North gate of Banteay Kdei temple.

© BTWImages/Getty Images/iStock

Banteay Kdei & Sra Srang

Temples of Angkor


Banteay Kdei, a massive Buddhist monastery from the latter part of the 12th century, is surrounded by four concentric walls. Each of its four entrances is decorated with garudas, which hold aloft one of Jayavarman VII’s favourite themes: the four faces of Avalokiteshvara. East of Banteay Kdei is a vast pool of water, Sra Srang, measuring 800m by 400m, reserved as a bathing pool for the king and his consorts.

The outer wall of Banteay Kdei measures 500m by 700m. The inside of the central tower was never finished and much of the temple is in a ruinous state due to hasty construction. It is considerably less busy than nearby Ta Prohm and this alone can justify a visit.

A tiny island in the middle of Sra Srang once bore a wooden temple, of which only the stone base remains. This is a beautiful body of water from which to take in a quiet sunrise.

Allow about one hour to visit Banteay Kdei and admire the view over nearby Sra Srang.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Temples of Angkor attractions

1. Sra Srang

0.28 MILES

Just east of Banteay Kdei is a basin of earlier construction, Sra Srang, measuring 800m by 400m, which was reserved for the king and his wives. A tiny…

2. Prasat Kravan

0.74 MILES

Uninspiring from the outside, the interior brick carvings concealed within its towers are the hidden treasure of Prasat Kravan. The five brick towers,…

3. Ta Prohm

0.75 MILES

The so-called 'Tomb Raider Temple', Ta Prohm is cloaked in dappled shadow, its crumbling towers and walls locked in the slow muscular embrace of vast root…

4. Pre Rup

1.46 MILES

Pre Rup, built by Rajendravarman II, is about 1km south of the Eastern Mebon and is a popular spot for sunset. The temple consists of a pyramid-shaped…

5. Ta Keo

1.51 MILES

Ta Keo is a stark, undecorated temple that undoubtedly would have been one of the finest of Angkor’s structures, had it been finished. Built by Jayavarman…

6. Eastern Baray

1.66 MILES

The enormous one-time reservoir known as the Eastern Baray was excavated by Yasovarman I, who marked its four corners with stelae. This basin, now…

7. Spean Thmor

1.7 MILES

Spean Thmor, of which an arch and several piers remain, is 200m east of Thommanon. Jayavarman VII constructed many roads with these immense stone bridges…

8. Eastern Mebon

1.79 MILES

This Hindu temple, erected by Rajendravarman II, would once have been situated on an islet in the centre of the Eastern Baray, but it is now very much on…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "cambodia/temples-of-angkor/attractions/banteay-kdei-sra-srang/a/poi-sig/500522/1002179",
      "destination": "Temples-of-Angkor",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "Cambodia",
      "region": "Temples-of-Angkor",
      "position": "superzone"
    }