Many tourists might give the last temple on the Small Circuit a miss. Banteay Kdei’s spacious and tree-shaded grounds, combined with the relatively low traffic, makes Banteay Kdei a great place for visitors with time on their hands, all the better to stop and take in the atmosphere.
Banteay Kdei lies to the southeast of Ta Prohm, a semi-ruined complex of four enclosures with the largest one measuring 297 feet by 1,640 feet. The prolific King Jayavarman VII completed Banteay Kdei at the beginning of the 13th century. Two different art styles, Angkor and Bayon, are evident in the temple’s design.
Its soft sandstone structure has collapsed in certain places, and the outer enclosure has been reconstructed using re-used stones. And because of alterations made by later Hindu kings, Banteay Kdei lacks the symmetry of more popular temples like Angkor Wat.
Banteay Kdei is the last significant temple on the Small Circuit; from here, you’ll head a further four miles southwest to loop back to Angkor Wat from where you came.
Don’t miss the rectangular courtyard to the east known as the “Hall of the Dancing Girls”, which is named after the carved dancing girls on its exterior.
