Chau Srei Vibol

Chau Srei Vibol is an extensive 11th-century temple in the Baphuon style, standing on an isolated forested hilltop north-east of Siem Reap within the grounds of a modern Buddhist wat. Rarely visited except by monks and devotees, it retains the solitary silence of a lost temple.

The approach itself is part of the appeal, threading past the last remnant of the Angkor-era road between Angkor Thom and Beng Mealea and a broken-down sandstone bridge with crumbling naga balustrades before reaching the laterite outer walls and gopura at the foot of the hill. A short climb through trees and over piles of rubble leads up to the ruins.

Sandstone blocks lie scattered everywhere, but three major structures still stand: the central sanctuary and two libraries. Decorative Hindu-style carvings cover the doorways and lintels, and two stone lions flank the eastern entrance gate on the outer wall.

• Visit early in the morning or late afternoon as part of an Angkor Park circuit - Chau Srei Vibol is one of the quieter Angkor sites and is at its best when the biggest crowds are at Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm.
• Use your Angkor Archaeological Park pass and approach via the smaller east‑side tracks when possible; that route often results in fewer tour groups and a more peaceful experience of the carvings and causeway.
• Hire a guide or download an authoritative site guide before you go - Chau Srei Vibol's detailed lintels and iconography are easy to miss without someone pointing out the key panels and restorations.