Preah Ko Archaeological Site

Address: Roluos Group (Preah Ko), near Bakong, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia (within Angkor Archaeological Park)

Website: https://www.angkor.com

Hours: Daily 5:00am-6:00pm (Angkor Park hours)

Admission: Included with Angkor Archaeological Park pass (1‑day US$37, 3‑day US$62, 7‑day US$72)

Preah Ko is an 9th-century Khmer temple in the Roluos group, east of Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was consecrated in 879 AD and is one of the earliest major temple complexes of the Angkor period.

The complex contains six brick towers set on a raised sandstone platform and arranged in two rows. The towers retain carved sandstone lintels and pediments with Hindu iconography that are the main visual highlights for visitors. The site is compact - most visitors complete a visit in 30-60 minutes - and is often paired with nearby Roluos group temples.

Construction was initiated by King Indravarman I; the monument was dedicated to members of the royal family and to Hindu deities. Over the centuries the brick towers suffered weathering and partial collapse and have undergone multiple conservation efforts to stabilise masonry and preserve carvings.

The temple sits in the village area of Roluos, roughly 13 km east of Siem Reap town, on flat agricultural land near other early Angkor temples. Access is by road from Siem Reap and it is typically visited as part of a short circuit of the Roluos group.

• Best time: Early morning light and fewer visitors make details on the lintels and pediments easier to photograph.
• How to combine: Commonly visited together with Bakong and Lolei - all three form the Roluos group about 13 km east of Siem Reap.

Preah Ko is part of the Roluos group east of Siem Reap and lies about 12-15 km from Siem Reap town centre. It’s usually reached by tuk‑tuk or car (about 30-45 minutes depending on traffic) along the main road east out of Siem Reap; many visitors also cycle there (a longer ride).

There is a short on‑site walk from the roadside/parking area to the temple; most tourist transport providers in Siem Reap include a stop at the Roluos group.

• Visit Preah Ko and Bakong together in the same morning-both are part of the Roluos group and are within a short drive of each other, so combining them avoids returning later when central Angkor crowds build.
• Go early for the best light on Preah Ko's brick towers and fewer tour groups; the site is compact and quiet, which makes it easier to study the carved faces and inscriptions that many visitors miss in a cursory walk-through.