Banteay Top Temple

Address: Banteay Top area, Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia

Hours: Outdoor site accessible daylight hours

Admission: Free to access the hill; temple area may request small donation

Banteay Top, which literally means “Army Fortress”, is aptly named: the gap in the Dangrek Mountains near the Thai border was clearly a place of strategic military importance. Built around the same time as Banteay Chhmar, it is considerably smaller and in a far greater state of ruin.

All that remains of interest at this once-grand sandstone temple, commissioned by King Jayavarman VII, are four teetering towers of stone that seem to defy gravity; a fifth tower collapsed after thieves looted parts of it, a problem shared by many temples in the region. Scrambling around beneath these precarious stacks is an exhilarating experience.

Although Banteay Top and nearby Banteay Chhmar can be reached on a long day trip from Sisophon or Siem Reap, the visit is more rewarding combined with a homestay in a nearby village, where you can experience rural Cambodian life.

Banteay Top is accessible by road from Sisophon (about 1-1.5 hours) or Poipet; hire a tuk-tuk or private car. Road conditions vary; a 4x4 is useful in the rainy season.

• Climb early in the morning for fewer people and cooler temperatures.
• Wear sturdy shoes-the trail across the ridge has uneven stones and loose earth.
• Bring water and a hat; shade is limited on exposed sections.