corridor running nearly 200 metres, with four enclosing walls and a moat. Walking the full axis gives a strong sense of the temple’s original scale as both a religious complex and a working Buddhist university.

The Hall of Dancers and the Tree

Near the temple’s heart, a massive silk-cotton tree has grown directly through a gallery wall — visually similar to Ta Prohm’s famous root formations but seen by a fraction of the visitors, since most tour itineraries skip Preah Khan in favour of the more famous “small circuit” temples.

The Two-Storey Pavilion

An unusual two-storey structure with round columns sits within the complex — its original purpose unknown, though some scholars suggest it stored sacred texts or relics. It’s architecturally unlike anything else in the Angkor park.

How to Get to Preah Khan

Preah Khan sits just north of Angkor Thom’s northern wall and the Jayatataka baray, about a 20-minute tuk-tuk ride from Angkor Wat.

• Tuk-tuk: $5–10 extra on top of a standard half-day Angkor circuit if requested specifically
• Bicycle: Comfortably reachable as part of a “Grand Circuit” cycling day
• Combine with: Neak Pean (a small island temple in the adjacent baray) and Preah Neak Pean, both a short ride further north

Best Time to Visit

Because Preah Khan isn’t on the standard “Small Circuit” most tuk-tuk drivers default to, it sees noticeably fewer visitors than Ta Prohm or Bayon. Late afternoon is particularly atmospheric, with soft light through the tree canopy and corridors largely to yourself.

Practical Information

• Covered by the standard Angkor Pass — request it specifically if your driver defaults to the standard circuit
• Uneven terrain and partially collapsed sections in places — sturdy footwear recommended
• Less signage than the major temples; a guide or guidebook adds context here more than almost anywhere else in Angkor

Nearby Attractions

Neak Pean, a small temple on an artificial island in the Jayatataka baray reached by a wooden walkway, is a short ride north and an easy add-on to the same outing.