Banteay Srei Butterfly Centre

Overview The Banteay Srei Butterfly Centre is a small butterfly sanctuary and visitor facility near the Banteay Srei temple in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. It focuses on breeding and displaying local butterfly species for conservation and education.

What visitors find Visitors can walk through a planted flight house and gardens where live butterflies are reared and released, plus interpretive displays explaining life cycles and host plants. The site is compact and aimed at short visits by tourists coming from the nearby temple area.

History The centre was established as a local conservation and education facility to support awareness of butterfly species and habitats in the Siem Reap region. It operates alongside local tourism to the nearby temple sites.

Location Located close to the Banteay Srei temple complex in Siem Reap province, the facility is typically visited as part of a half-day circuit that includes the temple and other nearby cultural sites.

• Location tip: Operates as a small conservation and visitor centre located close to the Banteay Srei temple complex in Siem Reap province.
• When to go: Best visited in the morning when butterflies are most active and easiest to observe in the flight house and gardens.

What to See#

• Butterfly house: A greenhouse-style flight house and display area where live butterflies are raised and shown to visitors, with planted nectar and host-plant zones.
• Breeding and education area: A small nursery and educational area used for captive breeding and public outreach about local butterfly species and habitats.

The centre is the largest butterfly exhibit in South-East Asia, set in tropical gardens on the road to Banteay Srei temple. On arrival you step into a large netted enclosure filled with lush planting, vibrant flowers and thousands of butterflies flying freely, with specimens shown at every stage of the life cycle, from caterpillar to chrysalis to adult.

The project is a community-based conservation initiative: admission fees pay the wages of local villagers who breed the butterflies, giving rural families in the Siem Reap area an alternative source of income while supporting environmental awareness.

The Banteay Srei Butterfly Centre sits next to the Banteay Srei temple complex northeast of Siem Reap. From Siem Reap town take the main road toward the Angkor temples (National Road 6) and follow the branch road toward Banteay Srei; most visitors go by tuk‑tuk or taxi - the drive is typically a 30-45 minute trip and the centre is a short walk from the temple parking area.

• Plan a mid‑late morning visit when the sun has warmed the garden and butterfly activity is highest, and combine it with a trip to nearby Banteay Srei temple to make the most of the short journey north of Siem Reap.
• Ask staff about the breeding/pupae area and the small education displays-these are often overlooked but offer good photo and learning opportunities about local species and conservation work.
• Visit outside the busiest Angkor circuit times (early morning or late afternoon) to enjoy the centre with fewer tourists and to support the centre by purchasing souvenirs from their small shop.