The Road Less Traveled to Banyon

The "Hidden" East gate

Avalokiteshvara or Jayavarman VII, take your pick

One of the many narrow passages in Banyon that make it a wonderful maze to explore.

I approached the three tiered mountain of stone that is Banyon Temple from the East gate, or Victory Gate. This is the route of the Circuit Petite. Crossing the moat, I entered the ancient city of Angkor Thom. The city walls encompass an area of nine square kilometers, and yet this is just one of the Angkor sites! There is a reason that seeing the wonders of Angkor on foot is almost impossible. Even by bicycle, it is a huge area to cover.

I left the paved road behind, opting instead for a dirt path heading south along the city walls. I was completely alone. I came upon the second East Gate at the intersection of two dirt paths. Cambodian workers were asleep in their hammocks under the trees. There were no foreigners to be seen. I had the entire place to myself.

I headed due West along the second dirt path, aimed straight as an arrow for the very center of Angkor Thom, Banyon Temple. The three tiers of Banyon are one of the most famous images of the Angkor complex, its many towers each bearing four faces of Avalokiteshvara.

Paraphrasing from the guides and maps, Banyon is one of the largest Mahayana Buddhist temples in the Angor Complex. It was built at the very center of of the huge square that is Angkor Thom. The temple was constructed in the late 12th and early 13th centuries by Jayavaram VII, whose likeness is worked into the huge stone faces of the Avalokiteshvara that look down upon the visitors from almost every angle.

My timing was good, as I had planned to arrive during the lunch hour, which offers a reprieve from the visiting hordes. The tour buses whisk away the multitude for expensive Khmer food (and even more expensive Western food) leaving some of the more famous sites much less crowded.